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 1141 - 1150 of 1339 Records
Ransom W. Towle to Rufus and Sebra Towle
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- Creator: Towle, Ransom W., d. 1864.
- Date Created: 1862-02-27
- Description: A brief letter to his parents from Camp Griffin in Virginia of marching orders with three days rations and the hope to encounter the Rebels. He makes a brief reference to Brigade surgeon Dr. Phelps. Towle expresses his dismay that the troops in the west are fighting and gaining glory while the army of the Potomac lays idle.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Ransom W. Towle Correspondence
Ransom W. Towle to Rufus and Sebra Towle
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- Creator: Towle, Ransom W., d. 1864.
- Date Created: 1862-04-03
- Description: Towle writes of orders received to march on Richmond, Virginia and of his many camp duties. He writes of soldiers letters being detained and of their camp being fired upon by the Rebels. No harm done.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Ransom W. Towle Correspondence
Ransom W. Towle to Friends
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- Creator: Towle, Ransom W., d. 1864.
- Date Created: 1862-04-18
- Description: Writing after a battle near Yorktown, Towle recalls those wounded and killed. States preparations continue to be made for more fighting, that provisions for the men sometimes are difficult to get, that Col Stoughton performs admirably but that General Smith was drunk and has been arrested .
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Ransom W. Towle Correspondence
Ransom W. Towle to Sebra Towle
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- Creator: Towle, Ransom W., d. 1864.
- Date Created: 1863-10-12
- Description: Writes of receiving a welcomed letter from his mother making him feel as if he is at home with her in a conversation. Some of the men from the hospital are going out to gather chestnuts, he is not able to go as he is confined at the hospital due to wounds. States he suffers from diarrhea from time to time. Speaks of food available (meat, bread, milk, apples).
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Ransom W. Towle Correspondence
Henry Harrison Wilder to Mother
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- Creator: Wilder, Henry Harrison.
- Date Created: 1861-11-15
- Description: Henry writes from Camp Griffin, Va. of a grave marker being made for Potter who died of consumption, of acknowledging that two months have passed since leaving home, of going on picket duty, of the expected presence of McClellan and of there being 30,000 men on the parade ground.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence
Henry Harrison Wilder to Mother
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- Creator: Wilder, Henry Harrison.
- Date Created: 1861-12-07
- Description: Henry writes from Camp Griffin, Va. of a scouting and foraging expedition of 30,000 men whereby corn, hay and wood were obtained, of the death of Fenton on November 29th, of few meetings held by the Chaplain who is not very well thought of and of visiting the sick in the hospital.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence
Henry Harrison Wilder to Mother
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- Creator: Wilder, Henry Harrison.
- Date Created: 1862-04-01
- Description: Topics include the route the regiment marched to arrive at camp near Newport News and a skirmish with the rebels coming down the river, firing at the coast.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence
Henry Harrison Wilder to Mother
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- Creator: Wilder, Henry Harrison.
- Date Created: 1862-04-23
- Description: Topics include a request for Wilder's mother to send him stamps, Wilder's predictions that he may never return home, and a description of the battle at Yorktown. Poignant thoughts about friends and loved ones near and far away.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence
[Frances] E. Carter to Grammama
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- Creator: Carter, Frances E.
- Date Created: 1862-07-31
- Description: Wilder's niece writes a letter of condolence to her grandmother for his death.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence
Lyman S. Williams to Lois L. Williams
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- Creator: Williams, Lyman S., 1839-1905.
- Date Created: 1862-05-18
- Description: Topics include the hard marching to a camp owned by the rebel Colonel Lee and requests for items to be sent from home.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Lyman S. Williams Correspondence