Civil War Company H 25th Mass Infantry Soldier, Eli Thompson, Saw His Unit Torn to Shreds

Eli Thomson

Civil War Company H 25th Mass Infantry Soldier, Eli Thompson, Saw His Unit Torn to Shreds

By Tyler Thomson

Eli D Thompson was born on May 6th 1825 in Sutton Massachusetts. His parents were Laban C Thompson of Bellingham Massachussetts and Jerusha Gould of Douglas Massachusetts. Eli had nine brothers and sisters, born in a number of different towns according to records.

Eli went to school to around the age of 14 and then went to learn a the trade of shoe making. He was a skilled shoe maker from 1840 to 1860, and then he ended up closing his own shop and becoming a carpenter to make more money. Eli was in love with whom would be his future wife, Marie Bryant of Douglas, Massachusetts. They ended up getting married in 1862, and soon after my great great grandfather was born....Frank Ellsworth Thompson and soon after he had a sister Agusta Almyra Thompson. They moved to Uxbridge, Mass during that year. The Civil War was at its peak, and Eli like his brothers felt that they should serve and do there duty.

Uxbridge, MA around 1850

Eli and his brothers and cousins of the local towns all joined the Union Army. Eli enlisted on January 1st 1864 and was put into Company H 25th Mass Infantry. He had not a clue for what he was in for. Eli served at the following places in heavy combat. Portsmouth Va, Yorktown, New Berne Nc, Petersburg, Richmond, City Point, Bermuda Hundred, Port Walthal, Chester Station, Swift Creek, Port Darling, Drury's Bluff, Bermuda Hundred Front and then Cold Harbor happened.

Cold Harbor

Eli was wounded a few other times during his battle, barbed wire, knife, bullet grazing on his skin but nothing compared to one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War and moments in his life. Three Hundred men in the 25th Mass Infantry before the battle of Cold Harbor, and after there was 53 Killed, 139 Wounded, 28 Captured for a total loss of 220 men out of 300.

Tyler Thompson

From stories handed down by father and son this is what I have heard. Eli's unit was being torn to shreds and they were losing all their commanding officers and were unorganized and had to keep on fighting to hold their ground and fight for each other and fight to live. Eli's best friends were killed next to him, one being shot in the head, and the other was shot a few times. Eli was shooting out rounds and was worried he would not see his family again.  He thought about running but thought it would be wrong and he wanted to fight for his country like his grandfather did during the Revolutionary War. He moved around trees and ran through ditches and trenches, and he took out a few confederates by himself and then he was shot in the leg. He kept on running and limping, then he was struck by shrapnel to his arms.  Minutes later as he crawled away bullets and cannon fire was coming in all around he was struck with more shrapnel to the hands and to his face. He was so wounded he just crawled and then finally laid still and just yelled out for help, and before he knew it he woke up with nurses and doctors bandaging him.

Uxbridge Civil War Monument

He stayed in the hospital for a while and then went on to fight in some more battles even though he should of been discharged for being wounded so badly. He served in North Carolina for the most of the war at the end before being discharged on May 27th 1865. He returned home and applied for Veteran Benefits and was approved immediately, and the town held a parade and honored Eli before he moved to Oxford, Massachusetts. He took a huge part in the GAR, a group for Civil War veterans. His wife Marie died in 1867 from an illness, and he remarried a Ellen Hesterbrooks and had no more children. Eli lived to the age of 73 and died on January 15th 1899 from an infection in Oxford Massachusetts. He is buried in North Cemetery in Oxford Mass.

Eli Thompson's grave

I am only 21 and obviously never got to meet Eli, but I feel very proud of him. I would of loved to meet him and heard his stories and experiences. Every year I make it a point to go out there where he is buried and clean things up and put out a new flag and thank him. My family is extremely proud of Eli and what he did for this nation, to help free man and fight for the rights of those who couldn't, to make sure that in America everyone is equal and has a fair chance.

- Tyler Thompson
To contact Tyler, email:  ty thompson <tatekt06@yahoo.com> 


Photo credits:  Family records, Tyler Thompson and the Library of Congress Print Division