Over 130 years separate us from the Civil War. Some words had different meanings then; some words are not in our current lexicon; some words mean different things in military parlance than in the civilian world. "A Complete Dictionary of Military Terms and Science" Louis Le Grand's The Military Handbook & Soldier's Manual of Information, published in 1861, provides the initial input for this listing. Other terms will be added as documented 19th-century meanings can be found. As always, contributions always welcomed.

Occasionally, definitions of military terminology are noted in the various histories, journals and letters of Vermont soldiers. These are not necessarily the 'official' definitions found in professional military textbooks.