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.
Show less
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
(61 - 80 of 124)
Pages
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
-
Topics include a group of officers and men going on a ride to the battle field of Bull Run, thoughts of wanting to stay in the military but home and family pull at him more, the expectation of leaving on July 4th for Brattleboro, a visit to and description of Mr. Buckley’s family (Confederate...
Show moreTopics include a group of officers and men going on a ride to the battle field of Bull Run, thoughts of wanting to stay in the military but home and family pull at him more, the expectation of leaving on July 4th for Brattleboro, a visit to and description of Mr. Buckley’s family (Confederate sympathizers), talk of drinking alcohol and of wife wishing for photographs.
Show less
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
-
Four days of marching have left the men foot sore and exhausted & he writes of the hardships and consequences of men not being able to keep up. Tells of a mishap with an officer and his horse, of the men picking up stray horses, of the men cooking for themselves, of butchered cattle for fresh...
Show moreFour days of marching have left the men foot sore and exhausted & he writes of the hardships and consequences of men not being able to keep up. Tells of a mishap with an officer and his horse, of the men picking up stray horses, of the men cooking for themselves, of butchered cattle for fresh beef, mention of Mrs. Capt. Williams and Mrs. Damon, moving towards Hagarstown and no expectation for a fight.
Show less
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
-
Writes from Camp Butler, Fort Monroe, Va. of camp life including flea bites, of family matters, his sister Laura's earache, wife Mary's health, gives a detailed description of the soldiers experience going out at night with five other companies (Northfield of his regiment and four companies of...
Show moreWrites from Camp Butler, Fort Monroe, Va. of camp life including flea bites, of family matters, his sister Laura's earache, wife Mary's health, gives a detailed description of the soldiers experience going out at night with five other companies (Northfield of his regiment and four companies of the Scott Life Guard of New York 4th) under the command of Lt. Col. McGregor.
Show less
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
-
Topics include monotony of camp life, the warm weather, and rumors around camp that an attack is imminent. Farnham assures wife that rebels would need a large army to attack them so close to Fort Monroe.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
-
Topics include the journey home and awaiting the paymaster before finally going home, concerns for his wife's health, the men refusing to drill or do any other military duty. Writes from Camp Phelps, Brattleboro.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
-
Topics include encounter between Hawkins Regiment and a company of Rebels, Roswell's desire to "go out whenthe company goes," despite his wife's complaining. Also the weather, camp life, Roswell's eagerness to return home, and an article in the Telegraph titled "Pipes, Tobacco, and Whiskey" are...
Show moreTopics include encounter between Hawkins Regiment and a company of Rebels, Roswell's desire to "go out whenthe company goes," despite his wife's complaining. Also the weather, camp life, Roswell's eagerness to return home, and an article in the Telegraph titled "Pipes, Tobacco, and Whiskey" are discussed.
Show less
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
-
Topics include small disturbances by the rebels nightly, men is danger of guerrilla warfare by the Rebels, the ill health of the 13th regiment, a lot of inquiries about folks at home, a reference to Mr. Bond and the garden, him wanting the front yard at home spruced up before he gets back home,...
Show moreTopics include small disturbances by the rebels nightly, men is danger of guerrilla warfare by the Rebels, the ill health of the 13th regiment, a lot of inquiries about folks at home, a reference to Mr. Bond and the garden, him wanting the front yard at home spruced up before he gets back home, again encourages his wife to drink porter and get fat as she only weighs 104 pounds.
Show less
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
-
Topics include further description of the 4th of July.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
-
Topics include Roswell Farnham’s foot injury.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
-
Farnham writes from nearby Hunting Creek, Virginia at the headquarters of the 12th Vermont Volunteers about the cold weather in the South, eleven sick in the hospital, two of which had shot themselves. Reference made to Gen. McClellan being superseded by Gen. Burnside.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
-
Topics include the improvement of Roswell Farnham’s foot injury, the cold weather at camp, and the number of regiments joining the camp.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
-
Topics include remaining in Heintzleman’s corps and not joining Hooker’s Army & acting as a guard, inquiries about the house, Mary Farnham’s health and the little dog, Mac, states Mr. Batchelder can get money to Mary, and a description of Mr. Bowen who is pro Union but his wife and daughter are...
Show moreTopics include remaining in Heintzleman’s corps and not joining Hooker’s Army & acting as a guard, inquiries about the house, Mary Farnham’s health and the little dog, Mac, states Mr. Batchelder can get money to Mary, and a description of Mr. Bowen who is pro Union but his wife and daughter are Confederate and he has a son in the Black Horse Cavalry (Army of Northern Virginia, 4th Virginia Calvary Confederate States of America).
Show less
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
-
Topics include an encounter between the Zouaves and Rebels, flap-jacks and doughnuts in camp, an African-American prisoner by the name of Joe Wilson, the probability of not engaging in a fight, and the bugs and mosquitoes at camp.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
-
July 23, 1861. Topics include disastrous news from Manassas Junction that will delay the departure for home, death of a soldier named Whitney from Woodstock who left the troops with Lt. Becker but without being given leave by the Colonel, and terrible rain storms.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to Asa P. Blunt
- Description
-
Report to Col Asa P. Blunt regarding an inspection of several items including saddles, horses and bugles in the Second Connecticut Battery stationed at Wolf Run Shoals, Virginia stating the unfitness of some horses for duty and the disrepair of two bugles.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to Ben
- Description
-
Topics include being 21 miles away from the rest of the brigade, possibility of moving to the Rappahannock thus nearer to Kelly's Ford & the front, reports from Contrabands and refugees of fighting at Gordonville, relates again of the attack by Confederate commander John Singleton Mosby’s cavalry...
Show moreTopics include being 21 miles away from the rest of the brigade, possibility of moving to the Rappahannock thus nearer to Kelly's Ford & the front, reports from Contrabands and refugees of fighting at Gordonville, relates again of the attack by Confederate commander John Singleton Mosby’s cavalry on Union Cavalry & of his defeat in that fight, of guarding the road so that Gen. Joseph Hooker’s army can receive supplies, and the rainy weather.
Show less
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to C. H. Harding
- Description
-
Farnham's regiment in Rutland gets the news that they are to leave for Fort Monroe, Va., via rail car and then boat. News of the deployment raises morale; the men are ready for a good fight (recurring theme in Farnham's letters).
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to Frederick Holbrook
- Description
-
To the Governor of Vermont, Frederick Holbrook regarding names recommended for promotions, reporting Colonel Blunt at Fairfax Station, and the capture of General Stoughton.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to Laura
- Description
-
Farnham writes from Camp Vermont near Fairfax Court House, Va. to his sister, Laura, of rebel threatening, of military action with the rebels, of Col. Stoughton's entry into the rebel camp, of wife Mary's reaction to gunfire, of Jackson and his 12,000 men on the march maybe to Harper's Ferry.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to Laura
- Description
-
Topics include the good times the officers' wives are having in camp, the watching of the Guard Mounting, Picket Guard Mounting, battery practice and regiment drill, ladies sent to Alexandria as orders received that the whole brigade is to move and information about Cyrus’ death and belongings.