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 951 - 960 of 1339 Records
Ransom W. Towle to [Family and Friends]
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- Creator: Towle, Ransom W., d. 1864.
- Date Created: 1862-06-16
- Description: Writing from the field topics include cleaning up the streets of Richmond, Va., Rebel and Union pickets conversing and trading bread and whiskey, the hot weather causing Sun Stroke, and building bridges and shoring up roads to ease the difficulty of moving the heavy artillery on the soft roads.
- 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: 1861-09-30
- Description: Henry writes from his camp at Chain Bridge of his journey made by the 5th Regiment of Vermont Volunteers from Springfield to Washington D.C. and on to Marellian Hill and then to Chain Bridge. Speaks of soldiers being shot almost everyday by the Rebels and of orders to march to Fairfax Court, requests postage stamps.
- 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: 1861-10-20
- Description: Henry Harrison Wilder writes to his mother about his sickness and the treatment he is receiving from Doctor Russel. Mentions Captain Stowell, also receiving a box of cheese and pickles, minor illness among the men, anticipated discipline (to be shot) for a soldier found asleep at his post.
- 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: 1861-10-22
- Description: Henry writes of having his military pay make interest, of a fight that had taken place and General Johnston was taken prisoner, of his health being better, of a soldier's discharge due to fever sore on his leg, of a woman named Marion and of a lot of letter writing being done by the soldiers.
- 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: 1861-11-08
- Description: Henry writes from Camp Griffin, Virginia of the difficulty of camp life, of Fenton being very ill and taken to Georgetown to the General Hospital.
- 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: 1861-11-11
- Description: Henry writes a solemn letter about the death from consumption of his tent mate, Adams Potter of Cornwall, of his plans to write to friends and family.
- 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: 1862-01-17
- Description: Topics include a request for Wilder's mother to send him papers, envelopes, butter, cheese, sausage, and any other essential items.
- 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: 1862-03-13
- Description: Topics include marching from Camp Griffin to camp near Flint Hill and the news that the regiment will continue on to Washington. This is the beginning of the Peninsula Campaign.
- 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: 1862-03-16
- Description: Wilder's location is titled "Sesesh Church," in Alexandria. "Sesesh," Wilder's phonetic spelling of "secesh," or "secessionist," suggests that the members of the church were Confederate sympathizers. Mentions Gen. George B. McClellan (recently relieved of his supreme command but still in charge of the Army of the Potomac) and the beginnings of the Peninsula Campaign, which involved patrolling the James and York rivers. Wilder expresses determination to fight for the Union cause.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence
[B. Murray?] to Aunt
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- Creator: Murray, B.
- Date Created: 1862-08-09
- Description: Topics include the army photographs of Wilder being sent to his family.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence