Wesley Brown was a resident of Mansfield on September 5, 1861 when he enlisted as a Private in Co. B of the 10th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry; he reenlisted as a veteran reenlistment on January 1, 1864. He was wounded October 7, 1864 at Newmarket Road, Virginia and August 16, 1864, at Drewry’s Bluff, Virginia. He was mustered out August 25, 1865.
He was born about December, 1840, probably in Mansfield to John and Abigail Maria (Fenton) Brown. In the 1860 U.S. census in Coventry, he is a 19 year old farmer in the household of Lyman Starkweather. Lyman’s wife is Abigail M. and three of Wesley’s siblings are living in the household; it appears that Lyman Starkweather is his stepfather. After the Civil War, he returned to Coventry and worked as a farm laborer. In both the 1880 and 1900 U.S. censuses, he is living in the Coventry household headed by a sibling or a brother-in-law. Wesley Brown never married, and after 1900, he moved to the Fitch’s Home for Soldiers in Darien.
On September 16, 1882, he applied for an invalid pension, No. 460,115 that was granted under certificate No. 518,271. The pension index also states that he served in Co. E of 3rd United States Artillery Regiment.
Wesley Brown died on November 7, 1909 at Fitch’s Home for Soldiers in Darien, Connecticut and is buried at the Fitch’s Home for Soldiers Cemetery also known as the Spring Grove Cemetery in Darien, Connecticut.
Lucius P. Clark was a resident of Mansfield on July 21, 1862 when he enlisted as a Private in Co. I of the 18th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. He was captured June 15, 1863 at Winchester, Virginia, was paroled July 19, 1863 and mustered out June 27, 1865.
He was born about 1836 probably to Lucius and Catherine (Powell) Clark in Coventry. In the 1860 U.S. census in Coventry, he is a 26 year old day laborer and head of household; the previous household is the family of Lucius and Catherine Clark. Lucius Clark married Emily A. _____ between 1850 and 1860. He moved to New Britain by the 1870 U.S. census and was employed as a carpenter/joiner; this is the same occupation as his father. Between 1880 and 1889, he was a resident of Fitch’s Soldiers Home in Darien.
On January 21, 1887, he applied for an invalid pension, No. 594,393 that was granted under certificate No. 914,276. His widow applied for a pension on December 20, 1899.
Lucius P. Clark died on November 24, 1899 at Fitch’s Soldiers’ Home in Darien, Connecticut and is buried at the Fairview Cemetery in New Britain, Connecticut.
Peter Flaherty was a resident of Mansfield on August 15, 1862 when he enlisted as a Private in Co. D of the 21st Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered out June 16, 1865.
The descriptive muster roll of the 21st Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry lists his age as 35 and his occupation as farmer. He is described as 5’ 9” tall with a dark complexion and dark hair and blue eyes. His marital status is married.
He was born about June, 1828 in Ireland and emigrated about 1849. In the 1860 U.S. census in Mansfield, he was a 30 year old farm laborer. Peter Flaherty married Celia ______ about 1850 and their children include: James Flaherty, born about 1851; John Flaherty, born about 1857; Patrick Flaherty, born about 1859; and Thomas Flaherty, born about 1854. After the Civil War, he returned to Mansfield and was a farmer there until after 1870; he moved to Coventry by the 1880 U.S. census. He resided in Coventry until after the 1900 U.S. census. In the 1910 U.S. census, he is an inmate at the Fitch’s Home for Soldiers in Darien, Connecticut.
On April 5, 1882, he applied for an invalid pension, No.445,124 that was granted under certificate No. 292,539.
Peter Flaherty died on March 20, 1915 at Fitch’s Home for Soldiers in Darien, Connecticut and is buried at Saint Mary’s Cemetery in Coventry, Connecticut.
Alfred P. Hanks was a resident of Mansfield on August 13, 1862 when he enlisted as a Private in Co. D of the 21st Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry; he was severely wounded in the side, June 3, 1864 at Cold Harbor, Virginia.
Following his wounding at Cold Harbor, Alfred Hanks was hospitalized until July 12th when he was granted a furlough. After a grueling journey home, he arrived in Mansfield on the 18th. He recuperated there until he was called back to service on August 13th. Reluctantly, he returned to his regiment, but he was still weak and needed more time to recuperate from his wound. Rather than returning to the line, he was assigned to assist Julian Parker, the Hospital Steward (also from Mansfield). He was discharged for disability May 16, 1865.
The descriptive muster roll of the 21st Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry lists his age as 18 and his occupation as clerk. He is described as 5’ 5” tall with a fair complexion and black hair and dark eyes. His marital status is single.
He was born April 14, 1844 in Mansfield to Frederick F. and Abigail (Page) Hanks. In the 1860 U.S. census in Marlborough, he is a 16 year old clerk in the household of Edwin P. Hanks. He was a clerk in a hotel in East Lyme in 1870 and living in his mother’s household in Marlborough by the 1880 U.S. census. Alfred Hanks was living in Fitch’s Home for Soldiers by 1900, he was a clerk in 1900 and listed as an inmate in 1910 who was Sergeant Major in the institution office; he never married. The Mansfield Historical Society has his diary for 1864 which contains information regarding the regiment’s activities and many stories of his fellow soldiers.
On March 5, 1866, he applied for an invalid pension, No.1041,078 that was granted under certificate No. 183,264. According to the list of pensioners on the roll in 1883, he was receiving a monthly pension amount unstated for a gunshot wound in the right side.
Alfred P. Hanks died on December 8, 1916 at the Fitch Soldiers Home in Darien and is buried in Saint Peter’s Cemetery in Hebron, Connecticut.
The Diary of Alfred P. Hank
The following excerpts are from an 1864 diary written by Alfred P. Hanks while he was in service in the Union Army. He re-copied the original diary and enhanced the entries in 1909, while he was residing in the Soldiers’ Home in Noroton Heights, Connecticut. Although this diary covers the year 1864 only, he was in service from August 1862 to May 1865, a period of 2 years, 9 months and 3 days. His diaries for the other years were stolen.
Alfred P. Hanks wrote the following on the first page of this copy of his 1864 diary:
“While looking over the diary pretending to record the events of 1864 while in the army I find that as little time was spent in keeping it as possible. That many events are not given so that anyone else now reading it, would have little or no idea of what it recalls to me as clearly as though but yesterday. So [as I] am doing nothing this winter thought I would rewrite it and record some of the events that may be of interest to others and that are now clear to my mind as then. A diary of the other years while in the army was stolen from a trunk while left in care of a family in 1883.
“Humphrey of our Co. was hit in the knee and later the leg was amputated and [he] died I think. While lying down in line looking towards the enemy, T.F. Bennett who lay by side of his brother was hit by a ball… This was our first day in the Battle of Cold Harbor Va.”
Andrew J. Hovey was a resident of Mansfield on September 4, 1861 when he enlisted as a Sergeant in Co. B of the 10th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry; he was promoted 1st Sergeant May 1, 1864 and discharged October 7, 1864, time expired.
He was born about 1833 in Mansfield; in the 1860 U.S. census in Mansfield, he is a 27 year old mechanic and head of household. Andrew Hovey married Elizabeth Brown between 1850 and 1860. Children include: Carrie M. Hovey, born about 1859 and George Hovey, born about 1861. After his Civil War service, he returned to Connecticut and worked as a carpenter. He is living in Coventry by 1870, Windham by 1880 and Tolland by 1900.
Andrew J. Hovey died on April 22, 1906 at Fitch’s Home for Soldiers in Darien, Connecticut and is buried at the Old Willimantic Cemetery in Windham, Connecticut.
John Packer was a resident of Coventry on September 9, 1861 when he enlisted as a Private in Co. B of the 10th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded March 14, 1862 at Newbern, North Carolina and discharged for disability November 30, 1862.
He was born of August 25, 1833 in Bozrah, Connecticut to John and _____ Packer. It is possible that his mother was the Eunice Randall that married John Packer in Colchester, Connecticut on March 15, 1829; Colchester is not far from Bozrah. In the 1860 U.S. census in Salem, John Packer is a 25 year old farmer and head of household. John Packer married Mary C. _____ between 1850 and 1860. Children include: Caroline Packer, born about 1857; Edward E. Packer, born February 1, 1859 and Cora Packer, born about 1866.
John Packer moved to Mansfield before 1870 and was a farmer there until after 1900. In the 1900 U.S. census in Mansfield, he is a widower living in his son, Edward’s household.
On July 26, 1879, he applied for an invalid pension, No. 300,384 that was granted under certificate No. 791,792.
John Packer died on February 27, 1910 at Fitch’s Home for Soldiers in Darien, Connecticut and is buried at the Spring Hill Cemetery in Mansfield.
