Community Corner
Civil War Author lectures at Stoughton Historical Society
William Marvel, author of sixteen books on the Civil War will speak at
the Stoughton Historical Society 6 Park
St, Stoughton, MA on May 18 at 2 P.M.
His topic will be “Soldiers of ’62: Nine-Month Men and Volunteers for the
Long Haul” telling this story through two Regiments: the 4th
Massachusetts (nine month men) and the 35th Mass. climaxing with the
summer and spring campaigns of 1864. Mr. Marvel’s most recent book is Tarnished Victory: Finishing Lincoln’s War.
The Stoughton Historical Society has previously published
the diaries of Charles Eaton from the 4th Mass. and Edward Waldo
from the 35th Mass.
Exactly 150 years ago, May 18, 1864, Edward Waldo wrote in his diary, “Our reg. charged on the
rifle pits this morning I was wounded through the arm.” Pvt. Waldo later died from this wound, which he
sustained at Spotsylvania Courthouse.
On this day only, the diaries will be available: $10 for both, less than
half the price of their usual cost.
This event is made possible by a grant from the Stoughton Cultural
Council. Light refreshments. Free For more info:
call 781 344 5456 or email us stoughtonhistoricalsociety@verizon.net
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On May 18, 1864, 150 years ago to the day, Edward Waldo
wrote in his diary, “Our reg. charged on the rifle pits this morning I was
wounded through the arm.” Pvt.
Waldo later died from this wound, which he sustained at Spotsylvania
Courthouse. Previous to this battle,
Waldo and the 35th had fought at South Mountain, Antietem,
Fredericksburg, Vicksburg, Knoxville,
and the Wilderness, the latter less than two weeks earlier. The 35th included men from
Stoughton, Canton, Sharon, Easton, Norton Taunton, Quincy, Hingham, Weymouth,
Abington, Randolph, Foxborough, Walpole, Mansfield, East Bridgewater, and South
Scituate.
17-year-old Pvt Charles Eaton had served the previous year as a
“nine-month-man” in a Stoughton Company of the 4th Mass. Other companies in the Regiment
included men from Randolph, Canton, Norton, Taunton and Lowell, all of whom were sent
to Louisiana and Mississippi to lay siege to Port Hudson, the last Confederate
stronghold to fall on the Mississippi River. At this time 149 years ago, Eaton wrote, “[May] 16th,
Sat. Mosquito nearly ate me up last night on guard. Sent papers to Andrew,
Herbert & Sidney.
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[May] 17th, Sun. Wrote
to Mother and Inez. Negroes are coming down the bayou in flatboats. In some of
the boats, there are a hundred and fifty or two hundred. They were ragged and
dirty. Sergeant Ayer came down this afternoon. He had been on picket up at Camp
Bisland.
[May] 18th, Mon. More
negroes today. Washed my pants today. The sun is awful hot.”
The 4th Mass. had
two tours, the first, a three-month service at the very beginning of the war
April to July 1861. Their second
duty was a nine month tour from September 1862-August 1863. In the latter service, many of them
were removed from service for “mutiny” when they refused to carry sandbags for
the Port Hudson siege, after their nine-month enlistment had expired. The men serving in both tours of
the 4th. were from Stoughton, Randolph, Canton, Sharon, Taunton, and
Easton plus Raynham, Middleborough, Lakeville, Kingston, Pembroke, Hanson, Lawrence/Lowell
men in the second deployment.