John Wolcott Phelps Correspondence
Collection Overview
John Wolcott Phelps was born in Guilford, Vermont and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1836. On May 2, 1861, Phelps was appointed Colonel of the 1st Vermont Infantry and was mustered into U.S. service on May 8. He was promoted to brigadier general on May 27, 1861. General Phelps was stationed at Camp Parapet in Carrollton, seven miles from New Orleans. Many fugitive slaves arrived at the camp seeking refuge. Phelps sought to create three regiments of black soldiers, but his commanding officer, General Butler, ordered that they be made laborers. Unwilling to employ the Africans as mere laborers, General Phelps offered his resignation on August 21, 1862. General Butler refused to accept it. Later that August, General Phelps returned his commission to President Abraham Lincoln. Phelps went on to become the candidate for the American Party/Anti-Masonic Party for president in 1880.
The collection includes 17 letters from family friend Gov. Frederick Holbrook and his son William C. Holbrook, major and later colonel of the 7th Vermont. Gov. Holbrook wrote about the recruitment of the 7th Vermont, the appointments of Colonel George T. Roberts, William Holbrook, and other officers, the character of Vermont soldiers, and his attempts to influence federal war policy. Both of the Holbrooks corresponded with Phelps about General Butler's censure of the 7th Vermont after the battle of Baton Rouge. Gov. Erastus Fairbanks wrote on similar topics, and about allegations of misconduct by surgeons in the 1st Vermont. Other correspondents include Senators Justin S. Morrill and George F. Edmunds, Congressman Frederick E. Woodbridge, and Capt. E.V.N. Hitchcock on the condition of the 7th Vermont at Santa Rosa Island in March 1863, Major Harry N. Worthen concerning sick soldiers of the 1st Vermont at Fort Monroe, and Capt. Charles W. Seaton of the 1st U.S. Sharpshooters, concerning the promotion of William Ripley to Lieutenant Colonel of that regiment.
Time Period Covered: April 26, 1861 - March 13, 1884
Parent Collections
Published: March 04, 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)
- Holbrook, Frederick [10]
- Fairbanks, Erastus [3]
- Holbrook, W. C. [3]
- Morrill, Justin S. [2]
- Andross, Dudley K. [1]
- Baxter, Horace Henry [1]
- Boynton, William H. [1]
- Browne, A. G. [1]
- Bush, Joseph [1]
- Cannon, Le Grand B. [1]
- Clark, Lawrence D. [1]
- Dutton, Salmon [1]
- Halsey, Thomas H. [1]
- Hayward, Eben S. [1]
- Hunt, Leavitt [1]
- Jackman, A. [1]
- Morse, E. A. [1]
- Peck, David B. [1]
- Pelton, William W. [1]
- Perkins, Hiram E. [1]
- Ripley, Wm. Y. W. [1]
- Seaton, C. W. [1]
- Tuttle, Oscar S. [1]
- Tyler, Jonathan Curtis [1]
- Worthen, Harry N. [1]
- [Lamuay] [1]
Recipient(s)
- Phelps, John Wolcott [31]
- Holbrook, F. F. [1]
Place(s)
- Military camps -- Virginia [5]
- Vermont -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 [5]
- Fort Monroe (Va.) [2]
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 [2]
- New Orleans (La.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 [1]
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Medical care [1]
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Prisoners and prisons [1]
Format(s)
- text [32]
Genre(s)
- correspondence [32]
Topic(s)
- Armed Forces Officers [21]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 7th (1862-1866) [6]
- United StatesArmy.Vermont Infantry Regiment, 8th (1861-1865) [6]
- Recruiting and enlistment [5]
- Operational rations (Military supplies) [4]
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Title: W. C. Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps
Creator: Holbrook, W. C.
Date: 1861-11-29
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the Command General denying Lt. Adjt. W. C. Holbrook's request and W. C. Holbrook asking Brig. Gen. John Wolcott Phelps to order W. C. Holbrook to report to him.
![Thumbnail: [C. W.] Seaton to John Wolcott Phelps](http://cdi.uvm.edu/archives/civilwar/cwuvmphelps19_1-thumb.jpg)
Title: [C. W.] Seaton to John Wolcott Phelps
Creator: Seaton, C. W.
Date: 1861-11-09
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the nomination of Governor Holbrook for the Lieut-Colonelcy of the 1st Regiment Berdan's Sharp Shooters and John Wolcott Phelps' opinion of nominating Captain Ripley of Rutland for the position instead.
![Thumbnail: [Frederick Holbrook] to [F. F. Holbrook]](http://cdi.uvm.edu/archives/civilwar/cwuvmphelps33_1-thumb.jpg)
Title: [Frederick Holbrook] to [F. F. Holbrook]
Creator: Holbrook, Frederick
Date: 1862-10-7
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include a summary of Frederick Holbrook's requests for General Phelps to go to Washington to discuss the 7th Vermont Regiment. Reference to Senator Foote is probably Solomon Foot, senator from Vermont (1851-1866).
![Thumbnail: [Harry N.] Worthen to John Wolcott Phelps](http://cdi.uvm.edu/archives/civilwar/cwuvmphelps06_1-thumb.jpg)
Title: [Harry N.] Worthen to John Wolcott Phelps
Creator: Worthen, Harry N.
Date: 1861-06-02
Resource type: correspondence
Writes from Camp Butler, Newport News, Virginia. Topics include a report of the hospital and a list of names of the sick men and names of the steward and attendants. Mentions Fort Monroe, the unsanitary conditions of the hospital, how the sick men have been neglected by the steward and attendants.
![Thumbnail: [Lamuay] to John Wolcott Phelps](http://cdi.uvm.edu/archives/civilwar/cwuvmphelps04_1-thumb.jpg)
Title: [Lamuay] to John Wolcott Phelps
Creator: [Lamuay]
Date: 1861-05-25
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include errors in Colonel Phelps' rolls and a special order allowing Colonel Phelps to decide where the 1st Regiment Vermont Volunteer Militia will camp.
![Thumbnail: [Lawrence] D. Clark, [William] W. Pelton, [Hiram] E. Perkins, [Dudley K.] Andross, [Oscar S.] Tuttle, [William] H. Boynton, [Joseph] Bush, [David B.] Peck, [Eben S.] Hayward, and Wm. Y. W. Ripley to John Wolcott Phelps](http://cdi.uvm.edu/archives/civilwar/cwuvmphelps03_1-thumb.jpg)
Creator: Clark, Lawrence D.; Pelton, William W.; Perkins, Hiram E.; Andross, Dudley K.; Tuttle, Oscar S.; Boynton, William H.; Bush, Joseph; Peck, David B.; Hayward, Eben S.; Ripley, Wm. Y. W.
Date: 1861-05-16
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include the commanding officers of the 1st Regiment of the Vermont Volunteer Militia requesting the 1st Regiment be allowed to stay at the Willard Hotel.
![Thumbnail: [Le Grand B. Cannon] to John Wolcott Phelps](http://cdi.uvm.edu/archives/civilwar/cwuvmphelps32_1-thumb.jpg)
Title: [Le Grand B. Cannon] to John Wolcott Phelps
Creator: Cannon, Le Grand B.
Date: 1862-10-15
Resource type: correspondence
Topics include General Phelps returning to Vermont and addressing members of the Legislature. (Phelps resigned his commission Aug. 21, 1862 after Washington rejected his recruitment of African Americans to fight for the Union.) Cannon invites Phelps to visit him to talk about the war.
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