Biographies of Civil War Veterans part 4, Pittsfield, Merrimack Co, NH

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Submitted by: Jody Goodson  kestrell@prodigy.net
Date: April 30, 2001
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From the Book
'History of Pittsfield, N. H. in the Rebellion'
by H. L. Robinson, published 1893


page 136

GEORGE   H.   REYNOLDS     
was born in the town of New Durham, May 29, 1840, and was shot at
Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863. Mr. Reynolds was a student in the academy at the
breaking out of the war. He had previously lived in town for several years, and
both among the citizens and his schoolmates he had many warm friends. On his
last visit to Pittsfield he met many of his friends in the academy hall. He told
them he should never see them again; when he left the state it would be never
to return. His friends tried to get this idea out of his head, but in vain.
While aiding a wounded comrade he was shot and killed, as above stated.
He was a member of Company F, Twelfth New Hampshire volunteers. He was as
popular among his comrades as he had been among his townsmen.

WILLIAM  O.   RING.
In the western part of Pittsfield lived Jeremiah Ring and his wife, Mary
(Nutter) Ring. They had but one child, W. O. Ring, who was born on the old
homestead, August 21, 1841. He lived with his parents until the breaking out
of the war, when he

Pictures opposite page 136 of the following:

Chas. O. Ring
George Snell
G. H. Sanborn
W. O. Ring
C. L. Sweatt
A. G. H. Ring

page 137

wanted to enlist, but his parents opposed it and induced him to go to Newport,
Vt., and work in a sash and blind shop.
     Soon after the raid by the rebels on St. Albans, Vt., he joined a company of
cavalry at Newport to serve in the state; but finding that he would see no
active service, he left, went to Boston, and enlisted in Company E, Twenty-third
Massachusetts infantry, and was sent to Galloupe's Island. He had been here
some time before his parents learned what he had done. He went with his command
to Fortress Monroe, from there to Norfolk, Va., then to Roanoke Island, from
there through the Dismal Swamp canal to Morehead, City, then to Newbern, N. C.
He was in the skirmish at Kingston, and the Battle of Goldsboro. From there
they marched to Raleigh, then back to Newbern. This was what is known in history
as the "Goldsboro Raid." It helped Sherman in his march through the Carolinas,
which finally closed the war. The regiment was so reduced that it was placed on
provost duty guarding the city, and forwarding supplies to the army that was
fighting Johnson. Ring remained here until the close of hostilities, when he
was discharged, and has ever since lived in this town.
     During the raid already alluded to, Ring was detailed to act as a forager. In
company with a comrade he rode up to a house that stood some forty rods from
the main road. The buildings were of the same character found in that portion
of the South. In the lane leading to the house they found a sow with a litter
of pigs some eight or ten weeks old, that were plump, pretty little fellows.
The two men hitched their horses to the fence and at once gave chase. The hog
and her babies ran into a building that was evidently intended for their home,
the only door being about two feet high. Ring's comrade ran around the building
to drive the occupants out by pounding on the boards, while Ring got down on
hands and knees beside the door to catch the pigs when they ran out.
So intent was he in pecking through a crack,

page 138

watching the pigs, that lie paid no attention to the woman who appeared on the
scene with a hickory broom, and he received a blow on his person where he least
expected it, and where he has never been able to examine it -- in fact it was where
his mother applied the slipper when she chastised him.
     Just then the pigs made a dash for the door. As they rushed through Ring caught
two by the hind legs, who at once set up a most unearthly squealing. Armed with
these he commenced to defend himself from the attacks of the woman and broom,
and soon be was chasing her around the buildings and finally into the house,-- he
continually swinging the pigs, and she making double-quick time with her broom
at "right shoulder shift." More of his comrades coming up, the rest of the
booty was soon secured.

JAMES   W.   ROGERS.
Jacob Rogers kept a hotel in the brick house on the corner of Main and Bank
streets, now owned by John A. Goss. Here, on the 7th of June, 1839, was born his
son, James W. Rogers. Mrs. Rogers, whose maiden name was Hannah Kelly, was a
cousin of ex-Governor Anthony Colby, who was adjutant general of New Hampshire
at the time James enlisted.  He spent his entire boyhood in this town, and
enlisted in Company B, Second New Hampshire volunteers, in June, 1861. His
comrades speak in the highest terms regarding him as a soldier. His tentmate,
N. W. Adams, says that he was one of the best in that famous regiment.
     At Point Lookout, where the Second and Twelfth regiments were guarding prisoners,
Rogers one dark night walked off from the stage and fell the distance of 16 feet,
putting out of joint both wrists. The prisoners were confined within a stockade
that was about twenty feet high. The stage on which the sentry walked was on the
outside of this stockade and about three feet lower than the top of it. The
outside of

pagw 139

the stage was protected by a hand-rail. At each corner were stairs or ladders by
which the stage was reached from the ground. It was at one of these corners that
the accident happened.
     In the second Battle of Bull Run he was wounded in the shoulder quite severely.
Again, at the Battle of Cold Harbor, June 3, 1864. he was wounded in the foot.
He was subsequently sent to the hospital at Philadelphia, where he remained
until his discharge. August 20, 1864. After a while he again enlisted, but was
rejected on account of the wound in his foot, which would not allow him to make
long marches.
     At Harrison's Landing, the rebels were between two fires -- our gunboats on 
the river James and our army. Some of the shells from our gunboats did not burst at
the right moment, but passed harmlessly over the enemy to burst in our own
ranks. One of these struck not three feet from Rogers and exploded in the
ground, enveloping him in a cloud of dust and smoke, from which he emerged
terribly frightened, but without a scratch or bruise resulting from the affair.
He is supposed by his friends to be dead.
     While on one of the long marches, food was scarce and our friend was hungry. All
the houses along the route had been cleared of eatables. Jim found an old house
or hut away from the road, with no one at home save a slatternly looking woman
and two or three tow-headed children. He inquired if she had anything to eat
that she would sell. She replied that she had some corn pones that she had just
baked, which she would sell at ten cents each. Jim and a companion seated
themselves on a log and began eating the bread. Jim had devoured about half of
one of the pones when he found a feather in it. Pulling it out, he called out:
     "Here, old woman, is a feather in your pone!" and she replied:
     "Lor', yes; I've been tellin' my old man for more'n two weeks that he'd got
to either move the hen's roost or cover up the meal-barrel."

page 140

EDWARD   S.   SMALL
was a grandson of John Small, a Revolutionary soldier, who lived near where the
depot now is. Edward's mother married the late Thomas P. Woodman. He was a
native of this town, and always lived here until he enlisted in Company B,
Second New Hampshire volunteers.
     At the Battle of Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, he was wounded, but recovered and
served out his time, and was finally mustered out September 8, 1864. I regret
that I have been unable to secure more complete data for so good a soldier. I
am told that he is still living near Boston, Mass.
     The Battle of Williamsburg was fought, in a cold, drizzling rain. Our army had
bivouacked the night before (which means that they had slept on the bare ground,
with nothing over them but the clouds of heaven). The fight had barely opened
when General Grover came riding up to the Second New Hampshire and said, --" I
want that New Hampshire company with the patent rifles. Where are they ?" (This
was Company B, armed with Sharp's rifles.) They, with Company E. were detached
and sent forward as skirmishers. In these two companies were the Pittsfield
men. While they advanced, the brigade formed in line of battle. The skirmishers
soon came upon an abattis of felled trees almost impossible to get through, but
they wormed their way along, sometimes over, but always getting in a shot where
there was a chance.  After passing this abattis, there was an open field and,
beyond it. Fort Magruder. From this fort a storm of shot and shell was poured
into the abattis, but our boys replied with so much vigor and such deadly aim
that for three hours they kept the overwhelming rebel force at bay. Our men
acted as sharpshooters.
     "There," shouted Small, who had been waiting and watching a particular place in
the fort, and then fired at his man, "I hit that fellow in the head, and he was
black enough to be a negro ! "

page 141

The next day an Indian sharpshooter was found dead at the place indicated by
Small, with a hole drilled through his head.
     Again: At Chickahominy, these same men were detailed as sharpshooters. An old
chimney stood midway of the field, where a house had been burned. A squad of our
men, most of them were from this town -- Adams, Brock, Chesley, Rogers, Small, and
perhaps some others -- took possession of this advanced post; and from this
vantage-ground poured a fire into the enemy, with such rapidity and deadly
effect that the enemy abandoned that part of the field for a while, and sent a
battery to tumble the chimney down about our boys' ears. But their comrades in
the rear were prepared for just this move and had two pieces of artillery ready,
and before the rebels could unlimber their pieces we planted one shot fair in
their ammunition chest, and next killed two horses on one of their guns, while
the men at the chimney, who had received a new supply of ammunition, poured in
such a deadly fire that the enemy got away from there as quickly as they could.

CHARLES   L.   SWEATT.
For years previous to the war Charles Sweatt was considered the "crack shot" of
this section of the state, and after his entry into the service he maintained
his reputation as a marksman. He was born at Boscawen, June 4, 1836, his
parents being Stephen and Judith (Little) Sweatt. In 1844 the family moved to
Pittsfield, where Charles has since resided, except three years in Penacook and
one year each in Manchester and Worcester, Mass. By occupation he has been a
miller and general mechanic. He was mustered into Company F, Twelfth New
Hampshire volunteers, September 5, 1862, and served with his regiment most of
the time until the close of the war.
     Soon after the Battle of Fredericksburg, in which he was engaged, he was
detailed as orderly at General

page 142

Whipple's headquarters. Here he was taken sick, sent to Fortress Monroe general
hospital, then to Manchester, N. H. He rejoined, his regiment and participated
in the battles of Drury's Bluff, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and several other
engagements.
     Besides being a crack shot he was a noted forager. He did not believe in going
hungry if the enemy had anything to eat that he could get hold of.  He was fond
of organizing little parties and scouring the country for food. In this matter
his views did not coincide with those of General Sturgis, in whose command his
regiment served, and who did not want to injure the feelings of the rebels by
taking their beef, corn, or mutton, because they might get so mad that they
would never return to the Union.
     One day while our friend and four other comrades were busily engaged in helping
Uncle Sam supply the needs of the hungry soldiers, a squad of General Sturgis's
men came down upon them and made them prisoners for two days; but this did not
stop these men from hunting for something to eat when they were hungry.
     During what is known as the siege of Petersburg, the soldiers were fed on
dessicated vegetables, the most abominable food ever served to man. I hope the
inventor of it was hung long ago. Sweatt and George H. Sanborn of this town got
tired of this, so securing some sacks they started out, and after a tramp of
many miles they filled their bags with cabbage, beets, and turnips, and slinging
them on poles marched back to camp. The next day Sanborn cooked a fine boiled
dinner -- enough to feed every man in the company -- and took it to them in the
trenches when he was so fearfully wounded.
     At another time, they had been living for a long time on salt meat, when he
discovered a stray calf. He did not dare shoot it, for fear of attracting the
attention of some lurking enemy, so he and his companions gave chase. It was a
long run across fields and through woods. At length the animal was

page 143

caught, only to find out that it was so poor that no one could eat it and they
had to let the poor thing go. He calls this one of the great disappointments of
his life. His home is still in Pittsfield.

GEORGE   SNELL.
We now come to one of the most unique characters of the war.  Mr. Snell was born
in Barnstead, March 29, 1806. His parents were Thomas and Hannah (Meserve)
Snell.  When nine years of age, his family moved to Pittsfield, where they
remained a short time. They then went to Wakefield, and remained one year. This
was in 1816, known as the famine year. From here they went to Rochester and
lived four years, then to Chelsea, Mass.
     Here Mr. Snell was employed as a brickmaker in the yards at Charlestown, and was
in the gang with John R. Buzzell from this town, who was arrested for burning
the convent at Somerville, and whose trial for the crime of arson, and
subsequent acquittal, was the most famous that ever took place in New England.
After this Mr. Snell removed to Pittsfield and took up the trade of shoemaking,
which he followed for thirty-five years. His first wife was Miss Hannah Watson,
by whom he had three children. After her death he married Miss Louisa Jones.
In September, 1862, he enlisted in Company G, Fifteenth New Hampshire volunteers,
and followed the fortunes of this regiment until the expiration of his term of
service. For a man of his age he did excellent service at Carrollton and Camp
Parapet, and also during the long siege of Port Hudson. His familiar form is
still seen, on our streets nearly every day.

SYLVANUS   SMITH
was born at Meredith Neck, some time in February, 1831. He was a son of Elisha
and Phoebe (Ring) Smith, therefore a nephew of the late Richard Ring.