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 1011 - 1020 of 1339 Records
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
-
Image nop
- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1862-11-05
- 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 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.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
-
Image nop
- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1862-11-15
- Description: Rutherford writes of the regiment's movement to Camp Grove Offults Cup, Maryland. Also of his contempt for soldiers who want to shirk their military duties, of how well the truly sick soldiers are cared for in the hospital, and a slanderous report written about the Surgeon which Rutherford firmly denies, gives his side of the story including military discipline and an account of who a man named Murk who is responsible for the false report.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
-
Image nop
- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1863-03-02
- 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 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.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
-
Image nop
- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1863-04-28
- Description: Writing from camp 2 miles from Poolesville, Maryland topics include Rutherford reassuring Hannah that his life style is comfortable while in camp, the rebels are building fortifications across the river that the regiment plans to break down with cannon fire, finally receiving the pay, sending $400 home and sorting out house payments.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
-
Image nop
- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1863-05-13
- Description: Topics include the rainy weather, traveling to Washington to help at the Campbell Hospital, attending the many wounded, their fortitude in their suffering, their injuries and the mens' gratitude for medical attention, having Surgeon's duties but not necessarily the pay to go with it, the honor associated with any position in the army to make up the difference, and instructions to his wife to secure housing for herself and the children above all else.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to Son
-
Image nop
- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1863-05-26
- Description: Topics include J.C. Rutherford writing to his sick son, reference to the boy's younger brother, Jacob ; sending flower buds to his sister Helen and a gold cord to the sick boy as trim for his cap.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
-
Image nop
- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1863-07-05
- Description: Topics include marching to South Pass, Middleton, Maryland, now defending only place the Confederates can cross the Potomac into Va., capturing, killing and wounding Rebels, brief mention of some desertions from the army, and the increased dangers of war for him and the troops.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
-
Image nop
- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1863-08-27
- Description: Writing from camp in the field near Sulphur Springs, Virginia topics include reference to postal service, the sickness of a couple of men, the good health of Rutherford in spite of the lack of food, his encounter with a swarm of wild bees, not suffering from his rheumatism as in the past, reference to lice as grey backs and the hope that he will receive the promotion.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
-
Image nop
- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1863-09-14
- Description: Topics include Rutherford trying to reassure and relieve his wife's fears for the welfare of Vermont troops, reference to the 10th Regiment as the "lucky 10th", his good health, opinions on the war, his willingness to suffer hardships for the benefit of having a good home in the future, his daughter Helen and son Jacob's welfare, a small fight that occurred in the area near camp, orders given to be ready to move at a moment's notice, expecting military pay, needing to buy new clothes, will send some money home, request for local newspaper, Newport News.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
-
Image nop
- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1863-10-31
- Description: From mud soaked camp near Warrenton Junction topics include repairing a railroad, dismay at the laying waste such beautiful countryside, his strong views on slavery, on the white men who partake in slavery, on the Southern values of trying to keep property in the family resulting in intermarriage, the results of that and his philosophy of why the war is so hard to put down due to the Southerners' mind set and the basis of what the Union is fighting for.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence