Cpl. William H. Rich, 4th NH |
Gillmore medal obverse |
Near the end of the war, the 4th also lost its colonel, Louis Bell, when he was mortally wounded during the Union capture of Fort Fisher near Wilmington, N.C. The fort was the last southern coastal stronghold. Bell died the next day, Jan. 16, 1865.
Gillmore medal reverse |
William H. Rich, the corporal pictured right above, was an 18-year-old from Somersworth when he volunteered for the 4th New Hampshire in July of 1861. Nearly three years later, in June of 1864, he was awarded the Gillmore medal, named for Gen. Quincy Gillmore, commander of the Department of the South. Gillmore created the medal and awarded it for gallant and meritorious service during the siege of Charleston. The medal depicts Fort Sumter in ruins on one side with a facsimile of Gillmore's signature on the other.
Daniel Davis of Somersworth joined the 4th NH at age 45 and served till he was wounded at Drewry's Bluff. |
19 years old when he joined the 4th NH, Hiram Hurd made first sergeant. |
Ivory Jones served in the 7th NH till war's end. |
William E. Harmon entered the 4th NH from Somersworth as a 17-year-old musician. |
A 29-year-old Englishman living in Somersworth, John McLaughlin became one of the Boys of '61 and served as a 7th NH private for three years. |
Sylvester Card wears his veteran's medal and GAR derby. He joined the 7th NH as a 17-year-old private from Dover. |
James M. Lamos of Somersworth enlisted in the 7th New Hampshire at age 18 in 1861. Though wounded at New Market Heights, he served till July 1865. |
Clarence L. Chapman joined the 4th NH as an 18-year-old corporal from Somersworth. Despite being shot at Petersburg, he served till war's end |
My great great grandfather Horace W. Hunt was a member of the 7th NH and was wounded at Fort Wagner. He lived for most of his life in Salem NH. Thank you for posting about the 7th. Can you give me ideas as to how research GAR records from southern NH? Horace lived until 1923 and I think he may have been a GAR member. Thanks!
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