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 771 - 780 of 1338 Records
Ransom W. Towle to Rufus and Sebra Towle
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- Creator: Towle, Ransom W., d. 1864.
- Date Created: 1862-02-05
- Description: Towle responds to his parents' letter that expresses low morale at home, financial difficulties at home and Towle encourages the doing without luxuries on the home front as much as possible. He writes of a 30 hour picket trip, the capture of rebel two scouts, drills being only two a day and of a self inflicted wounding of a Union soldier requiring amputation of the wounded soldier's leg.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Ransom W. Towle Correspondence
Ransom W. Towle to [Family and Friends]
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- Creator: Towle, Ransom W., d. 1864.
- Date Created: 1862-06-10
- Description: Writing seven miles from Richmond topics include packing up camp and marching at 10pm, a terrible rain storm that soaked the men, of sick soldiers including Towle.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Ransom W. Towle Correspondence
[Henry Harrison Wilder] to Mother
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- Creator: Wilder, Henry Harrison.
- Date Created: 1861-12-11
- Description: Henry writes from Camp Griffin, Va of the regiment's scouting expedition, of Capt. Stowell's company, of obtaining two hogs from a pen, of the fact that the captain is not very liked and that Lt. Hamilton is well liked by the company. Cautions his mother against being bothered about hear say.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence
Henry Harrison Wilder to Mother
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- Creator: Wilder, Henry Harrison.
- Date Created: 1861-12-17
- Description: Henry requests food items of sausages, a chicken pie, and cheese, writes that Merrill wants his mother to stuff 5 chickens, bake them and freeze them and send them in a box, of he and Merrill going to be tent mates.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence
Henry Harrison Wilder to Mother
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- Creator: Wilder, Henry Harrison.
- Date Created: 1862-01-26
- Description: Topics include marching orders, the cold weather, and the way the regiment sets up their guns so they are always ready. The order to march probably refers to Lincoln's General War Order No. 1, an attempt to prod his generals to act. By "Chatilerz" Wilder may have meant "chattelers," or those assigned the duty of moving war materiel.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence
Henry Harrison Wilder to Mother
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- Creator: Wilder, Henry Harrison.
- Date Created: 1862-04-09
- Description: Topics include the rebels being strongly fortified at Lee's Mill, the preparations for a hard battle (the month-long siege of Yorktown), and Merrill's sickness. Detailed description of some dead and wounded soldiers.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence
Merrill F. Samson to A. Hayward
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- Creator: Samson, Merrill F.
- Date Created: 1862-07-18
- Description: Topics include the death of Wilder; and his friend Merrill sending condolences to Wilder's mother. Wilder may have died during the Battle of Malvern Hill, which concluded the Seven Days Campaign; or in any number of skirmishes that occurred in early July.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence
Lyman S.Williams to Lois L. Williams
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- Creator: Williams, Lyman S., 1839-1905.
- Date Created: 1861-12-09
- Description: Topics include the improving health of the regiment, the deaths of John Roland and Walter Osburn, and a scouting expedition.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Papers of Lyman S. Williams
Lyman S. Willams to Lois L. Williams
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- Creator: Williams, Lyman S., 1839-1905.
- Date Created: 1862-07-09
- Description: Topics include the camp being shelled twice, the regiment camping on the east bank of the James River, the losses in both armies, and the regiment being reviewed by President Lincoln.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Lyman S. Williams Correspondence
Lyman S. Williams to Lois L. Williams
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- Creator: Williams, Lyman S., 1839-1905.
- Date Created: 1863-10-04
- Description: Writes of family back home, that there is no military activity at present and of being asked if he might like to meet a young lady, Miss M. M. G. (i.e. Mary Gorton who later becomes his wife)
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Lyman S. Williams Correspondence