Civil War

[BillCarson436]

Hello...

Just a quick question for anybody in Wallingford familiar with this
subject, concerning The Civil War momument out by the Cemetery
(next to the tube on blocks )

Interred at Gettysburg is a Wallingford native, Patrick Dunn, killed on
July 2nd with the 27th CT under Col John Brooke. I always visit his
marker in the National Cemetery when I go down there and even
draw questions like..." is he a relative of yours ? "

My question is, is his name on the monument ?

I have found 2 other Connecticut soldier's markers in graveyards
marked as having been killed at at Gettysburg ( and a third from
Fredericksburg - buried in Newington ) who are interred in the
National Cemetery in Pennsylvania.

In any case, he should be on your monument ( IMHO )

It's kinda sad to think that he wasn't brought back home to CT
by his family but who knows why. Could have been the cost or
even just anger at his enlistment. An identified body fron that
event and his age ( 18 ) should have warranted a return to his
home town one would think ???

Ok... a yes or no will do...lol

Thanks in advance.

[collie]

I found pictures on the web by searching for civil war monument Wallingford, CT. There are two monuments - both near Dutton Park - the big one with the soldier on top doesn't have names on it but the other one looks more like a tombstone. I found a nice picture of it and could read the names clearly - Patrick Dunn, Co. D, 27th is on there for Wallingford soldiers killed in the Civil War.
Maybe he never made it back to Wallingford for burial because they had such a mess on their hands cleaning up after Gettysburg - thought there were mass graves at first, something like that.

[BillCarson436]

Hello...

Thanks for the response.

As for why he wasn't brought home, only the family could know.

There are a few good books out on the aftermath of the battle,
( The debris of Battle - Patterson and my favorite one, A Strange
and Blighted Land )that deal with the retrieval of bodies and it's
sad that his body was identified and yet remains there. Of the 91
Connecticut soldiers killed or mortally wounded 20 are still there.
- Those are the ones identified as recorded in Connecticut Yankees
at Gettysburg.

In any case, there was an endless stream of people that made their
way down to Pennsylvania to retrieve their sons fathers and husbands
many that went home empty handed and in some cases, with the wrong
body. It's an amazing part of the battle... the days and weeks after.

Ok... I wonder if any relatives still are around ? He was most likely from
a "farm" family, a young 18 year old looking for glory... or just doing his
patriotic duty ?

[collie]

Know how to seach the census for free on the internet? Go to iconn and if you punch in your library card number you can search the census under Heritage Quest. It is very relaxing and fun detective work. He can probably be found in Wallingford before he left for the war in 1860, hopefully living with his family and you can track them from there. At least up to 1930.

[BillCarson436]

Hello...

Library Card number....

haven't had an active library card since the 1860'2...lol

and if I did... I probibly owe them for an over due History book !

I may check the local cemereties this spring for the family, gives me a
chance to get out.

[collie]

There's a way to use iconn without a library card number. Try it for fun. I was on there last night for hours searching the census and old Hartford Courant archives. Now you've got me wondering ... I'll take a look.

[collie]

1860 census for Wallingford shows a Patrick Dunn, age 25, born Ireland, working as a farm laborer in the household of Street Jones. The only other Dunn I could find in Wallingford in 1860 is one Catherine Dunn, age 19, working as a servant, also born Ireland. The entries were some 50 pages apart so chances are they were not living close by each other. Perhaps they were related but that's just a clue and a guess. Would have been easier if he was living with his family, for sure.
The 1850 census is not available through ICONN and of course in this case looking for family ties, 1870 is kind of irrelevant. I did search the historical Hartford Courant (1786-1922) but no mention there. It's a little easier for me because I am an amateur genealogist but the Wallingford Library has a local history room and they might be able to help you. I checked History of Wallingford, written circa 1870, which I have at home but the author noted he was writing another book that would give more details on the Civil War. The Wallingford Historical Society may also have info. on Dunn, as well.

[BillCarson436]

Hello...

Thank you... that's a start. I'll look into it over the weekend.

I know from the Meriden Historical Society that he died at age 18

so the 25 yr old can't be a match.

Irish Ancestory... interesting to consider if Patrick was indeed Irish ?

His Brigade was engaged near the " Irish Brigade " fighting in the
famed Wheatfield on July 3rd.

[collie]

Census record are notorious for being off on ages so don't totally rule that out. Just imagine the census taker coming to the door, Dunn out in the fields working ...

[BillCarson436]

Hello...

Well... let's end by saying that he sleeping on the gentle slope of
the National Cemetery under the shade of the trees. I clear off his
headstone when I'm down there and pay my respects.