Amos Watson Gillot, also known as “Gillett,” born 1844 in Michigan, the son of Amos (b. 1820) and Hannah (b. 1821).
Both New York natives his parents were probably married in New York but eventually moved westward and moved to Michigan sometime before 1844, probably settling in Washtenaw County by 1845. By 1850 Amos and his sister Phebe were attending school and living with their other sister Theresa and their father -- who was working as a blacksmith -- and all were living with the Charles Sandford family on a farm in Freedom, Washtenaw County. By 1860 Amos (the younger) was working as a blacksmith with his father and living with his family in North Plains, Ionia County.
Amos was 17 years old and residing in Ionia or Clinton County when he enlisted in Company D on May 13, 1861. (Company D was composed in large part of men who came from western Ionia County and Eaton County.) He died of “congestion of the brain” on September 20, 1861, at Fort Richardson, Virginia.
On September 20 Alexander Morton of Company D wrote home from Fort Richardson to his sister and brother mentioning Amos Gillot’s death among other bits of news.
I received your letter this afternoon, while I was sitting by the corpse of one of the boys of our company, he died this morning. The doctor said he had the inflammation on the brain; it was a very sudden death. The boys are going to have a tombstone for to mark the spot where he is laid to rest. He came from Fish Crick.
On September 30, Frank Siverd of Company G described the funeral in a letter to the editor of the Lansing Republican.
Another of those sad scenes [wrote Siverd] that cast a shade over the light hearted, jovial, free and easy manners of the camp occurred last week. A. M. Gillett [sic], of Company D, Ionia Co., died after a painful illness of only twelve hours. A sad procession was that that passed through the lines, with muffled drums and slow and measured tread. There was no funeral service read, there being no Chaplain at the post, but Captain Houghton [of Company D] delivered a short eulogy over the remains of the deceased. His comrades performed the last sad duty by firing a salute over the grave. His grave is a fit resting place for one who gave his life to his country. From the Fort on the hill top, dark, angry looking columbiads will look frowningly upon any enemy that dares molest the resting place of the honored dead, while its secluded position will prevent the spot being the scene of any future conflict of arms, and the sighing of the winds through the pines that surrounded his grave will sing unto his memory a lasting requiem.
According to one report members of his company “purchased tombstones to mark his last resting place.” It is presumed that his remains lie somewhere near present-day Arlington Heights or he may be one of the unknown soldiers reinterred in Arlington National Cemetery.
His father apparently enlisted on November 15, 1861, for three years, as a private in Company F, Thirteenth Michigan infantry and was mustered in on January 17, 1862. He was discharged on July 16, 1865, at Savannah, Georgia. He received a pension (no. 244204), as did his widow, Hannah (no. 692,052).
Both New York natives his parents were probably married in New York but eventually moved westward and moved to Michigan sometime before 1844, probably settling in Washtenaw County by 1845. By 1850 Amos and his sister Phebe were attending school and living with their other sister Theresa and their father -- who was working as a blacksmith -- and all were living with the Charles Sandford family on a farm in Freedom, Washtenaw County. By 1860 Amos (the younger) was working as a blacksmith with his father and living with his family in North Plains, Ionia County.
Amos was 17 years old and residing in Ionia or Clinton County when he enlisted in Company D on May 13, 1861. (Company D was composed in large part of men who came from western Ionia County and Eaton County.) He died of “congestion of the brain” on September 20, 1861, at Fort Richardson, Virginia.
On September 20 Alexander Morton of Company D wrote home from Fort Richardson to his sister and brother mentioning Amos Gillot’s death among other bits of news.
I received your letter this afternoon, while I was sitting by the corpse of one of the boys of our company, he died this morning. The doctor said he had the inflammation on the brain; it was a very sudden death. The boys are going to have a tombstone for to mark the spot where he is laid to rest. He came from Fish Crick.
On September 30, Frank Siverd of Company G described the funeral in a letter to the editor of the Lansing Republican.
Another of those sad scenes [wrote Siverd] that cast a shade over the light hearted, jovial, free and easy manners of the camp occurred last week. A. M. Gillett [sic], of Company D, Ionia Co., died after a painful illness of only twelve hours. A sad procession was that that passed through the lines, with muffled drums and slow and measured tread. There was no funeral service read, there being no Chaplain at the post, but Captain Houghton [of Company D] delivered a short eulogy over the remains of the deceased. His comrades performed the last sad duty by firing a salute over the grave. His grave is a fit resting place for one who gave his life to his country. From the Fort on the hill top, dark, angry looking columbiads will look frowningly upon any enemy that dares molest the resting place of the honored dead, while its secluded position will prevent the spot being the scene of any future conflict of arms, and the sighing of the winds through the pines that surrounded his grave will sing unto his memory a lasting requiem.
According to one report members of his company “purchased tombstones to mark his last resting place.” It is presumed that his remains lie somewhere near present-day Arlington Heights or he may be one of the unknown soldiers reinterred in Arlington National Cemetery.
His father apparently enlisted on November 15, 1861, for three years, as a private in Company F, Thirteenth Michigan infantry and was mustered in on January 17, 1862. He was discharged on July 16, 1865, at Savannah, Georgia. He received a pension (no. 244204), as did his widow, Hannah (no. 692,052).
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