George E. Hammond - update 8/28/2016

George E. Hammond was born in 1827 in Cayuga, New York.

By 1850 George was possibly working as a farmer for and/or living with the family of John Shantz in Aurelius, Cayuga County. He was married to New York native Hannah (b. 1829) and they had one child, Ella (b. 1855). They moved to Michigan from New York sometime between 1855 and 1860 when George was living with his wife and child and working as a master carpenter and cabinet-maker in Bingham, Clinton County. By 1861 George was either divorced or a widower (during the war his sister Libby took care of his daughter).

When the war broke out George was First Corporal of the Boston Light Guards, a prewar militia company. Formed in the Boston, Ionia County area many of whose members would serve in Company D.

Indeed, he stood 5’9” with dark eyes and hair and a light complexion and was 34 years old and residing in St. Johns, Clinton County when he enlisted as Sergeant in Company D on May 13, 1861 (and was possibly related to Benjamin Hammond and Marshall Hammond, both of whom would also enlist in Company D).

On November 22, 1861, George wrote to his sister Libby (who was taking care of his daughter Ella) from Fort Lyon, Virginia, telling her “My health is pretty good at present with the exception of a slight cold which makes me cough. . . .” And on February 23, 1862, he wrote from Camp Michigan to his daughter Ella, who was apparently living with George’s sister Libby and her husband Charley. “We are encamped near Mount Vernon, in Virginia on the east side of the Potomac River. I am pretty well and I hope you are the same. It is a good while since I have heard from you but I hope it will not be long for the war is almost over and when the last shot is fired I will return home to see my Ella and then I will tell you about the war. You must be good to your Uncle Charley and Aunt Libby. Go to school and learn to read and write. Remember the prayer your mother learned you.”

George was wounded in the leg at Second Bull Run, on August 29, 1862, and subsequently absent sick in the hospital from October of 1862 through January of 1863, and probably in Lincoln hospital in Washington, DC from February through May of 1863. In March of 1863, he wrote his friends the Smiths in Michigan from Lincoln hospital in Washington, DC.

I just received a letter from some kind friend who resides I think in St. Johns stating that my brother's health was very poor & also that my little Ella was not properly cared for; it was sad news for me. My health is very good. The one that [sic] (wrote) to me said Charley is going away and that he intends to take my little Ella with him. I feel as though she was the only one on whom my future hopes are concentrated. To be sure I have neglected her, but I had the assurance that she would be taken care of in case I got wounded or; now then it is my request that she be permitted to stay in the village & I do not want my things to be taken away. I sent Ella five dollars in care of Leonard Traver [Leonard Travis?] Feb. 11th, but I have not head [sic] from him since he got his discharge. Neither have I heard from Charles nor the things I sent by him.

I still hold to the Village of St. Johns as my place of residence. I can't tell whether I will get my discharge or not, my wound is healed & I am taking care of the wounded soldiers in the hospital. There has been an act passed in the house [of Representatives] that all wounded soldiers must have have their pay in sixty days. Then I shall send Ella some money to buy her some clothes. Now then Mrs. Smith as you & your husband have been a friend in need I wish you would write a few lines about my little Ella; if you see Emily tell her if Charles goes away, to take Ella and find a place for her as I do not want her to go away. I wish the friend that wrote me would write & let me know his or her name.

I would like to hear from Mrs. Brown that used to visit my family. I hope she is still living & many other friends & e'er long when the war is o'er & the dark clouds have passed away I will return to greet you once more as a citizen & a friend & to all that are loyal to our Nationalities. John, give all my respects to those who may inquire.

On April 16, 1863, while still in the hospital, George wrote home to Libby and Ella. He wanted them to know that he was well, although his future in the army remained uncertain for the moment.

I don't know how long I shall stay in the hospital. The surgeons are sending of all that are fit for duty to the field. My health is pretty good. My wound is almost sound but I think it is not sound enough for a long march yet the government is sending the convalescent & such soldiers that can do something to guard forts & hospitals. Perhaps it will be my lot to do such duty until my time is out, unless the war ends soon. You said you was going the first of May to see about Ella's pay from the County. Charles is gone I suppose by this time on the Lakes. I got a letter from Samuel Harris stating that Libby had arrived in Auburn. You take care of my things & live in the house until I come. I have got just one dollar & thirty cents & I will let you have the dollar & keep the 30 cents when I get my pay which will be in May about the middle I think, I will send you more. Emily it costs more to get things here in Washington than it does in Michigan. I can't get enough of tobacco to last me a day for 10 cents, so I will give up chewing. A great many of our soldiers depends on the charity of the Relief Committee so they can send their money home. All I ever got was about 5 cents worth of tobacco & the calico shirt & sent to Ella. Here is a picture of 100 dollar Treasure [sic] Note on green back. Give it to Ella and have her put it in her mother's work box until I come home. The likeness that you got of a mother & child belonged to a soldier in a Pennsylvania Regiment; he was sick in this hospital & he gave it to me to keep for him., He was sent to his state and forgot to take it. Emily write & let me know how Libby left things when she went away. No more at present. Learn Ella to write if you have any time. Let me know how mother is if you know.

In June George was reported to be in the “Invalid Corps” (the Veterans’ Reserve Corps) through August, and by December he had been reduced to the ranks for offense(s) unknown, and he was a private. On December 5, 1863, he wrote to Libby and Ella from Brandy Station, Virginia.

I shall tell you of all the hardships & privations that I have gone through since I left the hospital for to go to the battlefield. I have been in 3 more fights with the rebs since I left. I have suffered extremely for the want of clothing” and that “the weather is so cold that it freezes our clothes on us. Many a soldier freeze so that he is not fit for duty. The other morning we were ordered out on picket & to find out where the rebs were. It was long before daylight. Well in going about a mile & a half we found them on the other side of a deep ravine with a few trees between us. Our captain wanted to know who would go down to the woods & see if they were there. There was three & myself that run down as quick as I got down I saw a rebel officer pointing towards us & telling his men the damned yanks were coming, so [I] brought my gun down on him and fired. I saw him pitch forward and fall. Well the result of it was I had about a dozen shots fired at me.

Well I set behind my tree until the sun came out then we were ordered to charge on them. We drove them clean up to their breastworks. Well we lost a good many men. The rebs wanted us to surrender. Some of our Regiment did, but Co. D would not give up our guns. We made up our minds that we would sooner die. There is only 15 men left of us and I am the only one from St. Johns. If I live to get home I will tell you all I am going to send you some money. I saw Steve this morning and he got a letter stating that you were going to break up house keeping. You had better try and keep up until I come. I begin to count the months which is only six and soon I can count the days.

He went on to say that he had sent $7.00 home and that he planned to “send you $5.00 more and keep on sending you every week until I send you 25 dollars and then when pay day comes next month I will send you $15.00 more. I shall send you $50.00 this winter & spring unless the rebs get me . . . for I have got 52 dollars in my pocket which I have kept for you and Ella. I send you 50 cents to buy some postage stamps; send me 8 stamps & keep the rest for yourself. I would send you the whole now but I am afraid you would not get it. Tell Ella to be a good girl. My hand & arm is poisoned with ivy that I can't write.”

George reenlisted on December 23, 1863, at Brandy Station, Virginia, crediting Boston, Ionia County, and probably returned to St. Johns on veteran’s furlough in January of 1864.

He presumably returned to the Regiment on or about the first of February and by May of 1864 he was again absent sick in the hospital. He eventually rejoined the Regiment and was transferred as a Sergeant to Company F, Fifth Michigan infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan Regiments on June 10, 1864.

George was taken prisoner on June 22 near Petersburg, Virginia, and probably exchanged or released in late November or early December of 1864. He was a Corporal when he died either on December 15, 1864, in the general hospital Division no. 1 at Annapolis, Maryland, or on December 16 on board the hospital steamer Northern Light. In any case, he was reportedly buried in Annapolis National Cemetery, official no. 638 or 666, presently reported in section L, grave no. 126.

In 1867 a minor child pension application was made by one Charity Harris reported as guardian (no. 121688).

Benjamin F. Hammond

Benjamin F. Hammond was born in 1842 in Vermont or Ohio, the son of Sylvester (b. 1807) and Eliza (b. 1809).

New York native Sylvester married Vermonter Eliza and settled in Vermont where they resided for some years. His family moved from Vermont to Ohio and by 1850 they were living in Orwell, Ashtabula County where Sylvester worked as a laborer (he owned some $650 worth of real estate) and Ben attended school with his siblings. The family moved on to Michigan sometime between 1858 and 1860 when Benjamin was working as a farm hand, attending school and living with his family in Locke, Ingham County where his father operated a large farm.

Benjamin stood 5’7” with hazel eyes, light hair and a light complexion and was 19 years old and working as a farm hand probably living in Locke when he enlisted with his parents’ consent in Company G on May 10, 1861. (His cousin James Hammond enlisted in Company D and he may also have been related to George Hammond and Marshall Hammond, both members of Company D.)

According to Homer Thayer of Company G, Benjamin was wounded slightly at the battle of Second Bull Run on August 29, 1862, and subsequently absent sick in the hospital until March of 1863. He eventually rejoined the Regiment and reenlisted on December 24 1863, at Brandy Station, Virginia, crediting Locke. He was presumably absent on 30-days’ veterans furlough in January of 1864, probably at his parents’ home in Michigan, and quite likely returned to the Regiment on or about the first of February.

Benjamin was unhappy about the bounties paid to the soldiers for reenlisting, and on March 10, 1864, he wrote a letter to the editor of the Lansing State Republican in which he discussed

the bounties which should be paid to the Third Regiment, by which it appears that some members of that Regiment think they are liable to lose their just dues through the dishonesty of some interested persons. We will let the writer present his statement in his own words:

“The head of the War Department issued an order to the effect that all reenlisting men should be credited to their several States on the call of 300,000 men, and should be entitled to the local bounties. Of course they should look after these local affairs themselves, as it was evident from another order emanating from the same source, giving the men the express privilege of crediting themselves where they chose, or where they could get the largest bounties. All men could not take the advantage of this while at home on furlough, for the last mentioned order did not appear, until after several Regiments had returned to the field. Now, Co. G, 3d Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry was back to the seat of war before we were aware that such an order existed. They tried while at home to be credited, or to credit themselves somewhere. They were told that they would have to go back and get a certificate from their officers stating that they had not been credited anywhere else, before they could be credited even to the town in which they formerly lived. There the matter rested until we got back. When we asked for a certificate, we were told there would be some blanks along in a few days for us. They did come in a few days, but to our amazement they showed to us that we were already credited to the city of Lansing.

“However, as the whole Company was going to the same place, we unmurmuringly submitted. Now we are told that because we were not assigned to some ward in the city, we cannot get any bounty at all, either city or ward. And it is too late now to remedy the matter, for the city has filled her quota, each ward has filled its quota, or will before the matter can be adjusted. Perhaps I do not understand the matter, but if I do not, the whole company are deceived, for it looks to them and to me as if we are going to find ourselves minus a local bounty when we know the truth. And who is to blame for this, I would like to know? Perhaps the officers thought to do us a favor by crediting us as they did; but why do even that, in direct opposition to orders form the War Department when we had the express privilege of going where we chose? And did they think us incapable of doing for ourselves, a little thing like that? The Lieutenant told us that he saw two or three responsible men of Lansing who pledged themselves that, that city would pay as large a bounty as any other city or town, and now we understand that after they had got the credit of all the veterans they could, and had nearly filled their quota, before the certificates could be presented the bounty was cut down to $100 per man.

“This is not all. Since we came back, or rather since we were sold, the Legislature at Lansing has passed an act authorizing an additional fifty dollars State bounty to certain persons “providing they are credited where they are registered, to the place where they formerly lived,” or “where they lived previous to enlisting.” The case is plain enough. Many, and in fact nearly all of the men in this Company are residents of other towns, and some of other counties, so that without fraud or deceit they [would] not get this’” additional bounty. Furthermore, he argued, “‘our friends whom we shall entreat with collecting the bounties, it is a great deal of trouble to go from ten to thirty miles after it, perhaps making two or three journey's, and then not get as much as they might at home in their own towns.”

The State Republican replied to these “charges” by saying, first, that “The apprehension of the soldiers that their officers, or some other persons, are to make gain out of their bounties by sharp management, are without any foundation.

No such thing can be done. If any bounty money shall be paid, or bounty orders issued, they will go to the soldier on his order. The person paying the money or issuing the order cannot lawfully deliver to any other person.

2. We suppose the Third Regiment reenlisted before the Act of the last Legislature was passed, granting the fifty dollars State bounty to reenlisting veterans. If son, and there was no retrospective cause, they cannot be paid a State bounty under a State law which did not exist at the time of their reenlistment. It was probably an oversight in framing the law, which can only be remedied by a future act.

3. As to those who were supposed to be credited to the city of Lansing, we can only say that the credits are not fully and finally determined; but our impression is that they will be needed to fill out the quota under the new call, and will be received for that purpose. But there is a great diversity of opinion respecting action on bounty laws, even among the best informed; and our opinion could be worthless. But we can assure the soldiers of the gallant Third of this one thing, that there is not a feeling among our citizens which would intentionally wrong them or permit them to be wronged by others.

Benjamin was reported absent in May of 1864, and was transferred to Company F, Fifth Michigan infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan Regiments on June 10, 1864.

He eventually rejoined the Fifth Michigan and was killed in action on June 16, 1864, near Petersburg, Virginia. He was presumably buried among the unknown soldiers at Petersburg.

No pension seems to be available.

In 1870 his parents were still living on a farm (his father owned some $4000 worth of real estate) in Locke.

Albert Hamlin

Albert Hamlin was born in 1842, probably in Arlington, Dutchess County, New York, possibly the son of Elizabeth (b. 1804 in New York).

Albert left New York State and eventually settled in Michigan. He may have been the same Albert Hamlin (b. 1847 in New York) who by 1850 was attending school and living with the family of a shoemaker named Norman Rice in Lafayette, Van Buren County; another shoemaker named Amos Hamlin (b. 1826 in New York) and his wife Laura (b. 1828 in New York) and their 3-year-old son Frederick were also living in Lafayette with several other shoemakers in 1850. In 1860 this same Albert was attending school and living with the family of Benjamin Farley, a brick-maker in South Haven, Van Buren County.

Albert stood 5’10” with gray eyes, dark hair and a light complexion, and was 19 years old and working as a lumberman in Allegan or Ottawa County (or both) when he enlisted in Company I on May 29, 1861. (Company I was made up largely of men from Ottawa County, particularly from the eastern side of the County.) According to one source, he was among the second wave of recruits to come out of Ottawa County and did not in fact enlist until the end of May, along with Calvin Hall, Nelson Davis and David Davis, Joseph Payne, Albert Gardner, James Rhodes, Perry Goshorn, Sylvester Gay, Joseph Solder (Josiah Schuler), Quincy Lamereaux, William Suret and John Ward.

He was shot in the right hand on August 29, 1862, at Second Bull Run, and subsequently hospitalized at Armory Square in Washington, DC, where he remained until he was discharged on account of his wounds on November 21, 1862.

Albert apparently reentered the military on January 2, 1865, in Company B, First U.S. veteran volunteers, for one year, and was honorably discharged on January 6, 1866. According to the Bureau of Pensions, however, Albert had “denied any subsequent service” after the Third Michigan, and they further speculated that “he also probably had an intervening service in 1863 and 1864, from which he deserted.”

After his discharged from the army Albert returned to Michigan, settling in Van Buren County where for many years he worked as a laborer.

In February of 1863 he applied for and received a pension (no. 11178).

He married Illinois native Minnie Rockwell (1855-1926), on November 30, 1871, in Bangor, Van Buren County, Michigan, and they had at least four children: Maud (b. 1874), Roy (b. 1878), Sevange (b. 1882) and Clare (b. 1884).

By 1878 Albert was living in Bloomingdale, Van Buren County, and by 1880 he was working as a shoemaker and living with his wife and children in Gobleville (Gobles), Van Buren County. He was still living in Gobleville in 1888, but had moved to Hastings’ Fourth Ward in Barry County by 1890.

Albert died on March 30, 1893, in Hastings, and was buried in Riverside cemetery, Hastings: he was removed from block D (“free ground”), lot 17, on November 20, 1895, and reinterred in block G-south, lot no. 47, grave southwest 1/4-2.

Minnie remarried Joseph Van Arman in 1902; he died in 1913. She was still living in Michigan when she applied for and received a pension (no. 394449) in 1893.

John Hamilton

John Hamilton was born in 1842 in England, possibly the son of John.

John left England and immigrated to America, eventually settling in eastern Michigan sometime before 1863.

He stood 5’6” with hazel eyes, brown hair and a light complexion, and was a 21-year-old hostler possibly living in Casco, St. Clair County when he became a substitute for Almon Chapman who had been drafted on February 11, 1863, at Casco for 9 months. John enlisted in Unassigned on March 4, 1863, at Casco for 3 years, crediting Casco, and was sent to the Regiment on March 6, but there is no further record.

He may have been the same John Hamilton who was drafted for 3 years from Buchanan, Berrien County and who was mustered on November 2, 1863. He was reported in Unassigned, Fourth Michigan cavalry, and deserted at Grand Rapids.

There is no further record.

Emmet and Virgil Hamilton

Emmet A. Hamilton was born in 1843 in Massachusetts, the son of James S. H. (b. 1811) and Caroline (Colton, b. 1808 or 1811).

Massachusetts natives James and Caroline were married sometime before 1836 and resided in Massachusetts for some years. They left Massachusetts sometime after 1847 and by 1850 James had settled the family on a farm in Castleton, Barry County, Michigan, where Emmet attended school with his four older siblings, including his brother Virgil, who would also join the Third Michigan. By 1860 James had moved his family to Cannon, Kent County, where he and his oldest son Virgil (listed as “Mortimer V.”) worked as cabinet-makers.

Emmet was 18 years old and probably living in Kent County when he enlisted in Company E on May 13, 1861. He was wounded on May 31, 1862, at Fair Oaks, Virginia, subsequently absent sick in the hospital in July. In fact he had been admitted to a hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Emmet soon returned to the Regiment, and was reported missing in action on August 29, 1862, at Second Bull Run. He was probably killed in action on August 29 and left on the field at Second Bull Run, although, according to his military service record, it is possible that he may have died from his wounds in a field hospital on November 10.

Either way, he was presumably among the unknown soldiers whose remains were reinterred in Arlington National Cemetery.

No pension seems to be available.

Virgil Mortimer Hamilton was born on February 12, 1836, in Hartford, Connecticut or Hampden, Massachusetts, the son of James S. H. (b. 1811) and Caroline (Colton, b. 1808 or 1811).

Massachusetts natives James and Caroline were reportedly married in Enfield, Hartford County, Connecticut in 1832 and may have lived in Hampden, Massachusetts. In any case, the family resided in Massachusetts for some years. They left Massachusetts sometime after 1847 and by 1850 James had settled the family on a farm in Castleton, Barry County, Michigan, where Virgil attended school with his four younger siblings, including his brother Emmet, who would also join the Third Michigan. By 1860 James had moved his family to Cannon, Kent County, where both he and his oldest son Virgil (now listed as “Mortimer V.”) worked as cabinet-makers.

Virgil stood 5’9” with blue eyes, brown hair and a light complexion, and was a 25-year-old engineer possibly living in Grand Rapids when he enlisted in Company K on May 13, 1861. He was present for duty from January of 1862 through November, but absent “in the hands of the provost guard” in December of 1862. He was on duty as a provost guard at Brigade headquarters from January of 1863 through November. (In July he forfeited $2.50 for a lost bayonet.)

He reenlisted as a Sergeant, on December 24, 1863, at Brandy Station, Virginia, crediting Plainfield, Kent County, was absent on veteran’s furlough in January of 1864, and returned from furlough by the first of February. Virgil was present for duty from February through April and severely wounded in early May. He was subsequently absent sick in the hospital. See photo P-283.

There is no further record, and no pension seems to be available.

By 1870 his parents were living in Spring Creek, Johnson County, Nebraska; also living with them was 7-year-old Michigan-born Emil E. Hamilton. By 1880 James and Caroline were still living in Spring Creek, Nebraska, where James worked as the post-master.

Eli, Samuel and William Hamblin

Eli Hamblin was born in 1834 in New York, the son of Samuel Bela (1799-1871) and Drusilla (Collins or Weed, b. 1809).

Vermonter Samuel married New York native Drusilla and settled in New York where they resided for some years. The family moved to Michigan probably sometime between 1842 and 1846, and by 1860 Eli was a farm laborer working for Erastus Norton, a Free Will Baptist minister in Sparta, Kent County, and living with his family in Algoma, Kent County, where his father was a blacksmith.

Eli was 27 years old and still living in Sparta when he enlisted along with his younger brother William, in Company F on May 13, 1861 (another brother Samuel would enlist in the Third Michigan in 1864). According to Colonel Daniel McConnell’s official report of killed and wounded during the actions at Bull Run from July 18-21, 1861, Hamblin was wounded at Bull Run on or about July 21, 1861.

He eventually recovered and rejoined the regiment. He was with the regiment in its winter quarters at Camp Michigan when he wrote home to his father on January 14, 1862.

We received your letter dated Jan 2 and was glad to hear from you and hear you was well and glad you have bought those steers of Shipman. I send you ten dollars of this time of pay and will send you some more the next pay day. We was paid last night. William thinks he will not send any this time. I am well and doing first rate. William is well. The boys are all well here that you are acquainted with. This is a stormy day; it snows two inches deep. That is the most snow we have had yet here this winter. If I have good luck I will send you twenty dollars next time so no more this time.

On January 25 he wrote to his brother Albert from Camp Michigan:

I received your letter today and was glad to hear from you and hear you received my likeness and hear that father received that letter with the money. Tell Leib [?] that I wrote a letter to her and Luman [?] the 18th of this month and send her my likeness. I think hers is better than the one that I sent you. The one that I sent Lib was taken in Alexandria but the one I sent you was taken her in Camp. They can’t take as good one here as in Alexandria. The man that took mine took William’s that I sent you. I think the one I sent to Lib is a good one.

Tell father I will send him twenty dollars as soon as I draw pay again. It will be two months from the thirteenth of this month. I would send him more this time but I wanted to get my likeness taken and wanted to keep some on hand. We have got some new guns. They are called the Austrian gun. They are first rate guns to shoot. We have had the old muskets ever since we left the Rapids. Our guns will shot a good eighty rods first rate. William is well and the boys are all well here. There is not a sick man in our company. It has been rather stormy for the last week. There is no snow here to speak of here and I guess there will be any this year.

We have got a new captain now; he is a good one. Our old captain [Fred Worden] has gone to Kalamazoo to join the Thirteenth Michigan Regiment; he is Lieutenant Colonel of that regiment. He was a good captain. His name is Frederick Worden. The captain’s name we have now is Israel Smith. Our old captain left New Year’s [day].

We have good times now. The weather is so bad that we can’t drill only practice shooting at a mark. There is fair prospects of the war not lasting too long. I don’t know that I can write any more news this time so I will close. Write as soon as you get this.

By June 7 he was with the regiment on their approach to Richmond during the Peninsular Campaign, when he wrote home to his father:

I seat myself to write a few lines to you to let you know that I am still alive and William alive and well. I am not very well at present. I have been sick for a week or more. I was excused by the doctor for three days before the battle of last Saturday [Fair Oaks] and shot only forty rounds of cartridges and I got so tied I sent back to Camp.

Father, William and I sent you $40.00 dollars. You will get it the same place you did the other. We sent it by express. There is a package for Ed. Bradford; in the package there is sixty-five dollars in the whole [and] twenty-five is Edwin Bradford’s. I did not have the charges [fee for sending express mail]. Mother you need not worry about William any more about his getting drunk for there is no truth in it. We have liquor doled [?] out to us twice a day when it is bad stormy weather. It is an order from General McClellan but it is not clear liquor. There is quinine put in it for bitters [?] to keep them from having the ague. Father I want you to write as soon as you get the money and tell me how much the charges are on it. William and I want you to let Eber and Albert [their brothers] have enough of the money to have a good time the fourth of July and let them have ten dollars. Father I want you to buy sheep with the rest of what you think is best.

On June 15 he was with the regiment at Camp Lincoln, near Richmond when he wrote home to his “dear father, mother and brothers”:

It is with pleasure that I write a few lines to you to let you know that I am well and William also is well. I have been sick some but am better now. William is driving an ambulance. That is a one-horse thing for carrying the sick and wounded. We have been in one hard battle [Fair Oaks May 31st] and . . . our company lost two killed six wounded and one missing. The regiment lost 29 killed. The whole killed and wounded amounts to one hundred and sixty-nine.

Today is Sunday. We had had our meeting and have had a good one. It is the first one we had had this spring. Our old chaplain [Francis Cuming] went home when we left Washington and we have a new one now [Joseph Anderson]. It is the first time he has preached to us. We like him first rate. He is a good man. We like him better than we did the other. He is an old man but he is a clever old scotchman. He is around with the men and talking with them and but the other one was not so he talked well to us.

Today we are seven miles of Richmond. The rebels came out and attacked us the thirty-first day of May with a large force. They thought to drive us back but failed. In doing so it was a hard battle but we whipped them and drove them back. We have more ground now than before the battle. I cannot write the whole particulars. You will get more in the papers than I can write.

Father William and I sent you forty dollars by express. It is about time you received it. I think it was the seventh of June that I sent it.

Mother we received your letter dated May 30th and was glad to hear from you all once more. There was a letter in the package for Edwin Bradford containing twenty-five dollars which makes out the sixty-five dollars Arlo Bracket sent that to Bradford. He is a young fellow that lived to Edwin Bradford’s father. I want you [write?] as soon as you get this. This from your affectionate son, Eli Hamblin

[PS] Direct your letters Fortress Monroe, VA or Washington. I think you had better direct them to Washington.

Father I wrote one letter when I sent the money. I was afraid you would not get the letter so I send this to let you know that I sent the money.

And on June 24 Eli was still at a Camp near Richmond when he wrote home;

Dear Mother and Father,

I now take my pen in hand to pen a few lines to you to let you know that William and I are both well and doing well. Mother we received your letter yesterday and was glad to hear from you once more. I am sorry to hear father’s health is poor. Tell father he must not work so hard this summer. Hiram [?] is well and doing well. He is a sergeant and is detailed to as a sergeant and some other men to guard the general’s quarters. Hiram does not have to go in battle at all. He is guarding General Kearney’s quarters. William is driving an ambulance. He is detailed from the company by the doctor of our regiment and will drive as long as he can. He does not have to work very hard. The ambulance is for carrying the sick and wounded from camp back to the hospitals or the wounded from the battlefield. I see him every day.

I have been sick some since the battle of Fair Oaks but am quite well now so that I am ready for duty again.

Harrison Soule was sick a long time. He was taken sick at Fortress Monroe with the dysentery but kept along with us until we got to Yorktown some twenty miles from Fortress Monroe and stayed with us there until we left there but when we got to Yorktown he was very sick with the dysentery and I think he had some fever too but when we left Yorktown he was some better so that he started with us from there and came to Cumberland Landing some forty miles form Yorktown. I think he had not ought to of left Yorktown. If he had been left there until he was well and tough he would have been well now but he was one of that kind of boys that if he could get one foot before the other he would. Harrison was a good soldier. There was no hang back to him. I do not know what was the disease that he died with; he was sent back to Annapolis in Maryland from Cumberland Landing so that I did not hear from him until I heard he was dead. I believe he died the twenty-ninth of May.

Father I sent you some money but have not heard from you yet. I sent forty dollars the eighth of May for you and there was twenty-five in the package for Edwin Bradford. I would like to have you write as soon as you can and let me know whether you got it or not. I have wrote two letters to you since I sent the money thinking you might not get the first one to let you know that I sent it. You will get it the same place you did the other, I think we will get our pay again the first of July. If I do I will send you some more then.

Mother I let Hiram read your letters and he said he would write to you . . . at home. I do not know when we will have another battle. I guess we will not have one until we get ready for I think the rebels got enough at Fair Oaks to satisfy them not to attack again very soon. I have not written to [since we] have been on the march so long. . . .

Mother send me some more postage stamps for it is rather hard getting them here. I do not think of any more this time. Write as soon as you can.

This from Eli to his father and mother, Samuel Hamblin, Drusilla Hamblin.

Eli eventually rejoined the Regiment and was reported missing in action and wounded by gunfire on August 29, 1862, at Second Bull Run. He was subsequently hospitalized at Columbian College hospital in Washington, DC. On September 9 Joseph Driver (?), the Chaplain at Columbian Hospital wrote home to Samuel Hamblin.

Dear Sir,

Your son Eli was brought to this hospital on the 6th inst. Having been badly wounded in the left knee on the 29th ult. The ball entering front, a little below the point of greatest elevation [?] and passing through. The knee is quite inflamed. He also has some fever & diarrhea. His appetite is quite good.

This is one of the best of hospitals and you may rely upon his having good care. Allow me also to remind you how grateful prayer waits with God and may you soon be permitted to know that your son is well again.

Eli died of his wounds on September 13, 1862, at the hospital and was buried at 4:00 p.m. the same day in the Military Asylum cemetery (Soldier's Home National cemetery), section B no. 730.

That same day the hospital chaplain wrote home to Samuel Hamblin,

It is become my sad duty to inform you that your son Eli Hamblin Co. F 3 Mich died in this hospital at 2 o’clock this morning. He was brought here on the 7th inst. Having been wounded in the knee on the 30th ult. Had been a prisoner several days and when brought here was continued to be delirious. His suffering had been great of which, however, he was scarcely conscious the latter part of his continence. He was buried on the day and now sleeps, as to his body with about 23 other memorial sacrifices laid on the altar of Liberty whose surviving relatives join you and many thousand others whose dear sons have been surrendered, yet the altar calls for more. May the Sovereign Lord in whose name we set up our banners, minister to you and yours ample consolation and the grace to sing “it is the Lord; Let him do what seemeth him good.” It is indeed a bitter bereavement to lay mature sons in the grave. I, who have personally known the bitterness, can and do deeply sympathize with you all. I do devoutly pray for your consolation & comfort in Christ. . . .

Yours with very sincere condolences, Jos. M. Driver, Chaplain Columbian Hospital

Drusilla was residing in Sparta in 1883 drawing $8.00 per month (dependent mother’s pension, no. 168,823, dated April 187 and May of 1875).

Samuel Albert Hamblin was born in 1846 in Michigan, the son of Samuel Bela (1799-1871) and Drusilla (Collins or Weed, b. 1809).

Vermonter Samuel married New York native Drusilla and settled in New York where they resided for some years. The family Michigan, probably from New York, sometime between 1842 and 1846, and by 1860 Samuel was living with his family and attending school in Algoma, where his father was a blacksmith.

Samuel (younger) stood 5’10” with blue eyes, brown hair and a fair complexion and was 18 years old and, although he listed his place of residence as Grand Rapids, he was probably working as a farmer in Muskegon, Muskegon County when he enlisted in Company F, joining his older brother William, on February 8, 1864, at Grand Rapids for 3 years, crediting Muskegon, and was mustered the same day. (Their older brother Eli, who had also served in the Old Third, had died of wounds in 1862.) Samuel joined the Regiment on March 27, and was killed in action on May 6, 1864, at the Wilderness, Virginia, and presumably buried among the unknown soldiers at the Wilderness.

William Henry Harrison Hamblin was born in 1841 in Livingston County, New York, son of Samuel Bela (1799-1871) and Drusilla (Collins or Weed, b. 1809).

Vermonter Samuel married New York native Drusilla and settled in New York where they resided for some years. The family moved to Michigan probably sometime between 1842 and 1846, and by 1860 William was a farm laborer living with his family in Algoma, Kent County, where his father was a blacksmith.

William stood 5’8” with blue eyes, light hair and a light complexion and was 20 years old and possibly living in Grand Rapids when he enlisted along with his older brother Eli, in Company F on May 13, 1861; he would be joined by another brother Samuel in 1864. (Their older brother Eli, who had also served in the Old Third, had died of wounds in 1862.)
=
William was reported as an ambulance driver from July of 1862 through July of 1863, but in fact according to his brother Eli William was driving an ambulance by at least mid-June. On June 15, Eli wrote home to their parents informing them that, among other things, “William is driving an ambulance. That is a one-horse thing for carrying the sick and wounded.” And on June 24 Eli wrote home “William is driving an ambulance. He is detailed from the company by the doctor of our regiment and will drive as long as he can. He does not have to work very hard. The ambulance is for carrying the sick and wounded from camp back to the hospitals or the wounded from the battlefield.”

He was reported as a provost guard at First Division from September through November, and he reenlisted on December 24, 1863, at Brandy Station, Virginia, crediting Oakfield, Kent County.

William was absent on veteran’s furlough in Michigan when he married Mary C. Rosenkrantz (or Rosenkrans) on January 28, 1864, in Grand Rapids. He returned to the Regiment on or about the first of February, and was transferred to Company F, Fifth Michigan infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan Regiments on June 10, 1864. William was a Corporal when he was killed in action on June 10, 15 or 18, 1864, at Petersburg, Virginia. He was presumably among the unknown soldiers buried at Petersburg.

In August of 1864 Mary applied for and received a pension (no. 32757). In December of 1865 Mary was married to Benjamin Gilden who had served in Company A, Third Michigan infantry.

His father Samuel died in Sand Lake, Kent County in 1871 (he was reportedly buried in Crandall cemetery). Drusilla was residing in Sparta in 1883 drawing $8.00 per month (dependent mother’s pension, no. 168,823, dated May of 1875). All three of her sons who served in the Old Third Michigan, Eli, Samuel and William, died in the war.

William Halsey

William Halsey was born in 1843, in Ohio, the son of Charles (b. 1804) and Phebe (b. 1803).

New York natives Charles and Phebe moved to Michigan and by 1860 had settled in Grand Rapids' Fifth Ward where William was working as a blacksmith’s apprentice with his father.

William was 18 years old and possibly living in Grand Rapids, Michigan, when he enlisted with his parents’ consent in Company K on May 13, 1861. He was reported missing in action on August 29, 1862, at Second Bull Run. In fact, he had been wounded seriously, resulting in the amputation of a limb, and was subsequently hospitalized at Fairfax Seminary.

He died from his wounds on either September 19 or October 1, 1862, at Ebenezer hospital in Washington, DC, and was buried in the Military Asylum cemetery (Soldier's Home National cemetery) in Washington.

No pension seems to be available.

Isaac Hall

Isaac Hall was born in 1802 or 1805 in Latintown, Ulster County, New York or in Vermont.

Vermont native Isaac was married to New York- or Ohio-born Betsey (b. 1821) and they had at least five children: John (b. 1843), Abigail (b. 1845), George (b. 1847), William (b. 1854) and Alanson (b. 1855).

By 1843 Isaac and his wife had settled in Michigan, and by 1850 they were living on a farm in Paris, Kent County. Isaac was still farming and living with his family in Paris in 1860.

Isaac was a 60- or 57-year-old farmer probably living in Paris, Kent County when he enlisted in Company G on February 13, 1862, at Grand Rapids for 3 years, and was mustered the same day. He was discharged for disability on June 15, 1862.

It is not known if Isaac returned to Michigan after his discharge from the army.

No pension seems to be available.

Edward Hall

Edward Hall was born in 1841 in DeKalb, Illinois.

Edward left Illinois and came to Michigan, probably to work in the logging industry, sometime before February of 1864.

He stood 5’6” with blue eyes, brown hair and a light complexion, and was a 23-year-old lumberman probably living in Manistee, Manistee County when he enlisted in Unassigned on February 6, 1864, at Grand Rapids for 3 years, crediting Manistee.

There is no further record.

Calvin Hall

Calvin Hall was born in 1823 in Genesee County, New York.

Sometime before 1860 Calvin was married to New York native Elizabeth (b. 1824), probably in New York, and they had at least one child: Estella (b. 1862).
By 1860 he was working as a sawyer and carpenter living with his wife in Ganges, Allegan County.

He stood 5’8” with blue eyes, brown hair and a light complexion, and was 38 years old and still residing in Allegan County when he enlisted in Company I on May 13, 1861. According to one source, he was among the second wave of recruits to come out of Ottawa County and did not in fact enlist until the end of May, along with Albert Hamlin, Nelson Davis and David Davis, Joseph Payne, Albert Gardner, James Rhodes, Perry Goshorn, Sylvester Gay, Joseph Solder (Josiah Schuler), Quincy Lamereaux, William Suret and John Ward.

Calvin was sick in the hospital from August of 1862 through March of 1863. He was reported missing in action on May 3, 1863, at Chancellorsville, Virginia, returned to the Regiment on October 31. He reenlisted on December 24, 1863 at Brandy Station, Virginia, crediting Algoma, Kent County, and was presumably absent on veteran’s furlough in January of 1864, probably at home in Michigan. He returned to the Regiment probably on or about the first of February, and in March he was detached to the Regimental commissary department.

In April he was a Division provost guard, reported on detached service in May and was still on detached service when he was transferred to Company I, Fifth Michigan infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan Regiments on June 10, 1864. He remained detached through October, in November he was a nurse in the hospital in City Point, Virginia, and was serving in the Quartermaster department in December through January of 1865. From February through May he was a provost guard at Division headquarters, and he was mustered out on July 5, 1865 at Jeffersonville, Indiana.

Following his discharge from the army Calvin returned to Michigan. He settled for a time in Gobleville (or Gobles), Van Buren County, eventually moving to Paw Paw, Van Buren County where he was living in 1870 when he was working as a farm laborer and living with his wife and daughter. In 1880 he was working as a farmer and still living in Paw Paw with his wife and daughter. He was still living in Paw Paw in 1887, 1888, 1890. By 1894 he was residing in Bloomingdale, Van Buren County.

There was a Calvin L. Hall who was working as a telegraph operator for the GR & I railroad in Traverse City, Michigan in 1884.

For many years Calvin worked as a laborer, and although he attended the Old Third Michigan Infantry Association reunion in 1887, it appears he never became a member.

He received pension no. 408,328, and he was admitted as a single man to the Michigan Soldiers’ Home (no. 2594) on January 10, 1896, was discharged on April 14, 1897, and readmitted on June 19, 1897.

Calvin died of heart failure at the Home on June 12, 1898, and was buried in the Home cemetery: section 2 row 9 grave no. 12.

Adelbert Hall

Adelbert Hall was born in 1843, the son of Ardalissa.

Adelbert was 18 years old and possibly living in Kent County, Michigan, when he enlisted with the consent of the Justice of the Peace in Company E on May 13, 1861. He was absent in October and November of 1862, and in fact was transferred to the United States cavalry on November 6, 1862 at Washington, DC, quite possibly in Company D, Fifth U.S. Cavalry.

In 1877 his mother applied for and received a pension (no. 183261) for his service in the U. S. cavalry.

Lafayette Hale

Lafayette Hale was born in 1845 in Washtenaw County, Michigan.

Lafayette was working as a farmer stood 5’2” with blue eyes, black and hair and a dark complexion when he reportedly enlisted in Company H, Third Michigan infantry, for three years, on December 29, 1863, at Corunna, Shiawassee County, and was mustered the same day.

There is no further record and only the Muster and Descriptive roll card (dated Grand Rapids, Michigan, February 8, 1864) in his military service record at the National Archives. Nor does it appear he entered any other Michigan regiment.

Earl Halbert - updated 6/9/2009

Earl Halbert was born in 1842 in Genesee County, New York, the son of Henry (b. 1806) and Adaline (Chase, b. 1813).

New York native Henry married Vermont-born Adaline sometime before 1838. They may have originally settled in New York but had moved to Michigan by 1838 when their son Daniel was born. By 1840 Henry and his family had returned to New York, and were living in Genesee County, New York, where Earl was born in 1842. By 1850 Earl and his family were living in Pavilion, Genesee County, New York, where he attended school with his older brother Charles and his father worked as a carpenter and joiner. The family headed west again and returned to Michigan and by 1860 Earl was a farmer living with his family in Oneida, Eaton County. (Henry may have originally come from Oneida County, New York.)

Earl stood 5’5” with blue eyes, brown hair and a light complexion, and was 19 years old and still living in Oneida when he enlisted in Company G on May 10, 1861.

He reenlisted on December 24, 1863, at Brandy Station, Virginia, crediting Oneida, Eaton County, was presumably absent on veteran’s furlough in January of 1864 and probably returned to the Regiment on or about the first of February. While still in winter quarters at Camp Bullock, Earl wrote to his cousin Maria in Michigan.

Tonight as I listened to the names called in the distribution of mail in our Co. I heard nothing of any for me. But soon a tent-mate came in [and] to my surprise handed me two letters, one was addressed in your handwriting, the other in ____ _____ I was deceived it being from George I ____ broke the seal and perused the contents of your most welcome ____. I assure you it relieved a great anxiety to hear from you and as I don’t wish to have letters unanswered more than I am able to answer them I hasten to reply.

My health is good with the exception of a sore arm, the result of a vaccination. This however subjects me to no great inconvenience at present. I have done no duty for a week but I guess I should be able again in a day or two. We are having pleasant weather at present though rather cool. We have had some snow and rough weather lately but in the “deep south” such weather don’t continue a long time. Army news is rather uninteresting to people at the north at present for nothing of an active character is transpiring.

Preparations for a spring campaign are steadily going on. Quite a change in the army of the Potomac has lately occurred; the 1st and 3rd corps are broken up and the troops distributed among the other 3, the 2nd, 5th and 6th. We now belong to the 2nd Brigade of the 3rd Division of the 2nd Army Corps. General Hancock commands the Corps and gen. Birney the division. This change is only temporary however and may be changed back again at any time if the regulars fill up enough to make it possible. A change I tell you we don’t like to have the old 3rd Corps broken up but the best interests of the service demanded such a consolidation and we ought not to complain if at any time we have men enough we are assured that we shall again be reorganized. We return our Corps badge which you saw on my cap and which we should grieve to part with as it is in honor of Gen Kearney, a general we shall ever remember with feelings of pride and admiration.

Our camp duties are the same as usual only a little more arduous. We have a great many recruits [and] we have to drill with them to teach them. Our other duties are inspections, guard, picket etc which are very frequent. . . . An army review will take place in a few days; it will be a grand affair.

You will please tell your father that today we got notice that we could have our credit changed to any place we wished so I transferred mine from Lansing to Oneida. I will probably get a certificate in a day or two and will send it to him. They have told us is that Lansing has finally concluded to pay us a bounty but if we don’t get a cert Lansing won’t have my credit.

It seems Nelson is calling round considerable I hope he will have a good time in Mich and be as favorably impressed with the country and its inhabitants as I am. He will then surely settle down.

But time flies and I have another letter to write this eve so I will bring my epistle to a close.

Hoping to hear from you soon and see your face too.

I remain as ever
Your cousin in blue,

Earl

My best wishes to all

Earl was slightly wounded in the hand in early May of 1864, probably during the actions in and around the Wilderness, Virginia. He had apparently returned to duty with the Regiment when he was transferred to Company F, Fifth Michigan infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan Regiments on June 10, 1864.

While on picket duty on September 12 or 14, 1864, near Petersburg, Virginia, Earl was wounded a second time. He died of his wounds in a field hospital on September 16. Originally buried one-half mile east of the Avery house near the “grove” at the Fair Grounds hospital, near Petersburg, Earl’s body was reinterred in Poplar Grove National Cemetery: grave 1209.

No pension seems to be available.

James Gunnegal

James Gunnegal was born 1837 in Michigan.

In 1860 there was a 28-year-old laborer named James McGunigle, born in Michigan, living in Owosso’s Third Ward, Shiawassee County, with his wife Jane (b. 1838); neither of them could read or write. Next door lived a brewer named Henry Rubelman who would join Company C, Third Michigan infantry.

In any case, James stood 5’10” with black eyes, dark hair and a dark complexion and was a 24-year-old farmer probably living in Shiawassee County when he enlisted in Company F on May 13, 1861. He was wounded accidentally in the hand on May 5, 1863, at Chancellorsville, Virginia. The wound was not serious and he recovered sufficiently enough to rejoin the regiment. He reenlisted on December 24, 1863, at Brandy Station, Virginia, crediting Grattan, Kent County, was presumably absent on veteran’s furlough in January of 1864 and probably returned to the Regiment on or about the first of February.

James was wounded slightly in the right cheek in early May, probably during one of the various actions at the Wilderness, Virginia, and was transferred to Company F, Fifth Michigan infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan Regiments on June 10, 1864. He was taken prisoner October 27, 1864, at Boydton Plank road, near Petersburg, Virginia, and first confined near Petersburg, Virginia. He was then moved to Richmond, Virginia on October 28. On November 4, he was sent to the prison in Salisbury, North Carolina, where he was admitted to the prison hospital on December 9 or 10, 1864, suffering from diarrhea and dyspepsia.

James was released from the prison hospital on December 21, readmitted to the hospital on January 10, and died on January 27 or 28, 1865 of pneumonia. He was buried in Salisbury National Cemetery: no. 1360.

According to another member of the Old Third who was also serving with the Fifth Michigan when he was captured on October 27, Lieutenant Edward P. Davidson, in describing the final hours of Chauncey Smith at Salisbury, he lived “in a tent with some 15 of his own regt. . . . He was buried the same as they buried all of our dead men there in trenches outside of the prison.”

No pension seems to be available.

Joel Consider Guild

Joel Consider Guild was born March 1, 1840, in Kent County, Michigan, the son of Consider (1813-1883) and Phebe (Leavitt, 1819-1852).

Consider was one of the very first pioneers in what would become Grand Rapids, settling in June of 1833 along the banks of the Grand River where the village would soon be established. He married Phebe Ann Leavitt in Grand Rapids in 1838 and they settled down in Paris Township. Consider married his second wife Therese Campau McCabe in about 1853 or 1854, probably in Grand Rapids. He eventually sold his farm and moved into the city where he operated several business interests (Guild & Barr, then Guild & Baxter). Shortly before the war Consider purchased a farm in just across the Ottawa County line in Georgetown. By 1860 his son Joel was working as a farm laborer and living with his father and stepmother in Georgetown.

Joel was 21 years old and probably living in Grand Rapids or in Georgetown when he enlisted at the age of 21 in Company A on May 13, 1861. He was reported detached to the signal service from July of 1862 through September, and in the hospital from October 11, through November of 1862. He returned to duty and was wounded in the left arm on May 5, 1863, at Chancellorsville, Virginia, and it is not known if he was present for duty with the regiment when it was engaged in the Peach Orchard, just south of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on July 2, 1863. On July 16, 1863, Joel was hospitalized at Hammond general hospital, Point Lookout, Maryland suffering from acute diarrhea and intermittent fever. By September 3, he was considered “perfectly recovered and . . . anxious to join his Regiment.” In fact, it seems quite likely that Joel never fully recovered from his dysentery.

In any case, Joel reported for duty on September 10, and on December 24, 1863, he was a Corporal when he reenlisted at Brandy Station, Virginia, crediting Grand Rapids, was presumably absent on veteran’s furlough, probably in Michigan, in January of 1864 and he probably returned to the Regiment on or about the first of February. He was transferred as a Sergeant to Company A, Fifth Michigan infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan Regiments on June 10, 1864, and was reported to have been wounded sometime in August. He was promoted to Sergeant Major on December 13, 1864, near Petersburg, Virginia, and in February of 1865 he was promoted to Second Lieutenant, commissioned as of November 7, 1864, and transferred on February 25 to Company H, replacing Lieutenant Shontz. Joel was present for duty in March, and officially reported on sick leave in Michigan from June 5, 1865, when, according to one contemporary source, in fact he had gone home on a furlough sometime in late March.

Although reported mustered out on July 5, 1865 at Jeffersonville, Indiana, it is quite possible that Joel never returned to the Regiment and was living in Georgetown when he married Mary E. Jenison on June 27, 1865, in Grand Rapids.

In September of 1865 he applied for a pension (no. 57331) but the certificate was never granted.

Joel died in Cascade, Kent County of chronic diarrhea on Sunday, December 3, 1865, and the funeral was held at the Methodist church, corner of Division and Fountain Streets in Grand Rapids. His younger brother George, age 12, had died very suddenly of a hemorrhage on November 30, and they were both interred in Oak Grove cemetery in Grand Rapids. In its obituary for Joel, the Grand Rapids Eagle wrote on December 4, 1865,

Under our notice of deaths in today’s issue, occurs the name of Lieut. Joel C. Guild, late of the 5th Infantry. Young Guild was among the first who sprang to arms under the first call in 1861. He went out as a private in the gallant Old Third. Young, of rather slight build and almost effeminate features when he enlisted, we feared, when bidding him goodbye, on that occasion, that he had undertaken a task to which he was physically unequal, though he had the heart of a lion, with heroic resolution and courage. How fearful was the sacrifice of that glorious pioneer regiment is told in the history of a Champlin, of a Judd, of near eight hundred of its stoutest hearts, who have either yielded their lives for the old flag, or received wounds in its defense. Despite the fears of his friends, however, young Guild, who was in all its battles, gathered strength commensurate with his nerve, and was never off his post, never flagged in the march, till after the famous Pennsylvania raid and the Gettysburg slaughter. His invincible resolution and will had borne him through, and he had attained to a well-knit and hardy frame. His bravery at length attracted the attention of his superiors, and he was promoted, upon the consolidation of the two [Third and Fifth regiments], from a private of the Third to a Lieutenant of the Fifth. But, at last, he was attacked by that most dreaded and insidious scourge of the Southern climate to the soldier , which has at length worn out his body, and his name is added to the long list of victims of a foul rebellion. That the circle of friends who mourn his departure none were ever dearer, than the affections he had secured none were ever stronger. Let us not forget the brave.

In 1866 his widow applied for and received a pension (no. 88003).

Ezra M. Guernsey - updated 10/24/2015

Ezra M. Guernsey was born around 1818 in Pawlet, Bennington County, Vermont, the son of Lewis F. (b. 1777) and Sarah (b. 1788).

Beginning in about 1805, Ezra’s family lived between Pawlet, Vermont, and Cambridge, Washington County, New York, until about 1825 when they moved to Jefferson County (probably Ellisburg), New York. By 1830 the family was living in Ira, Cayuga County, New York but back in Ellisburg in 1840, 1850 and 1855.

Ezra eventually moved westward, settling in western Michigan.

He was married to Polly Walker (1824-1857) probably in New York and they had at least four children: Charlotte (b. 1842 in New York), Elizabeth or Harriet (b. 1850 in Indiana), Georgiana (b. 1853), and George (b. 1855).

Ezra and his family left New York sometime after 1842 and had settled in Fairfield, DeKalb County, Indiana by 1850 where they lived until at least 1855. Ezra eventually moved north to Michigan and was living in Ionia, Ionia County in 1857 when his wife Polly died (she was buried in Highland Park Cemetery).

He was probably living in Ionia, Ionia County when he married his second wife Ohio native Philena Tuttle (1831-1911) on March 11, 1860, in Lyons, Ionia County. That same year Ezra (listed as “Edward was working as a farmer and living with Philena and his children in Ionia, Ionia County.

He stood 5’8” with blue eyes, gray hair and a dark complexion, and was a 41-year-old farmer probably living in Ionia County when he enlisted in Company E on May 13, 1861, along with Dennis Guernsey -- his nephew. (Company E was composed in large part by men from Clinton and Ingham counties, as well as parts of Ionia County.)

According to his nephew Dennis, in the summer of 1862 Ezra suffered from some

Very severe spells of cramping in his right side and during one of these paroxysms of pain complained that he felt something break in his right side and after this complained of a scrotal pain in his right side just below the ribs. Shortly after this at the retreat of our army after the Seven Day’s fight [Ezra] was still unable to travel with the company and was left on the field without any shelter during a heavy rain and took a severe cold as he got thoroughly wet in spite of all we could do. From this place he was sent in an ambulance to a hospital.

By June of 1862 Ezra was in fact sick in a hospital in Bottom’s Bridge, Virginia, suffering from “debility.” According to his nephew Dennis, “the next time I saw him he was in the West Philadelphia hospital some time in august or September and at this time he complained of a spinal difficulty and of the difficulty in his right side which troubled him when we was in front of Richmond.”

He remained absent sick in the hospital until he was discharged for hypertrophy of the heart on January 27, 1863, at West Philadelphia general hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He listed Ionia, Ionia County as his mailing address on his discharge paper.

Ezra returned to Ionia County where he probably lived the rest of his life. In 1870 he was working as a farmer (he owned some $2500 worth of real estate) and living with his wife and two children in Ionia, Ionia County. He was working as a farmer and still living in Ionia with his wife in 1880, just several farms away from Dennis Guernsey and his family. In 1883 Ezra’s nephew, Marvin Guernsey (brother to Dennis, see above), was reported as guardian for Philena who was listed as “incompetent.” Marvin was married to the daughter of Ezra’s first wife. Ezra was still in Ionia, Ionia County in 1888, 1890 and 1894.

In 1880 Ezra was probably living in Ionia when he applied for and received a pension (no. 336911).

Ezra died of Bright’s Disease on September 27, 1899, at the home of his son near Lansing, Ingham County, and his remains were brought back to Ionia and interred in Highland Park cemetery.

In 1899 Philena applied for admission to the Women’s building of the Michigan Soldiers’ Home in Grand Rapids (no. 143) and according to subsequent reports in 1903 she was judged incompetent.

In December of 1899 there was a pension application approved on behalf of approved for at least one minor child (no. 487968).

Philena died in 1911, and was buried in lot 4-91, Highland Park cemetery, in Ionia. One “M. Guernsey later joined her” on June 20, 1913. “M” may in fact have been Marvin Guernsey, who had served in the 21st Michigan infantry and who was residing in Ionia’s 4th ward in 1890.

Dennis Guernsey

Dennis Guernsey, also known as “Gurnsey,” was born December 3, 1837, in Granby, Oswego County, New York, the son of George Washington (1811-1878) and Catharine (1797-1892).

New York natives George and Catharine were married sometime before 1833 when their first child was born in Granby, New York and they lived in Granby for some years. Sometime after 1848 they moved westward eventually settling in Ionia County, Michigan, probably along with George’s brother Edward and his family, where George was a minister of the United Brethren Church. By 1860 George was working as a farmer and living next door to Edward and his family in Ionia, Ionia County. That same year Dennis was a farm laborer in Lyons working for and/or living with Almond Tuttle in Lyons, Ionia County.

Dennis stood 5’8” with blue eyes, dark hair and a light complexion and was 23 years old and living in Lyons County when he enlisted in Company E on April 19, 1861, along with Ezra Guernsey -- who was his uncle, his father’s younger brother. (Company E was composed in large part by men from Clinton and Ingham counties, as well as parts of Ionia County.) He was absent sick in the hospital from July of 1862 through September. Dennis was admitted to the regimental hospital on February 21, 1863, suffering from diarrhea. He rejoined the Regiment and was wounded severely in the head and shoulders on May 5, 1863, at Chancellorsville, Virginia and subsequently hospitalized. He was transferred to the Fifth Company, Second Battalion, Invalid Corps, subsequently Company G Sixteenth Regiment Invalid Corps and the Forty-sixth company, Second Battalion, Veterans’ Reserve Corps at Washington, DC, and discharged at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 1, 1864.

After he was discharged from the army Dennis returned to Lyons.

He was probably living in Ionia County when he married Indiana native Esther Ann Linsan (1852-1919) on May 9, 1870, and they had at least eight children, four of whom died at birth, the others being: John L. (b. 1872), Emery (b. 1875), Eva (b. 1878) and George Frederick (b. 1880).

By 1870 Dennis and his new wife were living on a farm near his parents in Ionia, Ionia County. By 1880 Dennis was working as a farmer and living with his wife and children in Ionia, Ionia County.

He was still living in Ionia, Ionia County in 1883, when he was drawing $6.00 per month for a wounded left shoulder (pension no. 38,071, dated 1864), and he reported in 1885 that he suffered from a partial paralysis of the shoulder, deafness in his left ear and rheumatism. He was still residing in Ionia in 1895 when he testified on behalf of Eli Brown’s pension increase. (Brown was another former member of Company E.)

About 1908 he moved to Fenwick where he resided for some two years before moving back to Ionia. He was living in Ionia in 1910, and in Lyons in 1911, where for many years he worked as a farmer.

Dennis was a member of the Old Third Michigan Infantry Association.

Dennis died a widower of pneumonia, on December 23, 1919, in Ionia Township. The funeral was conducted by the Ionia funeral home, and he was supposed to have been buried alongside his wife in Tuttle cemetery.

James Fulton Grove

James Fulton Grove was born December 11, 1828, in New York, the son of Martin (1797-1888) and Ruth (Fulton, 1807-1890).

Martin and Ruth were married sometime before James was born, probably in New York. In any case, by 1830 Martin was living in Seneca, Ontario County, New York. By 1850 James was working as a clerk and living with his family on a farm in Seneca, Ontario County, New York. James reportedly studied medicine at Geneva, Niagara County, New York, and in 1855 was graduated from Rush medical college in Chicago. His family eventually settled in western Michigan and James himself settled in Grand Rapids in 1856 where he practiced medicine.

He also took an interest in the growing local militia movement in western Michigan. He consequently became a member of the Ringgold Artillery, under the command of Captain John Fay, and in 1858 was reported as Surgeon of the company.

James married New York native Mary E. Gates (1830-1909) on December 23, 1855, in Rochester, New York, and according to James’ brother William, they had become engaged some two years before. William noted later that Mary “visited at my father’s house several times prior to their marriage [and that after the wedding] they both came to my father’s house near Geneva, N.Y. on their wedding trip and from there went to Illinois where they lived about a year and then came to Grand Rapids, Mich about 1856.”

By 1860 Dr. Grove was a physician living with his wife and younger brother William and working in Grand Rapids’ Second ward.

A man of “feminine appearance” James was a physician living in Grand Rapids’ Second Ward when he was commissioned Assistant Surgeon on August 15, 1862. (It is curious he was not appointed when the Third Michigan was initially formed in Grand Rapids in the spring of 1861; possibly as a consequence of the Bliss brothers being appointed Regimental Surgeon and Assistant Surgeon together.)

On August 18 he was in Detroit staying at the Exchange Hotel, probably awaiting to be mustered in, which took place four days later at Southfield, Oakland County. He was promoted to Regimental Surgeon on September 24, commissioned September 11, replacing Dr. Zenas Bliss, who had been promoted to the regular army, and was on detached service at the Division hospital from January of 1863 through March. According to Henry Patterson, who was a friend and had also served with Dr. Grove in the Third Michigan during the war, sometime around the Fall of 1863 “he was taken down and was for a long time unable to do duty; he had a sallow complexion” and, Patterson claimed, diagnosed himself as suffering from jaundice. “I well remember nursing him and waiting on him after the Battle of Gettysburg, and along through the winter of 1863 and 1864.”

Nevertheless, according to Dr. Grove he was assigned to the division hospital around the time of the battle of the Wilderness, in early May of 1864.

He was mustered out of service on June 24, 1864, at Detroit.

Dr. Grove returned to Grand Rapids. In 1863 his office was on Canal Street and he was still living with his wife in the Second ward in 1870 (and he was also holder of some $5000 worth of real estate and $2000 worth of personal estate in 1870 as well). James was still working as a physician and living with his wife in Grand Rapids’ Second Ward in 1880; his brother William was also still living with them as was a Mr. Young who was working as a clerk in a drugstore. (His office was probably at 79 Canal Street) As of April of 1885, Dr. Grove had his office at 56 Canal Street in Grand Rapids.

According to one source, James “was the leading physician and surgeon in the city and was on the highway to prominence in the profession and affluence. The constant strains and tension upon his physical energies induced indulgence in stimulants and a few years later he became a wreck of his former self. Through the influence of friends he fought the terrible monster of appetite for weeks at a time, but the tempter time and again scattered his good resolutions.”

James was a member of the Old Third Michigan Infantry Association. According to John Shaw, formerly of Company K, DR. Grove was a hard drinker.

James died of apoplexy, “the result of liver disease” on the morning of July 7, 1885, in his rooms in the Ball Block in Grand Rapids. According to his brother William (an attorney in Grand Rapids), “the illness of which he died” began on June 30. That afternoon

He sent for me and when I arrived he complained of a severe headache & asked me to go to a drug store & have prepared a mustard plaster which I did, and by his direction placed on the back parts of his head and neck. I remained with him that evening until nearly midnight when he appeared considerably relieved. I then left him in the care of an attendant, telling him that I had to go on account of the illness of my wife. I returned to him early the next morning and found him apparently much better. He said he was better, talked rationally, asked about my wife’s health; he then said he would get up and did so and began dressing himself. But soon he felt worse again and asked me to send for Dr. Griswold which I did. Meantime he remained out of bed and in the talking to me seemed unable to call common things by their right names. For instance, when he wanted a towel, he asked for a button and was only able to make me understand him by indicating with his hands the use he wanted to make of it. When Dr. Griswold arrived we got my brother in bed. During that day he was rational and talked with me some, told me that he would probably not be able to attend my wife during her expected confinement and advised me to engage Dr. Griswold. After the following night he seemed to grow worse generally and to be able to talk but little – not any except to his wife, who seemed to understand him. He appeared conscious when aroused and recognized his wife as late as the fourth day of his illness – about which time paralysis in his left limbs began to be manifest, gradually extended to the whole left side thence to the right limbs and side. Dr. Griswold attended him during his entire illness making one or more visits daily. Dr. William wood also visited him during his illness, not professionally, however. During the month of May preceding his last illness [my brother] was attacked in a similar way, complaining of the same severe headache in the back part of his head and I visited him frequently. He then recovered and seemed to regain his usual health. When called to him on June 30th following I observed the similarity of his symptoms and of his complainings to those of his attack in May.

According to one local newspaper, “for the past ten months he has not drank a drop of liquor. He was a noble, whole-souled man in his better days, and there will be very few of his brethren who will not have a kind word to say of him.”

The funeral was held at William’s residence at 91 Hastings Street on Thursday morning at 10:00 a.m. James was buried in Oak Hill (south) cemetery: section H, lot 103.

In 1885 she received a pension (no. 309165), drawing $25 per month. By 1889 and 1890 his widow was residing at 91 Hastings Street in Grand Rapids; in 1889-90, his father’s widow Ruth was boarding at 49 Miller Street in Grand Rapids.

Price Grooms

Price Grooms, also known as “Groom,” was born 1843 in Clinton County, Michigan, the son of Arvin (b. 1814) and stepson of Almira (b. 1813).

New York native Arvin was possibly living in Venice, Cayuga County, New York, in 1840. Arvin married Connecticut-born Mrs. Almira Perry probably in Michigan. In any case, he and his wife settled in Michigan sometime before Price was born. By 1850 Price was attending school with his stepsiblings and living with his family in Watertown, Clinton County, where his father was a blacksmith. By 1860 Price was working as a blacksmith and living with the family of another blacksmith John Reason in Carryall, Paulding County, Ohio; that same year his parents were also living in Carryall.

Price stood 5’6” with gray eyes, light hair and a light complexion and was 18 years old and probably living in Ionia (or perhaps 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 was shot in the left shoulder on August 29, 1862, at Second Bull Run, and subsequently hospitalized in Washington, DC. He remained absent in the hospital until he was discharged on January 17, 1863, at Hammond general hospital, Point Lookout, Maryland for a “gunshot wound left shoulder. Arm useless.”

It is not known if Price returned to Michigan.

In 1863 Price applied for a pension (no. 13460) but the certificate was never granted.

In 1868 or 1869 his father Arvin applied for (no. 175849) and received a dependent’s pension (no. 170361).

By 1880 his parents and a younger brother or cousin (?) Arvin A and his family were living in Carryall, Paulding County, Ohio.

Nelson G. Grommond

Nelson G. Grommond, also known as “Drummond,” was born 1839 in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, the son of Jarls or Earls (b. 1807) and Nancy (b. 1815).

Both born in New York Nelson’s parents settled in Ohio by 1837 when their daughter Louisa was born. By 1850 Nelson was attending school with four of his siblings and living on the family farm in Bedford, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. By 1860 his family had moved to Michigan and were living in Boston, Ionia (Nelson is not living with them however).

Nelson was a 22-year-old a painter possibly living in Boston, Ionia County when he enlisted in Company D on February 10, 1862, at Saranac, Ionia County for 3 years, and was mustered the same day. (Company D was composed in large part of men who came from western Ionia County and Eaton County.) He was reported in the hospital at Bottom’s Bridge, Virginia in late June suffering from “a lame back,” and remained hospitalized through September of 1862. Nelson eventually rejoined the Regiment and was promoted to Corporal.

He was killed accidentally on January 6, 1863, at Camp Pitcher, Virginia. The Detroit Advertiser and Tribune reported that he “was instantly killed by the springing back of a tree which he was felling. He was a young man of good character and a good soldier, and till now escaped the bullets of the enemy, and lost his life by an accident.”

Nelson may have been buried initially on the Primmer farm but was eventually interred in Fredericksburg National Cemetery: grave no. 2582 (or 124).

No pension seems to be available. (His brother Franklin received a pension for service in the Sixth Michigan cavalry.)

His father and younger brother Cyrenus were still living in Boston, Ionia County in 1870.

Alembert A. Griswold

Alembert A. Griswold was born May 18, 1839 in Watertown, Jefferson County, New York.

According to the 1900 census both of his parents were born in New York. In 1840 N. G. and William Griswold were reported living in Watertown, New York. Alembert left New York and moved to western Michigan.

He stood 5’8” with blue eyes and was a 22-year-old farmer probably living in Muskegon County when he enlisted in Company H on May 13, 1861. (Company H, formerly the “Muskegon Rangers,” was made up largely of men from the vicinity of Muskegon and Newaygo counties.) He was promoted to Corporal on January 1, 1862, and to Sergeant on March 1.

Lieutenant Samuel Murray of Company H testified after the war that Alembert was struck in the right thigh by a piece of shell on June 1, 1862 (or perhaps May 31), while the Regiment was engaged at the battle of Fair Oaks, Virginia. In any case, he was promoted First Sergeant on September 1, 1862, and was treated for conjunctivitis in the regimental hospital from January 1 to 6, 1863.

He was again sick suffering from piles from February 18 to 26 and on March 25 he was treated for neuralgia. He was absent sick from April of 1863 through May, and on detached service in Michigan, recruiting for the Regiment, from December of 1863 through March. He was commissioned First Lieutenant, replacing Lieutenant Milton Leonard, as of April 1, 1864, but was never mustered in that rank. He was wounded severely in the right thigh on May 5 or 6, 1864, at the Wilderness, Virginia, and sent to the Third Corps hospital. He was admitted on June 1 to Harewood general hospital in Washington, DC, and he probably remained at Harwood until he was discharged on July 12, 1864.

After he was discharged Alembert settled in Pennsylvania, first in Ogdensburg and then Canton, Bradford County, where he worked for many years as a farmer.

He married Pennsylvania native Amanda D. Mills (1844-1919) on September 12, 1866, in Leroy, Bradford County, Pennsylvania; they had at least two children: Honor (b. 1868) and Bertha K (b. 1870).

He was living in Canton, Bradford County, Pennsylvania in 1876 when he applied for and received a pension (no. 149949), drawing $20 by 1911.

By 1880 Alembert was working as a farmer and living with his wife and children in Ward, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. He was residing in Alba, Bradford County, Pennsylvania in 1890, but by July of 1899 he was living in Canton, Bradford County, Pennsylvania. By 1900 Alembert and Amanda had moved back to Ward, Tioga County, Pennsylvania.

Alembert died of influenza in Canton Bradford County, Pennsylvania, on April 21, 1911, and was presumably buried there.

His widow received a pension (no. 723,313), drawing $25 by 1919.

William H. Griffith

William H. Griffith was born in 1840.

William was 21 years old and probably living in Ionia County, Michigan, 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 was absent sick in the hospital in August of 1862, and allegedly deserted on September 21, 1862, at Upton’s Hill, Virginia, but was probably still hospitalized. William apparently returned to the Regiment and was wounded slightly in the head on May 3, 1863, at Chancellorsville, Virginia. He was subsequently hospitalized and by mid May was reported to be in Lincoln hospital in Washington, DC. William remained hospitalized until he was transferred to the Veterans’ Reserve Corps on July 1 or 6, 1863.

There is no further record.

Apparently he did survive the war, however, and was living in Lee, Allegan County, Michigan, in 1890 and probably in Monterey, Allegan County in 1894.

In 1892 he applied for a pension (no. 1106111), but the certificate was never granted.

Thomas Griffin

Thomas Griffin was born 1834 in Canada.

Thomas came to the United States from Canada sometime before the war broke out, eventually settling in western Michigan.

He stood 5’11” with blue eyes, black hair and a light complexion, and was a 27-year-old lumberman probably living in Muskegon County when he enlisted in Company H on May 13, 1861. (Company H, formerly the “Muskegon Rangers,” was made up largely of men from the vicinity of Muskegon and Newaygo counties.) On July 1, 1862, he was admitted to one of the hospitals in Alexandria, suffering from consumption, and was discharged on August 18, 1862, at Fairfax Seminary hospital, Virginia, on account of “advanced” consumption, in the “last stage.” According to his discharge paper he had been “off duty 4 1/2 months.”

It seems that Thomas never left Virginia, however. He died of consumption, on either August 24, 1862, or March 19, 1864, at Alexandria, Virginia, and was buried at Alexandria National Cemetery: section A, grave no. 904-9.

No pension record seems to be available.

Martin R. Greerman

Martin R. Greerman, also known as “Greenman,” was born 1845 in Muskegon, Muskegon County, Michigan, possibly the son of Bryan (b. 1813) and Matilda (b. 1810).

New York native Bryan married Canadian Matilda and by 1844 was living in Michigan. In 1860 there was a Martin Greenman attending school with his siblings and living with his family in Gaines, Kent County.

Martin stood 5’8” with black eyes, dark hair and a florid complexion, and was 18 years old and probably living in Gaines, Kent County when he enlisted in Company K on January 6, 1864, at Grand Rapids for 3 years, and was mustered on January 9 at Corunna, Shiawassee County.

He joined the Regiment on February 17 at Camp Bullock, Virginia and was killed in action on May 6, 1864, at the Wilderness, Virginia. He was presumably buried among the unknown soldiers at the Wilderness.

No pension seems to be available.

Samuel A. Greenwood

Samuel A. Greenwood was born 1830 in London, England.

Samuel immigrated to America and eventually settled in Michigan.

He was married to Irish-born Mary A. (1839-1867), and they had at least two children: Susan (b. 1857) and Joseph (b. 1860).

They settled in Michigan sometime before 1857 and by 1860 Samuel was working as a farm laborer and living with his wife and two children in Greenwood (near Brockway), St. Clair County. (Neither Samuel or Mary could read or write.)

Samuel stood 5’10” with blue eyes, brown hair and a fair complexion, and was 40 or 33 years old and probably working in Sparta, Kent County when he enlisted in Company C on August 9, 1862, at Grand Rapids for 3 years, and was mustered the same day. He joined the Regiment on September 10 at Camp Bullock, Virginia, was hospitalized on February 11, 1863, and reported absent sick in the hospital from June until he was transferred to Company C, Ninth Regiment, Veterans’ Reserve Corps, on either September 30, 1863, or November 11, 1863, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

After his discharge from the army Samuel eventually returned to Michigan, probably to his family in St. Clair County (Mary died in Port Huron, St. Clair County in 1867).

Samuel eventually moved to the western side of the state and was probably living in Kent County when he married his second (?) wife Lucinda or Nancy (b. 1836), on October 22, 1868 in Algoma.

He apparently had two more children: Lottie (1868-69) and Samuel (d. 1868). He was possibly living in Algoma, Kent County, in 1868 when his son Samuel died and in 1869 when his daughter died.

In any case, Samuel was living in Algoma when he married his third (?) wife Pennsylvania native Mary “Polly” Helsel (nee Misner, b. 1828 on June 8, 1870 in Algoma.

By 1870 Samuel was working as a farm laborer and living with his new wife Polly and two sons, Joseph and Richard (b. 1867), as well as three of Polly’s children by her former marriage in Algoma, Kent County. By 1880 Samuel was working as a laborer and living with his wife, and three daughters, two of Mary’s who he had apparently adopted and Eliza Ann (b. 1871, Mrs. Stevens), in Cedar Springs, Kent County

In 1879 he applied for and received a pension (no. 242,466).

Samuel was living in Solon, Kent County in 1890, and in Cedar Springs in 1894 and probably when he joined the Old Third Michigan Infantry Association in 1899.