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
(261 - 280 of 289)
Pages
- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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June 16, 1861. Barney writes from Newport News, Virginia an account of the Battle of Big Bethel including battle casualties, men sent out to look for cattle, illness among the men, soldiers tired to camp life, the arrival of food sent from home some of which was in good condition such as cheese,...
Show moreJune 16, 1861. Barney writes from Newport News, Virginia an account of the Battle of Big Bethel including battle casualties, men sent out to look for cattle, illness among the men, soldiers tired to camp life, the arrival of food sent from home some of which was in good condition such as cheese, dried apples and maple sugar with some not.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Letter head contains a red emblem with star and shield. Topics include arriving at Camp Hamilton, other regiments and companies in the area, getting used to sleeping outside again, getting tents set up, food less available but oysters plentiful, hopes he will begin receiving letters from his wife...
Show moreLetter head contains a red emblem with star and shield. Topics include arriving at Camp Hamilton, other regiments and companies in the area, getting used to sleeping outside again, getting tents set up, food less available but oysters plentiful, hopes he will begin receiving letters from his wife, since the Regiment has settled into camp.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include orders received to go to Baltimore in the next day or two, will take only 36 men with him, and packs only what he will carry with him in the field having sold unneeded items.
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- Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey
- Description
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Writing from camp near Cold Harbor, Virginia topics include the one year anniversary of the Veazey’s marriage to Julia, the defeat of the rebels on numerous fronts, his opinion and description of the horrors of war, fighting with the 5th Vermont Regiment, reference to General Porter, General...
Show moreWriting from camp near Cold Harbor, Virginia topics include the one year anniversary of the Veazey’s marriage to Julia, the defeat of the rebels on numerous fronts, his opinion and description of the horrors of war, fighting with the 5th Vermont Regiment, reference to General Porter, General McClellan.
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- Title
- Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey
- Description
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Topics include the moving of tents into the woods around Christmas and the prediction that England will not become involved in the war.
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- Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey
- Description
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Topics include orders to march to Baltimore under General Banks on Tuesday.
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- Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey
- Description
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Writing from the field 26 miles from Richmond, Virginia topics include a description of camp at Cumberland Landing on the Pamunkey River (tributary of the York River in eastern Virginia), the White House Farm estate, restrictions of the soldiers to respect and not touch anything belonging to the...
Show moreWriting from the field 26 miles from Richmond, Virginia topics include a description of camp at Cumberland Landing on the Pamunkey River (tributary of the York River in eastern Virginia), the White House Farm estate, restrictions of the soldiers to respect and not touch anything belonging to the house or grounds, the expectation of a battle at the Chickahominy Swamp, reference to Gen. McClellan and his divisions, praise from confederates prisoners of the excellence of the Vermont 3rd and the hope for a victory near Richmond.
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- Title
- Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey
- Description
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Writing from Camp Union Mills, Va. topics include a description of the fast day with sports being played, a prediction that the next campaign will end the war, and a description of the rebel army.
- Title
- Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey
- Description
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Topics include the dull in camp, men digging rifle pits, terrible weather, how much Wheelock loves his wife, and instructions to Julia to look in his trunk for letters regarding C. C. White directing Veazey to pay Col. Proctor, an order from George Randal of Springfield to pay C. C. White,...
Show moreTopics include the dull in camp, men digging rifle pits, terrible weather, how much Wheelock loves his wife, and instructions to Julia to look in his trunk for letters regarding C. C. White directing Veazey to pay Col. Proctor, an order from George Randal of Springfield to pay C. C. White, stories running around about Gen. Stoughton, slander about Miss Ford.
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- William Bruidnell and Francis Finnegan to William Wirt Henry
- Description
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Topics include a request for pay amounting to $116 and an update on the leaders of the Vermont Regiment.
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- William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook
- Description
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Writing to his father in Montpelier, Vt topics include Holbrook's desire to be appointed aide to General Phelps staff rather than Gen. Brooks', mentions names of several officers, his suggestion to appoint only West Point men to the position of Colonel, his opinion about Frank making a good Major...
Show moreWriting to his father in Montpelier, Vt topics include Holbrook's desire to be appointed aide to General Phelps staff rather than Gen. Brooks', mentions names of several officers, his suggestion to appoint only West Point men to the position of Colonel, his opinion about Frank making a good Major, praise for McClellan and celebrating Thanksgiving on the wrong day.
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- Title
- William C. Holbrook to Mother
- Description
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Topics include the movement of the regiment from Camp Advance to Camp Griffin, an alarm caused by the Dutchmen mistaking a calf for the rebels, Union officers receive praise from Holbrook (McClellan) as does the unit he is in from officers Col Stoughton and Gen Smith and a description of the...
Show moreTopics include the movement of the regiment from Camp Advance to Camp Griffin, an alarm caused by the Dutchmen mistaking a calf for the rebels, Union officers receive praise from Holbrook (McClellan) as does the unit he is in from officers Col Stoughton and Gen Smith and a description of the living situation at camp that include good food, sleeping on the ground and sending money back home.
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- Title
- William Wirt Henry to John Henry
- Description
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Writing from Camp Chase, Va. topics include the death of Henry's sister Katie and the journey to Camp from Brattleboro, aboard the train to New Haven, on the steamer Continental to New York, on to Philadelphia and then to Baltimore and finally Washington, D.C. and on to his camp just beyond...
Show moreWriting from Camp Chase, Va. topics include the death of Henry's sister Katie and the journey to Camp from Brattleboro, aboard the train to New Haven, on the steamer Continental to New York, on to Philadelphia and then to Baltimore and finally Washington, D.C. and on to his camp just beyond Fairfax, Va.under the command of Brig. Gen. Briggs of MA
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- Title
- William Wirt Henry to John Henry
- Description
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Writes from Camp Griffin near Lewinsville about eating too many chestnuts that made him sick, of family business, of having had enough war and ready to go home.
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- William Wirt Henry to John Henry
- Description
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October 8, 1861 from Camp Advance, Virginia near Chain Bridge. Writes of family business, men to camp for the winter a little south of Virginia, desire to be Quartermaster.
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- William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
- Description
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Short letter remarking that he is once again Division Officer of the Day on Sunday and so won’t be able to write his usual Sunday letter. Also that all the boys health is improving at the moment because of the cool nights.
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- William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
- Description
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Topics include the terrible muddy weather at Camp Griffin, Va. restricting moving about, not selling much Elixir due to the mud and restriction of movement, the living arrangements with Dr. Carpenter, how he spends his time in camp with visiting, going to the Sutlers, playing a card game Euchre...
Show moreTopics include the terrible muddy weather at Camp Griffin, Va. restricting moving about, not selling much Elixir due to the mud and restriction of movement, the living arrangements with Dr. Carpenter, how he spends his time in camp with visiting, going to the Sutlers, playing a card game Euchre with Col. Stannard, wishing to be home to play with his young daughter and sends money home to his wife.
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- Title
- William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
- Description
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Writes of wanting to go home to see his wife or her coming to the camp in Md., how muddy it is in camp, knows soldiers in the Advance are marching, suffering from cold, rain & mud while he has a comfortable tent, wanting the war to end quickly, the health of the regiment is better, wishing for...
Show moreWrites of wanting to go home to see his wife or her coming to the camp in Md., how muddy it is in camp, knows soldiers in the Advance are marching, suffering from cold, rain & mud while he has a comfortable tent, wanting the war to end quickly, the health of the regiment is better, wishing for more letters from home.
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- Title
- William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
- Description
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Letter expressing his surprise that Charles L. Beebe passed his physical examination, and his reaction to his father-in-law’s distress over paying for a substitute. As well he discusses the possibility of the his wife buying his father-in-law’s farm in order to raise the money. He then draws a...
Show moreLetter expressing his surprise that Charles L. Beebe passed his physical examination, and his reaction to his father-in-law’s distress over paying for a substitute. As well he discusses the possibility of the his wife buying his father-in-law’s farm in order to raise the money. He then draws a word picture about the destruction faced by many farmers in Maryland, and Pennsylvania when large numbers of troops camp on their farms.
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- Title
- William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
- Description
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October 8, 1861 from Camp Advance, Virginia. Writes of kindness from Col Stannard, wet weather, grand review of artillery by Genl. McClellan, illness among the men including homesickness and Typhoid Fever, family business.