Ashland’s Part in the Rebellion
by Wellington E. Parkhurst
ASHLAND June 4--(1915) The part played by Ashland in the war of the rebellion, the close of which the present generation may be justly proud. While every city, town and village of the North was sending forth its quota to fill the ranks of the Union armies, this little Middlesex county town did her duty by the Union by furnishing nearly 200 men for the cause of the Northern Army. At the outbreak of the war the population of Ashland was only 1400, which means that approximately one seventh of her population enlisted for the preservation of the union. Of this large number of veterans but a very few now remain, the ranks of the local Grand Army post numbering but 13 today each succeeding year seeing these ranks growing most notably smaller, five comrades having answered "here" to the last roll-call since the last Memorial Day.
Accustomed as this generation is to look upon the veteran of that great strife in his declining years it is hard to realize that when those veterans volunteered for their country's service, they were, in greater part, but little older than our present day high school boys, the average age of the volunteers of the whole Union armies being but 22, while many of Ashland's quota are recorded as being but 17 or 18 years of age.
During two years of service following re-enlistment this band continued to help "let music swell the breeze and ring from all the trees" in camp and on battlefield. Its personnel at first enlistment included Samuel S. Baker, Abner E. Bell, Chas. S. Brewster, George F. Coxon, Edward Daniels, Lorezo Frost, Benjamin Hartshorne, Robert J. Neal, Wm. A. F. Noyes, Augustus Perkins and Charles Spooner. At its re-enlistment the membership of the band was augmented by Benjamin G. Brown, James H. Dadmun, Gilbert W. Holbrook and Prince Spooner. Of precedence in enlistment among Ashland's volunteers it is hard to choose, as many volunteered at the close of the first public meeting held there for that purpose. That the little town did its part toward the cost of the great rebellion is shown in the town records which record that approximately $12,000 was appropriated and expended for war purposes.
Upon President Lincoln's call for volunteers, public meetings were held here as in other localities throughout the country and were addressed by prominent citizens and speakers from out of town. At the close of such meetings, volunteers would be asked for and response of many was on the impulse of the moment.
Among the first of Ashland's volunteers were a dozen musicians some more or less so, who enlisted as bandsmen and together, with as many more recruits from various towns, made up the band assigned to the 11 th regiment of infantry. They were mustered into service June 27, 1861 and had their baptism of fire at Bull Run. Considering the disastrous result of the engagement the band may be said to have retired from the field in modern, if not good order taking to a bus when the noise of battle drowned out that of brass and drum. Records do not show whether or if it was a "jitney" .
Surviving members of the band still have vivid recollections of Virginia roads in recalling the upset of their barge during the retreat from the battlefield which resulted in the catapulting of the band's personnel in all directions including that of Ashland. The majority of this band including several additional recruits from this town, re-enlisted. They were assigned to the third brigade, regimental bands having been abolished.
Ashland's veterans were engaged in every severe conflict throughout the five years of rebellion and they gave up their lives on the battlefield of Antietam, Cold Harbor, Gettysburg, Cedar Mountain and in Andersonville and other rebel prisons.
The veterans were present in every branch of the service, infantry, cavalry, artillery and naval forces. Furnishing nearly enough men for two whole military companies of war strength, her volunteers were to be found in nearly every regiment of the state. The 5th and 32nd regiments of infantry and the 2nd regiment of cavalry included the largest number of local veterans.
While no monument has as yet been erected to the memory of Ashland's volunteers, the name of every veteran accredited to the town are inscribed upon two handsome marble memorial tablets, placed on either side of the vestibule of the public library several years ago, by vote of the town. Six feet in height by eight feet in width, they bear the names of more than 200 volunteers, under their respective regiments.