behind AotW

The fine folks at the Western Maryland Historical Library (WHILBR), on the occasion of the 150th Anniversary of the War, scanned and transcribed a large number of local newspaper pieces for the period 1861-65. I’ve just picked up on four of these specific to soldiers who died in Hagerstown after Antietam in October, November, and December 1862.

Here’s a sample, a clipping from the Hagerstown Herald of Freedom & Torch Light of 19 November 1862:

For some of these men, I only had known that they had died, but not where or when. I’ve got some updating to do!

There are a few Confederates among those listed, but the majority were in Union regiments. These men were originally buried in a plot near the Alms House in Hagerstown, and most were removed to the new Antietam National Cemetery in 1866-67.

The Alms House, by the way, has been owned by the City of Hagerstown since 2004, and they are looking for proposals to re-purpose the building at 239 N. Locust Street.

Charles G. Lane (1804-1873), the undertaker, was himself buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Hagerstown, the site also of a significant number of burials of Confederate soldiers after the battle.

___________________

Here are transcriptions for each of the clippings I found on the subject of soldier deaths. My notes and corrections in brackets. I’ll link to each man for whom I have a page on AotW. I did not add pages for men who probably arrived in Maryland after the Campaign, marked by [x]. I’ve put [?] after the ones I can’t readily identify.

10 October 1862, the (Hagerstown) Herald of Freedom & Torch Light

DEATHS AT THE HOSPITAL IN THIS TOWN.
We are indebted to Charles G. Lane, Esq., undertaker, for the following list of deaths, which occurred at the Hospital in this town, from which it will be seen that three of the number were rebels:

Sept. 19 – Elisha King, 5th [8th] Florida reg’t.;
Sept.20 – William B. [C.] Eben, [Sgt., Co. E, 128th PA] Reading, Pa.;
Sept. 20 – Andrew W. Smith, 49th Pa, reg’t. [?];
Sept. 22 – E. H. Counts, 14th North Carolina reg’t. [?];
Sept. 22 – Alfred W. Davis, 15th Massachusetts reg’t.;
Sept. 24 – Samuel Collins, 7th Michigan reg’t.;
Sept. 26 – Capt. [Robert] Merkle, 20th New York reg’t.;
Sept. 26 – Samuel L. Ball, 72d Pa. reg’t.;
Sept. 27 – Andrew Labaugh, Newport, Pa. [?];
Sept, 28 – Wm. H. Nann [Nunn], 11th Alabama reg’t.;
Sept. 28 – Christopher Shurtz [Christian H. Shuster], 130th Pa. reg’t.

[WHILBR Note: E. H. Counts of North Carolina was listed as buried in the Alms House in Hagerstown … Also buried at the almshouse was W. H. Naun, Co. B, 20th N.C. and a W. H. Dunn, 10th Ala]

***

12 November 1862, the (Hagerstown) Herald of Freedom & Torch Light

DEATHS OF SOLDIERS.
Chas. G. Lane, Esq. Undertaker to the various hospitals of this town has handed us the subjoined list of names of soldiers whom he has buried since the 19th ult.:

Oct. 19th John B. [S.] Snow, Co. D, 137th Reg. Pa.
Oct 21st _____ New Jersey
Oct 22 Wm King, Co. A, 133d Pa.
Oct 23 Moses W. Jones, Co. H, 3d Wisconsin.
* Isaac [J.] Dobson, Co. D, 8th N. Y. Cavalry.
* John Glass, 3d New York Battery [20th Infantry]
Oct. 30 Wash [Washington] L. Taylor, 43d New York [x]
* W. [Wilson] Braithwaite, Co E, 5th Wisconsin
* A. F. Brown, Co. J. 37th. Mass. [x]
Oct. 31 Jas. W. [F.] Brown, Co F, 5th [6th] Maine
* Jacob Riltch [Kelsch], Co. B, 20th New York
Nov 1 Jesse Hathaway, Co. K., 137th Pa
* Jacob Burhman, 3d New Jersey [?]
* H. [Hollis] E. Slack, Co. B, 4th Vermont.
Nov 3 [Samuel] Green, Co. C, 18th New York
* R. [Richard] Lavers [Lavis], Co. K. [E.], 27th New York
Nov.3 William H. Craig, Co. D., 17th [7th] Mass
* Robbins Sanford 32d New York. [?]
Nov 4 John Kirkpatrick, Co. D, 137th Pa
* Geo O. [or C.] Merril [or Merrill], Co. B, 13th New York
* John Patterson, Co. J. [I.] 97th [67th] N. York.
* G.S. Cott [George Scott], Co. B., 6th Vermont Battery [Infantry]
* Wm. Davidson, Co. D, 137th Pa.
* John H. Hunt Co. 2d. R. Island [?]
Nov. 6 David B. Davidson, Co. I. 6th Vermont
* George C. Hale, Co. C [G.], 35th [33rd] New York
Nov. 7 Rufus [C.] Wright, Co. E, 16th New York [x]
* George Edward, Co. D, 26th New Jersey [?]
* Hants [Hance] Campbell, Co. D, 49th Pa.
Nov 8 S.E. Rawley, Co. H. 47th New York [?]
* Conrad Schnelf [Schnell], Co. K, 1st New Jersey
* Chester [Charles] Rath, Co. A, 5th Wisconsin.
* William Richardson, Co. A [E.], 27th N. Y.

A lot has been secured in the vicinity of the Alms House in which the soldiers who died in the hospitals are buried, their graves being marked with pine boards on which the name of each are written, and which will enable their friends hereafter to identify their resting places without difficulty Alas! the poor soldier who dies in a hospital! No kindred follow his remains to the grave, nor shed a tear at the grave. No clergyman’s voice commends the body to its kindred dust, nor prays for his repose of his soul in the world of the spirits. True, he is buried decently; but there are a hastiness, a cold indifference, and an absence of all ceremony in the manner in which he is consigned to his mother Earth, which cannot fail to excite in every sympathetic heart a feeling of pity for the poor neglected soldier, of his country’s honor and integrity who dies far away from friends and home. There are so many thus.

Ah, how many
Thousand that, uncheered by praise,
Have made one offering of their days
For Truth, for Heaven, for Freedom’s sake
Resigned the bitter cup to take.
Where sleep they? by no proud stone
Their narrow couch of rest is known
The still sad glory of their name,
Hallows no mountain unto fame
No – not a tree their record bears
Of their deep thoughts and lonely prayers.

***

19 November 1862, the (Hagerstown) Herald of Freedom & Torch Light

DEATHS AT THE HOSPITALS.
The number of deaths at the several Hospitals in this town since our last has been quite large, but we are pleased to perceive that the burials are now conducted with more ceremony and solemnity than they were at first. Squads of the 29th Pennsylvania Regiment, which is on provost duty in the town, attend the funerals, and pay to the deceased soldiers the usual honors of war, while the Rev’d. Mr. EDWARDS, Rector of St. John’s Parish, has also in several instances read the solemn and impressive burial ceremony of the Episcopal church at the grave. The following is a list of those who have died since our last publication, as furnished by Mr. Lane, the Undertaker: –

Nov’r. 9 – James Ryan, Co. K, 33d New York.
Nov. 10 – Henry [S.] Conkling [Conklin], Co. E, 3d N. York [New Jersey].
William H. Barnes, Co. F, 49th do
Wm. Beecher [Becker], Co. D, 96th Pa.
Nov. 11 – Jesey [Jesse] Hoyt, Co. A, 27th N. York.
George Wood, Co. C, 49th do
Garnet [Garret] A. Walling, Co. F, 32d do
Nov. 12 Jas T. Bourland [Boreland], Co. D, 137th Pa.
Nov. 13 – Urban [Urbane] Sears, Co. H, 37th Mass. [x]
Jos Casler, Co. H, 121st N. York,
Geo. Sprague, Co. K, 5th Vermont.
Nov. 14 – Noah L. Lane, Co. H, 9th do [x]
Isaac [or Isaiah] M. [V.] Spink [or Spinks], Co. F, 122d N. York.
Chas. Williamson, Co. K, 2d N. Jersey.
C. Lambero [Chambers O.] Fais [Fair], Co. B, 139th Pa.
E. [Eleazer] R. Walker, Batt’y D, 2d U. S. Art’y.
Daniel Rockwell Co. K, 49th N. Y. [x]
Henry Barrell, Co. B, 119th Pa. [x]
Nov. 15 – John W. Campbell, Co. G, 49th N Y.
Nov. 16 – Sylvester R. [F.] Briggs, Co C, 4th Vt. [x]
Jacob Fannerburg, Co. A, 33d N. Y. [?]
Jas. H. Teuver, Co. A, 49th Pa. [?]
Thos. Boyle, Co. K, 33d N. York.

“Warrior rest ! your toils are ended –
Life’s last fearful strife is over;
Clarion-calls, with death-notes blended
Shall disturb your ears no more!
Peaceful is your dreamless slumber –
Peaceful, – but how cold and stern
You have joined that silent number
In the land where none return!”

***

17 December 1862, the (Hagerstown) Herald of Freedom & Torch Light

DEATHS OF SOLDIERS.
Since our last the following deaths have occurred in the Hospitals of this town : –
Dec’r. 8 – Edward Bufter, 1st Md. Battery.
James H. Comstock, Co. I, 4th Vermont.
Sergt. [Pvt?] Julius Yunker [Zunker], Co. C, 20th N. Y.
Dec. 11 – Henry Hayes, Co, C, 62d N. Y.
Dec. 14 – John Kussey [Bussey], Co. B, 121st N. Y.