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 11 - 20 of 39 Records
Note
-
Image nop
- Description: A handwritten note to call Mr. Kenney of the Globe (?). Possibly a reference to someone at a newspaper. No date.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Roswell Farnham Correspondence
William C. Holbrook to Mother
-
Image nop
- Creator: Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904.
- Date Created: 1862-08-14
- Description: Topics include the number of men that were killed and wounded at the battle of Baton Rouge August 5th, lost of his "boy Jack" [does he refer to a Black man in his service or to a child?], the loss of Col. Roberts, the unpopularity of the current officer Col. Faillam, the men's request that Holbrook replace Faillam, Holbrook’s desire to go into a regiment located in Virginia, Gen. Phelps and his opinions on the slave question, Gen. Butler's compliments to the regiment for its brave conduct in the Baton Rouge battle, sending home of the Secessionist's flag retrieved from Fort Pike, desire for newspapers from Vt.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William C. Holbrook Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
-
Image nop
- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1864-04-10
- Description: Camping in the field near Culpeper, Va. topics include writing articles for home newspapers, disliking the idea of being labeled a "newspaper correspondent", becomes poetic and philosophical reflecting on the current day's beautiful weather, of his deep feelings for receiving letters from home, of his daughter Helen’s progress with writing composition, and Baker and Cuttings visit to camp.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
-
Image nop
- Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915.
- Date Created: 1864-06-18
- Description: Henry writes that he is sorry for not writing sooner, but the Hospital was moved and his hand was so bad he thought he might lose it. It is better now and he hopes to be back with the Regiment in a few days. He also writes that the best account of the Battle of Cold Harbor is in the “Tribune” and to ignore the papers that reported his death or that he was wounded in the head.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William Wirt Henry Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
-
Image nop
- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1864-03-10
- Description: Topics include various men going home on leave including Chaplain, Capt. Bartlett & Lt. Gale, a ball attended by staff officers and their wives, going to army headquarters, sending money home, all wives ordered to leave camps as soon as they can and reference to appointment of Joseph Daggett as 1st Lt (and Regimental Quartermaster of the 43rd U.S. Colored Infantry) to a Negro regiment, has written a newspaper article for the Newport News, came down with a case of the measles, many soldiers dying from diarrhea.
- 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: 1864-04-24
- Description: Writes of the saddened tone among the soldiers in camp as people suspect an advance to the front lines of battle; honors received by General Grant, and discussion of a newspaper's editor on predictions of the next presidential candidate.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
-
Image nop
- Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915.
- Date Created: 1864-05-17
- Description: Henry writes that the 10th Vermont is in the same position and waiting for reinforcements. He also writes that he has seen terrible sights but will wait until he is home to tell his family about them. Henry continues the letter with a description of the political infighting in the regiment, caused by Major (Charles G.) Chandler’s objection to the promotion of Captain Edwin B. Frost, which resulted in Governor (J. Gregory) Smith denying all the officers their commissions. Henry writes that he prefer charges against Major Chandler as soon as the Major gets drunk again.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William Wirt Henry Correspondence
Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey
-
Image nop
- Creator: Veazey, Wheelock G., 1835-1898.
- Date Created: 1863-03-15
- Description: Wheelock inquires about doctor available to help with delivery of his & Julia's baby, asks when the due date of his baby is, wishes photo of Julia in cloak, Wheelock’s opinion about selling the newspaper [the Tel.], the location of the General [Stoughton ; who was kidnapped March 8th], capture of 4 rebels.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Wheelock Graves Veazey Correspondence
Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
-
Image nop
- Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889.
- Date Created: 1862-12-21
- Description: From Camp Douglas topics include Barney having had 48 small photographs of himself made, of sending photographs home to his family, of several of his men, of trying to get a furlough for one of them, of expecting to stay where he is for a while longer, fixing up his living quarters, Colonel Andrus to arrive in camp to replace Stannard who may go home to recover his health, newspapers reporting Reg. to be sent back East, and the invitation to spend Christmas at Mrs. Snow’s.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Valentine G. Barney Correspondence
Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
-
Image nop
- Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889.
- Date Created: 1863-01-20
- Description: News of fighting at Fredericksburg, Va. (Mud March of January 1863?), his duties regarding Quarterly Reports and keeping accounts, his worry about his brother Elisha Barney who feels must be in the fighting, reads from the newspapers that Elisha has been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He also writes of the weather, and reports of Rebel prisoners being sent to Camp Douglas.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Valentine G. Barney Correspondence