USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Exeter > History of the town of Exeter, New Hampshire > Part 25
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" D, must. Dec. 20, '61; re-enl. Jan. 4, '64 ; transf. Co. B Vet. Bat. 8 N. H. V. Jan. 1, '65.
Henry L. Ruggles,
" K, must. Aug. 11, '64; transf. Co. B, Vet. Bat. 8 N. H. V. Jan. 1, '65.
Jonathan Tebbetts, " B, must. Dec. 20, '61; dis. for disab. Carrollton, La., July 5, '62 ; dead. George E. Thyng, must. Dec. 20, '61; dis. for disab. Ft. Indep. Boston, Feb. 14, '62. James G. Tilton, must. Dec. 20, '61 ; pro. corp. July 6, '62; re-enl. Jan. 4, '64; transf. Co. B Vet. Bat. 8 N. H. V. Jan. 1, '65. Woodbury C. White, must. Dec. 20, '61; d. of disease Ship Island, Miss., May 2, '62.
THE NINTH REGIMENT.
Chester C. Stevens, captain of Company D, mustered August 10, 1862; resigned December 25, 1862.
Charles J. Simons, 1st lieutenant, mustered July 3, 1862; sergeant of Company A ; wounded July 30, 1864 ; promoted to 2d lieutenant November 1, 1864 ; promoted to 1st lieutenant February 1, 1865; mustered out June 10, 1865.
Alfred A. Avery,
Charles W. Batchelder,
Co. D, must. July 26, '62; d. Paris, Ky., Oct. 19, '63. must. July 26, '62; corp. ; must. out June 10, '65.
Francis M. Caldwell, " A, must. July 3, '62; corp. ; pro. sergt .; transf. to Vet. Res. Corps Feb. 28, '63 ; must. out July 1, '65.
Leonard H. Caldwell,
must. July 3, '62; 1st sergt. ; w. sev. Dec. 16, '62; dis. for disab. April 18, '63.
John K. Carswell,
" D, must. July 26, '62; transf. to Vet. Res. Corps Feb. 28,'63; must. out July 5, '65 ; dead. must. March 20, '65; must. out May 6, '65.
George D. Clay,
" A,
Patrick Crean,
Jeremiah F. Dearborn,
" D, must. July 26, '62; must. out June 10, '65. must. July 26, '62; must. out June 10, '65.
272
HISTORY OF EXETER.
John Edwards,
Co. H, must. Dec. 10, '63 ; captd. Spottsyl- vania, Va., March 12, '64; d. of disease, Andersonville, Ga., Sept. 11, '64; grave 8426. " B, must. Dec. 7, '63 ; deserted Harper's Ferry, Va., April 4, '64.
David Floyd,
Franklin H. Foster,
" A,
must. July 3, '62; pro. sergt .; pro. sergt. major March I, '63; captd. Petersburg, Va., July 30, '64 ; d. of disease Salisbury, N. C., Dec. 14, '61. " D, must. July 26, '62; dis. for disab. Oct. 17, '62.
Moses D. French,
John G. C. Fuller,
" C, must. March 20, '65 ; transf. to 6 N. H. V. June 1, '65.
William Gleason, " D, must. Dec. 8, '63 ; supposed to have deserted en route to regiment.
Paul Gordon,
Thomas Goodwin, .. .. must. July 26, '62; corp. ; deserted Antietam, Md .. Sept. 17, '62. must. Dec. 8, '63; deserted Hall's Gap, Ky., June 28, '64. Zephaniah Heninger, " F, must. Dec. 7, '63; captd. Poplar Grove Church, Va., Sept. 30, '64 ; ret. to duty May 5, '65; transf. to 6 N. H. V. June 1, '65.
James Hicks, " HI, must. June 14, '64; deserted Peters- burg, Va., July 14, '64.
James Hughes, " B, must. Dec. 7, '63; deserted Stone Bridge, Ky., Jan. 2, '64.
Philander Keyes. " D, must. July 26, '62; wagoner; d. Milldale, Miss., July 30, '63. John Lord, " A, must. July 3, '62; dis. for disab. March 15, '63.
James J. Miller. " H,
must. Dec. 5, '63; k. in action July 30, '64.
John Morris,
Ephriam McCusic, " A,
James O'Brien,
must. Dec. 5, '63 ; sup. to have de- serted en route to regiment. must. July 3, '62; corp .; captd. Pe- tersburg, Va., July 27, '64; d. of disease Danville, Va., Feb. 7, '65. must. July 12, '62 ; deserted Concord, N. H., Aug. 24, '64.
Patrick Reynolds, must. July 3, '62; missing in action Joseph S. Rowell, " E, May 12, '64. must. May 15, '62; w. Dec. 13, '62; dis. for disab. Washington, D. C., Feb. 17, '63.
273
HISTORY OF EXETER.
William Ryan,
must. Dec. 7, '63; sup. to have de- serted en route to regiment.
Andrew J. Sanborn,
Christopher Staples,
Co. D, must. July 26, '62; sergt .; k. Spott- sylvania, Va., May 12, '64. must. July 26, '62; must. out June 10, '65. " A, must. July 26, '62; must. out June 10, '65.
George W. Tanner,
Seth Tanner,
Eugene Thurston,
" D,
Joseph B. Wadleigh,
" A,
must. July 26, '62; dis. for disab. Dec. 15, '62. must. July 26, '62; corp. ; deserted Camp Denison, O., Dec. 7, '63. must. July 3, '62; pro. sergt. ; d. of disease Feb. 2, '64. must. July 26, '62; transf. to Vet. Res. Corps May 8, '64; dead.
John E. G. Weeks,
" D,
Henry Wood,
must. July 26, '62; deserted Balti- more, Md., April 29, '63.
TIIE ELEVENTHI REGIMENT.
Moses N. Collins, lieutenant colonel, mustered August 6, 1862; major ; , promoted to lieutenant colonel September 9, 1862; killed in action May 6, 1864.
John K. Cilley, 1st lieutenant, mustered September 1, 1862; 1st lieu- tenant Company I ; mustered out April 30, 1864, to accept appointment of captain and A. Q. master in the regular army.
John J. D. Barker, Co. I, must. Sept. 2, '62; d. of disease June 28,'63.
John W. Gilman,
must. Sept. 2, '62; d. of disease Petersburg, Va., Sept. 27, '64.
Thomas Heritage,
Henry Howard,
James Keith,
Charles H. Nealey,
Co. I,
Richard D. Nealey,
" K, must. July 26, '64; d. of disease on transport Oct. 13, '64. must. July 21, '64; sup. to have deserted en route to regiment. must. July 27, '64; sup. to have deserted en route to regiment. must. Sept. 2, '62 ; must. out May 17, '65. must. Sept. 2, '62 ; sergt. ; w. Dec. 13, '62; d. of wds. Washington, D. C., Jan. 5, '63. must. Sept 2, '62; must. out June 4, '65.
George H. Reynolds,
Pascal L. Robinson, « A, must. March 21, '65; transf. to 6 N. H. V. June 1, '65.
18
274
HISTORY OF EXETER.
Moses H. Stickney,
Josiah W. Taylor,
William P. Tilton,
Co. I, must. Sept. 2, '62; k. in action Pe- tersburg, Va., July 30, '64. must. Sept. 2, '62; pro. sergt. major Sept. 2, '62; w. sev. May 6, '64; d. of disease March 18, '65. must. Sept. 2, '62; transf. to brig. band Nov. 1, '63; must. out June 4, '65.
THE TWELFTH REGIMENT.
Henry Allen, must. Dec. 11, '63; sup. to have deserted en route to regiment.
John Anderson,
Co. D, must. Dec. 11, '63; deserted York- town, Va., April 12, '64. must. Dec. 11, '63; transf. to U. S. Navy April 29, '64.
Alexander Brown, " G,
George Brown,
" D, must. Dec. 11, '63; k. Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, '64.
Melvin Elwood,
" H,
must. Dec. 8, '63 ; deserted White House, Va., May 31, '64.
Charles Frederic, " I,
Peter W. Gardener, " A,
Samuel Grant,
must. Dec. 11, '63; k. Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, '64. must. Dec. 8, '63; transf. to 2 N. H. Vols. June 21, '65. must. Dec. 11, '63; sup. to have deserted en route to regiment.
William Green,
must. Dec. 11, '63; sup. to have deserted en route to regiment. must. Dec. 11, '63; sup. to have deserted en route to regiment.
James McIntee,
Co. A.
Frank Malleck,
" I,
must. Dec. 8, '63 ; transf. to 2 N. H. Vols. June 21, '65. must. Dec. 11, '63; transf. to U. S. Navy April 29, '64. must. Dec. 8, '63; k. Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, '64.
John Mori,
must. Dec. 11, '63 ; transf. to 2 N. H. Vols. June 21, '65.
Patrick Riley,
must. Dec. 8, '63; sup. to have deserted en route to regiment.
George Stuman,
Co. D, must. Dec. 11, '63; w. June 3, '64; dis. for disab. May 17, '65.
Samuel F. Turner, " E, must. Dec. 12, '63 ; transf. to U. S. Navy April 29, '64.
Louis Limbold,
Louis Miller, " I,
HISTORY OF EXETER.
THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT.
John Sullivan, Jr., assistant surgeon, mustered Sept. 16, 1862; assistant surgeon ; honorably discharged August 16, 1864.
George N. Julian, captain, mustered September 27, 1862; captain of Company E; mustered out January 31, 1865.
Job C. Allard,
Co. E, must. Sept. 19, '62; w. sl. June 1, '64 ; pro. corp. Feb. 13, '63 ; w. sl. Sept. 30, '64; must. out June 21, '65; dead.
Frederick Bearse,
John C. Brown,
must. Sept. 19, '62; corp. ; transf. to U. S. Navy April 26, '64; dead. must. Sept. 19, '62; wagoner ; d. of disease Exeter Jan. 19, '65. must. Sept. 19, '62; must. out June 10, '65.
Alanson Cram,
Newton Cram,
Jesse L. Dolloff,
must. Sept. 19, '62; pro. corp. Aug. 26, '62; pro. sergt. March 1, '65 ; must. out June 21, '65.
James W. Folsom,
must. Sept. 19, '62; must. out June 21, '65.
George E. Garland,
must. Sept. 19, '62; pro. corp. May 1, '65 ; must. out June 21, '65. must. Sept. 19, '62 ; must. out June 21, '65.
Rufus Lamson,
must. Sept. 19, '62; must. out June 21, '65.
Howard M. Moses,
must. Sept. 19, '62; must. out June 21, '65.
George H. Rollins,
must. Sept. 19, '62; transf. to Vet. Res. Corps Sept. 30, '63.
Frederic W. Sawyer,
must. Sept. 19, '62; dis. for disab. Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 14, '63; dead.
George H. Vanduzee,
must. Sept. 19, '62; sergt .; k. Cold Harbor, Va., June 1, '64.
John C. Vanduzee,
must. Sept. 19, '62; pro. corp .; dis. for disab. Point of Rocks, Va., Jan. 27, '65 ; dead.
William West,
must. Sept. 19, '62; corp. ; must. out June 21, '65.
Lowell H. Young,
must. Sept. 19, '62; w. sl. June 15, '61 ; must. out June 21, '65.
275
Alfred J. Gilman,
must. Sept. 19, '62; corp. ; transf. to U. S. Navy April 26, '64.
276
HISTORY OF EXETER.
THE FIFTEENTH REGIMENT.
Joseph E. Janvrin, assistant surgeon, mustered October 28, 1862; assist- ant surgeon ; mustered out August 13, 1863.
George W. Batehelder, Co. I, must. Oct. 22, '62; must. out Aug. 13, '63 ; dead. William H. B. Brigham, must. Oct. 22, '62; must. out Aug. 13, '63. Frederie W. Carter, must. Oet. 22, '62 ; must. out Aug. 13, '63. Gideon Carter, must. Oet. 22, '62; d. of disease. George W. Gadd, must. Oct. 22, '62; must. out Aug. 13, '63. John W. Morse, must. Oet. 22, '62 ; must. out Aug. 13, '63 ; dead.
William Nudd,
George A. Prescott,
John A. Sinclair,
John T. Sinelair,
Jeremiah W. Smith, .. ..
must. Oet. 22, '62; d. of disease Exeter Aug. 9, '63. must. Oct. 28, '62; deserted Con- cord; retd. March 14, '63; must. out Aug. 13, '63. must. Oct. 22, '62; must. out Aug. 13, '63. must. Oct. 22, '62 ; discharged. must. Oct. 22, '62 ; deserted Concord ; retd. March 14, '63; w. May 27, '63 ; must. out Aug. 13, '63. must. Oct. 22, '62; must. out Aug. 13, '63. must. Oct. 22, '62; must. out Aug. 13, '63. must. Oct. 28, '62; deserted Concord Oct. 21, '62.
John A. Smith,
George R. Thurston, .. ..
James S. Tuttle,
THE FIRST REGIMENT OF N. II. CAVALRY.
John Harvey, Troop H, must. July 29, '64; deserted Camp Stoneman, D. C., Sept. 3, '64.
Harrison Jones,
John P. Weston, 66
must. July 29, '64 ; deserted Camp Stoneman, D. C., Aug. 27, '64. must. July 29, '64; deserted Camp Stoneman, D. C., Sept. 5, '64.
In addition to the foregoing list, Exeter sent into the military and naval service almost an equal number of other men whose posi- tions and history have not been accurately noted and preserved.
277
HISTORY OF EXETER.
The Rev. Mr. Nason, at the close of each of the years 1861, 1862 and 1863, published the names of all the Exeter men who had, at those dates respectively, gone into the service, and from those names the following list is chiefly taken. Its complete accuracy is not vouched for ; indeed it is quite clear that it is erroneous in its assignments to New Hampshire regiments, if the Reports of the Adjutant General of the State are to be depended upon. But without doubt nearly every one of the men named entered the service of the country in some organization or capacity, though it may not be correctly given in this statement.
OTHER EXETER MEN IN THE MILITARY OR NAVAL SERVICE .*
Charles W. Batchelder, 9 A.
J. F. Dearborn, 9 A.
William Bean, 6 C.
J. S. Dearborn, Cook's Mass. Bat.
Charles Bennett,
7 Maine.
A. P. DeRochemont, 2 Mass.
A. J. Bowley, R. I. Cavalry. 4.
G. W. Dewhurst, U. S. Navy acting master.
Eben S. Bowley,
Azel l'. Brigham,
11 Mass.
G. W. Dewhurst, Jr., 1 S. Carolina.
Bruce Brigham,
11 Mass.
Henry Dewhurst, Clerk.
Ephraim Brigham,
11 Mass.
John E. Dodge, 22 Mass.
George H. Brigham,
11 Mass.
J. Donovan, 8 B.
William Broderick,
U. S. Navy.
Samuel Dow.
George H. Brown,
14 Mass. C. R. I. Cavalry.
William E. Durgin, 12 Maine B.
Freeman Caban,
U. S. Navy.
Ira E. Early, 8.
W. Edwin Carter,
U. S. Navy.
C. E. Folsom, 17 Mass.
George W. Clark,
32 Mass.
William A. Clark,
12 Mass. K.
George Clough, 8 H.
James W. Folsom, 11.
Joseph Folsom, 13.
Charles W. Colcord, 8 B.
Charles H. Foss, S A.
Freeman Conner, 44 N. Y .; Colonel.
George W. Fuller, 13 E.
Edward J. Conner, 17 U. S. A .; Capt.
J. F. Furnald, 4.
John Conner, U. S. Navy.
W. Conner, 15.
George W. Gale, Jr., Asst. Surg.
U. S. Navy ;
Maurice Cotter, 9 Mass.
James H. Garland, 14 Mass. F.
J. N. Crummett,
U. S. Navy.
George Gill, R. I. Cavalry.
E. P. Cummings, Surgeon.
23 Mass. Asst.
Isaiah W. Gill, U. S. Navy acting master.
Albert O. Curtis,
13 Mass.
Nathaniel Gill, 11 Mass.
George Dearborn,
15 Mass. Bat.
Gardiner Gilman, 45 Mass.
15 I; dead. Mass. Battery.
Horace Ellison, 5 Mass.
James W. Chase,
John Farnham, 5 Mass.
William Chase,
Charles H. Folsom, Q. M.
Clerk ; U. S.
H. C. Clough, 1 Mass. B.
Daniel V. Durgin, 8.
G. W. Brown,
* The figures refer to New Hampshire Regiments, unless a different State is indi- cated.
278
HISTORY OF EXETER.
Sewall Goodwin, U. S. Navy.
John Gordon, 55 Mass .; Captain.
Charles Greenleaf, 15 Mass.
Daniel D. Haines, 8 B.
J. H. Hartnett, 2 E.
Michael Hartnett, U. S. Navy.
D. C. Harris, 8.
S. C. Hervey, 14 Mass. B ; Lieut.
William B. Hill, 17 Mass. F; Lieut.
J. H. Huse, 2 E.
James Irving, 1 Mass. B.
George W. Kimball,
U. S. Navy.
James Kimball, U. S. Navy.
James Kincaid,
U. S. Navy.
Augustus J. Leavitt, 29 Mass.
Charles HI. Leavitt,
29 Mass. K.
John Ward Leavitt,
5 Mass.
John Leavitt,
9 E.
Joseph W. Leavitt, 5 Mass.
Patrick Little, 9 A.
Thomas McEnery, 3.
Daniel McNary, U. S. Navy.
D. F. McNeal, 19 Mass.
A. Merrill, 12 Mass. E.
John Munjoy, U. S. Navy.
James Murphy, 8 B.
Paul F. Nason, A. A. G. Artil. Brig. 5 Corps.
C. P. H. Nason, Clerk.
Charles H. Nealey, 11 I.
B. Nealey,
U. S. Navy.
- Norris, 15.
John O'Brien, U. S. Navy.
G. G. Odiorne, 16 Ind .; Asst. Surgeon. J. C. Payson, 13 D.
T. K. Payson,
U. S. Navy.
Asa E. Perkins, 40 N. Y.
Valentine A. Pickering, 2 Mass. Bat.
George W. Robinson,
28 Mass. I.
Henry S. P. Rollins,
U. S. Navy.
Charles W. Rogers, U. S. Navy.
Charles Rowe,
3 D.
Frank G. Rundlett, U. S. Navy.
A. J. Sanborn, 9 A.
Charles Sleeper, U. S. Navy. 3 B.
William H. Sleeper,
Charles Smith.
J. R. Smith,
44 Mass.
-
- Stacy,
U. S. Navy.
C. H. Staples,
U. S. Navy.
Charles W. Stevens, Ky. Pay. Dept.
David Stickney, 8 D.
Daniel W. Stone,
U. S. Navy.
W. C. Swasey,
12 Mass. K.
William E. Swasey,
U. S. Navy.
James M. Tappan, 8 A.
L. F. Tebbetts, 2 B.
J. I. Tebbetts,
U. S. Navy.
Warren V. B. Tebbetts, 17 Mass. F. Eugene Thurston, 9 A.
Charles J. Towle, U. S. Navy.
Henry Veasey.
Wheelock G. Veasey, 16 Vt .; Colonel.
G. A. W. Vinal, 6 Mass. K. George A. Wadleigh, 3 Mass. Cav .; Lieutenant.
James P. Wadleigh, 9 A.
W. Wainwright, U. S. Navy.
Orin P. Waldo,
11.
Henry Walker, 8 G.
William H. Walton,
3.
Edward Warren,
U. S. Navy.
Freeman Wallace,
U. S. Navy.
H. Weeks, 6 E.
Henry A. Weeks, 26 Mass. A.
J. E. G. Weeks, 9 A.
Nathaniel Weeks, 2d,
U. S. Navy.
John S. Weeks,
Inv. Corps.
W. Whitehouse, Alfred Willey, 17 U. S. A.
Charles Willey.
Edwin Willey,
13 Mass. B.
George Willey,
U. S. Navy.
James Willey, 12 Mass.
Henry Wood, 9 A.
W. Wyman,
4.
J. R. Young, 8 B.
It is much to be regretted that no complete and authentic account of the services and sufferings, or even of the names, of the resi-
279
HISTORY OF EXETER.
dents of Exeter who perilled their lives in their country's cause, has been kept. This should no longer be. Late as it is, and difficult as it may now be to compile such an account, the town owes it to the memory of the heroic dead to ascertain the exact part taken by every one of its citizens in aiding to preserve the integrity of the Union, to be inscribed upon permanent record, for the information of present and future generations. Exeter has yet no memorial of her soldiers ; such a history would be a tribute more appropriate than any monument of marble or bronze and equally enduring.
A few brief biographical notices of some of the more prominent officers will properly close this chapter of Exeter history.
General Gilman Marston was born in Orford, New Hampshire, of which town his grandfather, a captain in the old French war, was one of the earliest settlers from Hampton. His early life was passed on a farm, and he paid the expenses of his own education by school keeping, graduating from Dartmouth College in 1837. He studied law, and in 1841 came, an entire stranger, to Exeter. In a short time, his diligence, attention to business and personal interest in the affairs of his clients, secured him a valuable practice. In 1845 he took his first step in political life as a representative in the State Legislature, and was twice re-elected, and appointed a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1850. In 1859 he was chosen a representative in the Congress of the United States, and re-elected in 1861. Being in Washington in the anxious period that followed the inauguration of President Lincoln, he joined the battalion commanded by Cassius M. Clay for the de- fence of the national capital, and as soon as the exigency there had passed, returned to New Hampshire and tendered his services to the State Executive.
Ile was appointed colonel of the Second Regiment, originally enlisted for three months only, but its term of service then ex- tended to three years. One month from its arrival in Washing- ton it took part in the battle of Bull Run, where the colonel was severely wounded by a bullet which shattered his right arm near the shoulder. The surgeons would have amputated it, to save his life, but, by reason of the colonel's resolute refusal, it was saved, to become about as serviceable as the other. He soon returned to his regiment, and was in command of it at Williamsburg, at Fair Oaks, during the seven days' battles before Richmond, at
280
HISTORY OF EXETER.
Malvern Hill, and at Fredericksburg. In the winter of 1862-3, while active operations were suspended, he returned to his seat in Congress.
He was appointed brigadier general in the fall of 1862, but did not accept the appointment till April, 1863, when he was put in charge of a large camp of confederate prisoners, in Maryland, in command of his own and two other New Hampshire regiments. A year later, the command of a brigade of New York troops in the Eighteenth Corps was given him, and he took part in the assault on Drury's Bluff. Thence his command was ordered to Cold Harbor, and in the memorable conflict there his brigade in one-half hour lost five hundred men. Subsequently, he participated in the assault on the works at Petersburg ; and then was directed by General Grant to take charge of several posts on the James, where he remained until autumn, but, being attacked by chills and fever, from his long exposure in that miasmatic region, he was obliged to quit the army on sick leave. He was again elected to Congress in the succeeding March, and after the fall of Richmond resigned his commission of general.
General Marston's military services are matter of history. Per- haps no higher commendation could be given him than that paid by a field officer of his old command. The Second Regiment, as is well known, made a distinguished record in the war. Major Cooper, in his report to the adjutant general, wrote thus of its first commander : "Whatever name or fame the regiment may possess, it is indebted for almost wholly to the untiring zeal and effort of Colonel, now General Gilman Marston."
After the expiration of his third congressional term, General Marston returned to Exeter and resumed his law practice. Neither his political nor his military service had lessened his zeal or his industry in his profession, and he has ever since had all the busi- ness that he cared for. Few of the principal causes arising in his seetion have been tried without his assistance, and he has often been summoned to other parts of the State to conduct important snits.
The people of Exeter have manifested their confidence in his ability and usefulness as a law maker by continuing him for an unprecedented length of time as a representative in the State Legislature, where his position and experience have given him an influence second to that of no other member.
In 1882 Dartmouth College conferred upon General Marston the honorary degree of LL. D.
281
HISTORY OF EXETER.
Lieutenant Colonel Henry H. Pearson was born in Newport, Illinois, February 26, 1840. By his own exertions he determined to obtain an education, and with that view came to Exeter and entered the Phillips Academy. He was a faithful student, and a great reader of books, especially of history and biography. Upon the breaking out of the Rebellion he was fired with military and patriotic ardor, and proceeded, a part of the way on foot, to Washington, where he joined a military company and took part in the battle of Bull Run. He then returned to Exeter, and was commissioned by the governor captain in the Sixth New Hamp- shire Regiment. In order to procure recruits, he appointed war meetings in the towns adjacent to Exeter, at which he addressed the people with great effect, and thus he enlisted his company. The people of Exeter, in recognition of his patriotic services, pre- sented him with a handsome sword and other substantial tokens of their regard.
In April, 1862, he commanded his company in the action at Camden, North Carolina, and in August, at the second battle of Bull Run, and wrote accounts of both, which showed superior military capacity. The next year he distinguished himself in the engagements at Chantilly, South Mountain and Fredericksburg, and, later, at Vicksburg and Jackson, Mississippi. And when, in December, 1863, the regiment re-enlisted, he received the merited appointment of lieutenant colonel. In the great campaign of Grant in Virginia, he led his men in the battle of the Wilderness with judgment and ability. On the twenty-sixth of May, 1864, at North Anna river, while reconnoitring the enemy through his field glass, he received the bullet of a sharp-shooter in the fore- lead which deprived him of life, at the early age of twenty-three.
Hle was beloved by his men for his attention to their wants, and for his coolness and courage and ability. Few volunteer officers were better equipped than he with the knowledge and qualities re- quired to make a successful commander. His brother officers respected and admired him, and his death was sincerely lamented by all who knew him.
Lieutenant Colonel Moses N. Collins was born in Brentwood, in April, 1820. He received a thorough academic education, and for several years was employed in teaching in the State of Mary- land. He then returned to New Hampshire to prepare himself for the practice of the law, and completed his studies in Exeter in the office of General Gilman Marston, whose partner he became.
282
HISTORY OF EXETER.
He was elected to the State Legislature from his native town in 1860, and from Exeter in 1861 and 1862. In the latter year he received the appointment of major, and subsequently, of lieutenant colonel of the Eleventh New Hampshire Regiment, then forming. After arriving at the seat of war, the regiment had not long to wait before receiving their " baptism of fire." At Fredericksburg they joined in the bloody, unavailing assault upon Marye's Heights, and were, for two hours, exposed to a tremendous cannonade, and lost heavily.
In 1863 the regiment was engaged in the siege of Vicksburg, and afterwards bore their part of the hardships and sufferings of Burnside's army in Knoxville. At this time Lieutenant Colonel Collins was in command, in the absence of the colonel. In the spring of 1864 the regiment was ordered to rejoin the army of the Potomac, and was engaged in the terrible conflicts of Grant's advance upon Richmond. In the battle of the Wilderness on May 6, 1864, the Eleventh was under fire nearly all the day. In an advance against the enemy, Lieutenant Colonel Collins received his death wound, being shot directly through the head.
He was a man of much resolution and force of character, and had established a high reputation as a lawyer of skill and ability. His death was a public loss.
Captain Albert M. Perkins was a native of Exeter, and at the time of the breaking out of the war was about eighteen years of age. He had received a good academic education and was bright, active and popular. He was of an adventurous spirit, and loyal to the core, and entered into the contest with enthusiasm. His first position was that of orderly sergeant, from which he was pro- moted through several grades to the office of captain, earning every step by his courage and good conduct. He not only never shrank from any exposure, but set an example to his men of boldness and enterprise on all critical occasions.
It was in the battle of Gettysburg, the turning point of the war, that he received the wound which occasioned the loss of his arm, and eventually was the cause of his untimely death. He lived to witness the triumphant close of the great conflict, but not long afterward. His life was short, but it comprised more daring and sacrifice than most lives of threescore years and ten.
EDUCATIONAL.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES.
THE first settlers of Exeter were too intelligent not to realize the importance of furnishing proper instruction to their children, nor did they make their home in the remote region of the Squam- scot without providing a suitable teacher for them. Philemon Pormort, one of their number, was an experienced schoolmaster. Ile had taught the youth of Boston acceptably, and, no doubt, as long as he remained in Exeter, exercised his calling there. His stay was abont five years. Before he departed, another person well qualified to be his successor had come to settle in the town : John Legat. He had taught a school in Hampton, and presum- ably filled the same useful station in Exeter. He lived in the place up to the year 1652, at least. The records of the town contain no information in regard to the earliest schools, as they were probably maintained, not at the public charge, but by the parents of the children who attended them. Nor for many years after towns were made by law responsible for the maintenance of schools, do the records refer to the subject. We learn, however, that in 1669 John Barsham, who had been employed elsewhere as a teacher of the young, was living in Exeter, and it is natural to suppose that he was one of the line of schoolmasters.
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