58th Massachusetts Infantry

Would like to know the date of his death.

I believe this is my relative but am doing research to verify.

MY GREAT GRANDAD SERVED WITH THE MASS 58TH VOLUNTEERS, HIS SON SAMUEL ALSO SERVED IN THE SAME UNIT,,, I KNOW ABOUT CLARENCE FROM MY MOTHERS SIDE OF THE FAMILY BUT DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIS SON SAMUEL,,, ANY INFO WOULD BE HELPFUL. CLARENCE IS BURIED WITH MY MOTHER IN HOLBROOK, MA. SAMUEL'S REMAINS ARE NOT BURIED IN THE FAMILY PLOT,, HOPE TO SOLVE THIS MYSTERY SOME DAY.

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KIA, June 23, 1864, Seige of Petersburg, Va.

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Frank Whitman served with the Regt. until his capture at Poplar Grove.He was sent to Libby Prison in Va. and was later exchaned.Paroled,he returned to the 58th.

SGT Pliny F. Freeman was NOT my ancestor, but a friend and comrade of my ancestor, SGT John L.D. Hopkins. 1. PLINY F. FREEMAN, a 23 year old resident of Chatham (pronounced CHAT-um), Cape Cod, Mass., enlisted as a Private in Co. A, 58th Mass. Inf. Rgt. on 30 Dec. 1863; he, and the rest of his company, was mustered-in to Federal service on 14 Jan. 1864. 2. PVT Pliny F. Freeman was promoted to Corporal sometime during the summer of 1864. 3. CPL Pliny F. Freeman was mustered-out of Federal service at the end of the war on 14 Jul. 1865 as a Sergeant in Co. A. SOURCES: 1. Cushman, Frederick E. 'History of the 58th Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers.' Washington, DC: Gibson Brothers. Printers, 1865 (p. 24); and, 2. The Adjutant General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 'Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors and Marines in the Civil War.' Nine volumes. Norwood, Mass.: Norwood Press, 1932 (Vol. V, p. 5).

PVT. ENOCH S. HAMILTON, of Truro, Mass., was not an ancestor of mine, but was a townsman and friend of my Civil War ancestor, SGT. JOHN L.D. HOPKINS, with whom he enlisted and served in the 58th Mass. Inf. Rgt., a.k.a. the 3rd Mass. Vet. Vol. Inf. Rgt. ENOCH S. HAMILTON, a 42 year old carpenter from Truro, Mass., enlisted as a Private in Co. A of the 58th Mass. on 22 Dec. 1863; and, he was mustered into Federal service on 14 Jan. 1864. Unfortunately, he spent half of his time in Federal service in US military hospitals, and was discharged for disability on 16 Apr. 1865. SOURCE: 'Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War.' Norwood, Mass.: Norwood Press, 1932; Vol. 5, p. 5.

Sgt. John L.D. Hopkins--of whom I am lucky enough to have a photograph (taken in Provincetown, Mass. in 1864)--served in Co. A, 58th Mass. Vet. Vol. Inf. Rgt.; he was the son of Isaac and Ruth Hopkins, and was born in Truro, Mass. in March 1843. He enlisted as a Private on 22 Dec. 1863, and trained at Readville, Mass.; he was mustered-in to Federal service as a Corporal on 12 Feb. 1864; he went to the front with his regiment on 28 Apr. 1864, which was assigned to the 1st Bde., 2nd Div., 9th Corps, Army of the Potomac. After a forced march across Northern Virginia in brutal heat, the 58th Mass. joined-up with the 9th Corps, and participated in the Battle of the Wilderness on 06 May 1864. Those members of the 58th Mass. who fell out of this forced march were either killed by Confederate guerillas (contrary to the laws of war), or they were captured by Confederate cavalry--and sent to the Confederate POW Camp at Andersonville... where most of them died of starvation and disease. (NOTE: only someone who has served in the Regular Army INFANTRY has any idea about what a 20-30+ mile FORCED MARCH in 90+ degree temperatures, while carrying 75+ pounds of equipment, is really like. Your humble correspondant served in the 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry of the elite Berlin Brigade; and, he trained with the 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group Airborne at Bad Tolz, West Germany, in the early 1980s.) On 12 May 1864, then-Cpl. Hopkins participated in the charge of the 58th Mass. at Spottsylvania, where he was slightly wounded-in-action. On 03 Jun. 1864, Cpl. Hopkins participated in another great charge of the 58th Mass. at the Battle of Cold Harbor; this charge was highly praised in LTC William Fox's 'Regimental Losses in the American Civil War.' On 17 Jun. 1864, Cpl. Hopkins participated in yet another great charge of the 58th Mass., this time in the initial assault on Petersburg--where Potter's 2nd Div., 9th Corps actually broke the Confederate line, capturing one stand of colors, a three-gun battery, and 200 prisoners. . . but, because they were unsupported by another corps, the initial success amounted to nothing. On 30 Jul. 1864, Cpl. Hopkins participated in another great charge of the 58th Mass., this time at the Battle of the Crater--where, once again, the 9th Corps broke the enemy line, but was not properly supported. Cpl. Hopkins was again slightly wounded-in-action, and temporarily missing-in-action. When he returned to his unit, he was promoted to Sergeant. On 30 Sep. 1864, Sgt. Hopkins participated in another great charge upon the Confederate lines with the 58th Mass., this time at Poplar Springs Church (aka Poplar Grove Church). Several regiments of the 2nd Div., 9th Corps were surrounded by a counter-attack of FIVE CONFEDERATE BRIGADES, SUPPORTED BY A FIELD ARTILLERY BATTERY. The regiments of the 9th Corps fought as best they could until obliged to surrender or be slaughtered. Sgt. Hopkins was shipped to the Confederate POW Camp at Salisbury, N.C. along with nearly 100 other members of the 58th Mass. Suffering from the effects of starvation and disease, he was admitted to the prison hospital in late Jan. 1865. On 12 Feb. 1865--Pres. Abraham Lincoln's last birthday--Sgt. Hopkins died of starvation and disease, and was buried in a mass grave, along with 11,700 other Federal POWs at Salisbury. By all accounts, the conditions at Salisbury were absolutely APPALLING.... After the Civil War, a cenotaph was erected to the memory of JOHN L.D. HOPKINS in the Truro, Mass., Congregational Churchyard Cemetery--which is 'flagged' every Memorial Day by his devoted descendant. The cenotaph reads: 'Sgt. John L.D. Hopkins, Co. A, 58th Rgt., Mass. Vols., d. in Salisbury Prison, N.C., 12 Feb. 1865 aged 21 yrs, 11 mos. With patriotic ardor, he obeyed the call of his country in her hour of peril. Bravery and fidelity characterized him as a soldier. With patience he endured martyrdom in her cause. With resignation and hope he committed himself to God, who hears the sighing of the prisoner [of war].' In a mere 11 months of near constant combat, the 58th Mass. lost 10 Officers and 129 Enlisted Men who were killed or mortally-wounded-in-action, for a total of 139 combat fatalities. The 58th Mass. lost another 89 men who died in Confederate POW Camps, namely Andersonville and Salisbury. I am fortunate enough to have a Membership Medal of the 58th Mass. Veterans Association--of which John L.D. Hopkins would have been a member... had he not died in a Confederate P.O.W. Camp in 1865. NOTE: Sgt. John L.D. Hopkins was a direct descendant of Stephen Hopkins of the Mayflower; and, Stephen Hopkins was an 'FFV' for having first settled at Jamestown, Virginia in 1610--after having been shipwrecked on Bermuda (while en route to Jamestown) in 1609-1610... an incident recounted in William Shakespeare's 'The Tempest.' *****Please Note: anyone seeking information on the military service of their Massachusetts or New Hampshire Civil War ancestor/s should please feel free to contact me, as I WILL have that information in my extensive personal library, which includes: 1. 'Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War' (nine volumes, published in the 1930s); 2. 'Massachusetts in the Army and Navy, 1861-1865' (two volumes, published in the 1890s); 3. 'The Record of the Massachusetts Volunteers, 1861-1865' (two volumes, published in 1868 and 1870); 4. 'The Revised Register of New Hampshire Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Rebellion' (1895); 5. 'The Register of New Hampshire Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Rebellion' (1866); 6. 'Regimental Losses in the American Civil War' (1889); 7. MA & NH Adjutant General's Reports (1861-1866); 8. Shebnah Rich's 'Truro, Cape Cod' (1883); and, 9.. many other highly authoritative and OFFICIAL works, as well as MANY unit histories--including a copy of 10. Frederick E. Cushman's EXTREMELY RARE 'History of the 58th Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers' (Washington, DC: Gibson Brothers, Printers, 1865)... which, by the way, has (in August 2007) been reprinted... and is available for purchase on www.abebooks.com, www.amazonbooks.com, and www.target.com. NOTE: Please feel free to consult BOTH of the following sources if you want a copy of your Mass. Civil War ancestor's military service records: 1. National Archives New England Regional Center, 380 Trapelo Road, Waltham, Mass. 02452; AND, 2. Mass. Military Archives/National Guard Museum, 91 Everett Street, Concord, Mass. 01742. N.B.: Please feel free to join my Yahoo Chat-Group: 9th Corps Veterans (Descendants of Veterans of the 9th Corps). PLEASE NOTE: anyone desiring to communicate with me is welcome to do so at: DOUGLASS R. KNIGHT, Post Office Box 955, Salem, N.H. 03079. Thank you. NOTE: the following new book contains about half-a-dozen photographs of men who served in the 58th Mass., and is available at: www.AbeBooks.com: Miller, Stauffer. 'Cape Cod and the Civil War: The Raised Right Arm [of Massachusetts].' Charleston, SC: The History Press, Nov. 2010. SPECIAL NOTE: signed copies of the aforementioned book are available from the author.

PVT. BENJAMIN K. LOMBARD of Truro, Mass., was not an ancestor of mine, but was a townsman and friend of my Civil War ancestor, SGT. JOHN L.D. HOPKINS, with whom he enlisted and served in Co. A of the 58th Mass. Inf. Rgt., a.k.a. the 3rd Mass. Vet. Vol. Inf. Rgt. BENJAMIN K. LOMBARD was a 20 year old mariner from Truro, Mass., who enlisted as a Private in Co. A of the 58th Mass. on 22 Dec. 1863; and, he was mustered into Federal service on 14 Jan. 1864. While on a forced march with the 58th Mass., en route to join the 9th Corps in the Battle of the Wilderness on 05 May 1864, Benjamin K. Lombard was overcome by the heat, and fell out of the march; he was captured by Confederate cavalry, and was sent to the notorious Confederate POW Camp at Andersonville, Georgia; on 11 Jul. 1864, he died of disease, and was buried in what is now the National Cemetary at Andersonville, Georgia. SOURCES: 1.) 'Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War.' Norwood, Mass.: Norwood Press, 1932; Vol. 5, p. 6; and, 2.) the National Park Service's 'Civil War Soldiers and Sailors' System web-site.

Benjamin F. Pease was born on Nantucket, MA and later lived in Harwich. He married Betsy Patterson of Chatham (two Nantucket brothers actually married two Chatham sisters). His enlistment papers have the town name incorrect. B.F. Pease first served in the 21st MA Infantry. He later re-elisted in the 58th veteran infantry, listing his occupation at the time of enlistment as 'clergy'. At the time of his re-enlistement he was over 40 years old. He would be wounded at the battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse near the bloody angle and discharged at Readville. Following the death of his first wife (my ggggrandmother) he would remarry and live in the town of Cornish, Maine where he died in 1884. Like many others in this unit, B.F. Pease was from a very long standing Massachusetts family. He is a direct descendant of John Pease who landed in Salem, MA in 1634 on the ship Francis. This geneology leads through Salem, to Martha's Vineyard, over to Nantucket, and back through Chatham. All of his fathers (and mine, for that matter) were born in Massachusetts going back to 1634. Anyone interested in Pease family geneology can send me an email and we can exchange info.

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PVT. JOHN C. RYDER, of Truro, Mass., was not an ancestor of mine, but was a townsman and friend of my Civil War ancestor, SGT. JOHN L.D. HOPKINS, with whom he enlisted and served in Co. A of the 58th Mass. Inf. Rgt., a.k.a. the 3rd Mass. Vet. Vol. Inf. Rgt. PVT. JOHN C. RYDER, a 20 year old mariner of Truro, Mass., enlisted in the 58th Mass. on 22 Dec. 1863; and, he was mustered into Federal service on 14 Jan. 1864. While with the 58th Mass. on a forced march to join the 9th Corps in the Battle of the Wilderness on 05 May 1864, John C. Ryder was overcome by the heat, and fell out of the march. He was listed as 'Missing-in-Action,' and there was no further record of him until after the war. At that time, it was learned that 20 year old John C. Ryder had been captured by Confederate guerillas--and brutally murdered... a savage WAR CRIME.... SOURCE: 'Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War.' Norwood, Mass.: Norwood Press, 1932; Vol. 5, p. 7.

aaron snow my grt. uncle was wounded 12 may 1864 at nspotsylvania. gunshot upper left arm. aaron was born at chatham mass in 1838 died brockton mass. 1906 buried seaside cem. chatham alongside his wife rebecca (eldredge) snow. ihave more info on aaron and his family.

PVT. JOHN WILSON of Truro, Cape Cod, Mass., was not an ancestor of mine, but was a townsman and very close personal friend of my Civil War ancestor, SGT. JOHN L.D. HOPKINS, with whom he enlisted and served in Co. A of the 58th Mass. Inf. Rgt., a.k.a. the 3rd Mass. Vet. Vol. Inf. Rgt. JOHN WILSON, of Truro, Mass., had prior service in the US Navy, in which he enlisted at Boston on 06 Dec. 1861, serving as an Ordinary Seaman on the US Receiving Ships 'Ohio' and 'North Carolina;' he then served on the USS 'Western World,' and the USS 'Anacostia,' from which he was honorably discharged as an Ordinary Seaman at his End of Term of Service (i.e., ETS) on 21 Dec. 1863. JOHN WILSON then almost immediately re-enlisted, this time as a Private in Co. A of the 58th Mass., on 30 Dec. 1863; and, he was mustered into Federal service on 14 Jan. 1864. He participated in all the battles of the 58th Mass. in the Wilderness (06 May 1864), the great charge at Spottsylvania (12 May 1864), another great charge at Cold Harbor (03 Jun. 1864), and yet another great charge at Petersburg (17 Jun. 1864). After the detonation of the Mine at Petersburg on the morning of 30 Jul. 1864, John Wilson participated with the 58th Mass. in the 9th Corps' charge in the Battle of the Crater. Initially listed as 'Missing-in-Action,' he was in fact 'Captured-in-Action' and was sent to various Confederate POW Camps for next 7 months. POW John Wilson was exchanged on 22 Feb. (George Washington's Birthday) 1865--a date that he, no doubt, celebrated for the rest of his life--and eventually returned to the 58th Mass., with which regiment he mustered out of Federal service (as a Sergeant), and was honorably discharged on 14 Jul. 1865. After the Civil War, John Wilson wrote and published a short booklet on his service in the 58th Mass., 'Seven Months in Rebel Prisons.' Permanently disabled by his war-time military service, John Wilson applied for and received a pension; he also assisted the mother of his good friend, SGT. JOHN L.D. HOPKINS, RUTH HOPKINS, to receive a pension for her deceased son's war-time military service. NOTE: of the 5 Truro men who enlisted and served together in Co. A of the 58th Mass., 3 died in the Civil War, and 2 (including John Wilson) were permanently disabled by their military service.... SOURCES: 1.) 'Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War.' Norwood, Mass.: Norwood Press, 1932; Vol. 5, p. 8; and, Vol. 8, p. 865; 2.) Military Service and Pension Records, National Archives, Washington, DC; and, 3.) Wilson, John. 'Seven Months in Rebel Prisons.' N.p., N.d. (NOTE: Wilson's autobiographical, 40-page booklet was reprinted by the Cape Cod Genealogical Society circa 2003.)

sa 4th Infy, MVM

My great-great grandfather, Timothy Reardon, PVT B co, 58th Mass. Infantry. Wounded at Spotsylvania, captured at Popular Springs Grove. Held as a prisoner at Salisbury Prison until he died from disease in February 1865. I believe he is buried in one of the mass graves there in Salisbury. I have visited there and paid my respects to all that lie there.

Private Terrence Kennedy is my great great grandfather having enlisted on 04,Jan.1864 hailing from Attleboro, MA. He was wounded-in-action 02,April 1865 in the assault on Petersburg, VA and was discharged on 17,July 1865 for wounds received. Private Kennedy died on 30,Aug.1901 at the age of 80 and is buried in Willimantic, CT.

Albert P. Fisher served two enlistments: 1. Pvt., Co H MA 45th Regt Inf. Sep 16 1862 -Jul7 7, 1863. 2. Pvt., Co.D MA 58th Regt Inf (Veteran) Jan.5, 1864 to Jun 28, 1865. Wounded twice: Jun 13, 1864; Aug 7 1864 (G S W head). (Treated Aug 7, 1864 McDougal Hosp, Raleigh, NC) Missing in action: Sep 30 1864, Poplar Grove Church, VA. Listed as POW Dec 31, 1864, Libby Prison, Richmond, VA. Exchanged Feb 15, 1865: parole Feb 23, 1865 College Green, Annapolis, MD . Mustered out Jun 25, 1865

Thomas Dunham Cleveland was born in Edgartown, Massachusetts and enlisted January 4, 1864 in the 58th Mass. Regt., Co.E. He was captured September 30, 1864 when Confederate cavalry cut off 99 men of the 9th Corps at Poplar Grove Church in the Battle of Peebles Farm. Sent to the Confederate prison at Salisbury, N.C., he was exchanged on February 28, 1865, and went to Fortress Monroe hospital where he died on Saturday April 8,1865, the day before Lee surrendered--Palm Sunday, April 9, 1865. He died of scurvy, dysentery, and pneumonia.

From record: Holbrook, Amasa L.E. - Priv. - Res. New Bedford; 35; shoemaker; enl Dec 25 1863; must. Mar 1, 1864; prisoner July 30, 1864, Petersburg, Va.; paroled, date not shown; must. out May 23, 1865. Also had service in Co. D 9th RI inf.

Eliakim N. Smith resided in Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, MA. He enlisted in January, 1864, shortly before being married, and was mustered into the 58th in April of that year. He served with the regt. until being captured, along with many others in the 58th, at Poplar Grove Church, VA, near Petersburg, in Sept, 1864. He was sent to the prison pen at Salisbury, N.C., where he died of disease on New Year's Day, 1865. He is buried in a mass grave with 5,000 other Union prisoners of war.

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Ellery, (spelled Elery on most military records) was born 26 April 1813 in Tiverton, RI. Married Elizabeth McKernan 16 Jul 1837 Fall River, MA. Married 2nd Betsey Jane Negus 28 Oct 1855. Enlisted 6 Mar 1864. Taken prisoner at Poplar Grove Church 30 Sept 1864. Died 26 Nov 1864 at Salisbury Prison, Salisbury, NC.

James A. Smith - with 58th Mass. from muster at Readville in April, 1864, wounded at Cold Harbor, June 3rd, 1864, wounded and captured at Peebles Farm, Sept. 30th, 1864. Hospitalized for remainder of war with gunshot wound to the chest. Discharged in Summer ''65, returned to Mass. and raised a family. One of his four daughters was my grandmother. She kept the leather book from his breast pocket through which the bullet passed and it remains in our family along with several letters he wrote home to his wife.

Seth enlisted as a Private in Company H on 18 Apr 1864, promoted to full Coporal, wounded at the Battle of the Crater, Petersburg, VA 30 Jul 1864, and mustered out on 14 Jul 1865 at Washington, DC.

My great-grandfather Thomas H.G. Lester served in the I58th regiment.

Promoted to Full Captain (As of Co. F 58th MA Inf) on 15 Apr 1864. Commission in Company I, 58th Infantry Regiment Massachusetts on 13 May 1864. Received a disability discharge from Company I, 58th Infantry Regiment Massachusetts on 31 Oct 1864.

George W. Perry was born in Boston on December 16,1846. He was the son of Samuel N. and Eliza W. Perry. In the Summer of 1862 and not yet age 16 George enlisted in Co.F of the 43rd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. The regiment was sent to New Bern NC at Camp Rogers where they participated in the battles of Kinston, Shady Grove Church, Goldsboro, and Whitehall. At the regiments expiration of service in July 1863, Pvt. Perry returned to Scituate MA where his family then lived. In March 1864, George reenlisted in Co.I of the 58th Massachusetts Veteran Volunteer Infantry and awarded the rank of Sergeant.With Company I fully mustered in, Sgt Perry joined his regiment at Cold Harbor. It was at Poplar Grove Church south of Petersburg on September 30th that Sgt. Perry was captured and sent to Salisbury NC where he was confined as a prisoner of war. Suffering from disease and neglect, Sgt. Perry died on January 13, 1865. He is buried in the National Cemetery grave number 3494. In 1875 35 former veterans from Scituate chartered the Geo W. Perry Post 31 GAR in loving memory of one of the youngest men to serve and die for his country from that town. The building remains today as Scituate's GAR Hall and the room where the charter was drawn up survives today and is open to the public by appointment.

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