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

Steering Committee Meets January 31 to Plan American Civil War 150th Anniversary Quabbin Remembrance

Elizabeth Peirce, Curator SRVHS

Steering Committee Meets January 31 to Plan American Civil War 150th Anniversary Remembrance  

Elizabeth Peirce, the curator of the Swift River Valley Historical Society (SRVHS) in New Salem will host the steering committee tasked with developing the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War Commemorative activities planned for the 4th of July in Orange.  Genevieve Fraser, the artistic director of the Drama Circle is the overall coordinator of events. 

The steering committee meeting will take place at 7 PM on Tuesday, January 31 at the Prescott Church Museum, SWVHS, 40 Elm Street in North New Salem, MA, across for the Orange Oil Company.  The public is invited to attend, and light refreshments will be served. 

Prescott Church Museum, SRVHS

Plans call for a July 4^th Remembrance at the Orange Town Hall which will include readings from Civil War era diaries, letters from the lost Quabbin towns and towns throughout the region.  Other presentations will include writings by Mark Twain along with other 19^th century era writers and historical figures. Along with actors, musicians, singers and Civil War re-enactors, volunteers are needed to serve on the steering committee. 

Other activities planned for and around the 4th of July include a "Living Heritage Farmers and Artisan Market," a Civil War Quilt Contest, and a possible Black Powder Shoot and Civil War Parade.  Ken Reynolds of Orange is organizing the parade. All planning sessions will be held at the Swift River Valley Historical Society in North New Salem, Massachusetts.

Though the American Civil War began on April 12, 1861 with the Battle of Fort Sumter, it wasn't until the 4th of July 1862 that President Abraham Lincoln sent a proclamation to the Governor of Massachusetts which called for cities and towns to raise money for the war effort and send volunteers for three years' service.  Following Lincoln's call for volunteers, on July 4th – 150 years ago, the towns immediately held meetings, appropriated money, and fixed the amount of the bounty which they authorized to be paid, according to records of the time.

Along with Civil War Commemorative activities, “Lincoln: The Musical” will be performed on the weekends following the 4th of July 2012. The production will be staged at the Orange Town Hall, 6 Prospect Street in Orange. The production is funded, in part, by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.  Organizations, businesses or individuals wishing to help sponsor the play or other 150th Anniversary Civil War commemorative activities should make tax deductible donations out to "CF Pals - Drama Circle," 1 South Main Street, Orange, MA 01364.  In-kind donations are also gratefully accepted.  

For further information, contact Genevieve Fraser at 978-544-1872, or email FraserGenevieve@gmail.com, or visit http://quabbincivilwar.blogspot.com/