The War of the Union

After the war with Mexico, 1846-'48, the country enjoyed thirteen years of peace, -- years of great improvement in the condition of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, a counterpart of the prosperity enjoyed by the whole State. Indeed, the war with Mexico had scarcely disturbed the even tenor of her way, as so few of her sons were engaged in the strife, the active scenes of which were so far removed. Except for display at celebrations, or as curiosities, the old sword and musket were unseen. The "Green Mountain Boys" had passed away to join the spirits of their brave commanders, while their names were perpetuated alike in the annals of history and romance. Their children and grandchildren were enjoying the bounties of the verdant fields they had struggled so hard to win; but amid all the enervations of peace and plenty, the spirit and blood of such men as Allen, Baker, Stark, and Warner, yet coursed in their veins, ready to reveal its latent power, like the trained battle-horse, at the first clash of arms.

The morning of April 12th, 1861, dawned bright and fair, yet dense with weight of woe that overspread the land. The fatal shot upon Sumpter had been fired, and for the first time in its young life, since first unfurled to the breeze o'er the decks of the "Ranger, " proudly bearing its "emblem of perpetuity, " -- the wreath of thirteen stars, -- the flag of the Union had been desecrated.

The causes leading to this terrible civil war we need not repeat; the results are patent to every household in this broad land. To some, however, the word "results" has a peculiar meaning. It recalls to the memory of the wife, the husband's face so kind and true; to the son and daughter, the loved lineaments of their sire; and to the parent, the noble form of their bright and promising son, all of whom now are resting in the quiet church-yard, or, mayhap, whose bones are bleaching in the sand that drained their blood at the fearful carnage of Gettysburg, antietam, Fredericksburg, or other fields where perished so many of our noble dead. But, ye wives, parents, brothers and sisters, the nation's honored dead o'er whose graves you weep, have left you a valuable legacy, a bequest in which none but you can share -- the glory that surrounds their names!

Vermont's sons proved to be "lineal descent from warlike men, " and "The Green Mountain Boys" became again an honored title of the present, adding luster to the fame which already clustered about it. Of this band, 34, 238 were sent to fight the battles of their country, and $9, 087,352.40 of Vermont's treasure were expended in the cause. But her greatest treasure was the 5, 128 noble souls she sacrificed upon the altar of freedom, while 5, 022 loyal ones were returned to their homes with shattered constitutions, or maimed in body. Surely, a bountiful contribution towards the preservation of our "Grand Republic."

These counties furnished their full quotas, both of men and means, and bore a most honorable part in all of the great war's honors and vicissitudes. During the first year, in 1861, no special inducements were offered for enlistments, save $7.00 per month paid by the State to the soldiers and their families, and then more soldiers volunteered than were required. In the summer and autumn of 1862, some towns paid small bounties, from $25.00 to $75.00 for three year's men. In 1863, town bounties ranges from $100.00 to $350.00 for three year's men, and in 1864, the highest point was reached, from $500.00 to $1,000.00. The town of Fairfield paid as high as $1,000.00 for one year's men in the summer of 1864, while the town of Montgomery paid nothing throughout the war, except to drafted men.

The following complete roster of men sent as commissioned officers, and of those, who, enlisting in the ranks were subsequently promoted to a commission, is complied from the Adjutant and Inspector-General's report of 1866, and from other sources.

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Roster of Field, Staff, and Company Officers.

Barney, Elisha L., Swanton
Barney, Friend H., Swanton
Barney, Valentine G., Swanton
Beeman, William M., St. Albans
Bell, Freeborn E., St. Albans
Blake, George G., Swanton
Bogue, Charles D., St. Albans
Brainerd, Aldis O., St. Albans
Brigham, Sidney S., St. Albans
Brooks, Lorenzo D., Swanton
Brown, Samuel G. Jr., Swanton
Brown, Stephen F., Swanton
Brush, Charles H., Fairfax
Buck, George Jr., Fairfax
Bullard, Edgar N., Swanton
Burbank, Walter H., St. Albans
Burleson, George W., Franklin
Burnell, George W., Richford
Burns, Edgar T., Highgate
Carpenter, Franklin R., St. Albans
Case, Jerome B., Fletcher
Chandler, Charles G., St. Albans
Chilton, Alexander W., Swanton
Church, George, St. Albans
Clark, Jed P., Sheldon
Clark, Lawrence D., Highgate
Clark, Lawrence D., Swanton
Cleveland, Edmund F., Richford
Colby, Ernest C., St. Albans
Conger, George P., St. Albans
Consigny, Eugene, Swanton
Corey, Waterman F., Fairfield
Eastman, William H., St. Albans
Farnsworth, Isaac, St. Albans
Farrington, Willard, Highgate
Fish, Miner E., Sheldon
Fleury, Alvan G., Isle La Motte
Foster, Daniel S., St. Albans
Foster, Joseph M., Montgomery
Fuller, Austin W., St. Albans
Gilder, Matthew G., Georgia
Gilmore, Henry, St. Albans
Gilson, Darwin K., St. Albans
Goodspeed, Nelson, Montgomery
Goss, Story N., Georgia
Green, Lucius, Highgate
Halbert, John R., Fairfax
Halbert, John S., Fairfax
Hall, Elmore J., Highgate
Hall, Horace P., St. Albans
Hibbard, Edward L., Franklin
House, Thomas F., St. Albans
Hoyt, William R., St. Albans
Hurlbut, Alonzo R., St. Albans
Hyde, Horace A., Swanton
Hyde, Melvin J., Isle La Motte
Jewett, Albert B., Swanton
Jewett, Erastus W., St. Albans
Jewett, Jesse A., Swanton
Jordan, Henry D., Isle La Motte
Keith, Alfred H., Sheldon
Kennedy, Thomas B., Sheldon
Kittredge, George H., St. Albans
Langdon, Seth W., Fairfield
Leach, Chester K., Fletcher
Leach, Ephraim L., Enosburgh
Lewis, Silas H. Jr., St. Albans
Marsh, Carmi L., Franklin
Martin, Nathan, Alburgh
Morey, Sidney S., Swanton
Murphy, Bradford S., Swanton
Nason, Carter H., St. Albans
Newton, John W., St. Albans

Of the 5,022 men discharged, 317 commissioned officers resigned, sixty-one commissioned officers and 3, 865 enlisted men were discharged for disabilities, forth-four commissioned officers and 596 enlisted men, for wounds received in action. Eleven enlisted men were paroled prisoners. Twenty-eight commissioned officers and one hundred enlisted men were dishonorably discharged.

Among the whole number of troops it is to be expected that some were not true, and the records show that 2, 219 men (mostly, if not all of whom were substitutes, ) deserted.

The Number of Engagements in which the several Regiments, Batteries and detached troops, (officered in part by Addison county men, ) bore honorable part during the war, are as follows:--

First Regiment, Infantry Second Regiment, Infantry Fifth Regiment, Infantry Sixth Regiment, Infantry Seventh Regiment, Infantry Ninth Regiment, Infantry Eleventh Regiment, (First Regiment Heavy Artillery) Fourteenth Regiment, Infantry Seventeenth Regiment, Infantry First Regiment, U. S. Sharpshooters Second Regiment, U. S. Sharpshooters First Battery, Light Artillery Second Battery, Light Artillery Third Battery, Light Artillery First Regiment, Cavalry

1 28 25 25 5 4 12 1 13 37 24 4 2 4 73

IN CONCLUSION.

It may be well to state that the War Department accredited to this State 5,242 men; being one thousand and four more than that are shown by the State records, and give the State credit over the aggregate quota under all calls, of fifteen hundred and thirteen men. "This discrepancy may be and probably is to be accounted for, " says Adjutant General P. T. Washburn, "by enlistments in organizations of other States, to the credit of this State, which appear upon muster rolls of those organizations and were not reported to the State."

Source: Hamilton Child's Business Gazetteer, 1880s

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Towns in Franklin County which had men credited to them during the Civil War:
Bakersfield	Berkshire	Enosburgh	Fairfax	Fairfield
Fletcher	Franklin	Georgia	Highgate	Montgomery
Richford	Sheldon	St. Albans	Swanton

Towns in Grand Isle County which had men credited to them during the Civil War:
Alburgh	Grand Isle	Isle La Motte	North Hero	South Hero