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 1 - 10 of 77 Records
Roswell Farnham to W. H. Hill
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- Creator: Farnham, Roswell, 1827-1903.
- Date Created: 1863-05-31
- Description: Field officer of the day report from Farnham to Captain William H. Hill (Assistant Adjudant General) relating review of the pickets on May 29 and May 30, the event of throwing up of lights by pickets in Centreville by order of the General
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Roswell Farnham Correspondence
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1862-12-25
- Description: Topics include the regiment guarding the Potomac River at Whitesford, the Rebels gathering on the hills opposite the camp, of anticipating Christmas dinner and a medical disaster at Washington requiring more personnel in the medical corps.
- 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: 1864-02-22
- Description: Topics include explanation of his judgments of an unnamed individual, seeing the enemy while on picket, stopping at a house where a husband fathered several mulatto children with a slave mistress while sharing the same domicile as his wife, requests his daughter Helen to write and reflects on the loss of life in future battles.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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- Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889.
- Date Created: 1863-04-19
- Description: Writes of moving camp again to along the Nansemond River (tributary of the James River), lack of sleep due to being on picket duty, coming under fire by enemy sharpshooters. He continues the letter by describing coming into the new camp after picket duty and being roused from sleep to prepare for another march because the enemy has crossed the river.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Valentine G. Barney Correspondence
Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey
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- Creator: Veazey, Wheelock G., 1835-1898.
- Date Created: [1861]-09-22
- Description: Topics include an attack made on the Californians and a counterattack, as well as Wheelock G. Veazey’s personal opinion on the difference between killing a rebel and murder.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Wheelock Graves Veazey Correspondence
Ransom W. Towle to Sister and Friends
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- Creator: Towle, Ransom W., d. 1864.
- Date Created: 1862-06-22
- Description: Camping in the field near Richmond topics include the weather in Virginia with food crops growing well in the hot temperatures, pickets conversing and trading papers, coffee, whiskey, fighting resulting in losses, reference to Rifle Pits, preparations for the Battle of Richmond, sickness among the soldiers.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Ransom W. Towle Correspondence
Lyman S. Williams to Lois L. Williams
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- Creator: Williams, Lyman S., 1839-1905.
- Date Created: 1865-02-19
- Description: Topics include the health of the Essex boys, the size of the chapel built in camp, which can hold three hundred soldiers, the friendly banter between the pickets and the number of Confederate soldiers deserting to the Union side, his optimism about the end of the war coming soon, and how many fights he has been in.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Lyman S. Williams Correspondence
John Lester Barstow to Laura
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- Creator: Barstow, John Lester, 1832-1913.
- Date Created: 1863-10-25
- Description: Two letters dated Oct 25 and Oct 27 with topics including marching, waiting, more marching, more waiting, lack of food due to road conditions, unable to forage for food, hot days, cold nights, the importance of picket duty, the unpopularity of General William B. Franklin, and the army returning to New Iberia, fear that mail may be lost due to capture of wagons by Rebels and fear to send any money by mail.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, John Lester Barstow Correspondence
Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
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- Creator: Farnham, Roswell, 1827-1903.
- Date Created: 1863-06-02
- Description: Topics include being field officer of the day, ride with Col. Blunt to Wolf Run Shoals, sutler tent torn down by the men & some supplies drank & eaten, a raid by the rebels on the railroad and the destruction of the train with rebels' artillery being taken by Union soldiers, and the hope that Colonel Andross and Stearns will come out to Union Mills.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Roswell Farnham Correspondence
Charles F. Bancroft to Mary Bancroft
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- Creator: Bancroft, Charles F., 1835-1862.
- Date Created: 1862-02-16
- Description: Topics include Charles Bancroft's health, the food that is being cooked in camp, and the capture of Fort Donelson, Tenn. Bancroft wasn't involved in it, but the fall of Ft. Donelson reminds him that his tour of duty, if not the whole war, may be over by year's end. Bancroft sounds more confident as a soldier (enjoys picketing) and is certain he could serve another two years if asked.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Charles F. Bancroft Correspondence