Northampton in the Civil War I

In 1860 Northampton celebrated the "Glorious Republican Victory" of Abraham Lincoln in the presidential election. War soon followed, and Northampton sent out its young men to do with their lives what its most eloquent speakers could not accomplish with words. There were many speakers and patriotic words on April 18, 1861. Fort Sumter had been attacked and Northampton was preparing for war. The meeting that night addressed the state of the town's militia company, "old company C". Founded in 1801, company C was one of the oldest in the state. 75 ladies volunteered to make new uniforms for the men, while a committee was formed to raise funds for equipment. When Lincoln said that, "a president, a cabinet, a congress, and perhaps a court" could be taken from a union regiment he was exaggerating only slightly. Men in company C came from all corners of life, farmers, florists, attendants at the State Hospital, firemen, and store clerks. Roughly 50 of the 101 men (the standard for a Union company) came from Northampton. Joseph B. Parsons, Captain of the company, came from one of Northampton's oldest and most distinguished families. In June orders came for the company to march to Springfield to be mustered in with the rest of the 10th Massachusetts regiment. Before they left, a farewell ball was thrown in their honor, and on the day of their departure the streets were lined 3 deep with carriages, bunting, and handkerchief waving women. In Springfield the ladies of the town presented the colors to the 10th's commander Henry Briggs. A short stay near Boston was followed by a miserable sea voyage south to Camp Brightwood on the outskirts of Washington D.C. Here the company began to feel the first true deprivations of war. In Brightwood Company C fought measles, typhoid, malnutrition, camp fever, even small pox. During the War 2 men would die from disease for each who fell in battle. For 8 months, through the winter of 1861- '62, they drilled, suffered, and drilled again.

CAPTIONS Top Uniform of Capt. Henry Parsons. Above left Seated left to right, Will Bishop, George Bliss, Edward Nally; Standing left to right, Will Kingsley, Alvin Rust, Fred Clark. Below right Union grave stones in Louisiana.

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