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Vermonters in the Civil War

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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.

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Time Period Covered: 1861 


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Title:   Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey

Creator:  Veazey, Wheelock G., 1835-1898

Date:  [1861]-12-[23]

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include Captain Atherton recruiting for the 4th Vermont Regiment and General Phelps making a “fool” out of himself.


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Title:   Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey

Creator:  Veazey, Wheelock G., 1835-1898

Date:  1861-12-27

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the moving of tents into the woods around Christmas and the prediction that England will not become involved in the war.


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Title:   Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey

Creator:  Veazey, Wheelock G., 1835-1898

Date:  1861-12-31

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include Wheelock G. Veazey’s fever and headache.


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Title:   Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey

Creator:  Veazey, Wheelock G., 1835-1898

Date:  [1861]-12-?

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include Wheelock G. Veazey inquiring after his wife’s devotion to him.


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Title:   Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey

Creator:  Veazey, Wheelock G., 1835-1898

Date:  1862-01-03

Resource type:   correspondence

Writing from Camp Griffin topics include Veazey's ill health, that of his wife's and news from home.


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Title:   Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey

Creator:  Veazey, Wheelock G., 1835-1898

Date:  1862-01-09

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include military matters (court martial, foraging, picket duty) and disgust with the Congress, administration, government and fears the nation's downfall.


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Title:   Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey

Creator:  Veazey, Wheelock G., 1835-1898

Date:  1862-01-12

Resource type:   correspondence

A brief letter writes of picket duty, the weather, and maybe taking a leave of absence.


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Title:   Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey

Creator:  Veazey, Wheelock G., 1835-1898

Date:  1862-08-24

Resource type:   correspondence

Writing from Hygeia Hospital at Fort Munroe topics include the ill health of Veazey (bilious condition) and that of his father-in-law.


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Title:   Wheelock G. Veazey to Julia A. Veazey

Creator:  Veazey, Wheelock G., 1835-1898

Date:  1862-01-21

Resource type:   correspondence

Veazey expresses his deep passion and love for his wife, Julia, writes about his picket duty last night in deep mud, possible movement of the Regiment, and officers’ wives.


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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.


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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.


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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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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Frank

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-05-01

Resource type:   correspondence

Writing from Ship Island to his brother Frank topics include the barbarian style of living, drills going well, good news about the Battle at Shiloh (April 6 & 7) and Yorktown (April 5 to May 4), gunboats and general good sanitary conditions of the Regiment.


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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Frank

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-11-21

Resource type:   correspondence

To his brother Frank, William writes of the findings of the Court of Inquiry that was held by General Butler regarding the conduct of the 7th Vt. Infantry Regiment during the Battle of Baton Rouge in August; his decided opinion of a soldier's unreliable word; his expectation of having comfortable living quarters in Pensacola as his regiment has moved there (to which he adds he well deserves as he has lived in "bush houses long enough"); mentions the steamer Cumbria and of his having a fever for the past several days.


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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1861-10-28

Resource type:   correspondence

Writing to his father in Montpelier, Vt topics include Holbrook's desire to be appointed aide to General Phelps staff rather than Gen. Brooks', mentions names of several officers, his suggestion to appoint only West Point men to the position of Colonel, his opinion about Frank making a good Major, praise for McClellan and celebrating Thanksgiving on the wrong day.


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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-04-06

Resource type:   correspondence

Writing to his father (Gov. Holbrook) topics include arriving at Ship Harbor Island by Ship Brenner, a description of the islands that included coconut trees, meeting with Gen. Butler and Gen. Phelps, and the location of David Dixon Porter’s fleet at the mouth of the Mississippi River.


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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-05-09

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include working with the naval forces to occupy Fort Pike, La. which fell April 27, 1862. Holbrook describes the fort, the artillery left behind, and the process for allowing vessels to pass by this strategic entrance to Lake Pontchartrain, at New Orleans.


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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.)


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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-07-01

Resource type:   correspondence

Writing to his father, Gov. Holbrook, from the steamer, Morning Sight near Vicksburg topics include asking if he can have a battery to command, mentions Fort Pike, the desire to join the artillery service, the hope to be given captaincy, and the slow bombardments by the rebels but there was an attack by 3000 Confederates thinking to board the Union mortar boats only to be beaten back when fired upon.


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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-07-07

Resource type:   correspondence

Written on illustrated letter head stationery from near Vicksburg William writes to his father, Gov. Holbrook and topics include Colonel Roberts coming to New Orleans, the rebels erecting their batteries in Grand Gulf and firing upon the Union boats coming up the river, and the possibility that the regiment will be ordered to Baton Rouge.


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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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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-08-08

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include a description of the battle at Baton Rouge on August 5th, expresses his thoughts that the Rebels received misinformation about the strength of the Union forces thus suffering great losses, blowing up of a Rebel boat that was part of a CSA plan to attack Union gunboats, mentions "ram On Ransom", the death of Colonel George T. Roberts and General Williams.


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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-08-17

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include William's recommendation for and praise of Ad. Brown being promoted to Major, mentions Brown's performance in the inconclusive battle at Savage's Station (June 29, 1862 in Va.), a bitter feeling against Colonel Faillam by the men of the regiment, and the belief a West Pointer should head the regiment.


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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-09-24

Resource type:   correspondence

To Gov. Holbrook with topics including the resignation of 1st Lieutenant Howard of Company G; the recommendations for the position, effects of illness at Vicksburg creating vacancies; the difficulty of finding replacements because of the “infamous Order”, still seeks info about the establishment of a court of inquiry; his expression of anger and disgust at how the Dept. is being run and writes of the proposition that he (William) tender his resignation.


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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-11-25

Resource type:   correspondence

From New Orleans to his father Gov. Holbrook, William writes of the arrival of Dr. Langdon and Dr. Foster with Chaplain Hopkins on the steamer McClellan; of news that they bring regarding the government adhering to its bargain; his praise of these men; the regiment residing at Pensacola, his recommendation of distinguishing between the assistant surgeons just in case the positions are ever vacant (thus leaving him in a delicate position at some point) and the expectation to receive orders to head North.