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Submitted by: Jody Goodson kestrell@prodigy.net Date: April 30, 2001 **************************************************************************** From the Book 'History of Pittsfield, N. H. in the Rebellion' by H. L. Robinson, published 1893 page 123 JOHN W. PAGE was born at Hampton Falls, September 10, 1833. He was a son of James and _____ (Smith) Page. He came to Pittsfield to live in the year 1852 and married Mandana Lock, of Epsom, and had two children living when he enlisted in Company I, of the Sixth New Hampshire volunteers, being the only man from this town in that regiment. He was mustered into the United States service, November 28, 1861, at Keene, N.H., and soon after left for Washington. This regiment was a part of Burnside's expedition to Cape Hatteras, and was afterwards stationed at Roanoke Island, then at Newbern, N. C. From here they went to Aquia Creek, Va., then to Falmouth, and soon after took part in the engagement at Slaughter or Cedar Mountain. They then went to Washington Junction, and were in the fight at that place; then to Mannassas Junction, and were in the second Battle of Bull Run. From there they marched to Fairfax Court House, and crossed into Maryland, and were in the terrible Battle of Antietam. Here his comrade, G. Melvin Sherburn, lost a leg, and Page was detailed to care for him, so was not in the next two battles in which his regiment was engaged. The regiment then went to Kentucky; they first guarded a stockade to protect the bridge at Frankfort, then they went to Louisville, from there to Bowling Green, then to Russellville in Tennessee. While on this march Page says they were short of food, and one of his comrades got a can of cucumber pickles, holding about two quarts, and ate them all, -- which killed him. While in this section the men got very lousy, one man's shirt was so full of these "greybacks" that it would move, as the insects crawled over it. One of the men did a lot of washing for the company, and so many lice came to the surface of the water that it looked like a kettle of rice. page 124 From June 15 to July 4, 1863, he was with General Grant's army besieging Vicksburg, and scarcely had this stronghold surrendered when his regiment, with others, was sent to Jackson, Miss., and from July 8 to the 15th they were engaged with the rebel army at that place. Page reenlistcd in the field December 19, 1863. and came home on a furlough, after which he rejoined his regiment at Washington. He was in the Battle of the Wilderness May 6, 1864, then the disastrous Battle of Cold Harbor, and through the siege of Petersburg without getting wounded, although his clothing was pierced several times. Just as the rebels evacuated the last named place, a spent grape shot struck him on the head, rendering him unconscious for a season -- not breaking the skin, but raising a large lump on his forehead. His regiment marched through Petersburg and were stationed at Burksville when Lee surrendered. As soon as the war closed the regiment came home and was mustered out of service at Concord. Page immediately returned to Pittsfield, where he has since resided. JOHN H. PRESCOTT was born in Pittsfield, where the high school building now stands, October 14, 1840, and was the oldest son of John and Mary (Clarke) Prescott. A few years later his father exchanged his village residence for a farm in the southern part of the town, where he spent his early years, having but little time or opportunity for mental culture; but his ambition to acquire knowledge, strengthened by his own native energy, and aided by such assistance as his parents were able to render him, suffered not the years of his adolescence to pass without securing for himself so much of an academic education as was sufficient to lay the foundation of his future usefulness. On the 18th day of August, 1862, he enlisted in Company F, Twelfth New Hampshire volunteers, page 125 and acted as commissary sergeant of the regiment until receiving his first commission, in December of the following year. From that date to the end of the war he was most of the time on detached duty, acting as aide-de-camp on the staffs of Generals Wistar, Steadman, Smith, Weitzel, Potter, and Donahue, and participating in the battles of Bermuda Hundred, Swift Creek, Dairy's Bluff, Port Walthall, Cold Harbor, Siege of Petersburg, Cemetery Hill, and the capture of Richmond. . He was also present with his regiment, although not in the ranks, at the great battles of Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, and Chancellorsville, in all of which he stood manfully at his post of duty, regardless of toil or danger, and in the last named proved that the blood of his grandsire, Samuel Prescott, of the Revolution, still coursed in his veins, by begging permission of Colonel Potter to leave the supply train and follow his regiment into battle, which he did until a rebel bullet pierced the visor of his cap, and he found himself busy, far in advance of the stretcher-bearers, in caring for the wounded and dying, and in disarming the stray "Johnnies" that he found inside outlines. At Port Walthall, while dismounted for the purpose of reconnoitering the position of the enemy, lie suddenly but unwillingly presented himself as a conspicuous target for a score or more of rebel cavalry, who, with levelled carbines, demanded his surrender, and only saved himself from capture or death by a cool head and swift feet. He was brigade officer of the day, when Richmond was evacuated, and one of the first, after the picket line, to enter the city; and probably the very first Union soldier that ever voluntarily entered within the walls of Libby prison. Finding himself at early morn inside the fortifications of the rebel citadel, his first thought was of the Union soldiers confined in that loathsome prison-house, and he immediately hastened thither, only to find it, like the Southern Confederacy, page 126 but an empty shell. A large key that he picked up on one of the floors he carried away and kept as a prized relic of that noted building, and a quick reminder of the day when he first visited it. Many other interesting incidents of his army life, illustrative of his experiences as a soldier and characteristic of the man, might be written if space permitted. September 2, 1864, he was promoted to captain, which rank he held, though deserving a much higher, when discharged from the service June 21, 1865. Captain Prescott was a fine scholar and did not entirely relinquish his studies even while in the army, for he sent home by a comrade and secured some books, which he studied while in winter quarters. He was very popular, not only with his schoolmates and friends, but with his comrades in the army as well. His death at Salina, Kan., in 1891, caused deep mourning among his many friends. JOHN H. PHILBRICK came to Pittsfield about 1857, to work at shoemaking. He was a son of John H. F. and Martha (Ham) Philbrick, and was born in Epsom, January 17, 1836. January 5, 1859, he married Mary A. Durgin, of Pittsfield. and when he enlisted, in September, 1862, he left two children with his wife. He was promoted to corporal February 2, 1863. At the Battle of Chancellorsville, the following May 3, he was slightly wounded. He was promoted to sergeant December 1, 1863. He took part in the battles of Fredericksburg, Swift Creek, Dairy's Bluff. At Petersburg he was again wounded, this time in the neck. While the regiment was encamped at Point Lookout, during the winter of 1863-'64. Sergeant Philbrick was sent home on recruiting service, and after his return he served with the regiment until his discharge at the close of the war. I understand that Philbrick is now in Danvers, Mass. page 127 ALFRED C. RICHARDS was a well known musician in this town. For many years he taught the art of singing in this and adjoining towns. He was born in Goffstown, N. H., November 3, 1835. He was a son of Eaton Richards and Lucy J. Moore. He first came to Pittsfield with his mother, who had married William Moody, in 1842. Two years later he moved to Loudon, and from there to Chichester; then in 1852 he came to Pittsfield, and resided here until he enlisted. In 1857 he married Miss Susan P. Eastman, and is now living in Deerfield. On the 29th day of July, 1861, he enlisted in Company B, Third New Hampshire volunteers, and served continuously until his discharge, July 28, 1865, by reason of the close of the war, -- making exactly four years' service. Having enlisted the first time for three years, he reenlisted at Hilton Head, S. C., on the 24th day of February, 1863. He was on detached duty for some time in the ordnance department, and stationed at Botany Bay, S. C., under Captain Ordway. After Morris Island he was again detailed as cook in the hospital at that place. He took part in every engagement that his regiment participated in, except that at Fort Fisher, being at that time on detached duty. He was severely injured at Graham's Plantation, on Hilton Head Island. He served in the army under the name of Moody. ALBERT G. H. RING always made his home in Pittsfield, where he was born April 29, 1825. He was a son of Richard and Mary F. Ring. He was a painter by trade, and often went to Massachusetts to work for a season. While in Boston he enlisted a year or two before the war in the afterward famous Nims' Battery. When the war broke out this battery went into page 128 camp near Boston, and while drilling Ring was injured sO that he could not be mustered into service. He came home to Pittsfield, and as soon as he recovered he enlisted in Company G, Seventh New Hampshire volunteers, and went into camp at Manchester. There was such a demand for men that understood battery drill that he was transferred to Comstock's battery, which became Battery M, of Third Rhode Island heavy artillery. When his son, Charles O. Ring, was killed, he applied for a furlough to go to Pinckney Island and get the body, but could not get one. He called on General Hunter and laid the case before him, and this officer issued a special order directing Ring to procure the body of his son, transport it to Concord, and then report for duty at Washington. This he did, and remained in the fortifications around that city until the close of the war. While waiting here for transportation to his regiment, the rebels under General Early made their famous raid on the capital. Ring volunteered in a regiment of infantry that was organized for temporary service in Washington, and did good service in defending the city from the enemy. This action of Ring's caused a confusion of the accounts of the paymaster, for Ring had drawn pay while in the temporary service, and was also borne on the rolls of his battery as a member. It was several years later before he secured his pay. He died August 2, 1889, at Pittsfield. Comrade Ring was very active in forming the Grand Army post in this town, and they have had his picture inserted in this history. CHARLES O. RING. One of the popular young men in this town in 1861 was Charles O. Ring, who was born in Barnstead, March 14, 1844. When but nine months old his mother, Mary A. Ring, moved to Pittsfield. Here page 129 Charles grew to manhood, attending our public school and academy. In 1861 he enlisted, August 23, in Company H, Third New Hampshire volunteers, in the same company that his cousin, John Brooks, served. The regiment left the state September 3, and proceeded to Port Royal. On the night of August 21, 1862, while his company were sleeping in a house on Pinckney Island, the enemy surprised them; some of them jumped from the windows and saved themselves, but young Ring seized his rifle, rushed out of the door, and took his place beside his captain. Here he received five bullet wounds, and as he fell he crawled under the house; but the rebels were not content to let him die thus, and stabbed him seven times with the bayonet. After the enemy was repulsed he was taken to the hospital, where he lived twelve hours. On the way he begged of his comrades to take his knife and cut the boot from his wounded foot for he suffered intense pain from the bayonet wounds; they did so, and it relieved him at once. His father, A. G. H. Ring, who belonged to the Third Rhode Island heavy artillery, obtained permission, went, down, secured the body, and brought it home, reaching Concord September 11, 1862. He was buried in the rear of the town hall, but after the new cemetery was opened his body was removed to that beautiful resting place of the dead. ALBEE R. REYNOLDS enlisted in Company G, Seventh New Hampshire volunteers, and was mustered into service November 23, 1861, and was mustered out December 22, 1864. He was born in Candia, September 21, 1843, and when about twelve years of age he came to Pittsfidd to live with his uncle, the late Owen Reynolds. He was a shoemaker by trade ; married Miss Josephine Eaton, and had one child. If alive, his residence is unknown. page 130 HENRY L. ROBINSON was born near Ewer's Mills, East Concord, N. H., May 13, 1841. October 11, 1856, he came to Pittsfield to live and learn the trade of shoemaking. He attended the public schools at Concord and Pittsfield, and at the academy in the latter town,-- working at his trade night and morning to pay his way. On the breaking out of the war, he at once enlisted, driving to Concord the same night that news had been brought to town that a recruiting office had been opened there, but was rejected for physical reasons. Again in July he enlisted, and was again rejected. October 28 he enlisted, and was mustered into Company G, Eighth New Hampshire volunteers, and was made company cook. He served with his company at Manchester, N. H.; Fort Independence (Boston, Mass.), and Ship Island, Miss., where he was taken sick and sent to the hospital, and discharged April 10, 1862. As there were no ambulances on the island, he was carried in a blanket by his comrades some two miles, and laid on the sand in a tent to wait until a ship was ready to convey him home. He was carried in the same manner on board the Undaunted and placed in a bunk. There were some six hundred sick on board beside the crews of two blockade-runners, and only one doctor, and the only remedy he had was Epsom salts. But as soon as the ship sailed, and the "wind-sails" were put in place, giving a cool draught of air, many of the sick began to revive. General Butler, in his book, in speaking about the water on Ship Island, and telling how it was procured by sinking a headless barrel in the sand, says, -- "But I learned another fact about it; and this was that after a few days the water would become impure, emitting a very perceptible and offensive odor of decaying animal matter, and then that barrel would have to be abandoned." Now General Butler don't know page 131 how Ship Island water can stink. The Undaunted was supplied with iron tanks on deck. These were very rusty, and were filled with Ship Island water for the use of the troops. The rolling of the vessel washed the rust off so that the water was the color of floor paint; and as it rotted, as all stagnant water will, the smell was so offensive that the men had to hold their noses when they gulped it down. When off Cape Hatteras the vessel was struck by a squall; the main and mizzen masts were broken off, and all of the sails of the foremast but one were blown away, and the beautiful ship was a drifting hulk. The vessel had sprung a leak, and the pumps had to be worked every day to keep her afloat. When off Cape Cod, signals were made, and a tug came out and towed the transport to Boston where she arrived June 2. Robinson was conveyed to Camp Cameron, near Boston, where he was paid the first money he had received since enlisting. After the Undaunted was wrecked, the men were put upon an allowance of one pint of water, such as has just been described, per day. The thirst of the men almost crazed them. As they lay on the hot decks of the vessel, visions of cool springs at home were constantly in their minds. Robinson wrote, soon after reaching home, to a friend: On the east side of Catamount mountain, opposite the Berry school-house, is a spring of the purest water that ever gushed from the bosom of earth. This water is cool and delicious in summer, and never freezes in winter, the green moss around it showing amid the snow, like a handful of summer thrown into the lap of winter. After our wreck this spring was continually before my mind; I would think of it by day and dream of it by night. The sailors had plenty of good water aboard, but we were not allowed any of it. Once, while between decks where our bunks were, I tried to find a cooler place near the ship's water tank. It was perfectly dark. In feeling along the top, my hand came in contact with the cover of the man-hole that was used in cleaning out the tank when in port. It was page 132 fastened so that I could not move it. That night I secured a bar, and, with the help of one or two comrades that I had let into the secret while the others were at breakfast, removed the cover. But the water was too low for us to reach with our dippers, so one of us procured a bottle and some "spun yarn." We got a sailor to show us how to "gauge" the yarn to the bottle; then we lowered it into the tank, and by working it back and forth were able after a long time to get a swallow of pure water; but it was a slow, tedious process, and but a very few of the six hundred men aboard the vessel received any benefit from it. Soon after his return to Pittsfield his health began to improve and he enlisted in Company G, Fifteenth regiment, October 11, 1862. I make the following extract from the history of the Fifteenth, written by Charles Me Gregor of Nashua: The next day after landing at Carrollton, La., he (Robinson) was sent on detached duly, driving team for a few days; then he went on a flag-of-truce boat, the Zephyr, to Sabine Pass in Texas to get a lot of men, women, and children that had been held as prisoners of war by the rebels for twenty-two months, having been surrendered by General Twiggs. It was the Eighth regiment of regulars. The condition of these poor people he says was extremely deplorable. They had received no pay or clothing during all of this time. There was only a piece of an overcoat in all of the regiment, no tents -- only a tent-fly -- and these people had marched eleven hundred miles, the men carrying the women and children when any of them were sick. One child was born on the march. After resting for three days, the mother and child were placed in the tent-fly and carried along by the men. After his return to Carrollton from this expedition, he was made ambulance master for the Department of the Gulf. Atone time he was to go to Bonet Carrie to examine some ambulances. As the distance was some thirty miles, most of which was outside of our lines, he made arrangements to go with a wagonmaster by the name of Miller, who was to make the page 133 trip the next day. That night Robinson was restless and could not sleep. The moon was shining brightly so he concluded to saddle up his horse " Stonewall," and make the journey in the night. Taking a nosebag of oats for his horse he started. When he got about half way at a place called the Doctor's plantation, he stopped, fed his horse, took a bite of hardtack himself, and then pushed on. He arrived at Bonet Carrie by daylight and at 8 o'clock had completed his business. Now he had had many disputes with Miller in regard to "Stonewall," Robinson claiming that his horse could go farther in twenty-four hours than any other horse in Louisiana. By 9 o'clock he was again on the road, thinking to meet Miller at the doctor's or the little red church at noontime. As he neared the spot, intending to surprise Miller, he was himself surprised by seeing Miller's wagon train making east on the road that led in that direction from the doctor's house, across the country. They were some three fourths of a mile away. Taking off his hat and swinging it he gave a terrific yell, and drawing his revolver he discharged it in the air, at the same time urging his horse forward. He passed the doctor's house, and around the corner of the road lie then saw that the teams had halted. Thinking that Miller had lost his way he then jogged along slowly. When he reached the wagon train he learned that while the mules and men were eating their dinner, a company of rebels had swooped down on them, made them their prisoners, and were taking them off into the Confederacy, but when they saw him coming they had abandoned their booty, and taking Miller with them had fled. Taking charge of the teams Robinson started for Carrollton. At an abandoned plantation he loaded up with sugar, putting two hogsheads in each of the twenty-two wagons. He did not reach the Parapet until after dark and was passed through by the officer page 134 of the guard, who happened to be Lieutenant Joseph G. Ayers of his own company. The next morning he turned over to Post Quartermaster Holmes over thirty tons of sugar. This officer placed Robinson in charge of this wagon train, which position he retained as long as he was in the service. A few days later Miller returned, having been paroled. He said that the rebels thought (and he shared their belief) that a whole company of our cavalry were after them, while Robinson declares that if he had known the situation, he should have turned and fled to Bonet Carrie. After that Robinson was busy moving supplies, hauling wood, etc., to the various regiments at Camp Parapet. One time while getting wood he was shot at by a bushwhacker, and his horse was wounded so that he died. He also went on an expedition to Bloxi, Miss., with a Texas (Union) regiment of cavalry. When General Banks made his first movement to Port Hudson, Robinson went with his teams, and after Banks's return, he started with the army up the Tesche, but was taken sick and sent back to Carrollton, then to Camp Parapet; but when he arrived at the latter place, his regiment had gone to Port Hudson, where he rejoined it after an absence of nearly eight months. Soon after taking charge of the wagon train he went with a lot of wood to the Fifteenth New Hampshire. While his men were unloading, one of the lead mules kicked over the traces. Robinson took a whip, and commenced striking the animal to make him kick back. Lieutenant-Colonel Frost came along and said : "Stop striking that mule! Take hold of his foot and put it back." "I don't dare to," was the reply. "I will never ask a man to do what I dare not do," said the officer, as he stepped forward and reached for the quadruped's foot. But that mule had no respect for page 135 shoulder-straps and let drive, striking the lieutenant-colonel a terrific blow, landing him in the mud some two rods away. Soon afterwards the officer resigned. DANIEL W. ROBINSON, better known as "Webb," a brother of the above, was born at East Concord, May 10, 1843; came to Pittsfield in 1858, to work at shoemaking with Samuel D. Davis; remained in town until he enlisted and was mustered into Company A, Fifth New Hampshire volunteers, October 12, 1861. He served with this regiment through the Peninsular campaign. While engaged in building bridges across the swamps of the Chickahominy he contracted rheumatism and disease of the heart and was sent to Shipping Point and placed in a hospital. He was discharged May 14, 1862, and sent home. He arrived at his father's house in Concord on the night of June 1, a mere skeleton. He was at that time hardly able to move. I cannot refrain from giving an extract from Colonel Cross's report of the service of the Fifth New Hampshire in 1862, showing some of the hardships which the men of this regiment had to endure. On the l0th of March they were ordered to Warrenton. Colonel Cross says: " On the march to Warrenton Junction the entire force were obliged to ford creeks and rivers -- some of them waist-deep, crossing five of these fords in one day. Guard and picket duty was severe, the weather cold and rainy, the roads almost impassable. Often the men could build no fires, often the ground was so wet and muddy that they could not lie down. There were no tents, no wagons, no cooking utensils but tin cups. We endured these hardships for thirty-one days. * * * * * * * * * * * The weather was cold and wet when we reached Shipping Point (April 5), and the men were obliged to wade ashore from the vessels and camp on the water-soaked earth with page 136 no tents. My regiment was at once set to work making 'corduroy roads' through a swamp, and building bridges. Added to this hard labor in mud and water, the locality itself was very unhealthy." As soon as he was able he returned to Pittsfield and worked at his trade. He married Ann, daughter of the late John C. Berry, and had one son. Not satisfied with his first experience as a soldier he enlisted in Troop D, First New Hampshire cavalry, June 25, 1864, and served with them until the spring of 1865, when his old enemy, rheumatism, again attacked him and he was discharged just as the war closed. He is now a prosperous farmer at Wautoma, Wis.