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 - 20 of 67)
Pages
- Title
- John W. Merriam to Friend Samantha
- Description
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Writing from Algiers, La. topics include the false report of Justus's death and an attack by 1500 Rebels on a train leaving Desallemands and heading for Algiers that left 30 to 40 soldiers wounded or killed.
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- Justus E. Gale to [Family]
- Description
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Topics include a poem titled “The Heavenly Home” and clearing up the rumor that Justus Gale is dead.
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- Justus E. Gale to Family
- Description
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Topics include a train crash, confiscating rebel property including horses, cattle, sheep and mules. Writes of having plenty of food on their travel back to camp including dining on lamb. Provided a meal at an old planters house. Mentions Negroes (slaves) and 1500 Blacks at camp, sending troops...
Show moreTopics include a train crash, confiscating rebel property including horses, cattle, sheep and mules. Writes of having plenty of food on their travel back to camp including dining on lamb. Provided a meal at an old planters house. Mentions Negroes (slaves) and 1500 Blacks at camp, sending troops to Gen. Phelps, the expectation of getting paid, rebels killed in an encounter with the enemy.
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- Title
- Justus E. Gale to Father
- Description
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Topics include the health of Justus Gale, the mistaken attack (friendly fire) by the Indiana regiment, the process of making sugar done by the slaves, and the daily drilling in camp.
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- Justus E. Gale to Father
- Description
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Two letters one dated March 28th and one April 6th.Topics include a description of the journey to Ship Island, Mississippi, being seasick, about the food and hard bread, poor quality water and little of it, writes of his faith in God and his sighting of the island.
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- Justus E. Gale to Sister
- Description
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Topics include the movement of the regiment to Brashear City, of city purchases by Justus Gale of barrels of apples which he resold by the piece, of buying tobacco, postage stamps, writing supplies, local terms for cash money, of commanding officers of 3rd Louisiana colored regiment and the dry...
Show moreTopics include the movement of the regiment to Brashear City, of city purchases by Justus Gale of barrels of apples which he resold by the piece, of buying tobacco, postage stamps, writing supplies, local terms for cash money, of commanding officers of 3rd Louisiana colored regiment and the dry weather.
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- Title
- Justus E. Gale to Sister and Mother
- Description
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Topics include a summary of the health of Justus Gale’s family, makes references to his faith, the movement of the regiment to Brashear City, a scene in camp as soldiers go about various activities, and the warm weather.
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- Justus F. Gale to [Family]
- Description
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Topics include lyrics to a song that is sung while marching.
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- Justus F. Gale to Brother
- Description
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Two letters, dated April 5th and 6th he writes from aboard the Ship Wallace heading for Ship Island. Mentions the "sugar place" back home in Elmore, Vt. Topics also include making a little bit of money buying and selling tobacco, the displeasure at having to remain on the ship, and the capture of...
Show moreTwo letters, dated April 5th and 6th he writes from aboard the Ship Wallace heading for Ship Island. Mentions the "sugar place" back home in Elmore, Vt. Topics also include making a little bit of money buying and selling tobacco, the displeasure at having to remain on the ship, and the capture of two rebel steamers up the Mississippi River.
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- Title
- Justus F. Gale to Brother
- Description
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Topics include a sore on his hand, getting photographs of the family made, his opinion of Captain Luman M. Grout and mention of Grout’s appreciation of Southern ladies, and rumors that Vicksburg has been taken.
- Title
- Justus F. Gale to Brother
- Description
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Topics include the process of choosing new officers and police in New Orleans, Gen. Butler's orders to the N.O. police being refused, illness among some of the soldiers, fruit berries available, other provisions few and expensive, summary of all the letters that have been received by Justus Gale,...
Show moreTopics include the process of choosing new officers and police in New Orleans, Gen. Butler's orders to the N.O. police being refused, illness among some of the soldiers, fruit berries available, other provisions few and expensive, summary of all the letters that have been received by Justus Gale, and how welcome the Vermont regiment is in New Orleans.
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- Title
- Justus F. Gale to Brother
- Description
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Topics include the sickness and deaths in the regiment including that of Lucias M Benson of Worcester from diphtheria whom Gale was caring for in the hospital, inquiries about home and family members, the lack of news from Richmond, and the hot weather in Algiers.
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- Justus F. Gale to Brother
- Description
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Topics include the 4th of July celebrations, guard duty of a bridge, diarrhea, accidental gun firing injuring a fellow soldier's hand, plenty of water but it is muddy river water, fresh local fruit and corn, and a brief account of Ship Island including mentioning how "black" the men were (either...
Show moreTopics include the 4th of July celebrations, guard duty of a bridge, diarrhea, accidental gun firing injuring a fellow soldier's hand, plenty of water but it is muddy river water, fresh local fruit and corn, and a brief account of Ship Island including mentioning how "black" the men were (either referring to being unclean or to mood).
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- Title
- Justus F. Gale to Brother
- Description
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Two letters dated April 24th and 25th. Topics include the capture of Fort Jackson(?) ; fort south of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, [battle April 18-28], the food at camp good except greasy pork meat, and the schedule for the day including battalion drills and dress parade.
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- Justus F. Gale to Family
- Description
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Writes from Brattleboro of the journey from Montpelier to Brattleboro, unit called Co. A, of other troops coming in, anticipates the regiment to be full in a few days, comfortable quarters, good food, Gov. Holbrook visited.
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- Justus F. Gale to Family
- Description
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Topics include the journey from Hyde Park, Stowe, Montpelier, the company's Sunday Church experience, reference to various names of friends and family, anticipated destination Ship Island near the mouth of the Mississippi River.
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- Justus F. Gale to Family
- Description
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Topics include the sickness and deaths in the regiment due to Typhoid Fever and poor water, a report that Vicksburg was burned, and the call for the 11th and 12th regiments from Vermont.
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- Justus F. Gale to Father
- Description
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Topics include the good health of Justus Gale, a description of the land in Algiers including deep mud, swamp and tall grasses, and the sickness in the regiment.
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- Justus F. Gale to Father
- Description
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Gale writes to his father a description of the land through which he is marching, as the Brigade travels up and down the Red River in pursuit of Confederate forces. He also gives a short description of the Battle of Fort Bisland, and then goes on to describe the fresh food available to the...
Show moreGale writes to his father a description of the land through which he is marching, as the Brigade travels up and down the Red River in pursuit of Confederate forces. He also gives a short description of the Battle of Fort Bisland, and then goes on to describe the fresh food available to the soldiers. He encloses with the letter a plate he used to eat lunch on that day, made of the bark of a Sweetgum tree, as most of his equipment had to be left at the camp at Brashear City.
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- Title
- Justus F. Gale to Father
- Description
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Topics include the good living conditions in New Orleans, the Indiana regiment taking meat from the rebels, been on cooking duty, good meals, fresh beef, waiting for military pay and the possibility of leaving soon.