Wethersfield in the Civil War by Wes Christensen

Wethersfield in the Civil War - Table of Contents

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Acknowledgements - Wes Christensen

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Wesley R. Christensen was a son of Michigan. He knew that John Adams and victories in the War of 1812 secured the territory for our young nation. The landmark Northwest Ordinance of 1787 guaranteed freedom of religion, trial by jury, public education and banishment of slavery as asserted rights of its people. These principles were not achieved until the Civil War, which coincidentally, served to be Wes’s lifelong passion.

Wes graduated from Western Michigan University, where he met his wife Jane, after serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He came to Connecticut to work as an actuary at Aetna Life and Casualty, his employer until retirement in 1992. Wethersfield became home to Wes and Jane’s family.

A consummate professional, Wes was equally committed to civic volunteerism – church, town governance, public television, charities, and importantly to us, the Wethersfield Historical Society. He served the society for well over a decade as full-time volunteer. Wes was a man for all seasons, and a raconteur known for his playful jibes and irascible charm. He answered research requests, oversaw aspects of financial and business operations, served as Old Academy receptionist, and became a colonial reenactor when needed.

The Civil War held primacy among Wes’s historical interests. Visiting every major Civil War battlefield suited his love of travel. A description of the Civil War experiences of the boys from Wethersfield was nearly finished when illness intervened. His wish was that the story be told.

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Acknowledgements - for future use 1

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Acknowledgements - for future use 2

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Acknowledgements - for future use 3

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Acknowledgements - for future use 4

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Overview - Wethersfield and The Civil War

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The American Civil War is generally accepted as the most traumatic event in this nation’s history. It radically changed the way we were governed, it delivered four million people from slavery and it sustained casualties of ½ million dead from battle and disease.

Wethersfield sent [approximately 200] men to this war of which 6 were killed, 17 died of wounds or disease, 5 died in prison, 1 was shot for desertion and 19 were wounded. Wethersfield’s population was 2705 in 1860 and nearly one half of the eligible men served in the war. The experience of the 16th Connecticut Regiment was particularly difficult.

The Sixteenth Regiment Connecticut Volunteers was organized during the month of August in 1682. The regiment was formed primarily of Hartford area men and included 15 men from Wethersfield. The service of these Wethersfield men was especially tragic as two were wounded, 9 captured and 4 died, 3 of them at Andersonville Prison.

August of 1862 was a trying time for the North. McClellan’s ponderous campaign to take Richmond and end the war was frustrated in seven days in July by a new Southern hero, Robert E. Lee. As McClellan brooded over his real and imagined lack of support from Washington, there were stirrings in other parts of Virginia that led to uneasiness in the North. However, the public still had confidence in that the war would soon be over and the new Connecticut Regiment went off to war with youthful enthusiasm.

The 16th had little time to train. It left for Washington on August 29th and went into camp. Less than three weeks later, on September 17th, the regiment was involved in the battle of Antietam on the bloodiest day of the Civil War.

Their participation occurred at the end of that day, as general Ambrose Burnside’s 9th Corps made a last push for victory. This Corps was driving Lee’s forces back when attacked by Gen. AP. Hill’s Confederate Troops, which had marched 17 miles from Harper’s Ferry. The New regiment was no match for Hill’s tested soldiers. Stephen Sears in "Landscape Turned Red" says this of the 16th: "The Case of the 16th Connecticut was typical. Less that two weeks after taking the oath in Hartford, these green groups went on campaign having received, the regimental historian wrote 'no drill, no discipline, few instructions even marching. It was little more than of crowd of earnest Connecticut Boys.'" The terrible casualty count was 39 killed, 76 mortally wounded, 135 wounded and 21 captured or missing. Corporal Samuel Baker of Wethersfield was among the wounded.

The 16th had minor action in the disastrous Battle of Fredericksburg and shortly after was detached from the Army of the Potomac to fight in several small battles in southern Virginia. On January 21st, 1864, the regiment was ordered to Plymouth, North Carolina.

Plymouth was a port for sea going shipping on the Roanoke River about 6 miles from Albemarle Sound, the Union had controlled eastern North Carolina since the summer of 1862. Its superior naval forces were effective in this area of bays, sounds and navigable rivers. There was a strong pro-Union presence among the Eastern North Carolinians many of whom had associations with Northern ports. The South found the region to difficult to hold and had not devoted a lot of effort to it. In the spring of 1884, however, the Confederates built a new ironclad, which they felt would neutralize the Union sea power. A Southern force of 12,000 men was sent to besiege Plymouth, which had a garrison of about 1,600. Even with this large discrepancy, the garrison held, thanks to the support of four Union gunboats in the river. However when the Confederate ironclad arrived, it sank one Union boat, badly damaged another and drove the others off. The firepower of this gunboat on the river and the overwhelming difference in troop strength quickly forced the Union troops to surrender. Only Company H that had been on detached duty escaped capture. Before the 16th regiment surrendered, its men tore the battle flag into small pieces and divided them among the members rather than being disgraced by its loss. It was considered a great dishonor to lose your battle flag.

The captured troops were dispersed to various Southern prison camps, the majority going to Andersonville. Eight Wethersfield men were sent to Andersonville and three died from conditions there.

One of the Wethersfield survivors was Sergeant Major Robert Kellogg. He wrote a book of his experiences entitled "Life and Death in Rebel Prisons". The book was published in 1865 and the Wethersfield Historical Society was recently given a copy of the first edition. The book is a good read although it is written in the florid Victorian style of the mid-19th century. He writes of this of the battle at Plymouth. "Lt Col Burnham ordered the band to the breast works and had the strike up some national airs and though they might not have been particularly satisfying to the gray-robed legions without, the spirit-stirring strains were in no way lost upon the hearts of our own boys. Brave hearts became braver, and if the patriotism of any waxed cold, and the courage of any faltered, they here grew warmed and stronger until pride of country had touched the will and indomitable principle had been kindled the eventually declared the man a here until death."

Andersonville was a horrible place. There was insufficient food and shelter, medical care was virtually non-existent and there were organized bands of "raiders", captured Union soldiers who preyed on the weak and the newcomers. (Statistics vary, but from 1/3 to ½ of those captured died in prison). In spite of this there was community in the prison camp as the men worked together for shelter and protection. Several attempts to tunnel out of the camp were made and nearly all were unsuccessful. There was barter among the prisoners with what little money and trinkets they were able to retain. Ira Forbes of Wethersfield noted in his diary that "on October 4th he traded a gold pen and a silver pencil for a dollar to buy a few potatoes." The prisoner’s knowledge of the progress of the war was surprisingly up to date. They received fresh news whenever new prisoners arrived in camp. Rumors of exchange were constant and always disappointing. At this stage of the war, exchange of prisoners had been discontinued because of the South’s unwillingness to exchange black soldiers and the North’s realization that the south was rapidly running out of men and did not wish to provide a supply. Sgt Major Kellogg was a leader and father figure among the prisoners and his book reveals his quiet heroism. In the autumn of 1864 prisoner exchange was renewed and in November, members of the 16th regiment were shuttled by train to Savannah, Georgia where they were transferred to a Union ship and taken north. The war was essentially over for the 16th. The prisoners were in no condition for battles and they had served their country enough.

In 1879 the remaining remnants of the regimental flags were gathered together, sewn together into a new flag, a presented to the State where it can be seen today in the hall of flags at the State Capitol.

The Wethersfield men who died from their captivity were Corporal Samuel Belden, Private John Damery and Pvt David Deming. Private Deming’s grave is in the Wethersfield burying ground, his young wife remarried after the war and moved west with her children and her new husband.

Wethersfield men served in 26 different regiments in the Civil War. Some enlisted for as little as ninety days and never fired a gun in combat. Others fought valiantly in most of the major campaigns, particularly in the East. It is clear that the men of the 16th Volunteer Regiment experienced the worst of the war’s horrors.

There is a monument on the west side of the State Capitol entitled Andersonville Boy and it honors the men who were imprisoned there. The monument was erected in 1907 and Sgt Major Robert Kellogg was one of the men responsible for the design and placement of the monument.

It was fitting, that Kellogg himself, who was nearing age 70 at this time, was the model for Andersonville Boy.

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Wethersfield Civil War Locations

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The two locations that created the most despair for Wethersfield during the Civil War were Antietam and Andersonville. Men from here participated in most of the major battles in the East and many in the West, but the death and misery of these two locations was great. Four Connecticut regiments fought at Antietam, two men were killed and two wounded. This one-day caused 40% of the battle deaths for Wethersfield. Ten Wethersfield men were taken to Andersonville prison and four of them died there.

The four regiments that fought at Antietam were the 8th, 11th, 14th and 16th. The 16th fought at the bloody battle of the sunken road and handled itself commendably for green troops. The 8th, 11th, and 16th all fought in the same brigade under General Burnside, The 11th was part of the attempt to take the famous Burnside Bridge. The bridge was well defended and the 11th was thrown back with a severe loss. Two Wethersfield men, Henry Davis and Henry Rising were killed in this battle. Gifford Stedman, Jr. of Hartford was promoted to Colonel leading the regiment at the death of Henry Kingsbury.

On the extreme left flank, the attack that included the 8th and the 14th were running into trouble. The more experienced 8th pressed forward but found that the remainder of the brigade had not progressed with them. They were counter-attacked by superior force and Chaplain John Morris was forced to pick up a rifle and cartridge box of a dead man and fight for his life.

The 16th really didn’t know what they were doing. They had been in the army less than a month with little training in drill or the use of arms, which had just been issued to them. Against one of Lee’s best division leaders, A. P. Hill, they were hopelessly overmatched. They broke and ran in ‘irretrievable disorder’, carrying a Rhode Island regiment with them. This was the last gasp of the battle, which ended essentially as a stalemate although General McClellan had many unused divisions while Lee’s troops had been nearly exhausted. After a day of quiet Lee left the battlefield which allowed McClellan to claim a victory.

Although he was not happy with this outcome, Lincoln used this opportunity to announce his Emancipation Proclamation.

The men of the Connecticut 16th were unfortunate actors in the grim Andersonville story. They had minor action in other battles before being ordered to Plymouth, North Carolina.

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Wethersfield Civil War Soldiers and Regiments

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Name Unit

Adams, Augustus Connecticut 10th Volunteer Regiment
Adams, Ebenezer Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Adams, Edward Connecticut 27th Volunteer Regiment
Adams, George Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Adams, Sherman Other Regiments
Adams, Stoddard Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Aldrich, Edward Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Archy, William Connecticut 29th Volunteer Regiment
Baker, Charles L. Connecticut 1st Light Battery Volunteer Regiment
Baker, George Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Baker, Samuel Connecticut 16th Volunteer Regiment
Barnes, Charles Connecticut 29th Volunteer Regiment
Barton, James Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Bassey, Sidney Connecticut 29th Volunteer Regiment
Belden, Samuel Connecticut 1st Volunteer Regiment
Belden, Samuel H. Connecticut 16th Volunteer Regiment
Bennett, Daniel Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Benson, Levi Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Berrigan, Dennis Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Bishop, Austin Connecticut 12th Volunteer Regiment
Blake, Charles L. Connecticut 1st Cavalry Volunteer Regiment
Blake, Chester Connecticut 1st Cavalry Volunteer Regiment
Blinn, Edgar F. Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Blinn, Unni P.? Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Bluff, Henry Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Boner, Louis Connecticut 20th Volunteer Regiment
Bowen, John P. Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Bradley, Fernando Connecticut 16th Volunteer Regiment
Brady, Patrick Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Brannon, Thomas Connecticut 12th Volunteer Regiment
Briggs, George Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Buckley, George Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Bunce, Thomas F. Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Burke, Daniel Connecticut 10th Volunteer Regiment
Burke, Daniel Connecticut 21st Volunteer Regiment
Burns, James Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Cady, Henry W. Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Callahan, Daniel Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Campbell, George Connecticut 5th Volunteer Regiment
Campbell, Robert Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Carter, James W. Connecticut 1st Volunteer Regiment
Carter, James W. Connecticut 13th Volunteer Regiment
Carter, James W. Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Cavanaugh, John Connecticut 5th Volunteer Regiment
Chittenden, Thomas L. Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment
Clancy, Phillip Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment
Clapp, John B. Connecticut 16th Volunteer Regiment
Clark, Henry Connecticut 18th Volunteer Regiment
Clarkson, John Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Clifford, John Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Clontier, Charles Connecticut 11th Volunteer Regiment
Colvin, George Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Coogan, James Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Cowles, Ralph Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment
Crowe, Patrick Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Cummings, Henry Connecticut 2nd Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Dailey, Charles Connecticut 3rd Volunteer Regiment
Damery, John Connecticut 16th Volunteer Regiment
David, Eugene Connecticut 5th Volunteer Regiment
Davis, Eugene Connecticut 20th Volunteer Regiment
Davis, Henry Connecticut 11th Volunteer Regiment
DeBlois, William B. Connecticut 12th Volunteer Regiment
Delaney, Michael? Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Deming, David W. Connecticut 16th Volunteer Regiment
Deming, Francis Connecticut 3rd Volunteer Regiment
Deming, Francis Connecticut 13th Volunteer Regiment
Deming, George S. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Deming, Henry Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Deming, Richard Connecticut 29th Volunteer Regiment
Dickson, George T. Connecticut 12th Volunteer Regiment
Dix, Edgar T. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Doldrick, John Other Regiments
Donnelly, James Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment
Dow, Henry G. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Dow, Newell Connecticut 13th Volunteer Regiment
Dow, Newell Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Downes, George N. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Dwight, Gilbert Other Regiments
Finnern, Larry Connecticut 6th Volunteer Regiment
Forbes, Ira E. Connecticut 16th Volunteer Regiment
Francis, Charles Jr. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Francis, Daniel Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Francis, Edgar Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Gains, Charles Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Galligher, George Other Regiments
Garvie, Willaim A. Connecticut 12th Volunteer Regiment
Garvie, William Connecticut 1st Volunteer Regiment
Gladden, Azariah Connecticut 13th Volunteer Regiment
Gladden, Azariah Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Gladding, James H. Connecticut 1st Light Battery Volunteer Regiment
Gladding, Lafayette Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Goobell, Frederick Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment
Gorman, Thomas Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Griswold, John D. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Griswold, Wait R. Other Regiments
Griswold, Walt R. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Hale, Nathan Connecticut 16th Volunteer Regiment
Halliman, Michael Connecticut 9th Volunteer Regiment
Hammer, Thomas Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Hammond, William F. Connecticut 1st Cavalry Volunteer Regiment
Haraker, Edward Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Harlow, Edward Connecticut 13th Volunteer Regiment
Harlow, Edward Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Harris, Charles Connecticut 2nd Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Harris, Henry Connecticut 11th Volunteer Regiment
Hart, Almon J. Connecticut 21st Volunteer Regiment
Hastings, Lorin J.? Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Hayworth, Andrew Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Heath, Hugh Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Hills, Ralph H. Connecticut 12th Volunteer Regiment
Hogan, Martin Connecticut 13th Volunteer Regiment
Holden, John M Connecticut 12th Volunteer Regiment
Hollister, John Connecticut 10th Volunteer Regiment
Holt, John Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Howard, John Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Hubbard, Gideon W. Connecticut 10th Volunteer Regiment
Hubbard, William Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Hunt, James Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Hunt, James Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Jenks, Fred R. Connecticut 10th Volunteer Regiment
Jenks, George Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Jennings, Ira Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Johnson, William Connecticut 2nd Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Jones, Charles Connecticut 5th Volunteer Regiment
Jones, Henry Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment
Joy, William E. Connecticut 2nd Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Joyner, Edward P. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Joyner, Robert W. Connecticut 20th Volunteer Regiment
Kearney, Francis Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Kelley, Michael Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Kelley, Michael Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Kellogg, Horace Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Kellogg, Horace Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Kellogg, Robert H. Connecticut 16th Volunteer Regiment
Kennedy, Charles Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Kennedy, Thomas H. Connecticut 1st Volunteer Regiment
Kergresser, John L. Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Kerrigan, Michael Connecticut 10th Volunteer Regiment
Kilby, Frank L.W.? Connecticut 21st Volunteer Regiment
Kilby, Franklin E. Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Kilby, Wyllys Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Kneeland, Dwight Connecticut 16th Volunteer Regiment
Lamphere, James Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Lanrty, Thomas Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Lewis, George Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Lewis, Henry Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Lightfoot, John Other Regiments
Lindon, Henry Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Linemeyer, Frederick Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Loftus, Thomas Connecticut 12th Volunteer Regiment
Long, William Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Lyon, Amenzo Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Lyon, John M. Connecticut 1st Cavalry Volunteer Regiment
Madison, James M. Connecticut 29th Volunteer Regiment
Magill, Wm. A. Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Maloy, James Connecticut 10th Volunteer Regiment
Martin, John Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
McAlldon, Patrick Connecticut 9th Volunteer Regiment
McLaughlin, John Other Regiments
McNamara, James Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Merchant, Abram Connecticut 29th Volunteer Regiment
Moor, James Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Morgan, Gaylord Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Morgan, Guy S. Connecticut 3rd Volunteer Regiment
Morgan, Guy S. Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Morgan, Stephen Jr. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Morris, John M. Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Morton, Charles Connecticut 10th Volunteer Regiment
Morton, William W. Connecticut 21st Volunteer Regiment
Mulroney, Frederick Connecticut 12th Volunteer Regiment
Murphy, Joseph Connecticut 10th Volunteer Regiment
Oliver, Joshua Connecticut 29th Volunteer Regiment
Osgood, John L. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Palmer, William H. Connecticut 1st Cavalry Volunteer Regiment
Phelan, John Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Phelps, John Other Regiments
Power, William Connecticut 5th Volunteer Regiment
Price, William Connecticut 11th Volunteer Regiment
Quigley, William E. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Recor, Alfred H. Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Reed, James Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment
Rhodes, Charles Connecticut 13th Volunteer Regiment
Rhodes, Charles W. Connecticut 3rd Volunteer Regiment
Rhodes, Henry Connecticut 16th Volunteer Regiment
Richards, Frederick Connecticut 10th Volunteer Regiment
Richards, Samuel Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Riley, John Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Rising, Henry Connecticut 11th Volunteer Regiment
Rogers, James Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment
Root, Caleb Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Root, John E. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Ryan, John Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Ryan, Joseph Connecticut 10th Volunteer Regiment
Sherman, William Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Simpson, David Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Simpson, David Other Regiments
Skinner, Sylvester Connecticut 12th Volunteer Regiment
Skinner, Sylvester Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Smith, James Connecticut 29th Volunteer Regiment
Smith, James Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Smith, James A. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Smith, John Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Smith, Joseph Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Smith, Peter Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment
Snyder, Joel Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Southergill, Francis Connecticut 2nd Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Staub, John Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment
Steele, Abel Connecticut 12th Volunteer Regiment
Steele, Austin Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment
Steele, Edward Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Steele, John W. Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment
Steele, John W. Connecticut 2nd Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Steele, Oliver L. Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Steele, Samuel Connecticut 11th Volunteer Regiment
Steele, Sylvester W. Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment
Stoddard, Hudson H. Connecticut 5th Volunteer Regiment
Tracy, Michael Connecticut 16th Volunteer Regiment
Trasher, Allen Connecticut 11th Volunteer Regiment
Travers, William Connecticut 2nd Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Truitt, Isaac B. Connecticut 30th Volunteer Regiment
Tucker, Dixon Connecticut 16th Volunteer Regiment
Tyler, John Connecticut 11th Volunteer Regiment
Vischer, Louis Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Wadsworth, Horace Connecticut 1st Volunteer Regiment
Wadsworth, Horace Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Wadsworth, Lucius Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment
Wales, Francis Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Warner, Abner S. Connecticut 16th Volunteer Regiment
Webb, Henry W. Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment
Welles, Henry C. Connecticut 1st Cavalry Volunteer Regiment
Wells, Charles B. Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment
Wells, Edward Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment
Whaples, Chas. H. Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Whaples, George H. Connecticut 11th Volunteer Regiment
Whaples, Henry N. Connecticut 20th Volunteer Regiment
Whaples, Joseph Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
White, Henry A. Connecticut 16th Volunteer Regiment
Wiers William B.? Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Willard, Charles L. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Willard, Eugene B. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Williams, Charles Connecticut 2nd Volunteer Regiment
Williams, Charles Connecticut 13th Volunteer Regiment
Williams, Charles W. Connecticut 5th Volunteer Regiment
Williams, Michael Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment
Wilson, Walter Connecticut 11th Volunteer Regiment
Wilxon, Alex, H. Connecticut 1st Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment
Witt, Conrad Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment
Woodhouse Edward G. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Woodhouse, Herbert H. Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment
Wright, Anthony Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment

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Wethersfield's Civil War Participants

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John Morris

John Morris was Chaplain of the 22nd Connecticut Volunteer Regiment from May 1, 1862 until September of 1863. He was at the battle of Antietam and when the Regiment was in danger of being overwhelmed, he picked up a rifle and ammunition to protect himself.

Morris courted his bride-to-be, Emily ‘Gussie’ Griswold, in a group of letters which are owned by the Wethersfield Historical society. They were married Dec 31, 1863.

Morris collaborated with W.A.Croffut in a book called "The Military and Civil History of Connecticut" during the Recent War, which was published in 1868. He went south to assist in reconstruction and died in 1873,

Robert H. Kellogg

(Robert Kellogg is on the right; his partner is unidentified. Courtesy of the Museum of Connecticut History.)

Robert Kellogg joined the army on August 11, 1862 and attained the rank of Sergeant Major in the 16th Connecticut Regiment. This is the highest non-commissioned rank attainable. He was captured with his unit and sent to Andersonville, Georgia. While there, he became a leader of the prisoners helping them to cope with that horrible existence. He wrote a book about his experience entitled "Life and Death in Rebel Prisons". After the war he became involved in veterans concerns, including commemoration of their prison ordeal. Through his and others efforts, there is a monument on the State Capitol grounds with a young man known as Andersonville Boy. Kellogg is the model for that statue.

Sherman W. Adams

Sherman Adams enlisted on November 20, 1862 and became Asst. Pay Master of Gunboat Somerset that was on blockade duty off the coast of the panhandle of Florida. This duty was usually quietly routine, but served and important function in the Civil Was starving the Confederacy of supplies and armaments. Adams is more predominantly known as one of the authors of "The History of Ancient Wethersfield". Adams had prepared the notes but illness prevented the completion of the work which was done by Henry Stiles. Adams was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives and a judge of the Hartford Police Court. He died in 1898, seven years before the publishing of the history.

Gideon Welles

Although Gideon Welles was not a native of Wethersfield, he was descended from the Welles family that produced many men of note for Wethersfield and the rest of Connecticut. Welles was an editor of the Hartford Times and a prominent member of the Democratic Party. The Republican party that elected Abraham Lincoln was a coalition party of Whigs, Free Soilers, Anti-Slavery Democrats and various splinter parties. After the election he was given Secretary of the Navy, which rewarded both Democrats and New England.

Welles was considered a weak member of the cabinet by those members who had similar feelings about Lincoln. He was loyal to Lincoln and helped about some of the political moves of Seward, Chase and the senate leadership.

Gifford Stedman, Jr.

Although Stedman was not at Wethersfield man, his remains are now here in Cedar Hill Cemetery. There is also a monument to him in Barry Square. He became colonel of the 11th Connecticut Regiment at Antietam after the death of Col. Humphrey.

He was killed at Petersburg in August of 1864 and breveted Brigadier General as of that date. His major claim to fame is Fort Stedman at Petersburg which was named after him posthumously. Lee attacked the fort on March 25, 1865 in a final attempt to break the siege of Petersburg. It was a failure and the war in Virginia was over three weeks later.

Andrew Hull Foote

This is another man who was not of Wethersfield but was a descendant of Wethersfield patriarch Nathaniel Foote. Foote was from New Haven and was commander of the western Flotilla on the rivers. In February of 1862, he cooperated with Grant and largely captured Fort Henry on the Tennessee River with only naval personnel. In the successive battle to take Fort Donelson on the Cumberland, the Navy was less successful. Foote was wounded and in June of the next year he died of complications from that wound.

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Narrative

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This is a narrative of Wethersfield’s participation in the great Civil War. [Approximately 200] Wethersfield men served in the war. At that time the population was 2,700 so more than 1/3 of the town’s able-bodied young men were in the war. Nine were African-Americans who were part of the Connecticut regiments consisting of African-Americans.

Twenty-nine men died, one of which was shot for desertion. Of these twenty-nine, five were killed in battles, two died from wounds, four died in prison camp and the remaining eighteen died from other causes, mainly disease. Nineteen men were wounded and nineteen captured. Forty-three deserted, but this was not a realistic number in that after the war many soldiers went home without waiting for official discharge procedures. There was much to be done at home and the war was over.

The remainder of this paper will concentrate on regimental or other unit activities that particularly affected Wethersfield men.

Connecticut 1st Volunteer Regiment had five Wethersfield men enlisted in this 90-day regiment. At that time most of the people in both the North and South thought that the war would be very short and 90-day regiments were common. The regiment was at First Bull Run but saw no action. Four of the five men re-enlisted in other regiments.

Connecticut 3rd Volunteer Regiment was another 90-day regiment, which contained four Wethersfield men and saw some action of First Bull Run.

Connecticut 5th Volunteer Regiment was formed from many of the men in the 90-day regiments and continued to fight throughout the war. The regiment fought against Stonewall Jackson in his valley campaign and was in the final skirmish at Chancellorsville in which Jackson was wounded by his own men and later died of complications. It also fought at Gettysburg and later transferred to Sherman’s army participating in his march to the sea.

Seven Wethersfield men were in this regiment, one of whom was wounded in the Atlanta Company and later died of his wounds.

Connecticut 6th Volunteer Regiment contained only one Wethersfield man who enlisted late. He was involved with the capture of Fort Fisher, and Wilmington, North Carolina in early 1865.

Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment was one of the first regiments that reflected the realism that it would not be a short war. Enlistments were for 3 years. There were 20 Wethersfield men who were part of this unit. They spent the early part of their service in the sea islands of South Carolina and Georgia. Two Wethersfield men died on Hilton Head Island where no fighting was being done. This is an example that disease was a major killer of the Civil War soldiers. Later in that war they fought in the Richmond-Petersburg campaign, suffering deaths, wounds and capture. Desertions were higher in this regiment including three Wethersfield men who did not return to their units after recovery from wounds.

Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment contained 18 Wethersfield men including Chaplain John Morris who later co-authored a book on the war. Their fiercest fighting was at Antietam where Morris was said to have picked up a gun in the heat of the battle and at Cold Harbor where 2 Wethersfield men were killed and one was wounded.

Connecticut 9th Volunteer Regiment contained two Wethersfield men, one of whom died in New Orleans. The regiment spent the early part of the war in Louisiana and finished it in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Connecticut 10th Volunteer Regiment served in North Carolina, Florida and Virginia. It contained 11 Wethersfield men.

Connecticut 11th Volunteer Regiment was with Burnside’s expedition to the North Carolina barrier islands. The later went with him to Antietam and suffered heavy casualties. Of the ten Wethersfield men in this unit, two were killed. The regiment fought in the Richmond-Petersburg campaign losing it’s brigade colonel, Hartford’s Gifford Stedman who is buried in Wethersfield.

Connecticut 12th Volunteer Regiment was known as the Charter Oak Regiment, being recruited in the Hartford area. Eleven Wethersfield men were in the regiment, one of whom died. It fought under Benjamin Butler in Louisiana and later with Nathaniel Banks in his Louisiana campaign.

Connecticut 13th Volunteer Regiment had 9 Wethersfield men and had parallel service with the 12th being recruited in New Haven.

Connecticut 14th Volunteer Regiment contained 16 Wethersfield men and fought with the Army of the Potomac in most of the campaigns in the East, from Antietam to the surrender at Appomattox.

Connecticut 16th Volunteer Regiment was one of Connecticut's and Wethersfield’s tragic regiments. It was mustered in late August of 1962 and in less than a month was thrown into the final part of the Battle of Antietam. The unit was untrained and only recently armed. Predictably they were ineffective and ran, suffering heavy casualties. Of the 15 Wethersfield men, two deserted the day of the battle

The unit fought at Fredericksburg with slight loss and was then transferred to the Southern Virginia, Northern North Carolina area. The regiment was stationed at the town of Plymouth. There it was attacked and captured by an overwhelming Confederate force. 436 were captured and sent to various prison camps. Most of them were sent to Andersonville and about one half died there. Nine Wethersfield men were captured of which three died.

Connecticut 18th Volunteer Regiment contained one Wethersfield man who participated in no battles.

Connecticut 20th Volunteer Regiment fought at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg and then transferred to Sherman’s Georgia Company. There were four Wethersfield men in the unit.

Connecticut 21st Volunteer Regiment fought at Fredericksburg, Cold Harbor, and in the Petersburg campaign. There were four Wethersfield men in the unit.

Connecticut 22nd Volunteer Regiment contained 41 Wethersfield men. This regiments was a 9 month regiment which spend most of its time in the defense of Washington, but also spent some time on the Virginia peninsula. Ironically, the troops were mustered out on 7/7/63, four days after Gettysburg. The degree of its involvement in the battle can be inferred from the fact that the regiment had no one killed in battle.

Connecticut 25th Volunteer Regiment was another 9-month regiment which was primarily engaged in the siege of Fort Hudson in Louisiana which fell shortly after the fall of Vicksburg. One of the 17 Wethersfield men was captured in this campaign.

Connecticut 27th Volunteer Regiment contained only one Wethersfield man who was captured at Chancellorsville, but was shortly released. The regiment faced severe fighting at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg.

Connecticut 29th Volunteer Regiment was the first Connecticut regiment of African Americans formed near the beginning of 1864. It saw action under the direction of General Benjamin Butler who was one of the early advocates of using black soldiers. There were eight Wethersfield men in this unit, one of whom died after the fighting was over but was still with the regiment.

Connecticut 30th Volunteer Regiment was the other Connecticut African American regiment. One Wethersfield man became sergeant in this small unit which was involved in the famous battle of the crated and went on to Lee’s surrender at Appomattox.

First Connecticut Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment was originally in the Connecticut 4th infantry. It was one of the first regiments in the North to agree to a 3-year enlistment. There were 20 Wethersfield men in the unit. They were assigned to the Army of the Potomac. They performed significant service at Lee’s assault on Fort Stedman in March of 1865 which was to be his last offensive effort of the war.

Second Connecticut Heavy Artillery Volunteer Regiment was organized as the 19th Infantry Regiment and was changed to Heavy Artillery in November of 1865. In May of 1864 General Grant decided that he needed Infantry more than heavy artillery and changed their function back but not the name. They were assigned to one of the best brigadier generals, Emery Upton, and fought in many of the key battles in the east. There were seven Wethersfield men in this unit.

Connecticut 1st Cavalry Volunteer Regiment fought unsuccessfully against Stonewall Jackson in his famous Shenandoah Valley Campaign and successfully with General Phil Sheridan in his later cleanup of the Valley and in the campaign to the end of the war in West Virginia. There were six Wethersfield men in this regiment.

Other Wethersfield men served in some non Connecticut units and 4 men served in the Navy including Sherman Adams who was Asst. P.M. of the Gunboat Somerset doing blockade duty along the Florida peninsula.

(Sherman Adams)

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Overview Future Entries 1

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Overview Future Entries 2

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Connecticut 1st Volunteer Regiment

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Connecticut 1st Volunteer Regiment had five Wethersfield men enlisted in this 90-day regiment. At that time most of the people in both the North and South thought that the war would be very short and 90-day regiments were common. The regiment was at First Bull Run but saw no action. Four of the five men re-enlisted in other regiments.

Name / Date In / Unit / Date Out / Reason Out / Comment

Belden, Samuel 4/19/1861 Company B 7/31/1861 Re-enlisted 16th Regiment
Kennedy, Thomas H. 4/22/1861 Rifle Company A 7/31/1861 Musician
Wadsworth, Horace 4/19/1861 Infantry Company B 7/31/1861 Re-enlisted 7th Regiment
Garvie,William 4/22/1861 Infantry Company A 7/31/1861 Re-enlisted 12th Regiment
Carter, James W. 4/19/1861 Infantry Company B 7/31/1861 Re-enlisted 13th Regiment

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Connecticut 2nd Volunteer Regiment

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Name/Date Enlisted/Unit/Date Out/Reason Out/Comment

Williams, Charles 4/23/1861 M. O. 8/7/1861 CPL to Co. F. 13th C. V.

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Connecticut 3rd Volunteer Regiment

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Connecticut 3rd Volunteer Regiment was another 90-day regiment, which contained four Wethersfield men and saw some action of First Bull Run.

Name/Date Enlisted/Unit/Date Out/Reason Out/Comment

Dailey, Charles 5/11/1861 Company A 8/12/1861
Deming, Francis 5/ 11/1861 Company A 8/12/1861 Transfer to 13th Regiment
Morgan, Guy S. 5/ 11/1861 Company A 8/12/1861 Transfer to 8th Regiment
Rhodes, Charles W. 5/11/1861 Company A 8/12/1861 Transfer to 13th Regiment

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Connecticut 5th Volunteer Regiment

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Monument to the Connecticut 5th Volunteer Regiment at Culp's Hill, Gettysburg.

Connecticut 5th Volunteer Regiment was formed from many of the men in the 90-day regiments and continued to fight throughout the war. The regiment fought against Stonewall Jackson in his valley campaign and was in the final skirmish at Chancellorsville in which Jackson was wounded by his own men and later died of complications. It also fought at Gettysburg and later transferred to Sherman’s army participating in his march to the sea.

Seven Wethersfield men were in this regiment, one of whom was wounded in the Atlanta Company and later died of his wounds.

Name / Date Enlisted / Unit / Date Out / Reason Out / Comment

Campbell, George 9/23/1863 Company F 6/20/1864 Wounded Peach Tree GA Died 7/28/1864 Chattanooga, TN
Cavanaugh, John 8/28/1863 Company H 8/12/1865 Disc?
David, Eugene 6/14/1865 Company F 6//19/1865 Transfer from 20th Regiment
Jones, Charles 8/17/1863 Company G Deserted 1/16/1865
Power, William 8/28/1863 Company I Deserted 10/1/1865
Stoddard, Hudson H. 7/23/1861 Company C 12/5/1862 Disability Musician
Williams, Charles W. 11/13/1862 Company C Deserted 1/17/1863 Orig. Conn 2nd and Conn 13th

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Connecticut 6th Volunteer Regiment

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Connecticut 6th Volunteer Regiment contained only one Wethersfield man who enlisted late. He was involved with the capture of Fort Fisher and Wilmington, North Carolina in early 1865.

Name / Date Enlisted / Unit / Date Out / Reason Out / Comment

Finnern, Larry 11/11/64 Company E M.O. 8/21/65

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Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment

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Connecticut 7th Volunteer Regiment was one of the first regiments that reflected the realism that it would not be a short war. Enlistments were for 3 years. There were 20 Wethersfield men who were part of this unit. They spent the early part of their service in the sea islands of South Carolina and Georgia. Two Wethersfield men died on Hilton Head Island where no fighting was being done. This is an example that disease was a major killer of the Civil War soldiers. Later in that war they fought in the Richmond-Petersburg campaign, suffering deaths, wounds and capture. Desertions were higher in this regiment including three Wethersfield men who did not return to their units after recovery from wounds.

Name / Date Enlisted / Unit / Date Out / Reason Out / Comment

Aldrich, Edward 11/4/64 Company H M.O. 7/20/65
Bluff, Henry 11/5/64 Company H Deserted 2/8/65
Briggs, George 2/12/64 Company I Wounded 9/29/64 Cahpins Farms. Trans from Hosp 10/18/64, failed to Desc.
Campbell, Robert 2/13/64 Company F Captured 5/16/64 Drewrys Blu??, Died andersonville 8/31/64
Coogan, James 8/26/64 Company F Deserted 11/6/64
Colvin, George 9/7/61 Company B Died Hilton Head 12/19/62
Hayworth, Andrew 11/11/64 Company H Furloughed 2/1/65 from Hosp., failed to return
Howard, John 2/12/64 Company I Wounded 9/64 Chapins Farms, trans from Hosp. 12/13/64, Died ???
Hubbard, William 9/7/61 Company B Died Hilton Head 10/8/62
Kearney, Francis 11/11/64 Company G Cpl. M.O, 7/20/65
Lamphere, James 10/21/62 Company H Cpl. 5/12/64, W.O. 8/16/64, Disc 5/30/64 ???Rub VA
Richards, Samuel 2/15/64 Company C M.O. 7/20/65
Riley, John 2/16/64 Company B Captured Hatchers Run 6/2/64, In??? 12/11/64, M.O. 7/20/65
Root, Caleb 11/12/62 Company F Died 3/13/64
Sherman, William 11/18/64 Company F Disc 7/3/65
Smith, James 8/26/64 Company F M.O. 7/20/65
Smith, Joseph 2/12/64 Company B Captured Hatchers Run 6/2/64, In??? 12/11/64, M.O. 7/20/65
Vischer, Louis 2/15/64 Company B Deserted 10/6/64
Wadsworth, Horace 9/7/61 Company B M.O. 7/20/65
Wells, Edward 9/7/61 Company B Pro from Sgt to Master Sgt Disc. 9/12/64

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Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment

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Connecticut 8th Volunteer Regiment contained 18 Wethersfield men including Chaplain John Morris who later co-authored a book on the war. Their fiercest fighting was at Antietam where Morris was said to have picked up a gun in the heat of the battle and at Cold Harbor where 2 Wethersfield men were killed and one was wounded.

Name / Date Enlisted / Unit / Date Out / Reason Out / Comment

Barton, James 11/21/64 Company A 6/9/65 Deserted
Clarkson, John 11/21/64 Company D 4/14/65 Deserted
Clifford, John 11/18/64 Company D 12/8/68 Deserted
Crowe, Patrick 7/21/64 Company D 12/6/65 M.O.
Kelley, Michael 9/3/63 Company C 5/7/64 W.D.
Kergresser, John L. 9/3/63 Company A 5/7/64 W.D. Waltham Junction, VA Deserted 2/7/65
Lewis, George 2/20/64 Company D Disc. 3/9/64
Linemeyer, Frederick 9/4/63 Company F 9/29/64 Deserted
Long, William 2/20/64 Company B Killed 6/2/64 - Cold Harbor
Morgan, Guy S. 9/25/61 Company A Trans. Form 3rd Disc. 2/4/63?
Morris, John M. 4/26/62 9/29/63 Res. Chaplin
Moor, James 9/9/63 Company I Deserted 10/7/63
Phelan, John 3/17/64 Company A Killed 6/9/64 - Cold Harbor
Simpson, David 9/5/63 Company F? Trans. To Navy 5/3/64
Smith, John 9/5/63 Company F? W.D. Cold Harbor 6/3//64 Deserted 8/17/64
Snyder, Joel 8/28/64 Company A Disc. 10/20/65
Wales, Francis 9/1/63 Company D Shot for desertion 9/9/63
Williams, Michael 11/19/64 Company I Deserted 6/17/65

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