Bio: John Eaton :Pittsfield, Merrimack Co, New Hampshire

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Submitted by: Rick Giirtman  rickman@worldpath.net
Date: March 15, 2001
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From the Book
'History of Pittsfield, N. H. in the Rebellion'
by H. L. Robinson, published 1893


JOHN  EATON
was a native of Corinth, Me., where he was born September 17,1843. His
parents, Perkins and Katie (Hilton) Eaton, moved to Pittsfield when he was
quite small, and here he lived, attending school and playing his boyish
pranks, until he enlisted in Company B, Second New Hampshire volunteers,
and was mustered into service June 1, 1861.

As the company had more than its complement of men he was transferred to
Company E, of the same regiment. Here he served throughout the famous
Peninsular campaign, being slightly wounded at the Battle of Williamsburg.
He was taken sick and sent to the college hospital at Williamsburg.

From here he went to Yorktown, where he had pneumonia. He was transferred to
Portsmouth Grove, R. I. Here he remained for a long time, and as he grew no
better he was sent home to die of consumption. This was February 15, 1863,
but in a short time the pure air of Pittsfield restored his wonted vigor and
he went to Concord to work. While there the enrolment for the first draft
took place, but before the day of drawing had arrived, he went to Portsmouth,
N. H., to work on the fortifications. Soon afterward the provost marshal
appeared and notified him that he had been drafted.

Now Comrade Eaton was willing to serve his country voluntarily, but he
demurred at being forced into the army. He told the officer that he would
report at Concord the next day. He did so, was examined and accepted, then
was given two weeks in which to arrange his affairs.

He returned to Portsmouth the next evening. Six young men were together, of
whom he was one. They were talking about enlisting, and one said he would go
if another one would, another said he would go if still another would. At
last it came to John, who said, "Boys, now you fellows have all got to go or
back out." That night they all enlisted and Eaton is the only one left to
tell their story. Of course his enlisting as he did (from another
congressional district) made some confusion in the records at Concord.

He and his companions were sent to Concord, and placed in the pen among a
lot of conscripts and substitutes. This was very distasteful to these men
who had volunteered, so they appealed to the selectmen, who came forward and
guaranteed that they would not desert. Then they were allowed their full
liberty until they were sent to join Company H, Fourth New Hampshire
volunteers, which they did, at Washington. From that time on Eaton was in
the army commanded by General Butler, and participated in all battles and
skirmishes in which his regiment was engaged, from Dairy's Bluff to
Petersburg.

At the blowing up of the famous mine at the latter place he was terribly
wounded in the right fore-arm by an explosive bullet, shattering the bone
and rendering it useless for the remainder of his life. At the same time he
received another wound from a Minie ball in his shoulder, and before he
could be removed he was bayoneted in the leg by a rebel as he lay on the
field.

After a time he was removed and Sent to Washington, where the doctors
decided to amputate his wounded limb, but Dr. Webster, whom our older
citizens will remember as having married a sister of our well known
townsman, Benjamin Kaine, interfered and saved not only the arm but the
life of our comrade. After remaining here a long time he was removed to
Manchester, and placed in the hospital on the old fairground in the north
part of the city, and late in the summer of 1865 was discharged.

At the Battle of Williamsburg a man from this town had a finger shot off; as
he started to the rear he held the bleeding member aloft and shouted, "See,
boys, I've got a thirty days furlough." His levity gave rise to the story
that he had shot it off himself, but Eaton says it was not so, for he was by
his side. The man had just loaded his gun and brought it to "ready " when a
rebel bullet cut his finger off as clean as it could have been done with an
ax.

The amount of ignorance among the people of the South was astonishing. To be
sure there was an educated class, equal to any found in the world, but there
was a large class of poor whites that were no further advanced in
intelligence than the negroes. One of this class had attached himself to the
Second regiment, and more particularly to John Eaton. He was continually
bragging about his dogs,--they could catch any "nigger" that ever ran, while
for hunting coons they could not be beat,--they were the pride of his life.
One day he came to Eaton and said : "You know I've got a sweetheart over in
the next county, and I've just got a letter from her; but you know I can't
read it, for I a'n't no scholar. Now if you'll read it for me, and let me
stand behind you and hold onto your ears so you can't hear, I'll give you
one of my pups."

To this arrangement Eaton agreed. After the reading had been completed the
native said, " Lor', there's nothing in it but what I'd just as lief you
would know as not,--read it again." But Eaton would not do it unless the
man would agree to take the pup back. Then Eaton pretended to read a lot
of news that was not in the letter; the citizen became disgusted at this,
and sought some one else who could read twice alike.