This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

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





 

Find out what's happening in Nortonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.





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.

Find out what's happening in Nortonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.





[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.















We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Norton