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)
- Wilder, Henry Harrison [7]
- Quimby, George W., 1835-1862 [3]
- Veazey, Wheelock G., 1835-1898 [2]
- Bancroft, Charles F., d. 1862 [1]
- Canning, Charles C., b. 1828 [1]
Recipient(s)
- Masta, Emeline B. [3]
- Veazey, Julia A., [2]
- Henry, William Wirt, [1]
Place(s)
- Military camps -- Virginia [6]
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 [2]
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Military reconnaissance [2]
- Vermont -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 [2]
- Military camps -- Washington (D.C.) [1]
- Military campsVirginia [1]
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Campaigns [1]
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Women [1]
Format(s)
- text [14]
Genre(s)
- correspondence [14]
Topic(s)
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 5th (1861-1865) [14]
- Armed Forces Officers [5]
- Battle casualties [3]
- Picketing [3]
- Diseases [2]
- Veazey, Wheelock G. (Wheelock Graves)1835-1898 [2]
- Courts-martial and courts of inquiry United States [1]
- Families of military personnel [1]
- Grief [1]
- Love-letters [1]
- Military discipline [1]
- Promotions, Military [1]
- Soldiers Alcohol use [1]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 4th (1861-1865)Company B [1]
-
- | 1 - 14 of 14 |
-
- Thumbnails | List | Timeline
Browsing by:
Topic: ("United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 5th (1861-1865)")
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 F. Bancroft to Family
Creator: Bancroft, Charles F., d. 1862
Date: 1862-04-06
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include taking possession of Shelman's Mill, the men killed and wounded by the Rebels, and an account of brief skirmishes. Bancroft describes abandoned Rebel fortifications and odd items left behind. Senses that greater fighting is about to begin, and indeed, the so-called siege of Yorktown, Va. dates from this period. In a lighter moment, Bancroft expresses his gratitude for the green tea he received from home: "there is nothing better for a soldier on a march than a cup of tea."
Title: George W. Quimby to Emeline B. Masta
Creator: Quimby, George W., 1835-1862
Date: 1862-01-26
Resource type: correspondence
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 Order.
Title: George W. Quimby to Emeline B. Masta
Creator: Quimby, George W., 1835-1862
Date: 1862-02-10
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include descriptions of George W. Quimby’s superior officers, plus an incident that led to the arrest of a commanding officer, who was later exonerated.
Title: George W. Quimby to Emeline B. Masta
Creator: Quimby, George W., 1835-1862
Date: 1862-01-20
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the terrible weather at Camp Griffin, Va. and the numerous deaths from sicknesses such as Typhoid Fever. "Smith's Division" refers to the Vt. 5th Infantry Regiment under the command of Gen. William F. "Baldy" Smith.
Title: Henry Harrison Wilder to Mother
Creator: Wilder, Henry Harrison
Date: 1861-11-15
Resource type: correspondence
Henry writes from Camp Griffin, Va. of a grave marker being made for Potter who died of consumption, of acknowledging that two months have passed since leaving home, of going on picket duty, of the expected presence of McClellan and of there being 30,000 men on the parade ground.
Title: Henry Harrison Wilder to Mother
Creator: Wilder, Henry Harrison
Date: 1861-11-11
Resource type: correspondence
Henry writes a solemn letter about the death from consumption of his tent mate, Adams Potter of Cornwall, of his plans to write to friends and family.
Title: Henry Harrison Wilder to Mother
Creator: Wilder, Henry Harrison
Date: 1862-05-07
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include a description of the Union Victory since that at Yorktown, which may include the Battle of Williamsburg (May 5, 1862).
Title: Henry Harrison Wilder to Mother
Creator: Wilder, Henry Harrison
Date: 1861-10-12
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include advancing on the Rebels to Prospect Hill, a battle at Hatteras Inlet where the Rebels lost many men, and two Rebels at Camp Advance that were taken prisoners. Reference to Gen. Scott, to Bull Run, to plenty of chestnuts available to eat. Also mentions the opinion that many believe the war will be short (six months)
Title: Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey
Creator: Veazey, Wheelock G., 1835-1898
Date: 1862-05-[2?]
Resource type: correspondence
From headquarters 5th Vt Vols, Smith's Division topics include the sickness of the field officers of the 5th Vermont Regiment and the temporary promotion of Wheelock Veazey to head the regiment until the others return to health.
Title: Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey
Creator: Veazey, Wheelock G., 1835-1898
Date: 1862-06-01
Resource type: correspondence
Writing from camp near Cold Harbor, Virginia topics include the one year anniversary of the Veazey’s marriage to Julia, the defeat of the rebels on numerous fronts, his opinion and description of the horrors of war, fighting with the 5th Vermont Regiment, reference to General Porter, General McClellan.
![Thumbnail: [Henry Harrison Wilder] to ?](http://cdi.uvm.edu/archives/civilwar/cwuvmwilder01_1-thumb.jpg)
Title: [Henry Harrison Wilder] to ?
Creator: Wilder, Henry Harrison
Date: 1861-09-19
Resource type: correspondence
Henry writes from Camp Holbrooke in St. Albans (5th Regiment Vt Volunteers Co. B) that he is taking a route on the east side of the mountain instead of the Rutland and Burlington Railroad.
![Thumbnail: [Henry Harrison Wilder] to Mother](http://cdi.uvm.edu/archives/civilwar/cwuvmwilder03_1-thumb.jpg)
Title: [Henry Harrison Wilder] to Mother
Creator: Wilder, Henry Harrison
Date: 1861-09-30
Resource type: correspondence
Henry writes from his camp at Chain Bridge of his journey made by the 5th Regiment of Vermont Volunteers from Springfield to Washington D.C. and on to Marellian Hill and then to Chain Bridge. Speaks of soldiers being shot almost everyday by the Rebels and of orders to march to Fairfax Court, requests postage stamps.
![Thumbnail: [Henry Harrison Wilder] to Mother](http://cdi.uvm.edu/archives/civilwar/cwuvmwilder02_1-thumb.jpg)
Title: [Henry Harrison Wilder] to Mother
Creator: Wilder, Henry Harrison
Date: 1861-09-22
Resource type: correspondence
Henry writes from Camp Holbrooke in St. Albans of the 5th Vt Vol Regiment to his mother about rainy weather, acting as Corporal of the Guard, and receiving pay for his services and talks about how his pay should be handled.
-
- | 1 - 14 of 14 |
-
- Thumbnails | List | Timeline