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.

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Showing 11 - 20 of 32 Records

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Subject Topic Merge: Skirmishing.   Remove all  

11 Battle casualties. 9 Confederate States of America Army. 5 Marching. 5 Picketing. 5 United States Army -- Military life. 5 United States Army. Vermont Infantry Regiment, 8th (1861-1865). 4 Guerrilla warfare. 4 Military camps -- Virginia. 4 United States Army. Vermont Infantry Regiment, 9th (1862-1865). 3 Armed Forces -- Officers. 3 Families of military personnel. 3 Food. 3 Military discipline. 3 Military pay. 3 Morale. 3 Photographs. 3 Prisoners of war. 3 Suffolk (Va.). 3 United States Army. Vermont Infantry Regiment, 10th (1862-1865). 2 BanksNathaniel Prentiss 1816-1894. 2 Culpeper County (Va.). 2 Diseases. 2 Horses. 2 New Orleans (La.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865. 2 Peninsular Campaign, 1862. 2 Sharpshooters. 2 United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Campaigns. 2 United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Casualties. 2 United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Medical care. 2 United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Military reconnaissance. 2 United States Army. Vermont Infantry Regiment, 6th (1861-1864). 2 Vicksburg (Miss.). 1 Armies -- Medical and sanitary affairs. 1 Bull Run, 2nd Battle of, Va., 1862. 1 Corcoran, Michael 1827-1863. 1 Fort Bisland (La.). 1 Fort Henry, Battle of, Tenn., 1862. 1 Fort Pike (La.). 1 Gunboats. 1 Harpers Ferry (W. Va.). 1 McClellanGeorge Brinton 1826-1885. 1 Military camps -- Louisiana. 1 Military camps -- Maryland. 1 Military camps -- Mississippi. 1 Military camps -- Vermont. 1 Military deserters. 1 Mine Run Campaign, Va., 1863. 1 MosbyJohn Singleton 1833-1916. 1 Newspapers. 1 Poetry. 1 Port Hudson (La.) -- History -- Siege, 1863. 1 Promotions, Military. 1 Railroad trains. 1 Rivers. 1 Steamboats. 1 StoughtonEdwin H. (Edwin Henry) 1838-1868. 1 StuartJeb 1833-1864. 1 Suffolk (Va.) -- History -- Siege, 1863. 1 United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865. 1 United States Army -- Surgeons. 1 United States Army. Vermont Infantry Regiment, 12th (1862-1863). 1 VeazeyWheelock G. (Wheelock Graves) 1835-1898. 1 War -- Psychological aspects.

32 text
Miniature of Justus F. Gale to Sister
Justus F. Gale to Sister
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    • Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
    • Date Created: 1862-05-22
    • Description: Topics include trying to figure out where letters may have gone missing, letters taking several weeks to arrive, not receiving the Green Mountain Freeman, the lack of details about the taking of New Orleans, and Justus Gale being on guard last night.
    • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence
    Miniature of Henry A. Smith to Clarissa A. Smith
    Henry A. Smith to Clarissa A. Smith
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      • Creator: Smith, Henry A., d. 1864.
      • Date Created: 1863-01-09
      • Description: Topics include rebel raids on the pickets, how comfortable their camp is, what he wants in a box his family will be sending him, including a baked chicken and maple sugar. He also mentions his views about the war and whether France will come in on the Confederate side. Mentions CSA Gen. Jeb Stuart and his cavalry raids.
      • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry A. Smith Correspondence
      Miniature of Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
      Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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        • Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889.
        • Date Created: 1863-04-22
        • Description: Topics include the constant fire of gunboats, batteries, and sharpshooters, being in command of 5 companies while on picket duty, orders to be ready to march at a minutes notice and the food he is able to purchase. He also expresses his opinion that the Rebels will not be willing to engage the Union troops because of their numbers (30,000).
        • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Valentine G. Barney Correspondence
        Miniature of Theodore Barton to Sister
        Theodore Barton to Sister
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          • Creator: Barton, Theodore.
          • Date Created: 1862-09-29
          • Description: Topics include the journey from Harrison's Landing to Boliver via Newport News and Alexandria. Names several wounded and deceased soldiers, perhaps known by his sister. Concludes with a somewhat gruesome description of "picnic."
          • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Barton Family Correspondence
          Miniature of Justus F. Gale to Father
          Justus F. Gale to Father
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            • Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
            • Date Created: 1862-11-07
            • Description: Gale writes of his regiment and the rebels, of other troops encountering the enemy who left much camp supplies, cannon, etc. behind, receiving the Green Mountain Freeman, trying to appease both parents concerning the farm and deeding it back to his father, his concerns about his father having another woman in his life and how that affects him, and the expectation that the regiment will return to Algiers.
            • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence
            Miniature of Henry A. Smith to Family
            Henry A. Smith to Family
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              • Creator: Smith, Henry A., d. 1864.
              • Date Created: 1862-09-24
              • Description: Topics include Henry Smith losing his horse, camp punishment of John H. Willard for disobeying an order, and the numerous men who were wounded and killed.
              • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry A. Smith Correspondence
              Miniature of Lyman S. Williams to Lois L. Williams
              Lyman S. Williams to Lois L. Williams
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                • Creator: Williams, Lyman S., 1839-1905.
                • Date Created: 1863-06-10
                • Description: Regiment engaged the Rebels, gives a good account of the skirmish across the Rappahannock River with heavy gunfire that forced the Confederates to retreat ; gives casualties and wounded ; reference to Gen. Hooker not planning to engage the enemy at this location at the present time.
                • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Lyman S. Williams Correspondence
                Miniature of Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
                Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
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                  • Creator: Farnham, Roswell, 1827-1903.
                  • Date Created: 1863-05-16
                  • Description: Topics include the expectation of many to be mustered out of service soon, false alarms with gun fire, skirmishes around where the regiment is, the locations of the other regiments including the 14th, 15th and 16th regiments, the health of several individuals, obtaining ice water and iced current wine from Mr. Bowen's sister who lives in the area, him reading David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, and mentions his horse, Burnie.
                  • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Roswell Farnham Correspondence
                  Miniature of Justus F. Gale to Brother
                  Justus F. Gale to Brother
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                    • Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
                    • Date Created: 1862-02-07
                    • Description: Writing from Brattleboro, Vermont, topics include news of bombardment of Fort Henry on the Tennessee River (February 6, 1862) by Commodore Andrew Hull Foote (officer of the U.S. Navy) and General Ulysses S. Grant, a skirmish that resulted in finding a barrel of rum, food sometimes good but not the hash made in camp and the vaccination of the company for pox.
                    • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence
                    Miniature of Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
                    Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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                      • Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
                      • Date Created: 1863-12-13
                      • Description: Topics include a his experiences on November 27th in the Battle of Mine Run that took place near Locust Grove (Orange County, Virginia), meager food for Thanksgiving meal, marching to the forest known as the "Wilderness", the way in which the wounded were cared for, praise for Capt. Steele and the service all the men did for their country.
                      • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence