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 491 - 500 of 1338 Records
Roswell Farnham to Mary [Farnham]
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- Creator: Farnham, Roswell, 1827-1903.
- Date Created: 1863-06-15
- Description: Topics include telling of an incident with his horse, White Face, at Pope's Run on the railroad tracks with companion Nelson's horse falling resulting in Nelson landing in a stream below. Great excitement as a lot of troop movement reported. A train heading towards Centreville with forage and army wagons, the movement of Hooker’s army at Wolf Run & at Occoquan, Gen. Robert E. Lee moving to Shenandoah Valley (part of Gettysburg Campaign) & being outmaneuvered by Hooker and a brief description of sights seen at Bull Run battlefield with remains of dead soldiers still visible.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Roswell Farnham Correspondence
Roswell Farnham to Mary [Farnham]
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- Creator: Farnham, Roswell, 1827-1903.
- Date Created: 1863-06-19
- Description: Topics include the location of some of the corps, seeing many men of the 6th Army Corps and listing their names, Vt Calvary has met Rebels, telling of Captain of Rhode Island regiment with heavy losses including the captain & his horse being wounded, the anticipation of some fighting, the possibility of moving to Wolf Run Shoals, two wives in camp (Mrs. Sherman & Mrs. Halley) & they not wanting to leave their soldier husbands, and the very hot weather.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Roswell Farnham Correspondence
Note
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- 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
Solomon G. Heaton to Mother
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- Creator: Heaton, Solomon G.
- Date Created: 1862-03-17
- Description: With Heaton's words, "the great Army of the Potomac has at last started," we get a sense of impatience, on the soldier's part, with Gen. George McClellan's well-known reluctance to send men into battle. The date of this letter coincides within the beginning of the Peninsula Campaign, which deployed over 121,000 Union soldiers. Perhaps Heaton's regiment, camped somewhere in Virginia, is about to meet up with this "offul Army down on the co[a]st it numbers 90 thousand men" as part of the Campaign. He notes some of the destruction left behind by retreating rebels, most notably the burned homes near Fairfax courthouse, supposedly where George and Martha Washington were married. (The home owned by Martha Custis, Washington's betrothed, was indeed burned in 1862 because of the war. This is believed to have been a likely site of the marriage in early January, 1759.) Other place names mentioned: Mannassas, Centerville.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Solomon G. Heaton Correspondence
Solomon G. Heaton to Mother
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- Creator: Heaton, Solomon G.
- Date Created: 1864-04-06
- Description: Topics include Heaton letting his mother know his health is good, the bad weather, the “vile” women, and the death of Heman Belden.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Solomon G. Heaton Correspondence
William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook
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- Creator: Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904.
- Date Created: 1862-04-06
- Description: Writing to his father (Gov. Holbrook) topics include arriving at Ship Harbor Island by Ship Brenner, a description of the islands that included coconut trees, meeting with Gen. Butler and Gen. Phelps, and the location of David Dixon Porter’s fleet at the mouth of the Mississippi River.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William C. Holbrook Correspondence
William C. Holbrook to Mother
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- Creator: Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904.
- Date Created: 1862-07-22
- Description: Topics include a Rebel “Ram” passing the Union fleet and stopping at Vicksburg, the continued bombardment, and the sickness in the regiment and the request for more medical personnel (i.e. surgeon).
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William C. Holbrook Correspondence
William C. Holbrook to Mother
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- 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
Volney S. Fullam to Frederick Holbrook
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- Creator: Fullam, Volney S.
- Date Created: 1862-08-18
- Description: Topics include recommendations for promotions to fill the vacant positions.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William C. Holbrook Correspondence
William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook
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- Creator: Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904.
- Date Created: 1862-08-20
- Description: Topics include a list of recommendations for promotions made by Holbrook.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William C. Holbrook Correspondence