Eighth Regiment Connecticut Volunteers
Company A, Inc.
Middlesex County Preservation March
October 17-18, 1998
Town Green, Durham, Conn.
Lyman Orchards, Middlefield, Conn.
Long Hill Estate, Middletown, Conn
Gen. Mansfield House, Middletown, Conn.
for restoration of the
Middlesex County Historical Society's
General Joseph K.F. Mansfield House
On October 17 and 18, 1998, the Eighth Regiment Connecticut Volunteers, Co.A,Inc. will be conducting a Civil War Preservation March in greater Middlesex County. The preservation march will raise funds for the restoration and preservation of the General Joseph King Fenno Mansfield House in Middletown, Connecticut. The Gen. Mansfield House is owned by the Middlesex County Historical Society, and is their office, museum, and meeting place.
The Middlesex County Preservation March will begin on Saturday morning, October 17th ,1998. The 8th Conn. Vols, Co.A, Inc. will form on the Durham Town Green, draw rations, and begin their march. The theme of the march is a group of veteran volunteers retuning to the State for recruiting.
They will march from Durham, up Maple Avenue, and Route 157 to Lyman Orchards in Middlefield. Arriving at Lyman Orchards, the soldiers will rest, have their noon meal, and conduct military drills and living history demonstrations for the public for a couple hours. Once again the soldiers will form up, and continue the preservation march to the Long Hill Estate off Laurel Grove Road in Middletown. They will establish a bivuoac camp for the evening, and get some rest.
Sunday morning will find the company formed up, and marching from the Long Hill Estate to the Old Indian Hill Burying Ground on Vine Street. From there, they will continue to the General Mansfield House, the headquarters of the Middlesex County Historical Society. Arriving there, the soldiers will support the Historical Society's "Civil War Day" at the Mansfield House by conducting drills, demonstrations, preparing period food, and interacting with the public.
Please attend, enjoy, and support this effort to keep history and the memory of one of Connecticut's finest Civil War heros alive for posterity. Thank you.
Gen. Joseph Mansfield Biography
Gen. Joseph K.F. Mansfield
General Joseph King Fenno Mansfield was the youngest son born in New Haven on Dec. 22, 1803 to Henry and Mary Fenno Mansfield. Gen. Mansfield graduated second in his class from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1822. During the Mexican War, he served as Chief Engineer, was breveted three times, and wounded once.
He married Louisa Livingson of Middletown, Ct., where they resided most of their years, had five children, and lived a simple life.
He served as Inspector General after the Mexican War. When the Civil War started, Gen. Mansfield commanded the Department of Washington from April 1861 until March 1862. He then went to Fortress Monroe, and commanded a division at Suffolk, and assisted the capture of Norfolk. When Gen. George McClellan was returned to command of the Army of the Potomac, Gen. Mansfield was assigned command of the Twelfth Corps.
Before leaving Washington at the start of the Maryland Campaign, Gen. Mansfield said, "I am going into battle. If I fall, have my body sent to my friends in Middletown, Ct." He left on Sept. 13th, 1862, and moved the Twelfth Corps northward to meet the enemy. On the 14th, he spent the night in Middletown, Md., on the 15th was near Keedysville, Md., and on the 16th was near the Upper Bridge over Antietam Creek, near Sharpsburg, Md., with is Corps at the farm of Jacob Cost. Mansfield and his Corps were ordered into position during the night of the 16th. They crossed the creek, and took up positions along the Smoketown Road.
At daybreak, Gen. Joseph Hooker's First Corps moved forward and engaged the Confederates of Gen. Longstreet's Corps at places now famous. The East Woods, The Dunker Church, Miller's Cornfield. At this time, it was Gen. Mansfield's task to reinforce the First Corps, and sustain the attack. He moved forward on horseback from the Smoketown Road to the East Woods to survey the scene. At this point, the General was wounded. Soldiers of the 125th Pennsylvania helped him from his horse, carried him to the rear, and propped him against a tree. He was seriously wounded. Men from the 10th Maine carried him further to the safety of the rear.
Gen. Mansfield was mortally wounded, but remained consious throughout the 17th, and lingered through the night, talking of home. In the morning, Gen. Mansfield died. "It's the Lord's will, and is all Right."
His body was taken by ambulance to Frederick, to Monocacy Junction, to Baltimore, to New York City, then to Middletown.
The funeral ceremonies for Gen. Joseph K.F. Mansfield were held at the North Church in Middletown, September 23d, 1862. He was eulogized by Ebenezer Jackson, Senator Dixon, and Governor Buckingham. A large procession, including the Governor's Foot Guard, the Governor's Horse Guard, local politicians, military officers, friends, teachers,and students, all followed the hearse to the burial.
In 1900, the State of Connecticut and the Grand Army of the Republic erected the Mansfield Monument in Sharpsburg, on the battlefield, at the corner of the East Woods. It is the only monument to a General officer at Antietam.
biography reference: "Connecticut at Antietam", John W. Schildt, Antietam Publications, Chewsville, MD, 1988
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