Pvt. (USA), Ephriam Henry Brewster

Civil War Veteran

From individual record of Ephraim H. Brewster in Vermont in the Civil War:

Affiliation: Union

Enlisted: July 7, 1862

Mustered in: Sept. 26, 1862

Rank: Private

Co: I

Regt:. 1st Vermont

Branch: Calvary

Wounded: Weldon Railroad, June 23, 1864

POW: June 23, 1864, Captured at Nottaway Courthouse. Held at Andersonville Prison Camp

Paroled: Oct. 17, 1864

Died of disease: (Chronic diarrhea) Dec. 5, 1864, at Camp Parole, Md.

Burial: Annapolis National Cemetery, Annapolis, MD

Link: http://vermontcivilwar.org/get.php?input=10142

Ephraim Brewster

LAMOILLE NEWSDEALER: APRIL 23, 1863

THE LATEST CAVALRY DISASTER

We copy from the "Irasburg Standard� the following, written by Ephraim Brewster of Craftsbury, to his father, in that town.

Captain Flint came along past our tent about one in the morning of the first day of April, and wanted all who had horses good for anything to mount up as soon as possible, for they were going to catch Mosby. That is just what we wanted to do, and we were soon ready and on our way. They had left Drainsville and stopped at a plantation a few miles from there, where we found them about seven in the morning. We had hoped to surprise them, but instead of that found them already to receive us. Capt. Flint took the lead with his company, and cousin Augustus Paddock and myself were in the front set of fours, and therefore received their first fire. In the first fire Capt. Flint fell on my leg, with six balls through his body, and one John Reed of Albany fell on my left, with a ball through his breast. They did not hit me at that fire. They charged again and some of the horses began to rear and pitch every way, and with or without help to wheel about and run. Most of us who stood our ground were either killed or wounded. A rebel rode up toward me and we commenced firing at each other. He hit me twice, the first ball passing through my leg, and as the second one passed through the groin I rolled off my horse without much exertion on my part, I can assure you. Well, as soon as I could, I raised my head on my hand and looked about me to see what was going on in other parts of the field. Every horse was turned and running for the woods as if the devil and all his angels were after them, and in fact, they were, for Mosby and his men are devil's unacountables. I then looked the other way and saw our good captain lying on his face. I worked myself along to him and got there just as a rebel came up to take his arms and mine. I asked him to help me turn him over on his back, which he did. He did not speak after I got to him I held his head while he breathed his last,, then layed a rail under it, and went to a house which was a few rods off. I had not been there more than five minutes before A. was brought in wounded. A ball had past through his breast and out under the shoulder. Six more were shortly after brought in and one of them was Lieut. Grout. I never saw any one suffer as he did with his wound. His agonizing groans could be heard at a great distance. The ball struck a nerve, and every time his heart beat, it felt as if melting iron, was running down his leg, even to his toes. I warmed clothes and put them on his foot, for three or four minutes, but it made my own wounds ache so badly,, that I was obliged to lie down again. We laid there, till three in the afternoon, when the surgeon came with an ambulance and examined us. Three of us he thought might be carried to camp, ten miles from there, and over a very rough road. Cousin A. could not be moved. I was very sorry to be separated from him, but could not help myself, for when they say go, we must go. They do not ask if you would like to go --- but it is to go you must and go you shall. The rebels chased our men some five or six miles, shooting and slashing with the sabre. They did not hit Lieut. Woodbury until they had chased him about three miles. He would stop every few rods, and try to rally his men to make a stand against them, and was doing so, nobly doing his duty, when he fell. We ought to have beaten them, but our officers were to sure of them, and did not take proper precaution, and the rebels had on our uniform, so that it bothered us to tell which were friend and which were foe, while they knew all their men by sight;and then our horses were never under fire before, and the rebel horses were used to it, which made all the difference in the world. And some of our men had never had an hours drill on horseback, and I suppose that made some difference. In the chase they had the advantage too, for their horses were fresh, while ours were all tired out, and had not had any grain but once for three successive days. Well, all it has amounted to is this: We have lost some of the best officers in our regiment, those who were loved, and respected, and mourned by all, and some 70 men wounded, killed, and taken prisoners. It is a terrible blow to us, and one which it will take a long time to recover.

Taken Prisoner

St. Johnsbury Caledonian Jan. 20, 1865

In hospital, at Annapolis, Dec. 5, 1864, Ephraim Henry Brewster, aged 23 years, - son of Dr. Ephraim Brewster, of Craftsbury. He was a member of the Vt. Cavalry, and was taken prisoner near the Danville Railroad in Virginia several months since, and retained in rebel hands at Petersburg until a short time before his decease. Like many others he was paroled to die from the effects of the barbarism of his captors. His disease was chronic diarrhea.

1st Vermont Cavalry From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1st Regiment, Vermont Volunteer Cavalry (or 1st VVC) was a three years' cavalry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the Eastern Theater from November 1861 to August 1865, in the Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac.

The regiment was mustered into Federal service on November 19, 1861, at Burlington, Vermont. Its first commander was Colonel Lemuel B. Platt,[1] and the first Lieutenant Colonel was George Bradley Kellogg.[2]

It was engaged in, or present at 76 engagements during the course of the war, from Mount Jackson on April 16, 1862, to Appomattox Court House, on April 9, 1865, including the 1862 and 1864 Shenandoah Valley campaigns, the Gettysburg Campaign, the Overland Campaign and the Siege of Petersburg, plus many skirmishes not connected to a particular campaign, such as the Skirmish at Miskel Farm.

The regiment most notably participated in BG Elon Farnsworth's unsuccessful attack on the Confederate right flank on the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Maj William Wells led a battalion in that attack, with Farnsworth by his side. Lieut: Col Addison W. Preston commanded the regiment. The regiment's monument stands on the Sluyder Field, near the site where BG Evander Law's brigade repelled the Union attack.[3]

The regiment lost during service: 112 killed and mortally wounded, 159 died in Confederate prisons, 7 died from accidents and 114 died by disease; total loss 392.

The regiment mustered out of service on August 9, 1865.

The regiment's heritage continues to be celebrated to this day with a state legislative decree naming the Corps of Cadets at Norwich University, the Military College of Vermont, as members of the regiment. Members of the NUCC wear the crossed sabers on all of their uniforms and their insignia.

Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Vermont_Cavalry

Links:

https://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=132715403

https://books.google.com/books?id=fsEGAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA122&lpg=PA122&d...

https://books.google.com/books?id=2DGfOpjIvIoC&pg=PA138&lpg=PA138&d...

D. Glenn-2017