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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:   William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-12-09

Resource type:   correspondence

To his father topics include the sickness of the regiment (mentions miasma, vapors from swamp believed to cause disease), mentions scorbutic appearance of the sick (relating to scurvy), a description of Pensacola Harbor, and very high praise for the Chaplain for all he has done for the men.


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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-07-23

Resource type:   correspondence

Writing to his father, Gov. Holbrook, topics include the need for medical aid because of the numerous men who are sick due to lack of sanitation, unhealthy environment (mentions miasma, vapor from swamp believed to cause disease) and lack of medicine because of some blunder, speaks of doctors doing what they can with what little they have to do with and praise for Dr. Blanchard; the rebel batteries firing upon a boat, and Adj. Parker going home on sick leave.


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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-08-20

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include a list of recommendations for promotions made by Holbrook.


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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-08-27

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the resignation of Colonel Fullam, the promotion of Holbrook to Colonel, and the recommendation that Captain Peck be promoted to Lt. Col.


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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Frederick Holbrook

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-11-05

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include a description of the Court of Inquiry that was held by General Butler, his disdain for Gen. Butler; sending men to Vt to recruit for the regiment, the wish to establish recruiting stations by the Canadian border, praise for the French Canadians as soldiers and recommending the Quartermaster Morse for a promotion.


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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Mother

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1861-10-16

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the movement of the regiment from Camp Advance to Camp Griffin, an alarm caused by the Dutchmen mistaking a calf for the rebels, Union officers receive praise from Holbrook (McClellan) as does the unit he is in from officers Col Stoughton and Gen Smith and a description of the living situation at camp that include good food, sleeping on the ground and sending money back home.


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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Mother

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-07-22

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include a Rebel “Ram” passing the Union fleet and stopping at Vicksburg, the continued bombardment, and the sickness in the regiment and the request for more medical personnel (i.e. surgeon).


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Title:   William C. Holbrook to Mother

Creator:  Holbrook, William Cune, 1842-1904

Date:  1862-08-14

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the number of men that were killed and wounded at the battle of Baton Rouge August 5th, lost of his "boy Jack" [does he refer to a Black man in his service or to a child?], the loss of Col. Roberts, the unpopularity of the current officer Col. Faillam, the men's request that Holbrook replace Faillam, Holbrook’s desire to go into a regiment located in Virginia, Gen. Phelps and his opinions on the slave question, Gen. Butler's compliments to the regiment for its brave conduct in the Baton Rouge battle, sending home of the Secessionist's flag retrieved from Fort Pike, desire for newspapers from Vt.


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to John Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1861-10-08

Resource type:   correspondence

October 8, 1861 from Camp Advance, Virginia near Chain Bridge. Writes of family business, men to camp for the winter a little south of Virginia, desire to be Quartermaster.


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to John Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1861-10-12

Resource type:   correspondence

Writes from Camp Griffin near Lewinsville about eating too many chestnuts that made him sick, of family business, of having had enough war and ready to go home.


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to John Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1862-09-01

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the continued sickness of Katie, being mustered into the United States Service, and the commission as Major of the 10th Regiment.


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to John Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1862-09-11

Resource type:   correspondence

Writing from Camp Chase, Va. topics include the death of Henry's sister Katie and the journey to Camp from Brattleboro, aboard the train to New Haven, on the steamer Continental to New York, on to Philadelphia and then to Baltimore and finally Washington, D.C. and on to his camp just beyond Fairfax, Va.under the command of Brig. Gen. Briggs of MA


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1861-09-27

Resource type:   correspondence

September 9, 1861 from Camp Advance near Chain Bridge. Writes of the men being sent out to steal food near Lewinsville, Leesburgh road, casualties, picket duty.


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1861-09-29

Resource type:   correspondence

September 29, 1861 from Camp Advance, Virginia. Writes of Second Vermont ordered out, casualties due to troop confusion and friendly fire, Munsons Hill, picket duty.


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1861-10-16

Resource type:   correspondence

Writes of feeling better from eating to many chestnuts, took Hibbards Pills, rustling cattle, pickets meeting up with Rebels with some, mentions friends and family life, misses his wife and young daughter Mollie.


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1861-11-04

Resource type:   correspondence

Writes of waiting for discharge papers from Washington, D.C. and complains of how long it is taking, willing to wait for Vermont soldiers to be paid so he can bring the pay home to their families, no military action except a lot of drilling.


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1862-01-19

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include William Henry's arrival at Camp Griffin, Virginia ; the men petitioning for Lt. Henry to be their captain ; mentions not yet receiving Elixir yet but has high hopes of sell a lot of it.


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1862-02-14

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include William Henry missing his wife, having gained weight and health is good, of being glad he did not become the Captain of Company D, reference to a bill to disband the Bands, mentions his side business of selling to the men being pretty slim as he has "got them most all cured up", reference to the fall of Roanoke Island, North Carolina (February 7& 8, 1862) under the leadership of Ambrose Burnside, has sent money home,


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1862-02-16

Resource type:   correspondence

Still at Camp Griffin, Va. topics include a love letter to William Henry's wife, the expected discharge of Ned Wells, of himself heading for home even if Wells is not discharged.


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1862-08-22

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the poor health of William Henry's sister Katie and the appointment of Acting Major.


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1862-08-24

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include being put in charge of the 10th Regiment for a few days, William Henry's wish to go home to see his family, the duties of being a Major, feeling very proud of his military promotion, Dress Parade well attended by some 400 to 500 people including Mr. Cummings who was Speaker of the House.


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1861-10-08

Resource type:   correspondence

October 8, 1861 from Camp Advance, Virginia. Writes of kindness from Col Stannard, wet weather, grand review of artillery by Genl. McClellan, illness among the men including homesickness and Typhoid Fever, family business.


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1862-01-22

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include Captain Dillingham returning to Brattleboro, the recommendation of Lieutenant Johnson for Captain, deep mud all over camp restricting movement, expecting the Elixir soon and hopes to sell it, the number of deaths in the regiment, and a description of Ed Wells.


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1862-01-26

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the hardships of camp life, the sickness of Henry Daniels, wishing to be on his way home, selling the Elixir and liniment for twenty five dollars in two days.


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Title:   William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry

Creator:  Henry, William Wirt, 1831-1915

Date:  1862-02-03

Resource type:   correspondence

Topics include the terrible muddy weather at Camp Griffin, Va. restricting moving about, not selling much Elixir due to the mud and restriction of movement, the living arrangements with Dr. Carpenter, how he spends his time in camp with visiting, going to the Sutlers, playing a card game Euchre with Col. Stannard, wishing to be home to play with his young daughter and sends money home to his wife.