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
(1 - 9 of 9)
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
-
Topics include the possibility of action, ammunition and the mini ball, of high morale among the soldiers, of John Piper being described as the best marksman and now being Rutherford's body guard, an order from the War Department for Surgeons to remove themselves from action as much as possible,...
Show moreTopics include the possibility of action, ammunition and the mini ball, of high morale among the soldiers, of John Piper being described as the best marksman and now being Rutherford's body guard, an order from the War Department for Surgeons to remove themselves from action as much as possible, a case of Typhoid and the improbability of Rutherford taking a leave of absence at this time.
Show less
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
-
Topics include ways to help deal with small pox and keeping the face from pitting, how Rutherford entertains himself in camp that includes reading, writing and playing card game Euchre, the treatment of a secessionist, Mr. Trundle, for erysipelas (infection and redness of the skin) with the...
Show moreTopics include ways to help deal with small pox and keeping the face from pitting, how Rutherford entertains himself in camp that includes reading, writing and playing card game Euchre, the treatment of a secessionist, Mr. Trundle, for erysipelas (infection and redness of the skin) with the result that Rutherford is even more well respected by fellow officers, meeting Dr. Willard Augustus Childe's new wife, reference to a black regiment.
Show less
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
-
Rutherford writes a description of Thanksgiving dinner in camp prepared with the help of the officers' wives, a reference to John Piper his "orderly", of soldiers plans to steal a gun from a neighboring farmer in order to get some turkeys and chickens for the holiday meal, of their arrest, the...
Show moreRutherford writes a description of Thanksgiving dinner in camp prepared with the help of the officers' wives, a reference to John Piper his "orderly", of soldiers plans to steal a gun from a neighboring farmer in order to get some turkeys and chickens for the holiday meal, of their arrest, the unpleasant weather, of Rutherford being jaundice and of his black boy Moses being sick and likely to die.
Show less
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
-
Topics include the failure to receive a leave of absence, not wishing to pay any old debts, a close call with Major White's brigade near Leesburgh, and a journey to Portsville (Poolesville??), saw a sham fight (war game?) in which his mare performed splendidly, his health is good but smallpox in...
Show moreTopics include the failure to receive a leave of absence, not wishing to pay any old debts, a close call with Major White's brigade near Leesburgh, and a journey to Portsville (Poolesville??), saw a sham fight (war game?) in which his mare performed splendidly, his health is good but smallpox in the brigade with a request for his wife to save the scabs from his children's arms so that he may have matter for vaccine.
Show less
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
-
Dr. Rutherford writes of a battle near Leesburgh some 14 miles from the camp near Seneca Creek (Maryland?) the outcome of which is not known, of the filthy condition of some of the soldiers, of an epidemic of Typhoid fever with the loss of over a dozen men to the illness. He writes of his winter...
Show moreDr. Rutherford writes of a battle near Leesburgh some 14 miles from the camp near Seneca Creek (Maryland?) the outcome of which is not known, of the filthy condition of some of the soldiers, of an epidemic of Typhoid fever with the loss of over a dozen men to the illness. He writes of his winter living accommodations of which he is very happy and mentions "Mose the Moor", the runaway black slave boy who tends to him. Also writes of a review from the Brigadier General, and the health of Rutherford’s family.
Show less
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to Daughter
- Description
-
Rutherford writes from his Maryland camp to his daughter, Helen, of military life, about the fact that there is no day of worship in the military, food preparations for Thanksgiving dinner, description of the dress parade, Typhoid fever in the camp, and the proper care that the Vermont regiment...
Show moreRutherford writes from his Maryland camp to his daughter, Helen, of military life, about the fact that there is no day of worship in the military, food preparations for Thanksgiving dinner, description of the dress parade, Typhoid fever in the camp, and the proper care that the Vermont regiment is receiving from their surgeons.
Show less
- Title
- William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
- Description
-
A brief letter discusses the lack of letters received, money sent home via Sutler Geo Skiff, states various soldiers sick including Typhoid fever, some going home due to illness.
- Title
- William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
- Description
-
Letter discusses snow in camp and delays in moving, diarrhea cures, the Surgeon’s remedy, and those who have been sick. His desire for a box of goods is also mentioned, as well as what to put in it (including food), especially newspapers and magazines for the men in the Hospital. He also...
Show moreLetter discusses snow in camp and delays in moving, diarrhea cures, the Surgeon’s remedy, and those who have been sick. His desire for a box of goods is also mentioned, as well as what to put in it (including food), especially newspapers and magazines for the men in the Hospital. He also discusses his desire that the family stay healthy this year, as opposed to the last.
Show less
- Title
- William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
- Description
-
Expresses big disappointment about preparing for a raid by Confederate General Jeb Stuart that never happened due to a Union military blunder, a pontoon bridge at Edward's Ferry (between Virginia and Maryland), mentions the names of several men regarding sickness in the regiment's companies,...
Show moreExpresses big disappointment about preparing for a raid by Confederate General Jeb Stuart that never happened due to a Union military blunder, a pontoon bridge at Edward's Ferry (between Virginia and Maryland), mentions the names of several men regarding sickness in the regiment's companies, sends kisses to his children.
Show less