USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hollis > History of the town of Hollis, New Hampshire, from its first settlement to the year 1879 > Part 21
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Price, Stephen H. Promoted to Corporal, Dec. 14, 1861. Re-enlisted Veteran, February 23, 1864. Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Rideout, Charles G. Mustered out December 23, 1564.
Smith, Freeman H. Discharged for disability at Fort Jefferson, July 20, 1863.
Spalding, Wm. F. Promoted to ist Sergeant, December 14, 1861. To ist Lieutenant, July IS, 1863, Company C. Mustered out December 22, 1864.
Spalding, Winslow J. Promoted to Corporal October 10, 1863. Promoted to Sergeant. Cap- tured at Fort Wagner July IS, 1$63. Exchanged, January 21, 1864. Mustered out Decem- ber 22, 1364.
Truell, Nathaniel L. Promoted to Corporal December 14, IS61. Mustered out December 23, 1564.
Worcester, Charles H. Promoted to Corporal December 14, 1861. To Sergeant, October 9, IS63. Wounded near Richmond, Virginia, October 1, 1864. Mustered out December 32, 1564.
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[1862.
Worcester, John H. Promoted to 2d Lieutenant, December 14, 1861. To ist Lieuter nt, June 30, 1862. Mortally wounded, July IS, 1863, at Fort Wagner. Died of wound. July 36. 1S63.
Worcester, William. Mustered out December 22, 1564.
Wright, Ezra S. Mustered out December 22, 1864.
Wright, Nathaniel H. Died of disease at St. Augustine, Florida, November 27, 1862.
EIGHTH NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.
This regiment was also enlisted at Manchester in the fall and early in the winter of IS61, and was mustered in at Manchester Decem- ber 23, 1861, commanded by Col. Hawkes Fearing, Jun., of that city. It left Manchester Jan. 24, 1862, for Ship Island, Mississippi, by the way of Boston, and was afterwards in the service in Louisiana and other States bordering on the Mississippi river till the expiration of its term of enlistment. The Hollis soldiers named below enlisted for three years in this regiment in the fall or winter of 1861.
Austin, Albert S. Company E, enlisted December 20. Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps, April, IS64.
Conant, Andrew H. Company E, enlisted December 20. Promoted to Corporal, February . 14, 1863. Re-enlisted, January 4, IS64. Died at Natches, Miss., October 10, IS65.
Elkins, Freeman. Company E, enlisted December 20. Discharged for disability, at Ship Island, Miss., April 10, IS62.
Jones, James, W. D. Company A, enlisted October 25. Died at camp Kearney, La., Octo- ber 26, 1862.
Patch, Joseph T. Company A, enlisted October 25. Discharged for disability. Died at Nashua, July IS, IS63.
Prior to the month of August, 1862, no bounties to volunteers, to fill the quota of Hollis in the war, had been offered or paid by the town. Till that date all the several calls upon the town for enlist- ments had been cheerfully and fully met by its patriotic young men. But owing in part to the large number of Hollis men then in the army, and in part also to a depreciation of the paper currency then in use, the calls for enlistments after the first of August, 1862, were not so promptly filled. In view of this state of facts, and to stimu- late enlistments, the town, at a meeting held on the 12th of August of that year, " voted to pay a bounty of $200 to any inhabitant of Hollis who would enlist for three years, or during the war, or should volunteer or be drafted for nine months, and be mustered into the United States service." In pursuance of this vote the town paid as bounties to thirty men, between the first of September, 1862, and July first, 1863. $200 cach, amounting to $6,000. Most of these men enlisted for nine months in the 15th New Hampshire regi- ment ; the rest in other regiments for three years.
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THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.
1862.]
FIFTEENTH NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.
This regiment was raised for nine months, under the call of Pres- ident Lincoln for 300,000 men for that time. It had its rendezvous at Concord, and was mustered into service at that place November 12, 1862, under the command of Col. John W. Kingman of Dur- ham. It left Concord the next day for New Orleans, and afterwards served its time with the union army in Louisiana. The regiment reached New Orleans on Christmas day, and was engaged in garri- son and guard duty near that city till about the 20th of May, 1863, many of the men in the meantime having suffered much from the diseases of the climate. About the last of May, it was ordered, with other regiments, to Port Hudson, and shared in the sanguinary but finally successful siege of that place, which ended in its uncon- ditional surrender on the 9th of July following. At the expiration of its term of service the regiment returned to Concord, and was mustered out on the 13th of August. In company E of this regi- ment, commanded by Capt. William E. Stearns of Manchester, and of which Francis A. Wood of Hollis was 2d Lieutenant, were twenty-two Hollis soldiers, enlisted between October 9 and Novem- ber 2, 1862, all of whom, with the exception of John C. Smith, returned and were mustered out with the regiment. The names of these men are presented in the following list :
Adams, Charles F. Hayden, Samuel F.
Smith, John C. Died of disease
Annis, George H. Hull, George S. at Hollis, August, 10, 155 ;-
Chamberlain, Caleb W.
Patch, Granville P. Tenney, George F.
Colburn, Ai Pond, Aaron
Vandyke, Isaac
Hamblet, Charles S.
Pond, Frank E.
Willoby, Harvey M.
Hanscom, Alfred A.
Portwine, Rufus
Willoby, Oliver H.
Hardy, Isaac
Rideout, David J. Wood, Francis A., 2d Lieu -
Hardy, John H.
Smith, Freeman H. tenant.
OTHER HOLLIS SOLDIERS ENLISTED IN IS63.
Cameron, Henry G. Enlisted company I, 13th regiment, September 20, 1862. Promoted to Sergeant. Discharged for disability at Falmouth, Virginia, January 14, 1563.
Chickering, Frank N. Enlisted company B, 2d regiment Aug 21, 1862. Promoted to Sergeant. Wounded June 3, 1864. Mustered out June 9, 1865.
Jaquith, John G. Enlisted company II, 7th regiment, March 14, 1862. Mustered out, April 31, 1365.
Roby, David T. Enlisted company 1, 13th regiment, September 20, 1862. Wounded Septem. ber 35, 1864. Mustered out June 21, 1865-
Smithwick, Peter. Enlisted company E, 13th regiment, September 26, 1862. Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps, March 31, 1864.
Sullivan, Joseph. Enlisted company B, toth regiment, August 25, 1S62. Mustered out May 16, 1865.
Woods, John I. Enlisted August 21, 1562, company B, 2d regiment. Discharged for disabil- ity June 33, 1903. (15)
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THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. [1863
HOLLIS SOLDIERS ENLISTED AND DRAFTED IN 1863.
Baker, Patrick. Enlisted December 7, 1863, company HI, 7th regiment. Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Buss, Joseph. Enlisted December 7, 1863, company A, 12th regiment. Died of disease at Fort Munroe, Virginia, October 13, 1564. Bills, Jason W. Enlisted August 14, 1863, company A, heavy Artillery. Mustered out Sep- tember 11, 1865.
Hale, Charles A. Enlisted May IS, 1863, company 11, 7th regiment. Wounded July 18, 163 at Fort Wagner. May 10, 1864, at Drury's Bluff, Virginia. June 16, 1864, at Bermuda Hundred, Virginia. Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Hall, Harvey M. Enlisted November 4, 1863, company C, 9th regiment. Died of disease at Washington, D. C., September 1, 1864.
Kendall, Hiram R. Drafted September 1, 1863, company G, 8th regiment. Died of disease at Natchez, Miss., November 3, 1854.
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In the month of July 1863, ten soldiers were lacking to fill the Hollis quota, and for want of voluntary enlistments, ten of the Hollis enrolled men were drafted, all of whom, with the exception of Hiram R. Kendall, above named, furnished non-resident substi- tutes at an average cost of about $500, of which the town paid $300 as a bounty ; the town at a meeting September 3, 1863; having voted to pay that sum as a bounty to every drafted man of the town or his substitute, after having been for ten days mustered into the United States service.
In October of this year a further call was made upon the town for fourteen men to fill its quota, twelve of whom, (all non-resi- dents) were engaged by the Selectmen, and who were paid boun- ties by the town averaging about $235 cach. in addition to a State bounty of $300. Patrick Baker and Joseph Buss, two resident volunteer citizens, made up the number then called for, each of whom was paid a bounty by the town of $300 in addition to that paid by the State.
HOLLIS SOLDIERS FURNISHED IN IS64.
Three veteran Hollis soldiers, whose terms of service were about to expire, re-enlisted under a call made by the President in Feb- ruary of this year, viz., John F. Boynton, John A. Coburn and Stephen HI. Price, all of whom were mustered out in July 1865. The town's quota being still deficient, about the first of March 1864. six other Hollis enrolled meu were drafted, each of whom, at the cost to himself of about $315, furnished a non-resident substitute -- these substitutes being also paid a bounty by the town of $300 each.
At a town meeting held June 11, of this year, Enoch Farley, Esq., one of the Selectmen for 1864, was appointed sole agent in
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1861 to 1865.] SOLDIERS' AID SOCIETY.
behalf of the town to engage men to fill all future calls. After- wards, about the middle of July, a further requisition was made upon the town for twenty-eight additional men who were enlisted for three years. Only three residents of Hollis enlisted under this call. viz., Charles S. Hamblet, September 6, 1864, in the heavy artil- lery, and Aaron Pond, September 26, and Charles F. Chasc. Dec. 28, 1864, in the Veteran Reserve Corps. These were the last resi- dents of Hollis who enlisted in this war. The remaining twenty- five of the twenty-eight, all non-residents and most of them aliens, were engaged by the agent of the town, the whole twenty-eight being paid bounties averaging to each about $680, including the bounty paid by the State and that of $300 paid by the town.
SOLDIERS FURNISHED IN 1865.
At a meeting held on the 5th of January of this year, the town " voted to pay a bounty of $300 to any enrolled man of the town. or citizen of the town who would himself enlist or furnish a sub- stitute to fill the quota of the town in anticipation of future calls to the amount of the town's quota for 500,000 men in addition to the present call for 300,000."
In pursuance of this vote, sixteen enrolled citizens of the town engaged substitutes at the average cost of about $S16 each, of which sum the town paid as a bounty, $300, and the State also $3co. In the foregoing recitals I have purposely omitted the names of all the non-resident substitutes who were engaged during the last years of this war. I am glad to be able to say that none of them were citi- zens or residents of Hollis. With but few exceptions they were all aliens. belonging mainly to that class of worthless vagabonds. known at the time as "Bounty Jumpers." of no service in the army . a curse to the country, and a reproach to human nature.
THE HOLLIS SOLDIERS' AID SOCIETY.
The history of Hollis in the war of the Rebellion would be un- pardonably incomplete should it fail to tell of the patient. faithful and fruitful labors of the Hollis ladies. Like their grandmothers in the war of the Revolution, they were at all times mindful of their fathers, sons and brothers in the field, camp and hospital. and not forgetful of those of them in the rebel prisons. In the year IS61. near the beginning of the war, a Ladies' Soldiers' Aid Society was organized. and continued in active and successful operation till its close.
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SOLDIERS' AID SOCIETY. [1861 to 1865.
The president of this society was Mrs. Taylor G. Worcester- its Treasurer. Mrs. Pliny B. Day-and its Directors in different years, Mrs. James Ball, Mrs. Cyrus Burge, Mrs. Levi Abbot, Mrs. William P. Saunderson, Mrs. John S. Heywood, and Misses Roxana Read, Elizabeth Fletcher, and Martha Worcester.
It had a numerous membership, but unfortunately for the histori- cal chronicler, it preserved no written record of its members nor of its very liberal contributions in various ways to the needs and com- forts of the men in the army. A better and more fitting record of their good works than that kept in day books and ledgers still exists in the hearts and memories of the grateful recipients of their bounty.
Besides the work done for the soldiers, by these ladies at their own homes, they continued to meet during the war on the afternoon of the first Tuesday of each month (and at times much oftener) to fashion, make and provide articles of necessity and comfort, such as lint, bandages, comfortable clothing and bedding, canned fruits, wines, etc., for the sick and wounded in the hospitals, and neces- saries for the use, convenience and health of the men in the field and camp, and also for the relief of such of them as were doomed to pine and suffer in the infamous rebel prisons. The value of these good deeds and kind offices is not to be estimated in " greenbacks " or gold. Still, Rev. Dr. Day in his anniversary New Years' ser- mons during the war, as well as before and after it, was accustomed to present a statement of the amount of the contributions of the people of his society to the various benevolent enterprises of the time, including with the rest during the war the estimated ap- praised value in money of the yearly contributions of the Ladies' Soldiers' Aid Society to the comforts and wants of the men in the army.
Unfortunately these annual sermons of Dr. Day during the war. with but one or two exceptions, cannot now be found. But the true estimated money value of these contributions for the four years of the war may be proximately gathered from his annual sermon. still preserved, delivered in January 1864, from which it appears that these benefactions for the soldiers and freedmen for the year IS63 were appraised in cash, at somewhat more than $1,500, and it may be added, that it is believed, by the late officers and members of the society most conversant with its doings, that the entire cash value of its contributions during the war, including the money donated by its members, was not less than $4,000.
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SOLDIERS' MONUMENT. THOSE THAT FELL.
1STLEIT. JOHNH.WORCESTER. UTLETT. CHAS. H. FARLEY. CORP.WEBSTER D. GOLBERN. CORP. NORMAN R. HOWE. .CORP. JOHN W. HAYDEN. HENRY BALL. JOHN P. BILLS. JOSEPH E. BUSS. CHARLES H. FLEICHER
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HARVEY M. HALL .. JONATHAN B.HOBART PERIEY J.JEWETT. JAMES W. D.JONES. FURAM R. KENDALL. JOSEPH T.PATCH. JOHN C. SMITH SYLVESTER T.WHEELER. NATHANIEL HAWRIGHT.
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SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.
IS73.]
THE HOLLIS POST OF THE GRAND ARMY.
The JOHN H. WORCESTER Post of the Grand Army, having twenty-six members, was organized April 1, 1875. The officers of the Post then chosen were Capt. John A. Coburn, Commander, Francis Lovejoy, Senior vice Commander, Charles H. Worcester, Junior vice Commander, and Daniel W. Hayden, Adjutant.
THE SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.
Not very long after the end of the war of the Rebellion, the ques- tion was brought before the people of the town of providing some suitable monument in honor of the Hollis soldiers whose lives had been sacrificed in the service of the country in the war to save the nation, and also in that in which its independence was won. The interest felt in this subject shortly afterwards led to a volun- tary subscription for this purpose on the part of the citizens of near $Soo, and finally resulted in a vote of the town at its annual meet- ing in March 1872, to raise by tax a sum not exceeding $2,500. for the erection of a monument in memory of the Hollis soldiers, who perished " in the war of the Revolution, in that of 1812, and in the war of the Rebellion." At the same meeting a committee, consisting of Dea. Noah Farley, Capt. John A. Coburn, George H. Bartemus, Henry G. Cameron, Isaac Vandyke, Levi Abbot, Charles F. Chase, William E. Howe, and Nathaniel L. Truell, was ap- pointed to locate and contract for the monument.
The action of this committee, in July following, resulted in the selection of the site for the monument where it now stands, on the Hollis common, about five rods south of the meeting-house, and afterwards in making a contract for its erection. with Moses Davis of Nashua as architect and builder, in accordance with a plan made by him and approved by the committee.
This monument as it now stands is of the best Concord granite, of four equal sides, all smoothly cut or polished, and its several parts all artistically and symmetrically proportioned to each other. Including its base, die and shaft, it is 22 1-2 feet in height. six feet square at its foundation, its diameter gradually growing less from its base to the vertex. On the east side of the die are inscribed the names of eighteen Hollis soldiers lost in the Rebellion. Upon its west side are the words, " In honor of the Hollis soldiers who fell in the wars of 1775 and in IS12." The names of those lost in the Revolution were not inscribed upon the monument at the time it
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
was erected, for the reason that the committee had not then suc- ceeded in obtaining a complete list of them. But from careful in- vestigation since made, it is believed that this list is now full, as presented on page 201 of this history, and there seems no longer sufficient reason for further delay in the inscription of their names on the monument, as originally designed.
The entire cost of this monument, including the foundation and curbing, was $2120.77, of which sum $790.37 were paid by private subscription of the citizens, and the balance $1330.40, by the town.
The dedication took place at the Hollis meeting-house, on the afternoon of Decoration day, (May 30) 1873, the graves of the fallen soldiers having been first strewed with flowers, by the comrades now belonging to the (Hollis) John II. Worcester Post of the Grand Army, and the pulpit and windows of the church beautifully gar- landed with bouquets. The exercises consisted, first of music by the Hollis Brass Band, next of singing by choirs of children, then prayer by Rev. . Mr. Laird, followed by patriotic songs and hymns by the Hollis church choir. The dedicatory address was delivered by Rev. Charles Wetherby of Nashua, in which he paid an elo- quent and just tribute to the early settlers of Hollis, especially to the virtues, courage and patriotism of the Revolutionary fathers of the town, and to the Hollis soldiers in the war of the Rebellion, whose bravery and good conduct had proved them worthy descend- ants of their Revolutionary ancestors-not forgetting to commend the liberal and grateful spirit of the people of the town as mani- fested in the erection of so chaste, appropriate and durable a mon- ument to perpetuate to future generations the memory and names of their fellow townsmen who had thus given their lives for their country.
AMES, CAPT. NATHAN M. (By J. H. H.)
was the only son of William Ames, Esq., and Lydia (Merrill) Ames, and was born in Hollis June 4, 1827. Capt. Ames settled in Hollis as a farmer and continued in that business till the breaking out of the civil war in 1861. Naturally vigorous and active, he manifested great energy in all enterprises he undertook, and was earnestly engaged in the promotion of the agricultural interests of the town.
At the age of eighteen, he held a position in the staff of the brigade with which he was connected in the militia of the State,
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BUFFORD, BOSTON
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
and in 1860 he organized a temporary militia company in Hollis, called the Hollis Phalanx, of which he was first Lieutenant. This company attended the Muster of that year at Nashua, and won great praise for its soldierly appearance and discipline. Many of the members of this company formed the nucleus of the organiza- tions that enlisted from Hollis in the civil war that soon followed.
When the war broke out Capt. Ames at once begun the labor of recruiting a company for the service. His original purpose was to have his company mustered into the Fifth New Hampshire Regi- ment of infantry. But the ranks of that regiment having been filled, before his company was complete, he concluded to have it united with the Seventh New Hampshire infantry.
He was with his regiment during most of its period of service till its discharge. In 1863, for a short time, he was Provost Marshal at Fernandina. Florida, and in the summer of 1864 he was appointed Chief of Ambulance in the Tenth Army Corps, at Bermuda Hundred, Va. While in this position he was assigned to a place on the staff of Gen. Birney.
At the expiration of the time for which his company had enlisted, he returned with it to New Hampshire, and resumed his former occupation on his farm in Hollis. In ISto he removed from Hollis to Vineland, N. J., where he bought a farm and engaged in the cultivation of fruits for the Philadelphia market. Although he made this change for the reason that from his experience of army life at the South, he believed that the climate of New Jersey would be better adapted to his health than that of New Hampshire, yet early in 1872. he was attacked with bronchial consumption of which he died September 5, 1872, æt. 45. Captain Ames was married June 20, 1848, to Miss Asenath Hardy, of Hollis, who now survives, and by whom he had three children, who survived him at his decease. He was a kind and affectionate husband and father, and at all times, in whatever position in life he was placed, he was ever ready to do his duty conscientiously, faithfully and promptly.
WORCESTER, LIEUT. JOHN H.
son of John N. and Sarah ( Holden) Worcester, was born in Hollis. January IS, 1839. In his boyhood he attended the public schools in Hollis, and afterwards had the benefit of a good academic educa- tion. Before the Southern Rebellion he had been a student at the law school at Cambridge, and at the commencement of the civil
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
war he was nearly ready to engage in the practice of his intended profession with flattering prospects of success. But when the nation summoned its young men to its defence, his love of country and stern sense of duty found from him a prompt response.
In the summer of 1861, he enlisted as a private soldier in Com- pany H, of the Seventh New Hampshire regiment, and upon its organization was chosen Second Lieutenant of his company. In June, 1862, upon the resignation of the First Lieutenant, (Potter,) Lieutenant Worcester was promoted to his place, and was after- wards constantly in the service with his regiment, in Florida and South Carolina, till his decease at Hilton Head, S. C., July 26. 1863, æt. 24 years and 6 months.
The Seventh regiment was present and took part in the fearful and bloody assault upon Fort Wagner, S. C., on the evening of July 18, 1863. Lieutenant Worcester having succeeded, at the head of his men, in gaining the top of the parapet of the Fort, while cheering them on, was severely wounded in his left leg, so that when the order to retreat was given, he was unable to leave the field. Having remained all night on the battle ground, he was taken prisoner, the next morning, carried into Charleston, his leg amputated, and on the 25th he was returned under a flag of truce. sent to Hilton Head and put on board a vessel to be sent north with other wounded men. But the following night the gangrene struck his limb, and before morning he breathed his last. When he found he could not live, he calmly resigned himself to his fate, and said to a wounded comrade lying at his side, " Give my love to my men. and say to them that I shall be with them no more, and tell my friends at home all you know of me." His remains were buried at Hilton Head, under a military escort, and afterwards disinterred, taken to Hollis and buried in the family cemetery.
In a tribute to his memory on the occasion of his funeral at Hollis. Rev. Dr. Day said of him, " Lieutenant Worcester was just the man the country wanted. Firm in his convictions, active and forcible. he was a right arm of strength in her service. Nature had fitted him for a popular and successful officer. His form was large and com- manding. He had a happy faculty of mingling with his men freely and socially. and yet maintaining a complete command of them. It was a command, not common in the army-that of respect and love. He endeavored to make the most of his men by increasing their virtues. His counsel and example were always against the
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BUFFORD SUSTON
Chas, The Maul
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
use of intoxicating drinks, tobacco, profanity and gambling, and he knew how to urge his views upon others without giving offence."
Dr. Boynton, the regimental Surgeon, wrote of him, " No officer in the regiment was before Lieutenant Worcester in promise. He was a general favorite with officers and men, and no one whose lot it was to fall on that fatal night was more universally lamented." Lieutenant Potter, to whose place Lieutenant Worcester was pro- moted, in a short obituary notice says of him: "Lieutenant Worcester in the discharge of every duty was faithful and persever- ing. No effort was too great for him if he could benefit the condi- tion of a private soldier or serve a friend. Such honesty-such fidelity-such energy and such kindness won for him the highest esteem of all who knew him. His character was unexceptionable -his habits strictly temperate-his principles unwavering. His service short, faithful and earnest, is ended. But his example still Lives, and will be felt so long as a remnant of his company shall survive."
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