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 1021 - 1030 of 1339 Records
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1863-11-17
- Description: Topics include having a difficult march in the rain, being in charge of the Ambulance train, pursuing shelter for the sick men, taking possession of the "Wallack Mansion" for the men & having made it into a General Hospital, having to destroy his Indian blankets along with other goods last June when leaving Harpers Ferry, Dr. Smith (asst surgeon) resigned due to his wife's insistence that he return home, a guess as to when the war might be over, the pleasure of having greens to dine on and the good health of the children.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1863-11-19
- Description: Topics include sending military pay home, of high cost of food, the lack of food, wishing to hear more often from home and Colonel Henry taking a leave due to sickness.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1864-05-02
- Description: Writes of including a drawing made by him for his daughter Helen of his beloved horse Lady Lightfoot, Rutherford’s relationship with his horse, and discussion of a newspaper article about Grant’s unsuccessful advances and his veiled opinion of the article's Copperhead leaning viewpoint.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1864-10-02
- Description: Rutherford recounts events of battle (the 10th was involved battles at Winchester and Fisher's Hill, Va. in September), destruction in the Shenandoah Valley by Union forces so as to deny resources to the Confederacy, the calmness of the troops despite their readiness to be called to action, of soon to be paid but not trusting the mail enough to send any money home, of financial issues at home, of sending home a photo of their son, Joseph, for safe keeping.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1864-12-03
- Description: Topics include the will and faith of soldiers and the enduring faith Rutherford has in meeting his deceased love ones in heaven, and the delayed march until the next morning.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1865-03-19
- Description: Rutherford receives the promotion to Surgeon of the 17th Regiment ; notice to be printed in the New York Herald ; anticipation of stillness being soon broken and his skills as a surgeon being needed ; includes a brief personal letter for his daughter Kittie.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1865-03-29
- Description: Topics include the sadness felt in needing to leave the 10th Vermont Regiment as a result of a promotion, Rutherford's assistant surgeon's lack of experience, the pleasant soldiers in his new regiment,the rapid downfall of the rebellion, Sheridan with 15,000 cavalry troops, Sherman at City Point, Terry with the 25th Corps Colored Troops.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Bradford Sparrow to Alner D. Sparrow
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- Creator: Sparrow, Bradford.
- Date Created: 1863-08-19
- Description: Two letters of August 19th and 28th - Reporting for duty in Burlington, telling of his journey, of not having food provided & having to buy his own, of sleeping arrangements, dinner in the barracks at the old fair grounds, of the men being examined for fitness to serve.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Bradford Sparrow Correspondence
Bradford Sparrow to Parents and Brothers
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- Creator: Sparrow, Bradford.
- Date Created: 1863-11-08
- Description: Two letters; one dated Nov 8th and one dated Nov 10th ; writes of moving to a hospital near Rappahannock Station, his health is improving slowly, the news that Charleston is being shelled, of some domestic duties he is able to do, names some of his officers and updates about boys from home.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Bradford Sparrow Correspondence
Bradford Sparrow to Parents and Brothers
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- Creator: Sparrow, Bradford.
- Date Created: 1864-02-12
- Description: Writes his health is good, there was a battle on the Rapidan on the 5th, orders given to move out, he on picket duty to remain, could hear the muskets firing, reads in the newspaper Rebels panic stricken in Richmond by Butler's approach, hears talk of moving Confederate capital to Columbia, South Carolina, paymaster in camp, will send money home, has played cards on picket duty to pass the time, thinks folks at home have gotten his picture (photo), expresses appreciation for berries sent.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Bradford Sparrow Correspondence