Medway Town

Medway In The Civil War

A company was formed in April, 1861, and drilled under Captain David Daniels of Militia fame. Early in May, it was found that by waiving their choice of officers from their own number, they could at once join a regiment, under command of Colonel George H. Gordon, and it was unanimously voted to do so. This was the first regiment raised in the North for three years' seivice, and on May 20th eighty men took train from this town and went into camp at Brook Farm, in West Roxbury. Tney were mustered into service on the same day, as Co. E. Fifty- four of these eighty men were citizens of Medway, and the remainder from neighboring towns. On June 26th, the flags, now in Memorial Hall at the State House, were presented to the regiment, and carried through the hardest battles, and never lost or surrendered. On July 8th, the regiment left for Virginia, dining on Boston Common before taking the tram. The principal battles in which they served, from 18(51 to 1«64, were Cedar Mountain, Antietam, Winchester, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and Resaca. In 1863, they were sent to New York City to help quell the draft riots, and remained there two weeks, camping in City Hall Square. The engagements in which they took part were in the Upper Potomac region, Valley of Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. The lamented Colonel Shaw and Wilder Dwight were officers of this regiment. The late William R. Parsons was chosen first sergeant of Co. E. at Camp Andrew, before leaving Boston. The only surviving members of Co. E., now living in this town, are Michael Slavin and Charles M. Disper.

Up to July, 1862, thirty-nine volunteers, enlisted in different regiments from this town. Thirty-eight answered the President's call for three-year men July, 1862, and forty- eight responded to the call of August, for nine months' service ; twelve men were secured in an additional call for three-year men at the same time.

From October, 1863, to March, 1864, sixty-seven men volunteered for three years. la July, 1864, forty-four men enlisted for one hundred days' service, and thirty-two for a longer period of service. Seven Med way men joined the naval forces of the Government in 1864. In December, 1864, forty-six men were credited to this town on the last call for volunteers, made by the President.

The town paid $35,677.96 for its soldiers, in bounties and aid to families, and during the four years' prosecution of the war, fully kept up to the high standard set by our Commonwealth.