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)
- Canning, Charles C., b. 1828 [2]
- Marshall, Ira A., d. 1893 [2]
- Bruidnell, William, b. 1842 [1]
- Bruidnell, William, b. 1842; Finnegan [1]
- Bruidnell, William, b. 1842; Morey [1]
- Gregg, Charles C., 1832-1910 [1]
- Joyce, Charles H., 1830-1916 [1]
- Murphy, Edward [1]
- Thurston, Quincy F., d. 1862 [1]
Recipient(s)
- Henry, William Wirt, [11]
Place(s)
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 [4]
- Military camps -- Virginia [2]
- Military campsVirginia [2]
- United StatesHistoryCivil War, 1861-1865Casualties [2]
- Fort Monroe (Va.) [1]
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Campaigns [1]
- United StatesHistoryCivil War, 1861-1865Campaigns [1]
- VermontHistoryCivil War, 1861-1865 [1]
Format(s)
- text [11]
Genre(s)
- correspondence [11]
Topic(s)
- Armed Forces Officers [7]
- Battle casualties [4]
- Morale [4]
- United StatesArmy Military life [4]
- McClellan, George Brinton1826-1885 [3]
- Diseases [1]
- Merrimack (Frigate) [1]
- Peninsular Campaign, 1862 [1]
- Seven Days' Battles, Va., 1862 [1]
- Skirmishing [1]
- Soldiers Alcohol use [1]
- Sutlers [1]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 11th (1862-1865) [1]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 2nd (1861-1865) [1]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 5th (1861-1865) [1]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 9th (1862-1865) [1]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 9th (1862-1865).Company B [1]
- War Economic aspects [1]
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Recipient: ("Henry, William Wirt, ")
Title: Charles C. Canning to William Wirt Henry
Creator: Canning, Charles C., b. 1828
Date: 1862-05-26
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the defeat of General Banks (Battle of Winchester, May 25) , the promotion of Lt. Col. Stannard, and the request to William Henry to raise a company so that Charles Canning may become a captain. Canning mentions orders from McClellan to prepare for "a bloody battle," but major fighting doesn't ensue until May 31st (Battle of Seven Pines, May 31), when Confederates take advantage of Union positions on the south side of the Chickahominy River.
Title: Charles C. Canning to William Wirt Henry
Creator: Canning, Charles C., b. 1828
Date: 1862-07-18
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the movement of the regiment to Harrison's Landing, the extensive loss in the 5th Vermont Regiment (Battle of Savage's Station, June 29, 1862), the arrest of Captain Eaton, and a request for a few goods from home.
Title: Charles C. Gregg to William Wirt Henry
Creator: Gregg, Charles C., 1832-1910
Date: 1862-05-28
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the expectation of a "big old fight" near Richmond (Battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks, ended June 1st, 1862), and the report of a fight led by "Porter and Stonman" (Fitz John Porter and George Stoneman, both Union officers) against 17,000 rebels (actual number: 4,500). This was the Battle of Hanover Court House, 18 miles north of Richmond, on May 27th, 1862. Mentions the appointment of Col. George J. Stannard to lead the Vt. 9th Regiment.
Title: Charles H. Joyce to William Wirt Henry
Creator: Joyce, Charles H., 1830-1916
Date: 1862-08-13
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include C.H. Joyce's hope of being put in charge of the 11th regiment and anticipation of the camp moving. This would be the evacuation of Harrison's Landing, where McClellan had kept his Army of the Potomac for several weeks. Joyce refers to "old W." (Wash. DC?) and "Gov. H.," Frederick Holbrook, influential governor of Vt., 1861-1863. Also: Battle of Savage's Station, June 29, 1862, where Joyce performed well.
Title: Edward Murphy to William Wirt Henry
Creator: Murphy, Edward
Date: 1862-07-21
Resource type: correspondence
Writing from camp at Westover Landing, Virginia topics include trying to convince William Henry to come join Company D in the 2nd Regiment, mentions officers resigning and hopes to take Richmond by the end of the summer.
Title: Ira A. Marshall to William Wirt Henry
Creator: Marshall, Ira A., d. 1893
Date: 1862-05-13
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include recent battles in Yorktown and Williamsburg, which had significant casualties; the destruction of the C.S.S. Merrimack off the coast of Norfolk, Va., now under Union occupation. McClellan will likely send Vt. troops home once Richmond is taken. Ill soldier Tilton Sleeper mentioned again.
Title: Ira A. Marshall to William Wirt Henry
Creator: Marshall, Ira A., d. 1893
Date: 1862-06-08
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include camping at Harrison's Landing, Virginia on the James River, makes reference to regiments and companies losing men, the names of men wounded and their injuries in Company D, makes reference to a battle (maybe Battle of Seven Pines [Fair Oaks]??), several officers resigning, the high cost of food, and the slight sickness of Ira Marshall.
Title: Quincy F. Thurston to William Wirt Henry
Creator: Thurston, Quincy F., d. 1862
Date: 1862-06-07
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include an account of the battle near Richmond (maybe the Battle of Seven Pines [Fair Oaks]??), makes mention of marching, the evacuation of Yorktown, the battle of Williamsburgh, a stay at the White House and advance to the Chickahominy River.
Title: William Bruidnell and Francis Finnegan to William Wirt Henry
Creator: Bruidnell, William, b. 1842; Finnegan
Date: 1862-08-09
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include a request for pay amounting to $116 and an update on the leaders of the Vermont Regiment.
Title: William Bruidnell and Samuel Morey to William Wirt Henry
Creator: Bruidnell, William, b. 1842; Morey
Date: 1862-07-19
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include a description of the Battle of Mechanicsville (June 26-27, 1862), part of the Seven Days campaign near Richmond.
Title: William Bruidnell to William Wirt Henry
Creator: Bruidnell, William, b. 1842
Date: 1862-05-25
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the good health of everyone except Tilton Sleeper, the hope of taking Richmond from the rebels, and the good weather near Cool Harbor, Virginia.
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