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 the University of Vermont and the Vermont Historical Society.
The collection includes materials dating from 1861 at the start of the Civil War, and will grow with additional materials throughout the years of the sesquicentennial commemoration, from 2011 through 2015. 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) will eventually be included; each adds a certain experience and point of view to the whole.
1861
In 1861, Vermont produced a three-month volunteer infantry regiment (the First Vermont Infantry) that served in Virginia from May through July. Five additional volunteer infantry regiments, mustered for three-year terms and numbered consecutively, were put in the field in the summer and fall, camping first in Washington and at Camp Griffin through the fall and winter. The First Vermont Cavalry regiment was also mustered and sent south in the fall of 1861.
Subject content for the 1861 letters and diaries covers a great deal of ground. The many logistical issues involved in launching the war effort come to light in the letters of General John W. Phelps, while officers such as Lieutenant Roswell Farnham often made thoughtful observations on the events and personalities in the camps and in the field. The enlisted men occasionally described important events in detail, but more often wrote about everyday life and concerns. Eyewitness accounts of engagements at Big Bethel (June 9-10), Bull Run (July 21), and Lewinsville (September 11) reveal the motivations and expectations of the men in arms, while descriptions of living conditions, drilling, sickness, and political intrigue provide insight on the soldiers’ experiences.
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.
Time Period Covered: 1861
Sub-collections
Charles F. Bancroft Correspondence
Horace Barlow Diary
Valentine G. Barney Correspondence
John Lester Barstow Correspondence
Barton Family Correspondence
John W. Campbell Correspondence
Roswell Farnham Correspondence
Justus F. Gale Correspondence
Solomon G. Heaton Correspondence
William Wirt Henry Correspondence
William C. Holbrook Correspondence
Albert A. May Correspondence
Benjamin F. Parmenter Correspondence
Joseph L. Perkins Correspondence
John Wolcott Phelps Correspondence
George W. Quimby Correspondence
Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
Henry A. Smith Correspondence
Joseph Spafford Correspondence
Edward and John Stone Correspondence
Ransom W. Towle Correspondence
Orlando S. Turner Correspondence
Wheelock Graves Veazey Correspondence
Daniel S. White Correspondence
Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence
Lyman Williams Correspondence
Published: April 11, 2011, University of Vermont, Bailey/Howe Library, Center for Digital Initiatives
Rights: Requests to reproduce this item should be sent to the UVM Libraries' Center for Digital Initiatives at cdi@uvm.edu. For more information, see http://cdi.uvm.edu/about/rights. More information.
Browse Options
Creator(s)
Recipient(s)
- Henry, Mary Jane, [18]
- Henry, Mary Jane [5]
- Henry, John [2]
- Henry, John, [1]
Place(s)
- Military campsVirginia [14]
- United StatesHistoryCivil War, 1861-1865 [10]
- Roanoke Island (N.C.)HistoryCapture, 1862 [1]
- United StatesHistoryCivil War, 1861-1865Flags [1]
Format(s)
- text [26]
Genre(s)
- correspondence [26]
Topic(s)
- Armed Forces Officers [11]
- United StatesArmy Military life [11]
- Families of military personnel [10]
- Promotions, Military [6]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 10th (1862-1865) [5]
- Pillage [2]
- War casualties [2]
- Battle casualties [1]
- Burnside, Ambrose Everett1824-1881 [1]
- Confederate States of AmericaArmy [1]
- Drill and minor tactics [1]
- Marching [1]
- Medicine, Military [1]
- Military deserters [1]
- Military discharge [1]
- Prisoners of war [1]
- Sutlers [1]
- United StatesArmy Flags [1]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 10th (1862-1865).Company B [1]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 11th (1862-1865) [1]
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Author: ("Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915")
Title: William Wirt Henry to John Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1861-10-08
Resource type: correspondence
October 8, 1861 from Camp Advance, Virginia near Chain Bridge. Writes of family business, men to camp for the winter a little south of Virginia, desire to be Quartermaster.
Title: William Wirt Henry to John Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1861-10-12
Resource type: correspondence
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.
Title: William Wirt Henry to John Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-09-01
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the continued sickness of Katie, being mustered into the United States Service, and the commission as Major of the 10th Regiment.
Title: William Wirt Henry to John Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-09-11
Resource type: correspondence
Writing from Camp Chase, Va. topics include the death of Henry's sister Katie and the journey to Camp from Brattleboro, aboard the train to New Haven, on the steamer Continental to New York, on to Philadelphia and then to Baltimore and finally Washington, D.C. and on to his camp just beyond Fairfax, Va.under the command of Brig. Gen. Briggs of MA
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1861-09-27
Resource type: correspondence
September 9, 1861 from Camp Advance near Chain Bridge. Writes of the men being sent out to steal food near Lewinsville, Leesburgh road, casualties, picket duty.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1861-09-29
Resource type: correspondence
September 29, 1861 from Camp Advance, Virginia. Writes of Second Vermont ordered out, casualties due to troop confusion and friendly fire, Munsons Hill, picket duty.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1861-10-16
Resource type: correspondence
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.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1861-11-04
Resource type: correspondence
Writes of waiting for discharge papers from Washington, D.C. and complains of how long it is taking, willing to wait for Vermont soldiers to be paid so he can bring the pay home to their families, no military action except a lot of drilling.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-01-19
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include William Henry's arrival at Camp Griffin, Virginia ; the men petitioning for Lt. Henry to be their captain ; mentions not yet receiving Elixir yet but has high hopes of sell a lot of it.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-02-14
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include William Henry missing his wife, having gained weight and health is good, of being glad he did not become the Captain of Company D, reference to a bill to disband the Bands, mentions his side business of selling to the men being pretty slim as he has "got them most all cured up", reference to the fall of Roanoke Island, North Carolina (February 7& 8, 1862) under the leadership of Ambrose Burnside, has sent money home,
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-02-16
Resource type: correspondence
Still at Camp Griffin, Va. topics include a love letter to William Henry's wife, the expected discharge of Ned Wells, of himself heading for home even if Wells is not discharged.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-08-22
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the poor health of William Henry's sister Katie and the appointment of Acting Major.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-08-24
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include being put in charge of the 10th Regiment for a few days, William Henry's wish to go home to see his family, the duties of being a Major, feeling very proud of his military promotion, Dress Parade well attended by some 400 to 500 people including Mr. Cummings who was Speaker of the House.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1861-10-08
Resource type: correspondence
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.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-01-22
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include Captain Dillingham returning to Brattleboro, the recommendation of Lieutenant Johnson for Captain, deep mud all over camp restricting movement, expecting the Elixir soon and hopes to sell it, the number of deaths in the regiment, and a description of Ed Wells.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-01-26
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the hardships of camp life, the sickness of Henry Daniels, wishing to be on his way home, selling the Elixir and liniment for twenty five dollars in two days.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-02-03
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the terrible muddy weather at Camp Griffin, Va. restricting moving about, not selling much Elixir due to the mud and restriction of movement, the living arrangements with Dr. Carpenter, how he spends his time in camp with visiting, going to the Sutlers, playing a card game Euchre with Col. Stannard, wishing to be home to play with his young daughter and sends money home to his wife.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-02-09
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include Captain Johnson taking command of Company D, the illness of a few men, the possibility of Ned Wells returning home, Henry's side business not doing as well now as the men are out of money to spend, mud prevents drills so men study tactics and go on picket only once every five days.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-08-15
Resource type: correspondence
A very brief letter from Camp Washburn topics include inquiries after the well being of his baby boy and the anticipated promotion to Major.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-08-18
Resource type: correspondence
Writing from Camp Bradley (later Camp Holbrook) in Brattleboro, Vt. topics include anxious to see his baby boy, continued anticipation of appointment to Major and as acting Adjutant for 11th Regt.until Mr. Curtis of Burlington arrives.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-[09]-17
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include marching to the Maryland side of the Potomac River and a victory against the rebels.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-09-20
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include reflecting on Katie's death and William Henry being in command of five companies and five miles of the Potomac River.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-09-24
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the good health of the regiment, him having a good bay horse as he needs to ride 15 miles to visit all the pickets and the need for friends and family in a time of loss.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-09-28
Resource type: correspondence
Writing from his camp in the field topics include a brief account of William Henry's day that includes living quarters with Company B, morning hygiene, breakfast, riding his horse to visit a company and give a lecture picket duty, visiting another officer to discuss matters, a good dinner and ride back to his headquarters. Also inquiries about his family.
Title: William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
Creator: Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915
Date: 1862-02-23
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include a travel route planned to return home via Annapolis, Brattleboro and maybe even Burlington, the capture of 18 Rebel prisoners near Fairfax, and the hope of one of the wounded prisoners, a Virginian, to retake the oath to become a citizen of the United States again, reference to a Flag of Truce to send a letter to the Confederate Army, his side business doing poorly as the men have expected orders to move and the Sutlers not buying for the same reason.
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