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 781 - 790 of 1338 Records
Lyman S. Williams to Lois L. Williams
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- Creator: Williams, Lyman S., 1839-1905.
- Date Created: 1864-07-03
- Description: Writes of a raid on the railroad line between Richmond, Virginia and Welden, North Carolina at Ream’s Station destroying tracks, his wish to be at home visiting with his brother, Nathan, the hot and dusty weather, and getting paid.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Lyman S. Williams Correspondence
Lyman S. Williams to Carrie A. Williams
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- Creator: Williams, Lyman S., 1839-1905.
- Date Created: 1864-11-13
- Description: Topics include moving camp towards Winchester, Virginia, a Confederate attack on the picket lines resulting in rebel prisoners, captured artillery & ammunition trains, receiving his commission as 1st Lieutenant of Company I, and his happiness that President Abraham Lincoln was re-elected.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Lyman S. Williams Correspondence
John M. Stone to Family
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- Creator: Stone, John M., 1835-1915.
- Date Created: 1861-12-[09]
- Description: Topics include the health of the regiment and numerous deaths.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Edward P. Stone Correspondence
John M. Stone to Family
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- Creator: Stone, John M., 1835-1915.
- Date Created: 1862-08-28
- Description: Two letters dated Aug 28 & Aug 30 ; grateful for letters from home writing, pride in Vermont for providing soldiers, loading wagons onto the boats in Hampton (Va.?), pleased with the work done by black men, sending money home and news from home.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Edward P. Stone Correspondence
Horatio P. Bruce to Smiley Bancroft
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- Creator: Bruce, Horatio P.
- Date Created: 1862-06-26
- Description: Topics include the death of Charles Bancroft from typhoid fever, the sickness of other men in the company, and that the fall of Richmond will bring the war to an end. Like many other writers, he refers to McClellan's reluctance to deploy his massive army.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Charles F. Bancroft Correspondence
Charles C. Canning to William Wirt Henry
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- Creator: Canning, Charles C., b. 1828.
- Date Created: 1862-05-26
- Description: Topics include the defeat of General Banks (Battle of Winchester, May 25) , the promotion of Lt. Col. Stannard, and the request to William Henry to raise a company so that Charles Canning may become a captain. Canning mentions orders from McClellan to prepare for "a bloody battle," but major fighting doesn't ensue until May 31st (Battle of Seven Pines, May 31), when Confederates take advantage of Union positions on the south side of the Chickahominy River.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William Wirt Henry Correspondence
Charles Dillingham to William Wirt Henry
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- Creator: Dillingham, Charles, b. 1837.
- Date Created: 1861-08-07
- Description: August 7, 1861 from Clermont, Virginia. Writes Vermont 3rd located at the Chain Bridge Georgetown Heights, picket duty, illness among the men, sudden death of soldiers from sore throat.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William Wirt Henry Correspondence
Ira A. Marshall to William Wirt Henry
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- Creator: Marshall, Ira A., d. 1893.
- Date Created: 1862-05-13
- Description: Topics include recent battles in Yorktown and Williamsburg, which had significant casualties; the destruction of the C.S.S. Merrimack off the coast of Norfolk, Va., now under Union occupation. McClellan will likely send Vt. troops home once Richmond is taken. Ill soldier Tilton Sleeper mentioned again.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William Wirt Henry Correspondence
Justin S. Morrill to John Wolcott Phelps
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- Creator: Morrill, Justin S.
- Date Created: 1861-07-20
- Description: Vermont Representative Justin S. Morrill writes about anticipated visit of Mr. Tewksbury of Boston, Mass. to military camp in Newport News, Virginia.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, John Wolcott Phelps Correspondence
Erastus Fairbanks to John Wolcott Phelps
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- Creator: Fairbanks, Erastus.
- Date Created: 1861-07-29
- Description: Letter from Vt. House Rep. Erastus Fairbanks writing about the storage of military equipment that has not otherwise been disposed of at Fort Monroe, Va., mentions loss of supplies by the 2nd Regiment at Manassas.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, John Wolcott Phelps Correspondence