7th Connecticut Infantry

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This was a more successful regiment than the 2ndCT after first manasas.

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I have pictures and documents

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To find his records, you must seek for JOHN HIDE his alias. He enlisted under this name to avoid having his parents worry, per his pension records.

Corporal Edward D. Phelps served with Connecticut 7th volunteer regiment, Company F. Was captured at Drewry's Bluff and was sent to Andersonville where he stayed until the end of the war. He survived the horrors of that POW camp.

Joined the 7th Connecticut in Sep 1861 and served until 1864. Fought in Sherman's Expedition to Port Royal, SC (Oct-Nov 1861) the capture of Fort Beauregard & Fort Walker in the harbor around Nov 7th. Stayed at Hilton Head, SC until just before Christmas 1861. Most of the battles as far as I can tell, took place in the deep south. He was in Florida and South Carolina for most of the war. Furloughed in Jan 1864 and discharged in March of that year.

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I am researching a relative of my wife, Bernard McBride. He was a soldier in I Company, 7th Conn. Infantry Regiment from Bridgeport, CT. My wife's family has a letter written by Bernard about the battle at Fort Pulaski, Ga. With the letter is a one inch square of the Confederate Flag that flew over Fort Pulaski. I thought you might be interested in what he wrote. Fred Bowen --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- His Letter: The following is a letter from Bearnard McBride to his mother written April 1862 from Fort Pulaski, Georgia. The original letter is in the procession of Arthur Beach, (The spelling is Bearnard's spelling.) Fort Polasce, Gor April 1862 Dear Mother: I right you a few lines to let you no that I am safe after the grate fight that we had and we have got through with it. We have ben fighting for thirty to hours and only one man kild. We commenst on the 19th Aperl for the bombardment at ten minutes past eight we opend fire on the fort and kepted it up all that day and it was hot work on both sides. We cut their flag down three times that day but they put it up again and kept on firing like the old boy but did us no harm for all their shots went over our heads and struck in the mud behind us but our shots was diferant for evey shot struck the corneer of the fort that we aimed at and made dreadful work. We dismounted ten of their guns that was on top of the fort and tore down to houses that was near the fort. At sic that nightthe rebels seast firing but we kept it up all night. The next morning they begand to blasé away from the fort hot and heavy for they had ben moving their guns during the night in a beter plase and they could bring more of them to bare on us but we didend mind that. We peperd into them good and stout every shot struck the fort in the rite place so that five minutes pas ten we ha a hole in the fort and it kept greing biger and biger and we kept firing harder til at ten minutes past to they run up the wiite flag and left the febel flag flying at the same time and we didn't stop til they took it down and surrenderd then our regiment got on bord of a steamboat and went to the fort and took possison of it some of the prisneners there was a company of Irish in the fort and a company of Dutch very nice fellows and a grate many that come from Connecticut and New York they feel very bad to think that they have got to go to where they are known. There was only one of the kild and three of them wounded one of them had both legs cut of the poor fellow is almost dead. He is to be sent to Savannah today with a flag of truse. The men in the fort had plenty of previsons to last them three months. There is a bakers shop at the fort so that they had plenty of fresh bread. They got there male the day they surrenderd and the boat left as the white flag was hoisted. The prisoners left for New York this morning there was some of the finest looking fellows I ever seen in them all the Irish company was noble looking men. We hapened very luckey as there was only one kild and to or thre wounded. We had the nearest battry to the fort and where the men was kild was the next. The poor felwo was just running the Bull home when the shel burst rite over him and tore him all to pieces. He died in a few minutes after it. Our regiment behave like men during the bombardiment not one of the flinchec form there duty and they desirve all the prais of taking the fort for there was no one but us and a few Rode Islanders there. Well hear is a piece of the rebel flag ahat we tore from the staf on the fort. I have no more at present so goodby dear mother. I am your dear son, Bearnard McBride. Direct you letter as before. Bearnard

Ezra was killed at Fort Wagner (an attack that preceded the 'Glory' attack of the 54th Massachusetts), and his dogtag was found around the neck of Joseph Ridgaway aboard the CSS Hunley.