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 31 - 40 of 141 Records
Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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- Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889.
- Date Created: [1861]-06-09
- Description: Barney writes of camp equipment inspection, Sunday services held by Chaplain Stone, of being one of the singers during the service singing "Sweet Home", of receiving letters from home, of there being 4000 men, two men with the measles, of the arrival of the New York 4th Regiment and Hawkins Zouaves, of camp duties.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Valentine G. Barney Correspondence
Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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- Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889.
- Date Created: 1862-11-05
- Description: Topics include the continued improvement of Barney’s health, his taking of jaundice bitters as treatment, his paying Mrs. Snow $10 for his and his attendant's room and board in her home and of sending his attendant back to camp.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Valentine G. Barney Correspondence
Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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- Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889.
- Date Created: 1862-11-09
- Description: Topics include the continued improvement of Barney’s health from jaundice though his legs tire quickly, the need for money from home, thoughts of a furlough and the sickness and deaths in the regiment.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Valentine G. Barney Correspondence
Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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- Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889.
- Date Created: 1863-02-25
- Description: Topics include the execution of many deserters via orders of Gen Hooker, small pox at Camp Douglas with Barney taking the vaccine against the disease, celebrating George Washington’s birthday, rebels taking the oath of allegiance, the passage of the draft bill with an expectation that many will leave for Canada.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Valentine G. Barney Correspondence
William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
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- Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915.
- Date Created: 1864-10-29
- Description: Henry writes that the mail is not coming, though there is a train every day, and that he is still not feeling very well.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William Wirt Henry Correspondence
Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
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- Creator: Spafford, Joseph, 1837-1866.
- Date Created: 1861-12-19
- Description: Topics include the arrival of a box from Weathersfield containing bedding, stockings, mittens, discussion of who is most likely to get promotions, illness among the men including hernias, heart and consumption, .
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Spafford papers
Joseph Spafford to Homer White
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- Creator: Spafford, Joseph, 1837-1866.
- Date Created: 1862-02-07
- Description: Spafford writes to his friend Homer on topics including Typhoid Fever in the Regiment, friendship, camp life, Hancock’s Brigade [Winfield Scott Hancock], and answering his friend’s questions about joining the Regiment and fear of dying.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Spafford Correspondence
Letter to Rufus and Sebra Towle
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- Creator: Towle, Ransom W., d. 1864.
- Date Created: 1861-12-29
- Description: December 29, 1861. Topics include the health of the regiment in the cold weather (rheumatism, boils, homesickness), camp inspection, lack of presence of Chaplain except at religious services, and the prospect of battle.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Civil War correspondence of Ransom W. Towle and Thomas N. Flanders
Ransom W. Towle to Friends
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- Creator: Towle, Ransom W., d. 1864.
- Date Created: 1862-02-17
- Description: Topics include Towle’s sickness Saturday night, of illness and death within the company and regiment, praise for officer Lieut. Pingree, reference to rumor of the capture of Savannah (does he refer to Georgia?), and a brief reference to the possible firing of guns at Fort Ethan Allen for some victory somewhere.
- 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: 1861-02-27
- Description: Writing from his Virgina camp Griffin, Towle gives a description of a Battalion Drill and the ill health effects on the soldiers, of a gale storm damaging tents and overturning an ambulance with a sick soldier inside. He writes of orders from General McClellan to be ready to move, and states men are sick and death count to date for his regiment is 66.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Ransom W. Towle Correspondence