The Wounded at Antietam: Battery B 4th U. S. Artillery Part 2

When Battery B 4th U. S. Artillery arrived in Washington D. C., in mid October 1861 their ranks were seriously depleted.  Men were not enlisting in the regular army as they preferred to enlist in volunteer regiments raised in their own state.  Captain John Gibbon therefore resorted to filling the ranks of the battery with volunteer soldiers he selected from the 2nd, 6th, and 7th Wisconsin, the 19th Indiana and the 23rd and 35th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiments.  Some of these men would be wounded in action alongside the regulars in the battery on September 17, 1862.  Here are some of their stories.

Addison Evans was born at Wirt, New York February 13, 1837.  He was the son of farmer Pliny Evans and Polly Gilbert.  On May 1, 1861 Evans enlisted at Cuba, New York in Company B, 23rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, one of a number of 2 tear regiments being raised in New York.  He was detached to serve with Battery B in November 1861.  Private Evans received a severe flesh wound while serving with the battery at the Battle of Antietam.  He was in the hospital when the 23rd New York mustered out May 22, 1863.  On October 27, 1863 Addison married Eloisa H. Root in Washington D.C.  In 1870 Addison and Eloisa were living in Hamilton, Caldwell County, Missouri.  By 1880 Addison, Eloisa and their four children were living in  Quncy, Adams County, Illinois.  By 1888 the Evans family was living in Chicago where Addison was a merchant in a stockyard.  He died March 3, 1893, age 58, and is buried in Maple Lawn Cemetery, Bolivar, Allegany County New York.

                     
                            Find A Grave Photo AlleCattPaws

Farmer Charles Hathaway, who was born about 1840, enlisted as a private in Company G, 23rd New York Volunteer Infantry at Hornellsville, Steuben County, New York on May 9 1861. He served on detached service with Battery B at Antietam.  Charles was wounded during the battle and died of his wounds at the Smoketown Hospital north of Sharpsburg, Maryland on October 24, 1862.   Private Hathaway is buried at Antietam National Cemetery in grave #506 in the New York section.  

                           
                 Charles Hathaway Grave, Antietam National Cemetery

Private James C Clark, who was born about 1842 in Pennsylvania.  In 1860 he was living in Urbana, Steuben County, New York and was apprenticing as a blacksmith.  He enlisted in Company C, 35th New York Volunteer Infantry on May 15, 1861 at Watertown, New York.  He served on detached service with Battery B and was wounded at Antietam.  Clark was discharged for disability March, 11, 1863 at a convalescent camp.  On August 13, 1863 James enlisted in Company H, 18th New York cavalry.  On October 16, 1863 he was appointed sergeant.  Sergeant Clark mustered out with the company at Victoria, Texas May 31, 1866.  The 1880 Census shows James Clark living in Bath, Steuben County, New York.  Clarks pension files indicate he died on September 2, 1916 at Bath.

Private Robert McAlona, who was born in St. Lawrence County, New York, was a 20 years old resident of Redwood, Jefferson County, New York when he enlisted in Company I, 35th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment for 2 years on May 25, 1861. He stood 5' 10" tall and had grey eyes, dark hair and a dark complexion. He mustered in with the regiment on June 11, 1861.  Private McAlona was detached to serve with Battery B and was wounded at Antietam.  He was absent in the hospital when the 35th mustered out on June 5, 1863.  On October 10, 1863 McAlona enlisted in Company F, 20th New York Cavalry.  He was promoted to Corporal on November 10, 1863 and mustered out with the regiment July 31, 1865.

Private William I. Moore, the son of John H. and Elizabeth Moore was born about 1841 in New York. Both the 1850 and 1860 Census show him living in Elmira.  He enlisted and mustered in Company C, 35 th New York Volunteer Infantry on July 8, 1861.  He served with Battery B at Antietam and was wounded.  He deserted from the hospital January 25, 1863 but returned to duty March 20, 1863 and mustered out with the regiment June 5, 1863 at Elmira.  Moore died September 25, 1892 in Saginaw, Michigan.  He is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery.

                               Find A Grave Photo S. Schmidt

Private Joseph E. Morgan was born in 1839 on Prince Edward Island.  He was the son of Philip R. and Mary (James) Morgan.  In 1855 the family was living in Gloucester, Essex County, Massachusetts.  By 1860 Joseph was a harness maker in Junius, Seneca County, New York.  He enlisted in in Company I 35th New York Volunteer Infantry on May 20, 1861 at Watertown, New York.  On June 11, 1861 Joseph was mustered in as a sergeant in Company I.  Private Morgan received a gunshot wounded to the instep on September 17, 1862 while on detached service with Battery B.   On October 2, 1862 he was admitted to General Hospital A in Frederick, Maryland where he died on October 8, 1862.  His family took his remains home and buried him in the Cherry Hill Cemetery, in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

                       Find A Grave Photo John McNally

Private John G. Hodgedon was a resident of Merrimac, Sauk County, Wisconsin when he enlisted as a private in Company A, 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment on May 10, 1861.  He was detached to serve with Battery B on December 2, 1861.  He was wounded at Antietam and died of disease in a field hospital on December 2, 1862.  If he is buried at Antietam National Cemetery he is one of the unknowns.



Information in this post is obtained mostly from U. S. Census records, Regimental Rosters, Pension Indexes, Headstones Provided for Deceased Union Civil War Veterans, U. S. National Home for Disabled Volunteers records, Registers of Deaths of Volunteers, New York, Town Clerks Register of Men Who Served in the Civi War and other Civil war related Records on Ancestry.com and Fold3.com.