For the war of the Union in 1861-65, the town furnished one hundred and seventy men and paid thirty-three thousand dollars in bounties to enlist them. Thirty-seven of those men died in service, and among them might be counted some of our most valued young men and also middle-age men who laid down their life for our country, a costly sacrifice. Andrew J. Davis was one of those young heroes of freedom’s host that went out from us as a private and was promoted for gallant conduct to the CPTcy of his company. Another of these men was Eli Ellinwood, a man whom we all loved, than whom there was no more valued citizen of the town. He possessed ample wealth and honor, and was in every respect a most exemplary and useful member of society. But his patriotic heart would not allow him to stay at home when the country called for men. He went out in the 2nd Vermont Regiment, and died in a hospital in the city of New York, at the close of Gen. McCellan’s campaign before Richmond, Aug. 5, 1862. He enlisted May 27, 1861. He performed the duties of orderly in his company. After the battles before Richmond, June 28 to July 2d, 1862, he obtained a furlough of twenty days to come home, but died in New York as above stated. He was engaged in the battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861; in the siege of Yorktown; the battles at Williamsburg and Seven Pines, and the bloody conflict before Richmond in May, June and July of 1862. He was a pure patriot. Integrity of soul was in him. He was one of the costly offerings of Cambridge to the integrity of the Union. He was past military age, being forty-six years old when he enlisted.

Those were dark days, but I think the patriotic heart of this town beat stronger and truer as the stern necessities of the country in the fierce struggle came upon us.

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Source: "Historical Sketch of the Town of Cambridge, July 4th, 1876," by Rev. Edwin Wheelock, Montpelier: Freeman Steam Printing House and Bindery, 1876.

Contributed by Mark Felone