Edward Fletcher Seagrave, Civil War
In response (tardy, forgive me) to request for information about the Civil War record of Edward Fletcher Seagrave:
Edward Fletcher (b. Scituate, Mass. on Dec. 17, 1835) was the son of the Rev. Edward Seagrave (b. Chester, Vt., 1797) and Harriet Walker (b. Providence, 1802). He is the grandson of Dr. Joseph Seagrave (b. Uxbridge, Mass., 1761) and Anna Fletcher (b. Gorton, 1761). Joseph was a fifer in the Revolutionary War in the regiment of his father Captain Edward Seagrave (b. England in the area of Leistershire) and Captain Edward's eldest son (Joseph's elder brother) John (b. 1757, Uxbridge).
Edward Fletcher (b. Scituate, Mass. on Dec. 17, 1835) was the son of the Rev. Edward Seagrave (b. Chester, Vt., 1797) and Harriet Walker (b. Providence, 1802). He is the grandson of Dr. Joseph Seagrave (b. Uxbridge, Mass., 1761) and Anna Fletcher (b. Gorton, 1761). Joseph was a fifer in the Revolutionary War in the regiment of his father Captain Edward Seagrave (b. England in the area of Leistershire) and Captain Edward's eldest son (Joseph's elder brother) John (b. 1757, Uxbridge).Rev. Edward Seagrave graduated from Brown University in 1822. He married Harriet Walker in 1824 and became a Baptist minister and teacher. Edward Fletcher Seagrave was his fourth child, named after his mother, Anna Fletcher. The reverend in 1855 went to Kansas (Topeka) and was there throughout "the great contest that ended iwth the adission of free Kansas in the Union." He returned to Rhode Island in 1860 and was a citizen nurse (Walt Whitman was a nurse too) in Portsmouth Grove.
Whoever wrote this family history referred to the Civil War as the "Great Rebellion."
Whoever wrote this family history referred to the Civil War as the "Great Rebellion."
Meanwhile, Edward Fletcher Seagrave in 1849 left home at age 15 to search for gold in San Francisco, California. (He was a miner and a minor -- common. He reached California by boat, going around the tip of South America, Cape Horn. There was a world-wide cholera epidemic in 1849 and many died on the way to the gold fields of California.)
Meanwhile, Edward Fletcher Seagrave in 1849 left home at age 15 to search for gold in San Francisco, California. (He was a miner and a minor -- common. He reached California by boat, going around the tip of South America, Cape Horn. There was a world-wide cholera epidemic in 1849 and many died on the way to the gold fields of California.)It is doubtful he had his parents' blessing in this adventure!
It is doubtful he had his parents' blessing in this adventure!When the "Great Rebellion" broke out, Edward was 26. There was no draft of soldiers west of the Rocky Mountains because transportation costs were too high, but there were thousands of Californians anxious to fight -- on both sides of the struggle.
When the "Great Rebellion" broke out, Edward was 26. There was no draft of soldiers west of the Rocky Mountains because transportation costs were too high, but there were thousands of Californians anxious to fight -- on both sides of the struggle.Alvin M. Josephy Jr. in his excellent book The Civil War in the American West (p. 232-240) wrote:
Alvin M. Josephy Jr. in his excellent book The Civil War in the American West (p. 232-240) wrote:"Ultimately, the state (California) contributed to the North a total of more than 16,000 men, comprising eight infantry and two cavalry regiments and a scattering of smaller units formed for special reasons. Eight companies in the latter served as the bulk of of a Washington territorial, rather than a California regiment, and five others, totally about 500 men, went East as volunteers to help fill the quota of Massachusetts. With their transportation to New England paid by that state, they served as a California Battalion in the 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry, taking part in more than 50 actions against the Confederates in the Virginia theater of war."
"Ultimately, the state (California) contributed to the North a total of more than 16,000 men, comprising eight infantry and two cavalry regiments and a scattering of smaller units formed for special reasons. Eight companies in the latter served as the bulk of of a Washington territorial, rather than a California regiment, and five others, totally about 500 men, went East as volunteers to help fill the quota of Massachusetts. With their transportation to New England paid by that state, they served as a California Battalion in the 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry, taking part in more than 50 actions against the Confederates in the Virginia theater of war."I have Edward's braided hat band framed, along with a photo of him as a distinguished old man.
I have Edward's braided hat band framed, along with a photo of him as a distinguished old man.There is a detailed hand-written account (almost certainly written by Edward himself) in the possession of Jane Seagrave Calavano of Burlingame, CA. His account agrees with Josphy's book in every detail:
There is a detailed hand-written account (almost certainly written by Edward himself) in the possession of Jane Seagrave Calavano of Burlingame, CA. His account agrees with Josphy's book in every detail:"A History of the California Hundred"
The California Hundred were raised under the following circumstances: There were a large number of young men in the State who desired to go East and enter the army, when it was found that the California Volunteers were being kept on the coast. A propsition was made to the state of Mass. to raise a Company here, take it east and credit it to Mssachusett's quota, if the expenses of its organization and transfer was guaranteed. (Mass. was paying large bounties for Volunteers.) This bounty was used for the purposes of paying the expenses of the Company. On the 27 Oct., 1862, recruiting began in the Assembly Hall, on the corner of Kearney and Post of San Francisco. In three weeks, over 500 men enrolled. One hundred were selected. On Dec. 10, 1862, they sailed on the steamer Golden Age for the East. The Company went to Readville near Boston, Mass., where it arrived Jan. 4, 1863. The company was made Co. A, 2nd Mass. cavalry. (Also Co. E, F. L, M. ?)
The California Hundred were raised under the following circumstances: There were a large number of young men in the State who desired to go East and enter the army, when it was found that the California Volunteers were being kept on the coast. A propsition was made to the state of Mass. to raise a Company here, take it east and credit it to Mssachusett's quota, if the expenses of its organization and transfer was guaranteed. (Mass. was paying large bounties for Volunteers.) This bounty was used for the purposes of paying the expenses of the Company. On the 27 Oct., 1862, recruiting began in the Assembly Hall, on the corner of Kearney and Post of San Francisco. In three weeks, over 500 men enrolled. One hundred were selected. On Dec. 10, 1862, they sailed on the steamer Golden Age for the East. The Company went to Readville near Boston, Mass., where it arrived Jan. 4, 1863. The company was made Co. A, 2nd Mass. cavalry. (Also Co. E, F. L, M. ?)
(My Xerox copy is too faint to make out this section of his account. See Jane's original,if you are in the Burlingame area. I'm sure she would share it with you.)
(My Xerox copy is too faint to make out this section of his account. See Jane's original,if you are in the Burlingame area. I'm sure she would share it with you.)Co. E. -- Jan 26 to March 17, 1863
Co. F -- March 27 to April 23, '63
Part of Co. A in April, 1863
Co. F -- March 27 to April 23, '63
Part of Co. A in April, 1863
Edward F. Seagrave was taken prisoner in action on the Little River Pike near Aldie on July 30, 1863. Recaptured a few days afterwards. He was wounded in Sheridan's Battle of Cedar Creeke on Oct. 19, 1864. Promoted to Corp., subsequently to Sgt. Mustered out on July 20 1865 at Fairfax Courthouse, Va.
Edward F. Seagrave was taken prisoner in action on the Little River Pike near Aldie on July 30, 1863. Recaptured a few days afterwards. He was wounded in Sheridan's Battle of Cedar Creeke on Oct. 19, 1864. Promoted to Corp., subsequently to Sgt. Mustered out on July 20 1865 at Fairfax Courthouse, Va.The Battle of Cedar Creek is a famous one. See Webb Garrison's Treasury of Civil War Tales (p. 211), Bruce Catton'sA Stillness at Appomattox (p. 310) or Shelby Foote's Cvil War, Part III (p. 566-572) for detailed descriptions of "Sheridan's Ride." Thomas Read wrote a famous poem about the battle, Sheridan's ride on Reinzi, a big black horse named for the Mississippi town where he was captured.
The Battle of Cedar Creek is a famous one. See Webb Garrison's Treasury of Civil War Tales (p. 211), Bruce Catton'sA Stillness at Appomattox (p. 310) or Shelby Foote's Cvil War, Part III (p. 566-572) for detailed descriptions of "Sheridan's Ride." Thomas Read wrote a famous poem about the battle, Sheridan's ride on Reinzi, a big black horse named for the Mississippi town where he was captured.Sheridan rallied the retreating Northern troops and the Union army was victorious. The cost: 5,665 Union soldiers and 3,000 Confederate. Luckily for the descendants of Edward F. Seagrave, he was not among the dead that day.
Sheridan rallied the retreating Northern troops and the Union army was victorious. The cost: 5,665 Union soldiers and 3,000 Confederate. Luckily for the descendants of Edward F. Seagrave, he was not among the dead that day.When he returned to San Francisco in 1865, he married a SOUTHERN woman (might have been a shock to his family), Sarah Frances Carpenter.
When he returned to San Francisco in 1865, he married a SOUTHERN woman (might have been a shock to his family), Sarah Frances Carpenter.He worked in the Post Office, had a large family and died May 4, 1914 in Alameda, Calif., age 79.)
He worked in the Post Office, had a large family and died May 4, 1914 in Alameda, Calif., age 79.)I have more details of Sheridan's Ride, but they are from published accounts of the battle.More Replies:
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Re: Edward Fletcher Seagrave, Civil War
Larry Rogers 11/27/99