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 581 - 590 of 1338 Records
Henry A. Smith to Family
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- Creator: Smith, Henry A., d. 1864.
- Date Created: 1862-04-20
- Description: Topics include the journey from Harpers Ferry to Newmarket, reference to General Banks division, detailed description of the suicide of Major Colins' Colonel, Michigan Calvary refusing to obey orders to charge the enemy, the Calvary rode away, mention of Lieut Col Kellogg and a Col Ashby, an encounter with the rebels that resulted in three rebel deaths and two rebel prisoners, getting pay.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry A. Smith Correspondence
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
Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
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- Creator: Spafford, Joseph, 1837-1866.
- Date Created: 1861-10-23
- Description: Writes of muddy conditions at Camp Griffin, Virginia, of seeing Gen. Davis from Cavendish, of learning George is to be married, of being still in good health, of having gone out scouting but seeing no Rebels, asks about Thanksgiving in Vermont, meals of wheat bread and coffee, getting butter from sutler to enhance his meal.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Spafford papers
Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
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- Creator: Spafford, Joseph, 1837-1866.
- Date Created: 1861-12-19
- Description: Topics include Joseph Spafford not going to Washington as planned because he did not have a pass, mentions women's sewing circle at home, of being a member of a reading circle and of "being deprived of female society".
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Spafford papers
Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
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- Creator: Spafford, Joseph, 1837-1866.
- Date Created: 1862-04-09
- Description: Writing to his sister from the Mansion House Hospital topics include bad weather in Alexandria, Virginia, delayed arrival of letters from home, sewing on chevrons on his coat to help pass the time in his hospital room, and battle news of rebels defeated at Corinth and surrender of island no. 10.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Spafford Correspondence
Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
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- Creator: Spafford, Joseph, 1837-1866.
- Date Created: 1862-05-09
- Description: Writing from Carver Hospital in Washington, D.C. topics include waiting for his military discharge papers and sightseeing in Washington.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Spafford Correspondence
Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
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- Creator: Spafford, Joseph, 1837-1866.
- Date Created: 1862-11-01
- Description: Topics include setting up camp on Capitol Hill, the uncertainty of when the regiment will march, homeless orphan white boys asking and being allowed to go along with the soldiers, one of the boys going with Spafford and Spafford’s good health.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Spafford Correspondence
Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
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- Creator: Spafford, Joseph, 1837-1866.
- Date Created: 1862-11-06
- Description: Topics include the arrival of George, the movement of the regiment to Camp Vermont near Alexandria, Virginia, having only two dollars in pocket and hoping pay comes soon.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Spafford Correspondence
Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
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- Creator: Spafford, Joseph, 1837-1866.
- Date Created: 1862-11-09
- Description: Writing from Camp Seward near Alexandria, Virginia, topics include a copy of Joseph Spafford’s accounts of camp life from October 24th until November 9th, 1862 with a note that he burns the letters he receives. Writes about tents, gunfire heard from a battle a distance away, on leave to visit Washington, D.C., liking his boy Daniel McAuliffe age 13 and wanting to take him with him to Vermont when the 9 months are up.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Spafford Correspondence
Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
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- Creator: Spafford, Joseph, 1837-1866.
- Date Created: 1862-12-23
- Description: Topics include a hard battle and defeat at Fredericksburg, the death of S. E. Connor from pneumonia, his opinion of how the war is conducted, the illness of two of the officers, of having the Commissary Sergeant among them with the result living conditions are good.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Spafford Correspondence