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)
Place(s)
- Camp Douglas (Ill.) [9]
- Chicago (Ill.) [8]
- Military camps -- Virginia [8]
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Medical care [7]
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Prisoners and prisons [7]
- Military camps -- Vermont [3]
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Campaigns [3]
- Winchester (Va.) [3]
- Harpers Ferry (W. Va.) [2]
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Casualties [2]
Format(s)
- text [44]
Genre(s)
- correspondence [44]
Topic(s)
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 9th (1862-1865) [21]
- Armed Forces Officers [19]
- Diseases [13]
- Prisoners of war [13]
- Food [12]
- Postal service [4]
- United StatesArmy Military life [4]
- Confederate States of AmericaArmy [2]
- Intrenchments [2]
- Military deserters [2]
- Newspapers [2]
- Operational rations (Military supplies) [2]
- Prisoner-of-war camps [2]
- Soldiers Alcohol use [2]
- Soldiers Suicidal behavior [2]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 9th (1862-1865).Company B [2]
- War casualties [2]
- Amputation [1]
- Battle casualties [1]
- Burnside, Ambrose Everett1824-1881 [1]
- Courts-martial and courts of inquiry United States [1]
- Desertion, Military [1]
- Hardtack [1]
- Homesickness [1]
- Love-letters [1]
- Medicine, Military [1]
- Military hospitals [1]
- Military leaves and furloughs [1]
- Picketing [1]
- Pillage [1]
- Pope, John1822-1892 [1]
- Promotions, Military [1]
- Skirmishing [1]
- United StatesArmy Surgeons [1]
- War Psychological aspects [1]
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Browsing by:
Recipient: ("Barney,Maria, 1833-1884")
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: [1862]-07-14
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include Barney sending photographs of himself home to his wife and family.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: [1862]-07-16
Resource type: correspondence
On board a steamer, topics include the journey from Brattleboro to New Haven and then on to Jersey City and eventually to Washington, D.C. that include marching and going by train. Mentions whiskey being drunk by the soldiers and him needing to keep the men sober. His military pay not expected until September.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-08-05
Resource type: correspondence
From Camp Siegel topics include the mail from home being delivered after being misdirected, comments on family, digging in the ground creating storage spaces for items such as butter and milk, having fresh berries to eat, clearing up rumors revolving around the regiment, sun stroke suffered by one soldier due to the heat, cost of food.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-08-09
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the progress made on the fort, the cutting down of many trees within a mile of the fort, of orchards and shade trees also cut down nearby buildings to the great dismay of local residents, an outbreak of dysentery, and the hope to be able to send some military pay home soon.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-08-20
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the duties of being the Officer of the Guard being in charge of overseeing men under watch, media misrepresentation of the regiments in the Northern newspapers, living conditions and costs in the South, death of Joseph La'Mondy (or Lamondy), the Battle of Baton Rouge, and the suicide of a man in Company I.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-08-24
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the arrival of a package from home that included much needed boots, hospital care by Southern women to southern soldiers far better than to the Union men hospitalized, the men of Virginia who are afraid to support the Union cause openly for fear it will fail, drunkenness among the soldiers, reference to Lamondy (or La'Mondy) death, the deaths in the regiment since leaving Clouds Mills, receives newspapers.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-08-28
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the capturing of some Rebels at Newtown who stated Rebels do not go hungry as long a Union troops are around from which to steal food, issues with the postal mail service, the difficulty of getting rest in camp, and the sickness of the regiment.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-09-06
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the regiment marching towards Harpers Ferry, the regiment disheartened to being ordered to retreat, loss of much equipment and people left behind in the hospital, the destruction of supplies left behind, their hard march to current location, the brief mention of a "heavy battles". (Maryland Campaign Sept 3-15, 1862). Reference to prisoners being paroled.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-10-01
Resource type: correspondence
Writing from Chicago topics include the journey to an area 2 miles from Chicago, a description of the living quarters that include a good dinner, fixing up the sheds they are living in which are on the fairgrounds (the site of a Sanitary Fair to benefit soldier relief funds, Oct. 27, 1863), the morale of the men, food of pork, bread, beef, talk of being relocated to Minnesota, and the disparate need for money.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-10-05
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the conditions at Camp Tyler, the observation of the Sabbath not to his liking as the duty of dispensing clothing to the men, etc. took up much of it, recounts the past 3 weeks, of seeing Vermont marble on the floors of some buildings on his visit to the city of Chicago, the Chicago marble business using Vermont marble and of there being a lot of Vermonters in the area.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: [1862]-10-30
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the improvement of Barney’s health, the care he is receiving, and a description of the bilious fever with which he was afflicted (i.e. jaundice).
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-11-03
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the continued improvement of Barney’s health from jaundice though his appetite is low and his skin itches, of foods he regularly eats, the sickness of Sergeant Whitmore with typhoid fever, and the deaths in the regiment including Chas Crook.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-06-19
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the march to camp in Brattleboro, having very good tents that helped keep the overnight rain from getting him wet and hopes to be home in about a week.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-06-22
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the food served in camp was plentiful and good, tent set up to be comfortable, health is good, the distribution of clothing among the men, Col. Stannard expected in camp, mentions plans to return home and the expected arrival of a few more companies at Brattleboro.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-07-06
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the Regiment is full and the expectation that the regiment will be mustererd (process of accounting for members in a military unit), mentions he is officer of the day and has many duties to attend to with recruits being new to army life.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-07-13
Resource type: correspondence
Writing from Camp Davis in Brattleboro, topics include Barney being made officer of the day tomorrow, feeling proud of that, and the plan to march to Washington.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-07-21
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include being in camp near Clouds Mills near Alexandria, Va., the journey there including a 14 mile march, the numerous regiments encamped together, not liking the Southern area or the dirty cities, feels the South may not be worth fighting for and having a good dinner received in camp.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-07-27
Resource type: correspondence
Writing from Camp Siegle, Virginia, topics include the journey to camp, their train cars running off the track with no injuries to the men, other men camping in the area being demoralized. He is in Gen. Piatts Brigade and Pope's division. Writes the hill being fortified with hard labor by the men, food in camp being good but not so good when on the move. Mentions the boys from Swanton being well. Six rebel scouts captured, one believed to pretend to be crazy but a grave ordered to be dug for the prisoner in hopes of getting him to confess his pretense.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-07-31
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include order from General Pope that force the regiment to find their own meat which they do by confiscating cattle from the countryside, Union troops being flung insults from the Southern women, pickets firing at the rebels, a careless discharge of a revolver caused a fifer to have two injured fingers on his right hand amputated by Surgeon Hall, and the capture of the Lady Rebel Spy Belle Boyd.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-08-03
Resource type: correspondence
Writing from Camp Seigle near Winchester, Va. topics include having a good meal, postal service finally getting the mail on the road only to be handed off and the rider now missing, the burning of the city (Winchester?), being invited to take refreshments by city residents but declining as he did not want to risk being poisoned, Lieutenant Jewett on picket duty, attended worship service, misses his young children, and the hope that the 10th regiment will arrive in camp.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Whitmore, Orange S., 1836-1908
Date: 1862-10-29
Resource type: correspondence
Whitmore writes to Maria Barney of the improvement of Barney’s health, of Barney advising Maria to keep the cow and the possibility of returning to Vermont in the near future.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-11-05
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the continued improvement of Barney’s health, his taking of jaundice bitters as treatment, his paying Mrs. Snow $10 for his and his attendant's room and board in her home and of sending his attendant back to camp.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-11-07
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the continued improvement of Barney’s health, having his attendant return to camp, his thinking of applying for a furlough to return home when he feels stronger, his outrage at the government for the continued poor living conditions for the men at camp in the sheds, his asking for more money from home and the lack of military pay the soldiers have received.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-11-09
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the continued improvement of Barney’s health from jaundice though his legs tire quickly, the need for money from home, thoughts of a furlough and the sickness and deaths in the regiment.
Title: Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
Creator: Barney, Valentine G., 1834-1889
Date: 1862-11-11
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the weather in Chicago, the desire to return home, and the improvement in Barney’s health.
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