Vermonters in the Civil War
Collection Overview
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...
Show moreVermont 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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Sub-collections
- Daniel S. White Correspondence
- Edward P. Stone Correspondence
- George W. Quimby Correspondence
- Henry A. Smith Correspondence
- Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence
- Horace Barlow Diary
- John Lester Barstow Correspondence
- John W. Campbell Correspondence
- John Wolcott Phelps Correspondence
- Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
- Joseph L. Perkins Correspondence
- Joseph Spafford Correspondence
- Justus F. Gale Correspondence
- Lyman S. Williams Correspondence
- Orlando S. Turner Correspondence
- Ransom W. Towle Correspondence
- Roswell Farnham Correspondence
- Solomon G. Heaton Correspondence
- Valentine G. Barney Correspondence
- Wheelock Graves Veazey Correspondence
- William C. Holbrook Correspondence
- William Wirt Henry Correspondence
Lesson Plans
(1 - 20 of 30)
Pages
- Title
- Asa P. Blunt
- Description
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A pass for Mary Farnham, Mrs. Nichols, Mrs. Vaughan, and Mrs. Peach to go to Washington.
- Title
- George W. Quimby to Emeline B. Masta
- Description
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Topics include a "miniature" (porttrait?) that Quimby wants to send home; instructions for his sister to collect on a debt owed by Captain Tucker; and expectation of the Regiment advancing. The order to advance would come from Lincoln himself on Jan. 27, 1862, and would be his first General War...
Show moreTopics include a "miniature" (porttrait?) that Quimby wants to send home; instructions for his sister to collect on a debt owed by Captain Tucker; and expectation of the Regiment advancing. The order to advance would come from Lincoln himself on Jan. 27, 1862, and would be his first General War Order.
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- Title
- Henry Harrison Wilder to Mother
- Description
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Topics include the regiment remaining at Camp Griffin and Wilder asking his mother's opinion on him and Merrion entering the regular scouts for five years.
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- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Spafford writes to his sister about possibly coming to see him at Camp Holbrook in Brattleboro, of Captain A. writing to his wife to have her join him at camp, having received guns and about possible delay in departure.
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- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Spafford writes from Brattleboro of the possibility of his sister and Lizzie visiting him before departure, of his time consuming duties as Orderly, of Captain A's wife already having come for a visit.
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- Mary [E. Farnham] to Henry
- Description
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Letter from Mary to brother Henry carries a demanding tone of an older sibling to a younger one ; topics include inquiring about Henry’s examinations, her plan to stay at camp until June, responding to Henry's remarks about her being in camp saying several of the officers' wives are also in camp,...
Show moreLetter from Mary to brother Henry carries a demanding tone of an older sibling to a younger one ; topics include inquiring about Henry’s examinations, her plan to stay at camp until June, responding to Henry's remarks about her being in camp saying several of the officers' wives are also in camp, the sick men in the regiment, and Mary demanding to know who thinks Mary should return home suggesting someone thinks it may not be appropriate for a woman (according the social norm of the day) to be in a military camp.
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- Title
- Mary E. Farnham to Henry
- Description
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Mary Farnham writes from Wolf Shoals Creek, Va. on the Occoquan River to brother Henry about desserts and other food the troops are enjoying eating, her instructions for food to be sent to brother Zeke in the 10th Regiment, terrible traveling conditions due to deep muddy roads, horses having to...
Show moreMary Farnham writes from Wolf Shoals Creek, Va. on the Occoquan River to brother Henry about desserts and other food the troops are enjoying eating, her instructions for food to be sent to brother Zeke in the 10th Regiment, terrible traveling conditions due to deep muddy roads, horses having to be walked, she riding with other officers' wives, and her feeling uncomfortable with the looks of the Southerns (Secesh)
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- Title
- Mary E. Farnham to Henry
- Description
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From Mary Farnham to Henry topics include letters received and responded to, military action among the men, pickets and taking of Rebel soldiers, fighting engagement at Kelly’s Ford, her thoughts on the unhealthy environment she is in, the varying degrees of health or illness of the men in camp,...
Show moreFrom Mary Farnham to Henry topics include letters received and responded to, military action among the men, pickets and taking of Rebel soldiers, fighting engagement at Kelly’s Ford, her thoughts on the unhealthy environment she is in, the varying degrees of health or illness of the men in camp, her horse ride even though the weather has been inclement, her comments on what the military trained horses will do, the ill health and death of some horses.
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- Title
- N. S. Leffnis
- Description
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Topics include a pass instructing guards to allow Mrs. Blunt and Mrs. Mary Farnham to cross Long Bridge and enter camp of the 12th Vermont Volunteers by order of General Casey .
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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Roswell Farnham checks up on his wife, Mary ; expresses being sad and lonely once she had left camp, asks her to write him and tell him how to direct his letters to her, instructions to her if she needs money and for her to check her clothing for vermin since she was in camp for such a long time.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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Four days of marching have left the men foot sore and exhausted & he writes of the hardships and consequences of men not being able to keep up. Tells of a mishap with an officer and his horse, of the men picking up stray horses, of the men cooking for themselves, of butchered cattle for fresh...
Show moreFour days of marching have left the men foot sore and exhausted & he writes of the hardships and consequences of men not being able to keep up. Tells of a mishap with an officer and his horse, of the men picking up stray horses, of the men cooking for themselves, of butchered cattle for fresh beef, mention of Mrs. Capt. Williams and Mrs. Damon, moving towards Hagarstown and no expectation for a fight.
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- Title
- Roswell Farnham to Laura
- Description
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Topics include the good times the officers' wives are having in camp, the watching of the Guard Mounting, Picket Guard Mounting, battery practice and regiment drill, ladies sent to Alexandria as orders received that the whole brigade is to move and information about Cyrus’ death and belongings.
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- Roswell Farnham to Mary [Farnham]
- Description
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Topics include receiving his wife's letter via the Adjutant, the rainy weather, Roswell Farnham trying to go to Washington, and the loneliness in camp without the women even though Mrs. Wallace remains in camp, requests for heavy coat and other clothing, the taking of photographs that he will send.
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- Roswell Farnham to Mary [Farnham]
- Description
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Farnham writes of the unit preparing to leave Wolf Run Shoals, expresses his wishes to see his wife, Mary, again, feeling sad with his wife absent from camp but glad she is safe, sends a photo by way of Capt. Ormsbee that Mary is to take care of photo, Mr. Peach is ill, letter from Henry and his...
Show moreFarnham writes of the unit preparing to leave Wolf Run Shoals, expresses his wishes to see his wife, Mary, again, feeling sad with his wife absent from camp but glad she is safe, sends a photo by way of Capt. Ormsbee that Mary is to take care of photo, Mr. Peach is ill, letter from Henry and his clothing business.
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- Title
- Roswell Farnham to Mary [Farnham]
- Description
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Topics include the location of some of the corps, seeing many men of the 6th Army Corps and listing their names, Vt Calvary has met Rebels, telling of Captain of Rhode Island regiment with heavy losses including the captain & his horse being wounded, the anticipation of some fighting, the...
Show moreTopics include the location of some of the corps, seeing many men of the 6th Army Corps and listing their names, Vt Calvary has met Rebels, telling of Captain of Rhode Island regiment with heavy losses including the captain & his horse being wounded, the anticipation of some fighting, the possibility of moving to Wolf Run Shoals, two wives in camp (Mrs. Sherman & Mrs. Halley) & they not wanting to leave their soldier husbands, and the very hot weather.
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- Title
- Roswell Farnham to Mary [Farnham]
- Description
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Topics include dropping a note to Mary Farnham to figure out logistics of her visit.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Barney writes while on board the steamer “Maple Leaf” and describes the trip, including a singalong with Captain Seligson and his guitar. Officers' wives aboard but seasick, confined to their rooms thus he deprived "the pleasure of looking at a white woman." He also writes of wishing his father...
Show moreBarney writes while on board the steamer “Maple Leaf” and describes the trip, including a singalong with Captain Seligson and his guitar. Officers' wives aboard but seasick, confined to their rooms thus he deprived "the pleasure of looking at a white woman." He also writes of wishing his father had sent a box with winter clothing that he had requested earlier, since the men need winter clothing.
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- Title
- Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey
- Description
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Topics include the good health of Wheelock Veazey, his wish that his wife would conduct herself in a more befitting manner toward certain gentlemen friends, a brief reference to other wives' less than desired behavior, a mention of the baby coming, and his regiment is out on picket.
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- Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey
- Description
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Topics include Wheelock’s health and the health of other men in camp, wives in camp seem to enjoy being there, may be referring to Mrs. Blunt being pregnant as he thinks she must hurry home before she is to be "confined", a description of his comfortable two tent living conditions, has a boy...
Show moreTopics include Wheelock’s health and the health of other men in camp, wives in camp seem to enjoy being there, may be referring to Mrs. Blunt being pregnant as he thinks she must hurry home before she is to be "confined", a description of his comfortable two tent living conditions, has a boy attendant even better than Jason, and how much he misses his wife.
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- Title
- Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey
- Description
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Writes about sorting out finances, much about the baby they are expecting, his feelings about Julia's behavior regarding the baby, insight into his mind regarding this pregnancy & any future ones, Henry's wife coming for a visit, Veazey sending money to Julia.