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 - 3 of 3 Records
Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
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- Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902.
- Date Created: 1864-09-09
- Description: Rutherford reflects on his deep desires to be home with family, his health improves but not yet resumed duties, expresses his feelings of the war going on, of those at home in comfort not experiencing the hardships of the soldier, makes a reference to the Copperheads in political rhetoric, writes of his mare, gives a description of his tent as living quarters with a drawing, and a requests for new glasses as his eyesight is getting bad.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Lyman Barton to Melissa Barton
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- Creator: Barton, Lyman, 1839-1936.
- Date Created: 1863-12-01
- Description: Lyman Barton writes of his return to his regiment after spending time at home on sick leave. He also writes of two men being shot for desertion from his regiment, one from his own company. Both men were drafted and he tells the story of the wife of one man coming to camp after his execution, of her being told the news of his death by the company cook, of Portsmouth newspaper reports on Gen Grant and Gen Meade's capture of Rebel prisoners, of comfortable tent to live in with stove.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Barton Family Correspondence
Justus F. Gale to Sister
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- Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863.
- Date Created: 1863-[05-15]
- Description: Gale writes that he is still camped near Alexandria and is using his cartridge box as a desk to write the letter. The weather has been rainy and they have been using their rubber blankets as tents. He then goes on to describe the shooting of James H. Hill, a teamster, by an Irish soldier, James O’Mara, on May 14th, and finishes his letter with a complaint against all those to whom he has written who have not yet replied, and gossip about Ira F. Grout of Elmore, Vermont.
- Parent Collections: Vermonters in the Civil War, Justus F. Gale Correspondence