Vermonters in the Civil War
Collection Overview
Vermont soldiers in the Civil War wrote an enormous quantity of letters and diaries, of which many thousands have survived in libraries, historical societies, and in private hands. This collection represents a selection of letters and diaries from...
Show moreVermont soldiers in the Civil War wrote an enormous quantity of letters and diaries, of which many thousands have survived in libraries, historical societies, and in private hands. This collection represents a selection of letters and diaries from the University of Vermont and the Vermont Historical Society.
The collection includes materials dating from 1861-1865. Materials were selected for digitization to provide a variety of perspectives on events and issues. The voices represented in the collection include private soldiers and officers, as well as a few civilians. All of the extant Civil War-era letters or diaries of each of the selected individuals (at least, all that are to be found in the participating institutions’ collections) are included; each adds a certain experience and point of view to the whole.
Officers in the photo above are (from left to right): Lieutenant Colonel Charles B. Stoughton, Colonel Edwin H. Stoughton, Major Harry N. Worthen. All are from the Fourth Vermont Infantry Regiment.
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Sub-collections
- Daniel S. White Correspondence
- Edward P. Stone Correspondence
- George W. Quimby Correspondence
- Henry A. Smith Correspondence
- Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence
- Horace Barlow Diary
- John Lester Barstow Correspondence
- John W. Campbell Correspondence
- John Wolcott Phelps Correspondence
- Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
- Joseph L. Perkins Correspondence
- Joseph Spafford Correspondence
- Justus F. Gale Correspondence
- Lyman S. Williams Correspondence
- Orlando S. Turner Correspondence
- Ransom W. Towle Correspondence
- Roswell Farnham Correspondence
- Solomon G. Heaton Correspondence
- Valentine G. Barney Correspondence
- Wheelock Graves Veazey Correspondence
- William C. Holbrook Correspondence
- William Wirt Henry Correspondence
Lesson Plans
(101 - 120 of 1,115)
Pages
- Title
- Edward P. Stone to Family
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Two letters dated Dec 28 and New Year's Day [1863] ; relates procedure and process by which allowed pass to travel to Washington with a soldier’s body, travel to Washington on the steamer Zepher, receiving parcels from home ; asking if $400 received.
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- Edward P. Stone to Family
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Inquires about ladies in the family, requesting letters from them, states there is good water contrary to what the newspapers report, vegetables to eat, building brick ovens, prayer meetings being held in brick church, death of son of Judge Swift of Middlebury.
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- Edward P. Stone to Family
- Description
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Chaplain Stone writes of worship service, evening tent prayer meetings, having comfortable living conditions in his tent, the regiments having moved three times since reaching Washington, D.C. but seemingly not in any danger.
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- Edward P. Stone to Family
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Writes of the first death in the regiment, that of William Fallon of Royalton from the measles, of his good health, refers to John (perhaps his brother?), comfortable living conditions and of having to prepare for the funeral.
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- Edward P. Stone to John F. Stone
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Stone writes he encloses $400 ; just paid for four months service ; the regiment to march towards Fredericksburg, Va. ; he thinks this may mean a battle (a battle was fought Dec. 13, 1862 at Fredericksburg) ; he will stay behind unless the regiment moves ; address for John given.
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- Edward P. Stone to John F. Stone
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From camp along the James River, Va. he writes of money sent to his father, box received from home, fashioning furnishings with items available, mentions his horse, men may be required to move, will regret having to leave the brick church being used for worship, church cushioned & carpeted & has...
Show moreFrom camp along the James River, Va. he writes of money sent to his father, box received from home, fashioning furnishings with items available, mentions his horse, men may be required to move, will regret having to leave the brick church being used for worship, church cushioned & carpeted & has an organ, perhaps a gift from Mrs. President Harrison, missing soldiers learned to be prisoners exchanged unharmed.
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- Title
- Edward P. Stone to John F. Stone
- Description
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Writing from Camp Griffin, Va., Stone writes of sending money to his father in payment for a horse from Mr. Parmelee, refers again to John (perhaps his brother?), of many duties as chaplain including preparing for the funerals of the men who died from sickness and of his carpet bag being stolen...
Show moreWriting from Camp Griffin, Va., Stone writes of sending money to his father in payment for a horse from Mr. Parmelee, refers again to John (perhaps his brother?), of many duties as chaplain including preparing for the funerals of the men who died from sickness and of his carpet bag being stolen on the way to camp.
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- Title
- Erastus Fairbanks to John Wolcott Phelps
- Description
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Letter from Vt. House Rep. Erastus Fairbanks writing about the storage of military equipment that has not otherwise been disposed of at Fort Monroe, Va., mentions loss of supplies by the 2nd Regiment at Manassas.
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- Erastus Fairbanks to John Wolcott Phelps
- Description
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Topics include the conduct of the 7th Vermont Regiment and the lack of newspaper coverage of the Regiment's positive attributes. The battles in Maryland would include Antietam Creek, one of the bloodiest battles of the war. Fairbanks also mentions a rumor of Phelps's resignation, which had indeed...
Show moreTopics include the conduct of the 7th Vermont Regiment and the lack of newspaper coverage of the Regiment's positive attributes. The battles in Maryland would include Antietam Creek, one of the bloodiest battles of the war. Fairbanks also mentions a rumor of Phelps's resignation, which had indeed occurred in August, 1862. Some thoughts about slavery, government, and the Constitution.
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- Title
- Erastus Fairbanks to John Wolcott Phelps and [Daniel] Roberts to Erastus Fairbanks
- Description
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First letter is from Governor Erastus Fairbanks writing from St Johnsbury, Vt. Topic includes scandalous reports of officers in the 1st Regiment regarding the neglect of sick soldiers by the surgeon and assistant surgeon in military hospital. Second letter to the Gov. from Danl. Roberts writes of...
Show moreFirst letter is from Governor Erastus Fairbanks writing from St Johnsbury, Vt. Topic includes scandalous reports of officers in the 1st Regiment regarding the neglect of sick soldiers by the surgeon and assistant surgeon in military hospital. Second letter to the Gov. from Danl. Roberts writes of the sources of the reports and that the matter requires investigation.
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- Francis C. Williams to Frederick Holbrook
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Topics include the regiment being situated at Camp on Ship Island, the establishment of (religious?) services on Tuesdays, and the intellectual capacity of the men of the Vermont regiments.
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- Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps
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Topics include Frederick Holbrook requesting that his son William be under General John Wolcott Phelps' command in the position of Aid, Secretary or of some type of assistant.
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- Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps
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Topics include the arrival of the 7th and 8th Vermont Regiments at Ship Island, off the coast of Miss., and arrangements with the War Department for wounded troops to be sent home. Holbrook mentions the Battle of Yorktown (April 5-May 4, 1862), esp. the "affair" on April 16 that left ca. 100...
Show moreTopics include the arrival of the 7th and 8th Vermont Regiments at Ship Island, off the coast of Miss., and arrangements with the War Department for wounded troops to be sent home. Holbrook mentions the Battle of Yorktown (April 5-May 4, 1862), esp. the "affair" on April 16 that left ca. 100 Vermont soldiers wounded. Holbrook is in charge of the U.S. Marine Hospital in Burlington, Vt.
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- Title
- Frederick Holbrook to Roswell Farnham
- Description
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Farnham receives a brief letter from Governor Frederick Holbrook of Vermont writing from Montpelier of Farnham's concerns about soldier vacancies in the Vermont regiments and the method to fill them. Mentions Col. Proctor.
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- George F. Davis to Smiley Bancroft
- Description
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Topics include plans to return Charles Bancroft's possessions to his father. One senses that the quartermaster is defending the military's hospital care in response to a complaint from Bancroft's father.
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- George F. Davis to Smiley Bancroft
- Description
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Topics include the death of Charles Bancroft while on the "Propeller Richard Willing" and an account of his possessions. The quartermaster's tone is remarkably sympathetic even while addressing official business.
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- George Prichard, C. C. P. Baldwin, and R. C. Johnson to Roswell Farnham
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Topics include the presentation of a horse to Roswell Farnham because of his patriotism.
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- George W. Quimby Correspondence
- Description
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George W. Quimby was an 1859 graduate of Dartmouth College before becoming a teacher and law student. Quimby was commissioned from Barton on September 4, 1861 as 1st lieutenant in Co. D, 4th Vt. He was promoted to captain on February 20, 1862. Quimby was killed in action at Fredericksburg,...
Show moreGeorge W. Quimby was an 1859 graduate of Dartmouth College before becoming a teacher and law student. Quimby was commissioned from Barton on September 4, 1861 as 1st lieutenant in Co. D, 4th Vt. He was promoted to captain on February 20, 1862. Quimby was killed in action at Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Captain George Quimby's letters contain good descriptions of camp duties, observations on the Peninsula Campaign, and a brief description of the Antietam battlefield after the Confederate withdrawal. Two letters from Lieutenant Charles C. Kinsman and one letter from Chaplain John L. Roberts concern Quimby's death at Fredericksburg on December 13th, 1862.
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- Title
- George W. Quimby to Emeline B. Masta
- Description
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Topics include a "miniature" (porttrait?) that Quimby wants to send home; instructions for his sister to collect on a debt owed by Captain Tucker; and expectation of the Regiment advancing. The order to advance would come from Lincoln himself on Jan. 27, 1862, and would be his first General War...
Show moreTopics include a "miniature" (porttrait?) that Quimby wants to send home; instructions for his sister to collect on a debt owed by Captain Tucker; and expectation of the Regiment advancing. The order to advance would come from Lincoln himself on Jan. 27, 1862, and would be his first General War Order.
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- Title
- George W. Quimby to Emeline B. Masta
- Description
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Topics include the hardships of war, the unfairness between the men who are at home and those that are fighting, and the progress of George W. Quimby’s recuperation. Mentions a long march "on a certain Sunday" from Charles City C. H. (Court House) across the Chickahominy River.