The 27th Connecticut Infantry was organized for a term of nine months after the call by President Abraham Lincoln in early July, 1862, for an additional 300,000 troops to suppress the rebellion of the Southern States.
At the time of its muster on 3 October, 1862, the regiment counted 829 men under the command of Col. Richard S. Bostwick of New Hampshire. It's Lieutenant Colonel was Henry C. Merwin and Major Theodore Byxbee rounded out the Field Officers.
Although the town of Wallingford numbered less than 3,000 inhabitants, it sent approximately 200 of his male citizens to aid in the war effort. A number of them were enlisted into Company B of the 27th Connecticut. They were:
Michael Backus, Harvey Beaumont, William Bradshaw, Timothy Callahan, Henry A. Camp, Joel Camp, John Condon, Patrick Condon, James Ennis, Thomas H. Evans, Douglas Fairchild, William Gallaghan, Billious C. Hall, Isaac K. Hall, William Holmes, Homer Johnson, James Kennedy, James McGowen, Edward O'Brien, Charles Paden, James Sloman, Michael Taylor, Nelson Vibbert & William Wallace.
Other Wallingford men served in Company C (Patrick Dunn), Company F (Joseph Ward) and Company H (Edward Boyle).
Company B was raised in New Haven, CT. The officers were:
The 27th Connecticut arrived in Washington, DC, on 25 October, 1862, and went into camp at Camp Seward on Arlington Heights. On the 27th, it was placed into the Division of General Abercrombie, along with the 24th New Jersey, 28th New York, and 127th Pennsylvania. It then spent a month at Camp Tutle defending the capitol against attack.
On 30 November, the regiment marched off to join the Army of the Potomac at Falmouth. It was subsequently assigned to BG Winfield S. Hancock's 1st Division on the 2nd Corps, under MG Darious Couch. Their new brigade commander [3rd Brigade], Samuel K. Zook, took one look at the regiment's old Austrian rifles and remarked, "Boys, if you can't discharge them, you can use the bayonet." By early January, these antiques were replaced by the Whitney rifled musket, but in the meantime, they had fought in their first major action.
As the Army's commander, MG Ambrose Burnside, made his long-delayed move against Fredericksburg, VA, Company B helped to lay the pontoons across a stream uniting with the Rappahannock below the town. In mid-afternoon rebel batteries opened on them but they were sheltered by the steep bank. The men of the 27th Infantry crossed the river, marched up to Caroline Street and formed in line of battle behind Franklin's Division. General Hancock was said to have addressed the regiment with these words: "You are the only Connecticut regiment in my division. Bring no dishonor upon the state you represent."
Hancock's division suffered heavy casualties in its attack upon Marye's Heights. The 27th Connecticut lost about one third of its number. After the battle, the regiment was engaged in picket duty.
At the battle of Chancellorsville in May, General Hancock informed Col. Bostick that his regiment (minus two companies on detached duty) would probably not be needed during the fight. His only order was that the regiment should hold its position at all hazards. When the Confederate advance made this impossible, Hancock issued orders for his brigades to fall back. For reasons unknown, this order was not delivered to Col. Bostick, who was finally notified under a flag of truce carried by a Lt. Bailey from the state of Georgia, that his entire command was surrounded and must surrender. Bostick at first refused to believe this statement, but upon inspection, he saw that his regiment's situation was indeed hopeless and surrendered. Col. Brooke implored Hancock to let him charge with his brigade to rescue the 27th Connecticut, but Hancock saw little to be gained but bloodshed by such an action, however noble its intent. Bostick and his men made the humiliating trek to Spotsylvania, then on to Richomd, where they were installed in Libby prison and waited to be paroled.
As a result of this unfortunate incident, the 27th Connecticut had only 2 companies of men at the battle of Gettysburg (1-3 July), under the command of Lt. Col. Merwin. They participated in the bloody fighting in the Wheatfield on day two of the battle, during which both BG Zook and Lt. Col. Merwin were mortally wounded.
The 27th Connecticut was soon afterwards mustered out of its nine-months enlistment.
Capt. Clavin Ely
1Lt. Daniel Fields (who was wounded at Fredericksburg & resigned in March of 1863)
1Lt. George W. Elton (also wounded)
2Lt. Edmund C. Cross
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