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 - 8 of 8)
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Topics include the regiment moving to Culpeper, Virginia on high ground along the Blue Ridge, skirmishing nearby, going with Dr. Childe and Col. Henry to see deserters shot but they were not shot, no military pay because the regiment moved, glad daughter Helen taking an interest in domestic...
Show moreTopics include the regiment moving to Culpeper, Virginia on high ground along the Blue Ridge, skirmishing nearby, going with Dr. Childe and Col. Henry to see deserters shot but they were not shot, no military pay because the regiment moved, glad daughter Helen taking an interest in domestic duties, sadness over the desolate condition of the countryside and George moving to Washington permanently.
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- Title
- Justus F. Gale to Mother
- Description
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Gale writes that his company had been busy digging entrenchments in preparation for an assault on Port Hudson, and that rebels made a small raid to acquire some nearby guns but were repulsed. He also writes that deserters are coming in almost every day and report that rations are short in the...
Show moreGale writes that his company had been busy digging entrenchments in preparation for an assault on Port Hudson, and that rebels made a small raid to acquire some nearby guns but were repulsed. He also writes that deserters are coming in almost every day and report that rations are short in the fort. As well he writes that there is a rumor that the Rebels had invaded Brashear City and took or burned items left by the 8th Regiment, and the Colonel Thomas reacted strongly, saying “he wished he could get one clip at them with his brigade.”
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- Title
- Lyman S. Williams to Lois L. Williams
- Description
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Topics include how busy he has been with monthly reports, the gloomy weather, news from his brother, Nathan, in Chicago, and the cheering war news. He also reports that Confederate deserters are still crossing the lines and that he thinks the war will be over in four months.
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- Ransom W. Towle to Friends
- Description
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Writing seven miles from Richmond, Virginia topics include the mention of the Chickahominy River, a prediction of a battle and a description of skirmishes.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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From Camp Douglas topics include an update on the state of the regiment including men deserting, sick, discharged or joining the regular army, of sending photographs of Bushnell, Cleveland and of himself home to Maria, of Lt Sherman in camp, the loss of 13,000 Union men from Burnside’s army in...
Show moreFrom Camp Douglas topics include an update on the state of the regiment including men deserting, sick, discharged or joining the regular army, of sending photographs of Bushnell, Cleveland and of himself home to Maria, of Lt Sherman in camp, the loss of 13,000 Union men from Burnside’s army in recent battles, of thousands of paroled prisoners in Annapolis thus Barney needing to stay at camp through the holidays.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include being on guard duty, of the many court martial cases to be tried, his passion for collecting photographs of all the officers in the Regiment for his album, the resignation of officers, sending Meigs to pursue a deserter with no luck in arresting him, of hearing about a military...
Show moreTopics include being on guard duty, of the many court martial cases to be tried, his passion for collecting photographs of all the officers in the Regiment for his album, the resignation of officers, sending Meigs to pursue a deserter with no luck in arresting him, of hearing about a military draft in Vermont & the need for men to serve
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include receiving $10 from his father, the food supplies at camp, the health of the regiment which includes many men with jaundice, morale of the men, mentions telling his wife army life would be better than he knew it would be in order for her to feel better about letting him be in the...
Show moreTopics include receiving $10 from his father, the food supplies at camp, the health of the regiment which includes many men with jaundice, morale of the men, mentions telling his wife army life would be better than he knew it would be in order for her to feel better about letting him be in the military, reporting 2 of his men as deserters to Head Quarters, the false reports written in the papers and mentions prisoner of war camp Camp Douglas.
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- Title
- William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
- Description
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Topics include a travel route planned to return home via Annapolis, Brattleboro and maybe even Burlington, the capture of 18 Rebel prisoners near Fairfax, and the hope of one of the wounded prisoners, a Virginian, to retake the oath to become a citizen of the United States again, reference to a...
Show moreTopics include a travel route planned to return home via Annapolis, Brattleboro and maybe even Burlington, the capture of 18 Rebel prisoners near Fairfax, and the hope of one of the wounded prisoners, a Virginian, to retake the oath to become a citizen of the United States again, reference to a Flag of Truce to send a letter to the Confederate Army, his side business doing poorly as the men have expected orders to move and the Sutlers not buying for the same reason.
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