Col. (USA) Gustavus Washington Town

https://antietam.aotw.org/officers.php?officer_id=439
Federal (USV) ,
Colonel
Gustavus Washington Town
(1839 - 1863)

Home State: Pennsylvania

Command Billet: Commanding Regiment

Branch of Service: Infantry

Unit: 95th Pennsylvania Infantry

see his Battle Report

Before Antietam

He was a printer in Philadelphia before the War. He had been a member of the Washington Blues, a Philadelphia militia Company, and when they organized for Federal service he mustered-in as First Lieutenant, Company A, 18th Pennsylvania Infantry (3 months) on 24 April 1861. He then helped raise a new regiment in Philadelphia and mustered as Lieutenant Colonel of the 95th Pennsylvania Infantry on 17 September 1861. Promoted to Colonel of the regiment on 28 June 1862.

The rest of the War

He was killed in action at Salem Heights, VA on 3 May 1863.

References & notes

His photograph from one in the USAHEC collection1. Basic service dates and life details from Bates2,3. He was 6 feet 3 inches tall. Bates says his brother Thomas Jefferson Town (Major of the 95th) attempted to recover his body at Salem Heights, but was himself wounded, and the Colonel's body was not recovered.

Birth

08/28/1839; Philadelphia, PA

Death

05/03/1863; Salem Heights, VA; burial in West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala-Cynwyd, PA