Tag: Antietam

Battle of Antietam

Battle of Antietam

Battle of Antietam, Library of Congress

On September 17, 1862, Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia clashed with George B. McClellan’s Army of the Potomac at Sharpsburg, Maryland. This twelve hour battle was the single bloodiest day in American history with 23,000 men killed, wounded or missing.

Union General Ambrose Burnsides ordered the IX Corp to take the lower bridge that spanned Antietam Creek. The Confederate forces were not numerically superior but took positions commanding the heights on the other side of the creek, on the bluffs and in a quarry.

The first assault at 9:00 A.M., by two companies of skirmishers of the 11th Ohio Volunteers was repulsed. Colonel Henry W. Kingsbury led an assault by the 11th Connecticut Volunteers at 10 A.M. In an extended front they moved forward to the rail fence and the stone wall near the South and North sides of the bridge. Captain John Griswold of A company plunged into the swift flowing creek with several men but were met by a volley of small arms fire. He was wounded and made it to the far side of the creek where he died. The remaining men had turned back and the regiment was finally forced to retire under the heavy fire of the well concealed Confederates. Colonel Kingsbury died after being wounded multiple times and the 11th Connecticut Volunteers suffered over 130 casualties, representing one third of their men. Two Mansfield soldiers from Co. K of the 11th Connecticut Volunteers were killed in the battle, William H. Hall and Asa W. Rouse.

Eugene D. Ames

Eugene D. Ames

Eugene D. Ames/Eames was a resident of Mansfield on August 25, 1861 when he enlisted as a Private in Co. C of the 1st Regiment Rhode Island Volunteer Light Artillery, he was promoted to Sergeant, date not stated and was mustered out on August 27, 1864 at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia.

He was born on March 4, 1842 in Willington, Connecticut. In the 1860 U.S. census in Mansfield, he is an 18 year old farmer in the household of Seth Dunham. Eugene D. Ames married Sarah E. Bacon of Tariffville, Connecticut probably on October 21, 1865 in Willimantic, Connecticut. Children include: Emma E. Ames, born about 1867; Charles H. Ames, born about April 1869; Burton Theodore Ames, born about 1875; Grace M. Ames, born about August 1877; Nellie D. Ames, born about 1878 and Louis E. Ames, born about April 1885.

Eugene Ames moved to East Hartford by 1870, Hartford by 1880 and shortly after to West Hartford. He was in charge of the estate of George Foster on Prospect Avenue and was head gardener. In a Hartford Courant article published on May 24, 1914, Eugene D. Ames is one of the West Hartford Civil War veterans profiled. He resided on Prospect Avenue and had resided in West Hartford for 35 years. The article stated that he had been in 32 battles and skirmishes including Antietam, Second Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, the Wilderness and Cold Harbor. He had six horses shot out from under him during his term of service. Eugene Ames was a past commander of the Nathaniel Lyon Post No. 2 of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.).

Eugene D. Ames died on October 7, 1926 and is buried in the Fairview Cemetery in West Hartford, Connecticut.

Augustine W. Batty

Augustine W. Batty

Augustine W. Batty/Battey was a resident of Mansfield on November 20, 1861 when he enlisted as a Private in Co. H of the 11th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. He was transferred to Co. H of the 22nd Regiment Veteran Reserve Corp November 14, 1863 and was discharged for disability on January 28, 1864.

He was born December 22, 1846 in Rhode Island to Levi and Roxanna (Kelly) Batty/Battey.  In the 1860 U.S. census in Killingly, he is a 14 year old in the household of Levi Batty. Davis S. Battey, a brother living in the same household, enlisted in the same company and regiment from the Town of Plainfield; he was killed at Antietam, Maryland on September 17, 1862. After his Civil War service, Augustine moved back to Killingly and worked in a shoe factory, then as a brick mason and later as a farmer. Augustine Batty married Adelaide V. Jacques about 1866. Children include: Harry E. Batty, born about 1867; Winifred L. Batty, born about 1869; Maud E. Batty, born about 1873, Ethel May Batty, born about 1874, Grace Batty, born about September, 1879 and Alice G. Batty, born about January, 1882.

On December 12, 1879, he applied for an invalid pension, No. 327,064 that was granted under Certificate No. 211,505. According to the list of pensioners on the roll in 1883, he was receiving $8 per month for heart disease; the pension commenced in June, 1882. His widow applied for a pension on December 11, 1905. 

Augustine Batty died on October 30, 1905 and is buried at the Grove Street Cemetery in Putnam, Connecticut.

William H. Corbit

William H. Corbit

William H. Corbit was a resident of Mansfield on August 11, 1862 when he enlisted as a Private in Co. D of the 14th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded September 17, 1862, Antietam, Maryland, promoted to Corporal February 9, 1863, wounded June 17, 1864, Petersburg, Virginia, promoted to Sergeant January  29, 1865 and mustered out May 31, 1865.

He was born October 28, 1840 in Three Rivers, Massachusetts to Jason and Mary Ann (Brise) Corbit. After the Civil War, he returned to Mansfield and was employed as a painter and a paper hanger. William Corbit married Mary J. Mowry about 1862. They had four children including: Eldora Corbit, born about 1866 and Grace, born about October, 1869.

On August 14, 1869, he applied for an invalid pension, No. 146,886 that was granted under certificate No. 101,607. According to the list of pensioners on the roll in 1883, he was receiving $6 per month for a wounded left side and arm.

William H. Corbit died on November 30, 1930 and is buried at North Center Cemetery in Coventry, Connecticut.

William H. Hall

William H. Hall

William Harlow Hall was a resident of Mansfield on October 31, 1861 when he enlisted as a Private in Co. H of the 11th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry; he was killed in action on September 17, 1862 at Antietam, Maryland. The regiment was ordered to take the lower stone bridge over Antietam Creek and the assault began at 10 A.M. Over one third of the regiment was killed, wounded or missing in that battle. Asa W. Rouse, another Mansfield soldier from Co. H was also killed in the assault.

William H. Hall was born about 1844 in Mansfield to Ambrose and Esther (Batten) Hall. In the 1860 U.S. census in Mansfield, he is a 15 year old farm laborer in the household of Ambrose Hall. His brother, Lorenzo Ambrose Hall, a 19 year old farm laborer in the same household, was also a Mansfield Civil War soldier.

On December 21, 1872, Ambrose Hall applied for a dependant Father’s pension, No. 202,499 that was granted under Certificate No. 286,763. 
William H. Hall is buried at the Bedlam Cemetery in Chaplin, Connecticut. His name is listed among the killed in action on the monument of the 11th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment on the battlefield at Antietam, Maryland.

Asa W. Rouse

Asa W. Rouse

Asa W. Rouse was a resident of Mansfield on November 30, 1861 when he enlisted as a Private in Co. H of the 11th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. He was killed in action on September 17, 1862 at Antietam, Maryland. The regiment was ordered to take the lower stone bridge over Antietam Creek and the assault began at 10 A.M. Over one third of the regiment was killed, wounded or missing in that battle. William H. Hall, another Mansfield soldier from Co. H was also killed in the assault.

He was born about 1833 in Connecticut, probably to John and Thirza (Massby) Rouse of Groton. In the 1860 U.S. census in Norwich, he is a 27 year old stone cutter. 

On November 4, 1862, his widow, Ann J. Rouse applied for a widow’s pension, No. 5,729 that was granted under Certificate No. 1,846. In the pension file is certification of their marriage and the births of their children. Asa W. Rouse married Ann J. Parkerson at West Greenwich, Rhode Island on November 25, 1858. Their first child, Lovell N. Rouse was born in Norwich, Connecticut on November 19, 1859 and their second child, Mary E. Rouse was born in Windham, Connecticut on April 27, 1862.  The death of Asa Rouse left behind a widow, a three year old son and a 4 month old daughter. Both of the children died in 1863.

Asa W. Rouse was buried at the Yantic Cemetery in Norwich, Connecticut. His name is listed among the killed in action on the monument of the 11th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry Regiment on the battlefield at Antietam, Maryland.

Orrin E. Squires

Orrin E. Squires

Orrin E. Squires was a resident of Eastford on November 11, 1861 when he enlisted as a Private in Co. F of the 11th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry; he was wounded September 17, 1862, Antietam, Maryland and discharged for disability, October 24, 1862. He reenlisted December 7, 1863 and was mustered out December 21, 1865.

He was born about 1825 in Ashford, Connecticut to Nathan and Anna (______) Squires. Orrin E. Squires married Cordelia E. Barrows on August 5, 1849 in Ashford. He married second, Abbie _____ between 1860 and 1865. Children from his second marriage include: Frank Squires, born about 1866, Eugene Squires, born about 1868 and an unnamed male Squires born about April, 1870. After the Civil War, he moved to Mansfield and worked as a farm laborer.

On November 30, 1869, he applied for an invalid pension, No. 153,092 that was granted under certificate No. 235,522. A pension application was filed for his minor children at a later date.

Orrin E. Squires died on February 26, 1879 in Mansfield and he is buried at the Spring Hill Cemetery in Mansfield.

Theme: Overlay by Kaira © Mansfield Historical Society
Storrs Connecticut