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.

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Showing 231 - 240 of 1339 Records

Miniature of William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

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Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915.
Date Created: 1861-10-08
Description: October 8, 1861 from Camp Advance, Virginia. Writes of kindness from Col Stannard, wet weather, grand review of artillery by Genl. McClellan, illness among the men including homesickness and Typhoid Fever, family business.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William Wirt Henry Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of William Wirt Henry to John Henry

William Wirt Henry to John Henry

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Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915.
Date Created: 1861-10-12
Description: Writes from Camp Griffin near Lewinsville about eating too many chestnuts that made him sick, of family business, of having had enough war and ready to go home.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William Wirt Henry Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

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Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915.
Date Created: 1861-10-16
Description: Writes of feeling better from eating to many chestnuts, took Hibbards Pills, rustling cattle, pickets meeting up with Rebels with some, mentions friends and family life, misses his wife and young daughter Mollie.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, William Wirt Henry Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of Justus F. Gale to Sister

Justus F. Gale to Sister

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Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
Date Created: 1863-01-25
Description: Topics include the sore on his hand and how it is healing, the summer-like weather and how the birds in Louisiana are different from the birds in Vermont, their campsite in Thibodeaux, Louisiana, and how much he dislikes southern cooking, which he calls ‚Äúniger stoge‚Äù but has fresh fruit to eat. He also writes about how much money he has made in speculation and of sending home a ring made from a beef bone by their drummer Walter Barnes.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of Justus F. Gale to Mother

Justus F. Gale to Mother

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Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
Date Created: 1863-01-30
Description: Topics include his health and the sore on his hand, the family situation in Vermont, including the separation of his parents and how things have changed since he left, and how Sunday is usually the day the army usually has an inspection or moves.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of Justus F. Gale to Sister

Justus F. Gale to Sister

Image

Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
Date Created: 1863-02-21
Description: Topics include news about his father‚Äôs recent marriage, dinner at the home of a Massachusetts family that had been driven off a plantation they owned north of New Orleans, the money owed him by the government, and his speculation in watches.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of Justus F. Gale to Sister

Justus F. Gale to Sister

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Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
Date Created: 1863-05-01
Description: Gale writes a long description of his company‚Äôs role in the Battle of Fort Bisland on April 12th and 13th, and is pleased by General Banks‚Äô praise of the performance of the 8th Vermont Regiment. He also writes of his pleasure at receiving a photograph of Emily Taft of Barre, and his wish that he could have photographs of all his family, though he would be unable to carry them all in his wallet. As well, he writes of picking up Confederate money from a house that was abandoned before the advance of the ‚Äúdamd yankees‚Äù and of seeing rich clothing that he wished he could send home.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of Lyman Barton to Hiram Barton

Lyman Barton to Hiram Barton

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Creator: Barton, Lyman, 1839-1936.
Date Created: 1864-03-08
Description: Lyman Barton mentions an attack on his Brigade at Deep Creek, Virginia and the death of two men from the 9th New Jersey Regiment who had just returned from a furlough. He also writes of men returning to the 8th Connecticut Regiment after their reenlistment furlough, who had second thoughts about reenlisting. Also he writes of how many got married while on leave. At the end of the letter he gives news of his brothers Henry, James and Theodore and their addresses.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Barton Family Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of Theodore Barton to Melissa Barton

Theodore Barton to Melissa Barton

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Creator: Barton, Theodore, 1842-1926.
Date Created: 1863-01-25
Description: Theodore Lyman writes of seeing his brother Lyman, Company K, 8th Connecticut Infantry Regiment, who is camped only two miles away. He also writes of the attempt by General Burnside to cross the Rappahannock and how the Confederate soldiers jeered and set up a sign saying ‚ÄúBurnside stuck in the mud.‚Äù
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Barton Family Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War

Miniature of Justus F. Gale to Family

Justus F. Gale to Family

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Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
Date Created: 1861-12-27
Description: Writes from Brattleboro of the journey from Montpelier to Brattleboro, unit called Co. A, of other troops coming in, anticipates the regiment to be full in a few days, comfortable quarters, good food, Gov. Holbrook visited.
Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence

Part of: Vermonters in the Civil War