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 511 - 520 of 1339 Records
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1863-10-13
- Description: In the field writing on a drum in the hot sun, topics include having completed a long march to his position near Washington, the proximity to the enemy, the expectation of a battle, the men prepared and eager seemingly having become desensitized to danger and death as they chat with one another and even sleep.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1864-03-13
- Description: Topics include response to wives questions about not being paid in full and her asking about any alterations in medical department of the 10th regiment, reference to Major Chandler threatening to resign with hope from some that he will, improvement of duties in camp as all around health improves.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1864-03-20
- Description: Visit from lady friends, Misses Baker Cutting and Rand, reference to a temperance meeting, a story about an officer being apprehended while transporting secret correspondence that he swallowed saving himself but losing the paper (hid the paper in his mouth), suspecting to march soon, and sending a song to Helen and papers to Jacob, his children.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- 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
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1864-09-07
- Description: Writes of special consideration for his medical care by Dr. Barr and Dr. Childe, of being having to go on a dangerous march, of the loss of his glasses, love of his family.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1864-09-12
- Description: Rutherford outraged and writes of debts owed for services provided by Clough.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1864-11-29
- Description: Topics include description of the masses of food consumed over Thanksgiving dinner and the nature of the festivity,news that they will be on the march yet again, not being able to be home for Christmas.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Bradford Sparrow to Alner D. Sparrow
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- Creator: Sparrow, Bradford.
- Date Created: 1863-09-01
- Description: Topics include marching from Burlington to Long Island, conscripts, waiting for the remaining 59 men before going to join the 4th regiment, very basic tent accommodations, meals given and Charles Stoddard's error while restocking guns which has led to reducing ranks.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Bradford Sparrow Correspondence
Bradford Sparrow to Alner D. Sparrow
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- Creator: Sparrow, Bradford.
- Date Created: 1863-09-26
- Description: Topics include the journey from Alexandria to Culpeper, Virginia by sail and marching, the food in camp and the regiment being used as a reserve.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Bradford Sparrow Correspondence
Bradford Sparrow to Parents and Brothers
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- Creator: Sparrow, Bradford.
- Date Created: 1863-12-18
- Description: A long letter started on Dec 18th and begun again Dec 25th. Topics include Bradford recovering from sickness, receiving goods from home, boots and shirts, Mr. Bishop eating up some of the eatable food meant for Sparrow due to going so long without food, making strawberry preserves, requesting several hundred pounds of butter and cheese, various utilitarian items including a spider frying pan, a list of items Ira wants, mentions by name other men he has seen and talked to, acknowledges that a letter went missing and recaps what was written in that letter.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Bradford Sparrow Correspondence