Bio: Albert F. Berry : Pittsfield, Merrimack County, New Hampshire **************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or his legal representative and then contact the listed USGENWEB archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net. Submitted by: Rick Giirtman rickman@worldpath.net Date: March 10, 2001 **************************************************************************** From the Book 'History of Pittsfield, N. H. in the Rebellion' by H. L. Robinson, published 1893 ALBERT F. BERRY. In October, 1857, I first met Albert F. Berry, while he was engaged in helping his father make a survey to bring water from Berry's pond to Pittsfield village. From that day he was my boyhood's friend, schoolmate, and army comrade ; of a genial disposition, he had plenty of friends wherever he went. He was a son of John and Mary A. (Hogan) Berry, born in Pittsfield, September 8, 1841. He attended the public schools and Pittsfield academy. In 1861 he entered the Chandler Scientific school at Hanover. One day in August, 1862, while at home on a vacation, a friend who had been in the service was with him in his father's store. The old man was very patriotic, and declared that if he was not more than fifty years old he would enlist, as none of his family had done so. Albert said, "I will enlist, father, if you will let me leave college." " Let you leave college!" roared his parent. " D--n it, sir, I will give you five hundred dollars in a minute if you will go." Albert said nothing, but winking to his friend they went to Remick's store, where there was a recruiting office, and enlisted. Returning to his father's store he said very quietly, " I have enlisted." His father rose from his seat, and taking a bunch of keys left the room. In about half an hour he returned, and handing a bank book to Albert, said in his forceful way, " There, my son, I have put a thousand dollars in the bank for you. Now do your duty like a man ; if you get injured or are sick come home, I will take care of you as long as you live, but damn you, sir, don't you run. Remember, if you get shot in the back don't you ever let me see your face again." This admonition the old man often gave his son before he left for the war. One day at Long Island we crawled out of our "pup" tents, where the rain had kept us for two days, to stretch ourselves and dry our clothes by the campflre, when the sergeant passed down the street with the mail. Among others Albert had a letter from home ; after reading it he said, " Father has not got over worrying for fear that I shall get shot in the back." He was mustered into Company G, Fifteenth New Hampshire volunteers, October 11, 1862, as a corporal, and was soon after promoted to be sergeant, and was mustered out with his regiment August 13, 1863. He was of rather spare build, and he had a pale complexion. Soon after landing in Louisiana, the regiment was inspected by one of those West Point officers who thought he had all the knowledge the world possessed. Coming to Berry, who stood in his place as a file closer, he roared out, " When did you come from the hospital, sir?" " I came from there this morning, sir," replied Berry. " Who is your captain?" demanded the officer. " Captain Osgood, Berry answered. "Captain Osgood," roared the West Pointer, with a look evidently intended to sink that individual into the ground, "how dare you bring a sick man out on inspection ? " " I did not know that I had a sick man here," replied Osgood. Berry, seeing that there was a misunderstanding, interposed and said, "I am not sick. You asked me when I came from the hospital; I told you this morning. I had charge of the sick squad and took them over there ; but I am not sick, and have not seen a sick day since I was eight years old, when I had the measles," The West Pointer looked him over, as much as to say, "You are a liar, sir," and passed on. Berry stood the trying service finely, never being sent to the surgeon during his term of service. He was a good soldier and a model officer, very cool under fire. During one of the battles at Fort Hudson his gun became so foul that he could not ram the ball down. It stuck fast near the muzzle. Taking his knife from his pocket he sat on the ground and began to cut it out. Just then one of his comrades was killed. Berry throw away his gun, and taking that of the dead man continued the fight. Although the inspector general considered Comrade Berry a sick man, yet he proved to be one of the hardiest soldiers. During the siege of Port Hudson, which continued forty-six days, and during which time he was constantly under fire, when any one of his comrades became disabled or exhausted he would take his place and do double duty. At one time he was on guard for twenty-four hours without being relieved, and a large part of the time walking the beat of a private who had been obliged to give up from exhaustion. Yet the next day he went into the trenches and did a hard day's work with pick and spade, although according to army regulations he should not have done so. He died a. few years ago at some fort in British America.