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
(1 - 14 of 14)
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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From Camp Douglas topics include the continued improvement of Barney’s health, being busy with issues with the company including low morale and discipline, the good weather in Chicago and having received a photo of Maria.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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Topics include the regiment marching towards Harpers Ferry, the regiment disheartened to being ordered to retreat, loss of much equipment and people left behind in the hospital, the destruction of supplies left behind, their hard march to current location, the brief mention of a "heavy battles". ...
Show moreTopics include the regiment marching towards Harpers Ferry, the regiment disheartened to being ordered to retreat, loss of much equipment and people left behind in the hospital, the destruction of supplies left behind, their hard march to current location, the brief mention of a "heavy battles". (Maryland Campaign Sept 3-15, 1862). Reference to prisoners being paroled.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include the continued improvement of Barney’s health, having his attendant return to camp, his thinking of applying for a furlough to return home when he feels stronger, his outrage at the government for the continued poor living conditions for the men at camp in the sheds, his asking for...
Show moreTopics include the continued improvement of Barney’s health, having his attendant return to camp, his thinking of applying for a furlough to return home when he feels stronger, his outrage at the government for the continued poor living conditions for the men at camp in the sheds, his asking for more money from home and the lack of military pay the soldiers have received.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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From Camp Douglas topics include good food for his dinner, the high standard of living while visiting Danby and Syracuse, living conditions at the camp, having coal stoves, rats and lice plentiful, the death of one of his men Alfred Burrows from diphtheria, paying Mrs. Snow owed, giving comment...
Show moreFrom Camp Douglas topics include good food for his dinner, the high standard of living while visiting Danby and Syracuse, living conditions at the camp, having coal stoves, rats and lice plentiful, the death of one of his men Alfred Burrows from diphtheria, paying Mrs. Snow owed, giving comment on theater ("love sick stuff"), having no word of a prisoner exchange and the hope to be able to send $500 home soon.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Barney writes that he has moved into his house (winter quarters) and that Colonel Ripley was staying with him until his house was finished as well. He also gives a description of the expedition made by Colonel Ripley and 75 men to destroy a load of salt that had come ashore after a steamer ran...
Show moreBarney writes that he has moved into his house (winter quarters) and that Colonel Ripley was staying with him until his house was finished as well. He also gives a description of the expedition made by Colonel Ripley and 75 men to destroy a load of salt that had come ashore after a steamer ran aground. He also comments that Swanton has furnished its quota of troops but he is disappointed that the bounties were so high, and feels that the bounty system is unfair to the soldiers already serving.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include guarding Barber’s Cross Roads while the railroad tracks being taken up and transported to Suffolk. While there, his staying at the house of a Mr. Ely, a known secessionist, had difficulty restraining his troops from damaging the property that included setting fire to the Ely barn...
Show moreTopics include guarding Barber’s Cross Roads while the railroad tracks being taken up and transported to Suffolk. While there, his staying at the house of a Mr. Ely, a known secessionist, had difficulty restraining his troops from damaging the property that included setting fire to the Ely barn and tarring their wagon even though Mr. Ely is respectful to the Union troops. Writes of being surprised at the resignation of Colonel [Dudley Kimball] Andross and being disturbed by the turnover in the Regiment’s leadership.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include the continued improvement of Barney’s health, his taking of jaundice bitters as treatment, his paying Mrs. Snow $10 for his and his attendant's room and board in her home and of sending his attendant back to camp.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include order from General Pope that force the regiment to find their own meat which they do by confiscating cattle from the countryside, Union troops being flung insults from the Southern women, pickets firing at the rebels, a careless discharge of a revolver caused a fifer to have two...
Show moreTopics include order from General Pope that force the regiment to find their own meat which they do by confiscating cattle from the countryside, Union troops being flung insults from the Southern women, pickets firing at the rebels, a careless discharge of a revolver caused a fifer to have two injured fingers on his right hand amputated by Surgeon Hall, and the capture of the Confederate Lady Rebel Spy Belle Boyd.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include the continued improvement of Barney’s health from jaundice though his legs tire quickly, the need for money from home, thoughts of a furlough and the sickness and deaths in the regiment.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Brief letter from 1st Sgt. Whitmore to Barney's wife on the improvement of Barney’s health with Bilious fever (a name used that may refer to a number of illnesses that include jaundice) and the excellent care he is receiving from widow, Mrs. Snow in her private home.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include arriving at Camp Douglas in Chicago, Lt. Erastus W. Jewett expects military pay to come through, and the good condition of the company.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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Camp guard house cleaned and fixed up so that the guards can rest when off the relief, how his company is eager to learn bayonet drill, what effect the draft will have on filling up his company, information on members of his company, inquiries about family, sending another photograph and speaks...
Show moreCamp guard house cleaned and fixed up so that the guards can rest when off the relief, how his company is eager to learn bayonet drill, what effect the draft will have on filling up his company, information on members of his company, inquiries about family, sending another photograph and speaks of letters to his daughter Carrie and son Fred.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Barney writes while on board the steamer “Maple Leaf” and describes the trip, including a singalong with Captain Seligson and his guitar. Officers' wives aboard but seasick, confined to their rooms thus he deprived "the pleasure of looking at a white woman." He also writes of wishing his father...
Show moreBarney writes while on board the steamer “Maple Leaf” and describes the trip, including a singalong with Captain Seligson and his guitar. Officers' wives aboard but seasick, confined to their rooms thus he deprived "the pleasure of looking at a white woman." He also writes of wishing his father had sent a box with winter clothing that he had requested earlier, since the men need winter clothing.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Barney writes of how soldiers incarcerated in the guard house organize life while there, mimicking the rules of a regiment, including a “Colonel” (the Bully) who gets his position by fighting other soldiers, of extortion committed, of brutal beatings with one soldier not expected to live. He also...
Show moreBarney writes of how soldiers incarcerated in the guard house organize life while there, mimicking the rules of a regiment, including a “Colonel” (the Bully) who gets his position by fighting other soldiers, of extortion committed, of brutal beatings with one soldier not expected to live. He also describes how a soldier from his company (the 9th) deposed the "Colonel" and himself rose to the rank of “Major General” before escaping from camp, of Barney going to church worship, of Gen. Hooker granting furloughs and writes of family members.
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