Lt. Herbert Ellery Maxson

Herbert, age 19, volunteered for military service with President Lincoln's first call for Conn.'s 90 day volunteers. He enlisted 22 April 1861, and mustered in on 7 May 1861 as a private in Co. G, the 2nd Reg't. Conn. Infantry. He was mustered out on 7 April 1861 after participating in the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas, VA). He returned to West Mystic and worked with his father in the shipyard. But a year later, with the "Civil War" not going well, and Lincoln's call for more troops, he re-enlisted for a 9 month enlistment, as did many of the boys after having served for 90 days. He enlisted 3 Sept 1862, and mustered in to Co. K of the 26th Conn. Reg't. of Volunteer Infantry on 10 November 1862. Because of his previous service he was made 1st Sergeant and served as orderly to Capt. Randall of Co. G, with whom he had previously served. The Reg't organized at Norwich, CT, and left for New York on 19 Nov. They thence sailed for Ship Island and New Orleans on 29 Nov, arriving 16 December 1862. The Conn. 26th was attached to Maj. Gen Sherman's Div. Dept. of the Gulf until Jan 1863; then to 1st Brigade, 2nd Div., 19th Army Corps, Dept. of the Gulf under Maj Gen Nathaniel Banks until Aug 1863. He contracted yellow fever while at Camp Parapet in New Orleans, and was ill on and off for the remainder of his life. He fought and survived the Port Hudson Campaign , and was promoted to LT. before his discharge 17 Aug 1863. He struggled on and off with bouts of "the fever" for the next year before he died of same on 14 April 1864.