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)
- Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863 [3]
- Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904 [2]
- Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902 [2]
- Fairbanks, Erastus [1]
- Farnham, Roswell, 1827-1903 [1]
- Towle, Ransom W., d. 1864 [1]
Recipient(s)
- Holbrook, Frederick [2]
- Rutherford, Hannah [2]
- , [1]
- Farnham, Mary [1]
- Gale,Almeda A., 1835-1876 [1]
- Gale,Jonas, 1800-1874 [1]
- Phelps, John Wolcott [1]
Place(s)
- Military camps -- Louisiana [2]
- Abolitionists -- United States -- History -- 19th century [1]
- Military camps -- Maryland [1]
- Military camps -- Virginia [1]
- Military campsVirginia [1]
- New Orleans (La.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 [1]
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 [1]
- United StatesHistoryCivil War, 1861-1865Destruction and pillage [1]
- United StatesHistoryCivil War, 1861-1865Military reconnaissance [1]
Format(s)
- text [10]
Genre(s)
- correspondence [10]
Topic(s)
- Slaves [10]
- United StatesArmy Military life [4]
- Contraband of war [3]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 8th (1861-1865) [3]
- Diseases [2]
- Armed Forces Officers [1]
- Battle casualties [1]
- Butler, (Benjamin Franklin)Mr1818-1893 [1]
- Friendly fire (Military science) [1]
- Horses [1]
- Morale [1]
- Operational rations (Military supplies) [1]
- Patriotism [1]
- Racism [1]
- Slavery [1]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 3rd (1861-1865) [1]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 4th (1861-1865) [1]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 7th (1862-1866) [1]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 7th (1862-1866).Company C [1]
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Topic: ("Slaves")
Title: Erastus Fairbanks to John Wolcott Phelps
Creator: Fairbanks, Erastus
Date: 1862-09-23
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the conduct of the 7th Vermont Regiment and the lack of newspaper coverage of the Regiment's positive attributes. The battles in Maryland would include Antietam Creek, one of the bloodiest battles of the war. Fairbanks also mentions a rumor of Phelps's resignation, which had indeed occurred in August, 1862. Some thoughts about slavery, government, and the Constitution.
![Thumbnail: Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]](http://cdi.uvm.edu/archives/civilwar/cwuvmrutherford09_01-thumb.jpg)
Title: Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902
Date: 1862-11-05
Resource type: correspondence
Dr. Rutherford writes of a battle near Leesburgh some 14 miles from the camp near Seneca Creek (Maryland?) the outcome of which is not known, of the filthy condition of some of the soldiers, of an epidemic of Typhoid fever with the loss of over a dozen men to the illness. He writes of his winter living accommodations of which he is very happy and mentions "Mose the Moor", the runaway black slave boy who tends to him. Also writes of a review from the Brigadier General, and the health of Rutherford’s family.
![Thumbnail: Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]](http://cdi.uvm.edu/archives/civilwar/cwuvmrutherford07_01-thumb.jpg)
Title: Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
Creator: Rutherford, Joseph Chase, 1818-1902
Date: 1862-10-07
Resource type: correspondence
Rutherford writes to his wife, Hannah, about life in camp along the Potomac River. Many soldiers have fevers, his assistant surgeon is ill but he continues to keep up with all the work needing to be done. He writes of a 17 year old male runaway slave named Moses, who takes care of him and his horse, Lady Lightfoot and complains of how slow the mail is.
Title: Justus E. Gale to Family
Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863
Date: 1862-08-31
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include a train crash, confiscating rebel property including horses, cattle, sheep and mules. Writes of having plenty of food on their travel back to camp including dining on lamb. Provided a meal at an old planters house. Mentions Negroes (slaves) and 1500 Blacks at camp, sending troops to Gen. Phelps, the expectation of getting paid, rebels killed in an encounter with the enemy.
Title: Justus E. Gale to Father
Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863
Date: 1862-12-13
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the health of Justus Gale, the mistaken attack (friendly fire) by the Indiana regiment, the process of making sugar done by the slaves, and the daily drilling in camp.
Title: Justus F. Gale to Sister Almeda
Creator: Gale, Justus F., 1837-1863
Date: 1862-08-16
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include guard duty, being able to pick some sweet potatoes, having fresh fruit melons, a trip into the city, a description of a plantation, mentions how much work it is for owners to look after their slaves, states care must be taken of their dress suits and boots in spite of whatever their living conditions may be and the improved health of some of the men in the regiment.
Title: Ransom W. Towle to Parents and Friends
Creator: Towle, Ransom W., d. 1864
Date: 1862-05-23
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include Towle’s not receiving wages, the high prices of food, poverty in camp, the destruction of the countryside by the Rebels, how the Union soldiers are forbidden to even touch any property, the movement of the regiment in Virginia, and the attitude of the slaves towards the Yankees.
![Thumbnail: Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]](http://cdi.uvm.edu/archives/civilwar/cwuvmfarnham46_1-thumb.jpg)
Title: Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
Creator: Farnham, Roswell, 1827-1903
Date: 1861-07-19
Resource type: correspondence
July 19, 1861. Writes from Camp Butler, Newport News, Va. of family matters, fleas and mosquitoes at camp, salt baths, mentions Lt. Peckett, Maj. Worthen, Adj of NY 4th Henricus, of riding out into the country to call on two houses, observations about the owners' slaves.
Title: William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook
Creator: Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904
Date: 1862-05-27
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the Union gaining control of New Orleans, General Shepley becoming Military Commandant of the city, and the news that the Vermont Brigade has been gaining control on the Potomac. Evaluations of Generals Butler and Shepley. Also mentions the "contrabands" or slaves coming within Union lines. (Butler would later start recruiting African Americans to be Union soldiers.)
Title: William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook
Creator: Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904
Date: 1862-07-29
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include returning to Baton Rouge and the comforts that came with this move, expresses his decided opinion on the ramifications of releasing “unlettered Negroes” (i.e. slaves), feels the blacks are well enough cared for in general, speaks against blacks as a possible fighting force, the treatment of the slaves who enter Union lines by the Union soldiers, feels politicians need to experience first hand the habits of black slaves of the south and not hold such lofty ideals, the attempted “cut off” of the Mississippi River by the Union, and the death of W. C. Holbrook’s grandfather.
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