14 Medals of Honor for USCT at Battle of New Market Heights-- Part 3

Corporal Miles James   Co. B, 36th USCT,   born Princess Ann County, Va.

First Sergeant Alexander Kelly,  Co. F,  6th USCT, born Pennsylvania.

First Sergeant Robert Pinn    Co. I, 5th USCT   born Stark County, Ohio.

First Sergeant Edward Ratcliff   Co. C,   38th USCT,  born James County, Va.

Private Charles Veal   Co. D,    4th USCT,  born Portsmouth, Va.

Sergeant Major Thomas Hawkins   6th USCT,  born Cincinnati, Ohio     Cited for valor [at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm, Virginia, on September 29, 1864].  MoH  was issued on February 8, 1870.

Sergeant Decatur Dorsey   Co. B,  39th USCT born Howard County, Md.    Cited [for valor  at the Battle of the Crater, Petersburg, Virginia,] on July 30, 1864--  issued November 8, 1865.

Private Bruce Anderson     Co. K,  142nd New York Infantry.  Born Oswego County, New York.  This was Martin Curtis' regiment that fought at Fort Fisher.  Received his Medal of Honor for action at Fort Fisher.

Sergeant Major Milton Murray Holland   5th USCT   born Austin, Texas.

--Old Secesh

Fourteen Medals of Honor for USCT Troops at Battle of New Market Heights-- Part 2

The following is a list of the 14 USCT soldiers receiving Medals of Honor for action at this battle.

Private William H. Barnes   Co. C, 38th USCT, born St. Mary's County, Md.

First Sergeant Powhatan Beaty  Co. G, 5th USCT, born in Richmond, Va.

First Sergeant James H. Bronson   Co. D, 5th USCT, born in Indiana County, Pa.

Sergeant Major Christian A. Fleetwood   4th USCT, born Baltimore, Md.

Private James Gardiner   Co, I  36th USCT, born Gloucester, Va.

Sergeant James H. Harris  Co. B, 36th USCT, born St. Mary's County, Md.  His MoH was issued Feb. 18, 1874.

Sergeant Alfred B. Hilton   Co. H, 4th USCT   born Harford County, Md.

Sergeant Major Milton M. Holland   5th USCT   born in Austin, Texas

--Old Secesh

Fourteen Medals of Honor Awarded to USCT Troops at the Battle of New Market Heights-- Part 1

From the HMdb "African American Medal of Honor Recipients Memorial" in Wilmington, Delaware.

Yesterday, I wrote about a proposed new statue by the Richmond (Virginia) City Council to honor a United States Colored Troops (USCT) regiment that was awarded 14 Medals of Honor during the war.  Unfortunately, the article did not say which regiment it was, so I did some more research on them.  Receiving 14 Medals of Honor for one regiment is certainly a worthy accomplishment.

I found out in this source that they were not all from a single regiment, but did belong to USCT and the 14 Medals awarded were at one battle.

"Fourteen of the following  men received their awards for valor during the Battle of New Market Heights [a.k.a. Chaffin's or (Chapin's) Farm] on September 29, 1864.  With the exception of Sergeant James H. Harris and Sergeant Major Thomas Hawkins, all were awarded their MOH citation  April 6, 1865.

--Old Secesh

The Tale of a Divided Kentucky Family Named Todd-- Part 1

From Find-A-Grave.

ROBERT SMITH TODD

Born 25 February 1791  Lexington, Kentucky

Died 17 July 1849 (age 58)  Liberty Heights, Kentucky

Buried   Lexington Cemetery, Lexington, Kentucky

War of 1812 veteran.  His father was an American Revolution veteran.

********************************

SPOUSES

ELIZABETH ANN PARKER TODD   1794-1825  Married November 13, 1812.

ELIZABETH L. HUMPHREYS TODD  1800-1874  Married November 1, 1826.

Married twice.

********************************

CHILDREN WITH FIRST WIFE:

ELIZABETH TODD  (1813-1888)  Married Ninian Edwards Jr., son of Illinois' first governor.  Buried Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield Illinois.  Did a lot to encourage Abraham Lincoln in politics and a member of the Long Nine with Lincoln which had the state capital moved to Springfield.

ROBERT SMITH TODD, JR.  (1814-1814)  Died in infancy.  Buried in Lexington Cemetery, Lexington, Ky.

LEVI OLDHAM TODD  (1816-1864)  Married Louise Searle and remained in Lexington until his death.  Buried Lexington Cemetery.

FRANCES JANE TODD WALLACE  (1817-1899)  Married Dr. William Smith Wallace. Buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery.   Lincoln family doctor.  Accompanied the Lincolns to Washington, D.C., in 1861, and was appointed paymaster in the Army.  Served in Missouri and later Mississippi.  Contracted dysentery from which he never fully recovered.

MARY ANN TODD (1818-1882)  Married Abraham Lincoln.  Buried Oak Ridge Cemetery.

ANNA MARIA TODD SMITH  (1820-1891) Buried Oak Ridge Cemetery.   Married Clark Moulton Smith, a successful merchant.

ROBERT PARKER TODD  (1821-1822)  Died in infancy.  Buried inLexington Cemetery.

GEORGE ROGERS CLARK TODD (1825-1900)  Confederate surgeon who served in a Confederate hospital in South Carolina.  Buried in Quaker Cemetery, Camden, South Carolina.

--Old Secesh

Nathaniel Dawson describes First Manassas Battlefield-- Part 3: "Fierce Looking Fellows. They Fought Well"

July 25

"I went over the field yesterday.  The scene was awful.  The dead Yankees were still lying unburied in many places.  I saw as many as one hundred in a space of an acre.

"They belong to Ellsworth's Zouaves who were reduced from 1,100 to 200 men.  God seems specially to have marked them for  vengeance.  They wore blue pants and red shirts and are fierce looking fellows.  They fought well."

--Old Secesh

Nathaniel Dawson Describes the Manassas Battlefield-- Part 2: "Dead Presented An Awful Appearance"

"I walked over the battlefield the next day after the fight.  The scene presented was horrible.  I counted in one small spot -- where Sherman's battery was taken -- thirty-seven horses that were dead and near one hundred dead Yankees, besides the wounded who had been removed.

"Near this place is a house, an old lady 90 years of age was killed by a cannon ball.  Her daughter told me  herself at the house.

"The dead presented an awful appearance, and I thought perchance that the fortunes of man might place me in a similar position.  I have learned it seems, however, to think philosophically  of these things and am inclined the opinion that I am hard-hearted."

--Old Secesh

Nathaniel Dawson at First Manassas-- Part 1

Nathaniel Dawson was, at this time, the fiancee of Elodie Todd.

Manassas, Virginia, July 24, 1861

"We, the 4th Ala., with the 2nd Miss. And the 6th N.C. Rg., under Ben. Bee commenced the fight by attacking the advancing column of Yankees.  Our reg. was supposed to attack 5,000 men and after keeping them in check for one hour, retreated, fell back upon the reserve.   (Charles Fisher commanded the 6th North Carolina at Manassas and was killed in the battle.  Fort Fisher was named after him.)

"I was injured by a sprain in the ankle and missed the Reg. which was in advance and was not further engaged.  About 200 of the reg. was collected but took no further active part in the battle.  We have but about 200 killed and wounded.  Among the former is Lieut. Simpson, whom you saw last winter in Montgomery.  He was to be married to Miss Collier...."

--Old Secesh

Elodie's Fiancee At the Battle of Manassas and Knocked Down

Elodie Todd's fiancee, Captain Nathaniel Dawson was at the Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) , July 21, 1861, with the Alabama troops.  He wrote her

"We have had a terrible battle today, my dear Elodie, but have achieved a glorious victory.  Our brigade was in the hottest of the engagement, and the 4th Ala. Reg. has been cut to pieces.  I have had from twenty to thirty killed or wounded in the Cadets, but thanks to a merciful Creator and your prayers, I escaped unscathed.

"A cannon ball struck a fence which I was crossing and knocked me down, but the only harm done me was a dislocation of my ankle which I do not think will give me much pain...."

He "Saw the Elephant."   --Old Secesh

Elodie Todd in the Age of "Secession, Freedom, and Rights"

Letter from Elodie Todd to fiancee Nathaniel Dawson, May 9, 1861.

"Ever since I can remember, I have been looked upon and called the 'old maid' of the family, and Mother seemed to think I was to be depended on to take care of her when all the rest of her handsomer daughters left her, and I really believe they all think I am committing a sin to give a thought to any other than the arrangements they have made for me.

"But as this is the age when Secession, Freedom, and Rights are asserted, I am claiming mine and do not doubt but I shall succeed in obtaining them as I have some one to help me in my efforts."

Her life had definitely taken a major change from old maid supporting her mother to wife and her own family.

No Old Maid for Her.  --Old Secesh

Who Was Elodie Todd?

From the February 2018 Civil War Times "I do not think of peace" by Susannah J. Ural.

Elodie Todd was a native Kentuckian and was stunned when Confederate officer Nathaniel Dawson proposed marriage just before his company left Selma, Alabama, for Virginia.   She was 12 years his junior and wasn't sure her family would accept, especially since she barely knew Nathaniel.  They kept up a steady stream of letters from April 1861 to April 1862.  The last two posts were taken from her letters to him.

The letters offer insights into the war and, especially her family.  Being from a border state, Kentucky, her family was split as well.  Five of her siblings supported the Union while nine, including herself, supported the Confederacy.

One of her siblings was none other than First Lady of the United States, Mary Todd Lincoln, a half sister.

The letters between Nathaniel Dawson and Elodie have been published  in "Practical Strangers:  The Courtship Correspondence of Nathaniel Dawson and Elodie Todd, Sister of Mary Todd Lincoln."

Her father, Robert Smith Todd, remarried after his first wife, and Mary Todd Lincoln's mother, Elizabeth Ann Parker Todd, died in 1825.

--Old Secesh

Who Wrote This Letter? "Mr. Lincoln Is Not Man Enough"

From Selma, August 4, 1861.

"I do not think of peace and know well Mr. Lincoln is not man enough to dare make it.  He is but a tool in the hands of his party and would not brave and would not brave their wrath by such a proposition.  How nobly he could redeem himself if he had the courage.

"He is no more fitted for office than many others who have recently occupied it, and we may date our trouble from the time when we allowed party to place in the chair a President entirely disregarding his worth, ability, or capacity for it, and I hope our Confederacy may guard against it.

"Elodie Todd"

Any guesses who she might be?

--Old Secesh

Who Wrote This Letter? Did She Really Say That?

From the Civil War Times February 2018  "'I Do Not Think of Peace."

From Selma, Alabama, July 23, 1861:

"I see from today's paper Mrs. Lincoln is indignant at my Bro. David's being in Confederate service and declares 'that by nor word or act of hers should he escape punishment for his treason against her husband's government should he fall into their hands.'

"I do not believe she ever said it and if she did and meant it she is no longer a sister of mine nor deserves to be called a woman of nobleness and truth and God grant my noble and brave-hearted brother will never fall into their hands and have to suffer death twice over, and he could do nothing which could make me prouder of him than he is doing now, fighting for his country.

"What would she do to me, do you suppose?  I have as much to answer for.

"Elodie Todd"

--Old Secesh

Oliver Dart's Brothers in Arms-- Part 2

JOHN SYMONDS (1837-1918)  brother-in-law

Company D, 14th Connecticut Infantry
Mustered in July 16, 1862
Wounded at Fredericksburg  December 13, 1862
Discharged due to disability  February 7, 1863


BENJAMIN HIRST  ( 1828-1909)

Company D, 14th Connecticut Infantry
Mustered in July 16, 1862
Wounded at Gettysburg, July 3, 1863
Transferred to Veterans Reserve Corps
52nd Company , 2nd Battalion VRC

--Old Secesh

Oliver Dart's Brothers In Arms-- Part 1

Serving in the Union Army along with Oliver Dart were:

GEORGE DART  (1827-1889)

Company K, 3rd Connecticut Infantry (3 months)
Enlisted April 24, 1861
Mustered out, August 12, 1861

CHARLES E. DART (1830-1863)  cousin

Company D, 14th Connecticut Infantry  (Color Sergeant)
Mustered in July 15, 1862
Mortally wounded  at Fredericksburg, December 15, 1862
Died January 6, 1863

Two More.  --Old Secesh

More On Oliver Dart, Jr.-- Part 5: "His Face Torn Off As Though Slashed By a Cleaver"

One account of his wounding has him being left on the field until midafternoon on December 14 when General Lee agreed to let Burnside collect his wounded from the fields below Marye's Heights.  This story has been proven false by available records.

After Dart was wounded, the rest of the 14th pushed on toward the wall and Marye's Heights along with the rest of William F. French's 3rd Division of the 2nd Corps.  Here, Oliver Dart's cousin Charles was mortally wounded while carrying the regimental flag forward.

At the Rowe House, Oliver was temporarily patched up though most believed the wound to be mortal.  Regimental chaplain Henry S. Stevens wrote:  "On the northern porch lay, among others, our Dart, his face torn off as though slashed by a cleaver, and by his side lay Symonds, his eyes swollen with inflammation to the size of eggs, the sand grains showing through the tightly stretched and shining lids."

--Old Secesh

More On Oliver Dart, Jr.-- Part 4: The Wound

As the 14th Connecticut neared the railroad depot in Fredericksburg, they came under a galling artillery barrage from the Confederates and they took cover behind a high board fence which soon began to be battered.

Company D, Oliver Dart's unit, was down to 25 men by Fredericksburg, had  a shell burst in front of them and a 2-by-3-inch piece of the shell crashed into the ground, throwing dirt and gravel into the eyes of John Symon (Dart's brother-in-law) before crashing through the fence and striking Oliver in the face and right shoulder.

Corporal Charles Lyman later recalled that "the shell  fragment  would have ripped through Oliver's head had the fence not redirected it."  Sergeant Benjamin Hirst (Oliver's good friend), wrote  a letter to his wife, saying,  "Poor Oliver Dart... he looked as if his whole face  was shot away."

Dart was laid on the ground, unconscious, with Symonds next to him, blinded.  Four men, Sergeant George Brigham, Sergeant Hirst, Corporal Elbert Hyde and Private Kilbourne Newell helped the wounded men back to  the divisional field hospital at the Rowe House  along the Rappahonnock River

More on Oliver Dart, Jr.-- Part 3: View the Result of His Fredericksburg Wounds

If you type in Oliver Dart, Jr   Elmwood Cemetery, Vernon, Connecticut,  on a search, you can see two pictures of his grievous wounds.

--Old Secesh

More On Oliver Dart Jr.-- Part 2: A Short, But Intense Military Career

Sometime between 1858 and 1859, he married  the 18/18 year-old Emily Goodrich.  The two settled on a small farm near the Dart family homestead.  Their marriage, however, only lasted until 1860 when Emily died.

He remarried shortly afterwards to Maria Symonds, whose brother John served with Oliver in the 14th Connecticut, whose eyes were temporarily blinded by the same piece of shell that hit Oliver in the face at the Battle of Fredericksburg.

MILITARY SERVICE

At age 23, Oliver Dart enlisted on August 1, 1862, in Company D of the 14th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry.  Also in Company D were his cousin Charles E. Dart (Color Sergeant) and his brother-in-law John Symonds (Corporal).

Oliver Dart's military service was relatively short, however, but he did participate in the bloodiest day of the war, at the Battle of Antietam.  Then, it was duty at Harper's Ferry, Reconnaissance at Charlestown, Advance up Loudon Valley,  movement to Falmouth and then the Battle of Fredericksburg.

On December 13, 1862, the 14th Connecticut crossed over the river on a pontoon bridge and began marching through the town.  This is where they came under a tremendous fire from Confederate artillery which led to the mangling of Oliver's face.

--Old Secesh

More on Oliver Dart Jr. -- Part 1

From Find-A-Grave.

OLIVER DART JR.

BIRTH--   23 March 1839   South Windsor,  Hartford County, Connecticut

DEATH--   11 August 1879 (aged 40)  South Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut

BURIAL--  Elmwood Cemetery, Vernon, Tolland County, Connecticut

His parents were Oliver Dart (1787-1870) and Amanda Barber Dart (1794-1874)

He was the youngest of six children (5 boys and one girl) and grew up working on his father's farm with his siblings.

Married three times:

Emily A. Goodrich

Maria Symonds

Aurelia Barber   Barber was the family name of his mother.

--Old Secesh

Mangled By a Shell-- Part 4: Suffered From Wound the Rest of His Life

In December 1863, Oliver Dart filed for a government pension and was approved, initially receiving $8 a month.

In 1869, he married his third wife, Aurelia Barber and they had three children.

In an attempt to cover up his grievous war wound, he grew a bushy beard and mustache.

A postwar account noted:  "In time he recovered though the wound was always visible and in later years his mind was somewhat affected, undoubtedly due  to the shock and the suffering caused from the injury.

Life for Dart remained a near-constant struggle until he was struck down with a case of consumption in the summer of 1879.  He was only 40 years old when he died on August 11, 1879 and is buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Vernon, Connecticut, next to his first wife Emily, who died in 1860 and Aurelia.

--Old Secesh

Mangled By a Shell-- Part 3: Two Facial Operations

On the day after Christmas, Oliver Dart was admitted to Stanton General Hospital in Washington, D.C. where his chances of recovery were considered  slim.  One doctor noted, "Wounded in battle probably mortally."

His older brother George visited him and found the hospital conditions deplorable.  After five weeks, Oliver Dart was discharged from the Union Army and sent home to South Windsor, Ct., where he miraculously recovered and underwent an operation on his face at the home of his brother James and then underwent a second procedure on his face at the home of his father.

In June 1863, he filed for divorce from his second wife, Maria, claiming "a total neglect of all duties of marriage."  It took three years before it was granted.  Maria was the sister of John Symonds, the soldier who had also been wounded next to Dart at Fredericksburg.

--Old Secesh

Mangled By a Shell-- Part 2: "His Face Torn Off As Though Slashed Away With a Cleaver"

Corporal Charles Lyman, lying next to to Dart, recalled several years later that the fragment surely would have ripped through his head had it not struck that post.  Sergeant Benjamin Hirts of Co. D could only say, "Poor Oliver Dart.  As he rolled over he looked as though his whole face was shot away."

Private Dart was one of 82 men of the 14th Connecticut wounded at Fredericksburg, along with ten killed and 20 missing.

Oliver Dart was carried to a division hospital at the Rowe House where the regimental chaplain of the 14th, Henry Stevens remarked:  "On the northern porch lay, among others, our Dart, his face torn off as though slashed away with a cleaver.  And by his side lay Symonds, his eyes swollen with inflammation to the size of eggs, the sand grains showing through the tightly stretched and shining lids."

--Old Secesh

Mangled By a Shell-- Part 1: Privates Oliver Dart's Horrific Wound at Fredericksburg

I have been writing about his regiment, the 14th Connecticut for awhile leading up to these posts.  I happened upon this article and brought it up at our McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table discussion group meeting in December 2019.

From the February 2018, Civil War Times magazine "Mangled By a Shell" by John Banks.

You can look up Oliver Dart 14th Connecticut to see what happened to him.  He sat for a photograph a year after his wound with his mangled lower jaw, mouth and nose, from a shrapnel wound suffered during the attack on Marye's Heights December 13, 1862.

His regiment had crossed a pontoon bridge on Dec. 12 and spent the night among the shell-torn and ransacked houses of the town.  On the 13th, the regiment came under a tremendous artillery barrage from the Confederates after they neared the train depot and one of those shells burst right among Oliver Dart's Company D  of the 14th Connecticut.

A 3- by 2-inch fragment smashed into the ground fling sand into the eyes of Corporal John Symonds and blinding Private Dart's brother-in-law.  Then it crashed into the arm and face of the 23-year-old Dart before striking a 4-inch square wooden fence post.

--Old Secesh

The 14th Connecticut at the Battle of Fredericksburg

DECEMBER 12-15, 1864:  Crossed river into Fredericksburg

DECEMBER 13:  Assaulted the stone wall at the foot of Marye's Heights.  Lt. Col Perkins and Major Clark disabled from further service.

DECEMBER 15:  Left Fredericksburg for camp at Falmouth.

In the course of the battle 10 men were killed, 92 were wounded and 20 were listed as missing.  Among the dead were Lieutenant Canfield and Captain Gibbons of Company B.  Lt.Col. Perkins was wounded.

--Old Secesh

The Nutmeg Regiment, 14th Connecticut

From Civil War in the East.

The 14th Connecticut lost 17 officers and 188  enlisted men killed or mortally wounded during the war.  In addition, one officer and 191 men died from disease.

The 14th sustained the largest percentage of loss of any Connecticut regiment.

The regiment is honored by a monument at Gettysburg.  Inscription on that monument reads:  "Lost in killed and died in service 366;  in wounded and disabled many hundreds.  Original muster 1015; recruits 697, final muster of original members, present and absent, 234."

Like I Said, One Heavy-Fighting Regiment.   --Old Secesh

The 14th Connecticut Infantry in the Civil War-- Part 2: In the Thick of It

1864

June 1-12:  Battle of Cold Harbor

June 15-18:  First assault on Petersburg

June 16:  The Siege of Petersburg begins

August 25:  Reams Station.  The regiment was under fire from three sides and for some time from both sides of their earthworks.

October 27-29:  Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run

December 13:  Encamped near Fort Clark.  The regiment now was reduced to just 180 men fit for duty and was issued Sharps rifles.

March 28-April 9:  The Appomattox Campaign

April 2:  Assault on and fall of Petersburg.

April 6:  Sailor's Creek

April 9:  Surrender of Lee's army at Appomattox.

May 23:  Grand Review

May 30:  Mustered out.  Veterans and recruits transferred to 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery.

June 1:  Began journey home

June 3:  Regiment reaches Hartford, Ct.

One Hard-Fighting Regiment.  --Old Secesh

Fourteen Years Ago and 5,288 Posts, This Blog Was Brought Forth

This new year marks the 14th year this blog, my third one, has been around and now it has 5,288 posts on top of that.

I am so thankful this blog can now concentrate on the actual war, not this second Civil War we now find ourselves in.

This one grew out of my second blog, Down Da Road I Go, which was too be anything else I was interested in besides old roads and trips.  So much of it was becoming the Civil War, which was my very first big interest, that I decided it was time to spin this one off.

Saw the Elephant refers to the term Civil War soldiers, evidently on both sides, used to describe combat.  You first battle?  Then you have seen the elephant.

The sign-off of Old Secesh refers to the fact that I am old and Secesh was a derisive term used by Northerners to put down Southerners who seceded.  I actually like the term, so use it.

Anyway, way too many blogs, now eight altogether, and way too much time spent on them.

Oh, Well.  --Old Secesh

14th Connecticut's Post Gettysburg Civil War Service-- Part 1

Despite being down to just 100 men after Gettysburg, there was no rest for the 14th Connecticut Nutmeg regiment.  It participated in all of the major battles of the Army of the Potomac during the course of the rest of the war.

From the Civil War in the East site.

These are some of the events:

1863

July 14:  Falling Waters

August 6:  First  reinforcement of recruits, conscripts and substitutes.

August 25:  Original regimental flag so damaged, it was replaced by the state.

September 18:  two deserters from the recent reinforcement of substitutes shot for desertion in the presence of the division.

October 9-22:  Bristoe Campaign.

1864

May 5-7:  Battle of the Wilderness

May 8-21:  Battle of Spottsylvania Court House

--Old Secesh