Vermonters in the Civil War
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 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.
Showing 1 - 10 of 24 Records
Bradford Sparrow to Parents and Brothers
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- Creator: Sparrow, Bradford.
- Date Created: 1865-06-06
- Description: Writes of his current location in another hospital, this one in New York, hopes his military discharge will come soon, his need for money sent to him as he will not be paid until his discharge come through, requests the Vermont newspaper the Repository as he wants to know what is going on back home.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Bradford Sparrow Correspondence
Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War
Edward P. Stone to Family
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- Creator: Stone, Edward P., 1830-1920.
- Date Created: 1863-03-19
- Description: Topics include visiting ministers, Colonel Tuttle resigning, Col. Barney in command, petition written up endorsing the Administration, Stone feeling better about his usefulness.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Edward P. Stone Correspondence
Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War
John Lester Barstow to Laura
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- Creator: Barstow, John Lester, 1832-1913.
- Date Created: 1862-12-14
- Description: General Banks supersedes General Butler, the capture of one of the rebel officers, and the dishonorable discharge of Lieutenant Day.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, John Lester Barstow Correspondence
Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War
Joseph Spafford to Homer White
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- Creator: Spafford, Joseph, 1837-1866.
- Date Created: 1863-07-17
- Description: Brief letter to friend Homer White (of New York City) informing him of Spafford's soon discharge from the army, heading to New York, the heavy losses at Gettysburg with those killed & wounded, opinions of newspaper editors.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Spafford Correspondence
Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War
Joseph Spafford to Homer White
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- Creator: Spafford, Joseph, 1837-1866.
- Date Created: 1862-04-29
- Description: Now in Carver Hospital in Washington, D.C. topics include military discharge, plans to meet Homer White in New York City and the wounding of Captain Atherton.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Spafford Correspondence
Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War
Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
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- Creator: Spafford, Joseph, 1837-1866.
- Date Created: 1863-07-16
- Description: Unit has marched to Berlin, Maryland near Harper's Ferry, military duty ends July 23rd, most likely not see any more action before leaving the army, returning to Brattleboro by the 1st of August, asks about those pants he requested made, expresses his opinion on the New York City draft riot (July 13 - 16, 1863), mentions a eating warm biscuit & blackberry pie for dinner.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Spafford Correspondence
Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War
Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
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- Creator: Spafford, Joseph, 1837-1866.
- Date Created: 1863-05-21
- Description: Topics include a trip to Washington, D.C. to stock up on clothing and supplies, the high cost of staying in Washington, Ned getting badly wounded in the foot, music sent home "On the Shores of the Tennessee", complaint regarding mustering the men out as decided by the State officers.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Spafford Correspondence
Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War
Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
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- Creator: Spafford, Joseph, 1837-1866.
- Date Created: 1862-04-27
- Description: Writing from Carver Hospital in Washington, D.C. topics include the probability of a military discharge, hospital nurses, unhealthiness of hospitals, liking his living situation in the barracks, and fiddle playing and dancing heard coming from a nearby house.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Spafford Correspondence
Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War
Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
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- Creator: Spafford, Joseph, 1837-1866.
- Date Created: 1863-07-23
- Description: Writing from Brattleboro, a brief letter about when he may be arriving home, officers' duties need to be done first, instructions on how he may get his new pants and boiled shirts.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Spafford Correspondence
Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War
Justus F. Gale to Sister & Friends
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- Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
- Date Created: 1862-09-24
- Description: From Algiers, La topics include ill health of his mother and sister, the death of his brother Charley, how difficult it is to get a military discharge, Justus Gale’s negative opinion of the Blacks, his hope slavery is ended, and his hope that his sister and mother will become healthy again.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence
Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War