page top

Vermonters in the Civil War

Bookbag (0)
collection image

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.

More...

Time Period Covered: 1861 


Search Collection:
within

Browse Options

Creator(s)

More...

Recipient(s)

More...

Place(s)

More...

Format(s)

Genre(s)

Topic(s)

More...

Add to bookbag

Title:   Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps

Creator:  Holbrook, Frederick

Date:  1862-08-08

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include Mrs. Holbrook requesting General Phelps to forward her letters to her son and Frederick Holbrook inquiring after the sick men and the number of surgeons. Holbrook expresses frustration that the Vt. Regiments (7th & 8th) are still not under Phelps's command, per an agreement with Gen. Butler. Holbrook also mentions Phelps's "Dark Brigade," black troops that Phelps recruited in Louisiana without permission from the War Dept. (Phelps resigned in Aug., 1862.)


Add to bookbag

Title:   Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps

Creator:  Holbrook, Frederick

Date:  1861-08-27

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include John Wolcott Phelps being promoted to Brigadier General by President Lincoln and the Senate, as well as a state election (held first Tuesday in September) for which Frederick Holbrook is running for governor. Holbrook mentions again his desire to have his son, William, be attached to Phelps.


Add to bookbag

Title:   Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps

Creator:  Holbrook, Frederick

Date:  1861-11-18

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include organizing Companies or Batteries of Light Artillery for General B. F. Butler's "New England Division". Holbrook again writes of his desire to have his son, William, be attached to Phelps. Also writes of making Lt. Roberts of Rutland a Colonel of the 7th Regiment, of his disappointment of General Baxter not being elected Adjutant General. Col. Washburn got the post.


Add to bookbag

Title:   Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps

Creator:  Holbrook, Frederick

Date:  1862-03-10

Resource type:   correspondence

Upbeat letter delivered to Gen. Phelps by the writer's son, William C. Holbrook, who apparently turned down an offer to join Phelps's staff. The writer, Gov. Holbrook, lavishes praise on Vermont officers and soldiers (including his son), and sends warm wishes for success to Phelps, sharing his conviction that "the Union Cause must triumph." Holbrook concludes with some reflections on the difficulty of being a wartime governor.


Add to bookbag

Title:   Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps

Creator:  Holbrook, Frederick

Date:  1862-05-02

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the arrival of the 7th and 8th Vermont Regiments at Ship Island, off the coast of Miss., and arrangements with the War Department for wounded troops to be sent home. Holbrook mentions the Battle of Yorktown (April 5-May 4, 1862), esp. the "affair" on April 16 that left ca. 100 Vermont soldiers wounded. Holbrook is in charge of the U.S. Marine Hospital in Burlington, Vt.


Add to bookbag

Title:   Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps

Creator:  Holbrook, Frederick

Date:  1862-07-27

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the President calling for 300,000 additional troops, the wish that the National Government will develop a decisive policy to "proclaim war to the knife," and a description of Frederick Holbrook's son Major Will. Holbrook continues to express his admiration for Phelps and offer him greater forces to command.


Add to bookbag

Title:   Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps

Creator:  Holbrook, Frederick

Date:  1861-08-10

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include Frederick Holbrook requesting that his son William be under General John Wolcott Phelps' command in the position of Aid, Secretary or of some type of assistant.


Add to bookbag

Title:   Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps

Creator:  Holbrook, Frederick

Date:  1862-03-06

Resource type:   correspondence

In his letter to General Phelps, Frederick Holbrook, Governor of Vermont (1861-1863), expresses his admiration for several Union officers from Vermont and his pride in the 8th Vt. Regiment. He informs the general that two infantry regiments and two artillery companies are ready to serve. (This is about one month before the Union attack on New Orleans, launched in part from Ship Island, just off the coast of Mississippi.) Holbrook explains that they would have been sent a month earlier "had Government been ready with funds." He looks forward to seeing Phelps again after the war.


Add to bookbag

Title:   Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps

Creator:  Holbrook, Frederick

Date:  1861-11-29

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include Brig. Gen. John Wolcott Phelps' commanding Butler's New England Division and inviting Frederick Holbrook's son William to be his Aid-de-Camp. Mention of 7th Vermont Regiment (the old 1st reorganized) also being attached to Butler, of Lt. Roberts being given Colonelcy of the 7th, of Major Kimball of the New Jersey 9th for Lt. Col. of the 8th Regiment, reference to Thanksgiving Proclamation.


Add to bookbag

Title:   Frederick Holbrook to Roswell Farnham

Creator:  Holbrook, Frederick

Date:  1862-12-02

Resource type:   correspondence

Farnham receives a brief letter from Governor Frederick Holbrook of Vermont writing from Montpelier of Farnham's concerns about soldier vacancies in the Vermont regiments and the method to fill them. Mentions Col. Proctor.


Add to bookbag

Title:   George F. Davis to Smiley Bancroft

Creator:  Davis, George F., 1815-1901

Date:  1862-05-07

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the death of Charles Bancroft while on the "Propeller Richard Willing" and an account of his possessions. The quartermaster's tone is remarkably sympathetic even while addressing official business.


Add to bookbag

Title:   George F. Davis to Smiley Bancroft

Creator:  Davis, George F., 1815-1901

Date:  1862-05-18

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include plans to return Charles Bancroft's possessions to his father. One senses that the quartermaster is defending the military's hospital care in response to a complaint from Bancroft's father.


Add to bookbag

Title:   George J. Stannard to William Wirt Henry

Creator:  Stannard, George J., 1820-1886

Date:  1862-01-07

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include inquiring after William Henry's health, the sickness in the regiment, and a brief description of drills and picket duty and makes mention of not being promoted, states Capt Dillingham to be promoted.


Add to bookbag

Title:   George Prichard, C. C. P. Baldwin, and R. C. Johnson to Roswell Farnham

Creator:  Prichard, George; Baldwin, C. C. P.; and Johnson

Date:  1862-10-04

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the presentation of a horse to Roswell Farnham because of his patriotism.


Add to bookbag

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.


Add to bookbag

Title:   George W. Quimby to Emeline B. Masta

Creator:  Quimby, George W., 1835-1862

Date:  1862-03-22

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the anticipation of marching to Alexandria in just over a week’s time, the resignation of Captain Tucker, and the promotion of George W. Quimby to captaincy. Mentions the slow moving Grand Army of the Potomac and the feeling that it may never see any fighting.


Add to bookbag

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.


Add to bookbag

Title:   George W. Quimby to Emeline B. Masta

Creator:  Quimby, George W., 1835-1862

Date:  1862-05-11

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the hardships George W. Quimby is enduring, a brief account of fighting on the 6th of May (Battle of Williamsburg, Va.). Quimby describes "the horrid scenes of war": dead and dying soldiers in the aftermath of battle. Mentions generals Smith, Hancock, Sumner, Hooker, and Magruder.


Add to bookbag

Title:   George W. Quimby to Emeline B. Masta

Creator:  Quimby, George W., 1835-1862

Date:  1862-11-30

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include George W. Quimby giving advice to his sister on whether or not to sell her house and the location of the regiment. Also, some grumblings about "that imbecile cabinet in Washington" and the post-McClellan command.


Add to bookbag

Title:   George W. Quimby to Emeline B. Masta

Creator:  Quimby, George W., 1835-1862

Date:  1862-09-13

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the hardships of war, the unfairness between the men who are at home and those that are fighting, and the progress of George W. Quimby’s recuperation. Mentions a long march "on a certain Sunday" from Charles City C. H. (Court House) across the Chickahominy River.


Add to bookbag

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.


Add to bookbag

Title:   George W. Quimby to Emeline B. Masta

Creator:  Quimby, George W., 1835-1862

Date:  1862-07-12

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include an account of a battle starting on the 27th of June (Battle of Gaines' Mill/First Cold Harbor/Chickahominy). Quimby mentions some explosions that surprisingly caused less harm than expected. Difficulties include long marches, usually at night; surprise attacks; and water deprivation.


Add to bookbag

Title:   George W. Quimby to Mother

Creator:  Quimby, George W., 1835-1862

Date:  1862-09-21

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the improvement of George W. Quimby’s health and a description of the heaps of dead, unburied Rebels on the battlefields. These were casualties of the Battle of Antietam Creek (Wednesday, Sept. 17, 1862), considered one of the bloodiest days of the war.


Add to bookbag

Title:   George W. Quimby to Mother

Creator:  Quimby, George W., 1835-1862

Date:  1862-10-28

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the improvement of George W. Quimby’s health, the cold nights, and a request for his father to send him an overcoat.


Add to bookbag

Title:   George W. Quimby to Parents

Creator:  Quimby, George W., 1835-1862

Date:  1862-11-14

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include rumors of an upcoming march and the suspension of General McClellan. (Major Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside would assume command of the Army of the Potomac.) Quimby still hoping to receive a warm coat from home.