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.

List

Gallery

Information

Showing 1 - 10 of 26 Records

Relevance Title (A-Z) Title (Z-A) Year (0-9) Year (9-0)
10 25 50 100
Active filters
Subject Topic Merge: Religion.   Remove all  

11 Families of military personnel. 7 Food. 6 United States Army -- Military life. 5 Military camps -- Virginia. 4 Picketing. 4 United States Army. Vermont Infantry Regiment, 8th (1861-1865). 2 Camp Douglas (Ill.). 2 Confederate States of America Army. 2 Military camps -- Maryland. 2 Military pay. 2 Morale. 2 New Orleans (La.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865. 2 Pillage. 2 Prisoners of war. 2 Ship Island (Miss.). 2 Suffolk (Va.). 2 United States Army. Vermont Infantry Regiment, 10th (1862-1865). 2 United States Army. Vermont Infantry Regiment, 9th (1862-1865). 2 Vermont -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865. 1 Baptism. 1 BeauregardG. T. (Gustave Toutant) 1818-1893. 1 Chicago (Ill.). 1 Children and war. 1 Desertion, Military. 1 Diseases. 1 Fugitive slaves. 1 Grief. 1 Hooker, Joseph 1814-1879. 1 Marching. 1 Military camps -- Louisiana. 1 Military chaplains. 1 Military hospitals. 1 New Bern (N.C.). 1 Newport (N.C.). 1 Operational rations (Military supplies). 1 Photographers. 1 Prisoner-of-war camps. 1 Promotions, Military. 1 Richmond (Va.). 1 Rivers. 1 Rumor. 1 Slaves. 1 Sutlers. 1 United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Casualties. 1 United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Poetry. 1 United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Prisoners and prisons. 1 United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Social aspects. 1 United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Women. 1 United States Army -- Surgeons. 1 United States Army. Vermont Infantry Regiment, 9th (1862-1865). Company B. 1 Vicksburg (Miss.). 1 War casualties. 1 Winchester (Va.). 1 Wistar, Isaac J. (Isaac Jones) 1827-1905.

26 text
Miniature of Justus F. Gale to Sister
Justus F. Gale to Sister
Image nop
    • Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
    • Date Created: 1862-07-18
    • Description: Topics include the good health of Justus Gale, the food available at Algiers including confiscated beef from the locals, standing guard for 12 hour shifts, killing alligators, writes of some of his comrades, the sickness of Sargent 2nd Class.Chas. C. Martin with inflammation of the bowels, the capture of Richmond and Vicksburg, mentions Confederate Gen. G. T. Beauregard, receiving a copy of the Green Mountain Freeman and refers to his religious faith.
    • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence
    Miniature of Justus F. Gale to Sister
    Justus F. Gale to Sister
    Image nop
      • Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
      • Date Created: 1862-10-09
      • Description: Topics include the improved health of Justus Gale‚Äôs family, speaks of his religious faith, a discussion of deciding on Charley‚Äôs gravestone, and the separation of his Gale's parents.
      • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence
      Miniature of Lyman S. Williams to Lois L. Williams
      Lyman S. Williams to Lois L. Williams
      Image nop
        • 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
        Miniature of Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
        Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
        Image nop
          • Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
          • Date Created: 1865-01-01
          • Description: Topics include a retrospective review of the past year of service, the luck Rutherford feels for escaping the dangers of war, the unique recognition he is afforded by being a surgeon, attending a sermon preached in the hospital and watching a patient be baptized in the hospital.
          • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
          Miniature of Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
          Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
          Image nop
            • Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889.
            • Date Created: 1863-01-04
            • Description: From Camp Douglas in Chicago topics include going to the Baptist Church where he heard Elder Knapp a revivalist, sightseeing which included visiting grave to Stephen Douglas, seeing buffalo and oxen, requesting the return of the opened envelope in which money is missing, of eating well these days, of when the Regiment will be exchanged, gifts for officers including Col. Stannard, Col Andross, Major Stowell and the enclosure of "two small likenesses."
            • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Valentine G. Barney Correspondence
            Miniature of William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
            William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
            Image nop
              • Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915.
              • Date Created: 1862-12-31
              • Description: Writes about the health of his children and God's will, anxious when receiving dispatches that the enemy is near, alerting the picket guards to be more alert, hearing many prisoners taken by the Rebels at Fairfax, wishes for more letters from home, is concerned for guards standing in the dark with cold rain, reflects on when the war will end.
              • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William Wirt Henry Correspondence
              Miniature of [Frankie?] to Mother
              [Frankie?] to Mother
              Image nop
                • Date Created: ?-?-?
                • Description: A poem, "Death of H. H. Wilder," written by Frankie, presumably Wilder's nephew.
                • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence
                Miniature of Edward P. Stone to Family
                Edward P. Stone to Family
                Image nop
                  • Creator: Stone, Edward P., 1830-1920.
                  • Date Created: [1861-10-?]
                  • Description: Chaplain Stone writes of worship service, evening tent prayer meetings, having comfortable living conditions in his tent, the regiments having moved three times since reaching Washington, D.C. but seemingly not in any danger.
                  • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Edward P. Stone Correspondence
                  Miniature of William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
                  William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
                  Image nop
                    • Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915.
                    • Date Created: 1863-04-12
                    • Description: Discusses the possibility of moving towards the front, and encourages his wife to seek comfort in her religious beliefs. Lack of pay from the Army, as well as the need for money for the family as well as himself is mentioned. The feelings that the troops have towards the inhabitants of the town where they are staying, and the feelings of the town towards the troops, are also discussed. Mentions Mr. Trundle (correct spelling?)not expected to live. (The Trundel family befriended the Union officers despite being southern sympathizers. Mr. Trundel was given medical care by Dr. Joseph Chase Rutherford).
                    • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William Wirt Henry Correspondence
                    Miniature of Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
                    Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
                    Image nop
                      • Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
                      • Date Created: 1864-11-23
                      • Description: Philosophical reflections on the origins and meanings of Thanksgiving from Rutherford‚Äôs perspective, and a breakdown of their intended feast with an explanation of the reasons they have to be thankful.
                      • Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence