Augustus Barclay Burwell (1835 - 1892)

Born 31 Mar 1835 in Chelsea, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Martha Ann (Haley) Burwell — married 22 May 1866 in Epping, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, USA

Descendants

Died 14 Oct 1892 at age 57 in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, United States

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Biography

Augustus Burwell was a Prisoner of War during United States Civil War.

Augustus was born in 1835.^[1] He was the second son born to Albert Augustus Burwell and Sarah Ellis Hyde.

His father was a Master Mariner and like his father before him, Augustus put to sea.

In the census of 1850 he was recorded in the household of his parents and three siblings in Chelsea, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States. Aged 15.

Occupation: Mariner

Augustus fought in the American Civil War (1861-1865) and was appointed Chief of Piece of a Company of Light Artillery in the First Division of the Volunteer Militia of Massachusetts. The appointment was signed by Major (Commanding) Moses Cobb on July 27, 1861 at Quincy, Massachusetts. Just four days after this appointment was made Augustus and other unit personnel were mustered into the United States service (July 31, 1861) under the name of the Second Battery of Massachusetts Light Artillery, to be commanded by Major O. F. Nims.

They were known as Nim's Battery - few Batteries during the Civil War saw more actual service than that known officially as the 2nd Massachusetts Light Artillery, but more generally called Nims' Battery. It's career is well worth recording and the part it played in the campaigns of the Department of the Mississippi and the Gulf was by no means inconsiderable in the history of the war.^[2]

After shifting from the Massachusetts Militia, he served with the Second Battery during its full term of operation (July 1861 to August 1864). At the Battle of Bayou Bourbeux, on November 3, 1863 he was captured and held prisoner until December 25, 1863. In May 1864, several months after his return, he was promoted to 1st Sergeant of the Battery.

After the war Augustus, at the age of 31, married Martha Anne Haley (daughter of Samuel and Sally Haley) on 22 May 1866 at New Hampshire, United States.^[3] His occupation was recorded as Purser.

They had two children:

Sarah Lillian (b. March 29, 1869 in Chelsea, d. 1914). On Sarah's birth certificate, Augustus is listed as a "Supt."

Arthur Augustus (b. 1870, d.1932)

Augustus remained active in veteran activities, belonging to GAR Post #35 in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Later Augustus and his family moved to Dover, New Hampshire, where he served as a trustee of one of the local banks.

In 1870, at the Anniversary Dinner of the Nims' Battery Association, the matter of “publishing a history of the battery during its service throughout the war of the Rebellion, 1861-1865,” was brought forward and a committee was appointed to take the necessary steps toward this work. The committee, which consisted of Colonel O. F. Nims, J. S. Knowlton, John R. Smith, A. M. Norcross, D. M. Hammond and Augustus B. Burwell, issued a call to the members of the battery asking each one to forward to the committee any information in his possession such as diaries, letters, newspaper clippings or matter of any kind that might aid in the work, and urging the hearty co-operation of all “to the end that the glorious record made by Nims' Battery - second to no other — may not be suffered to perish in oblivion in our day and generation, but be handed down to our children and children's children for all time.”

So far as can be ascertained, nothing further was done in the matter and the only records to be found are those incorporated in the general histories of the war or in war records, which are not always easy of access.^[4]

US Census Date 1880: Living with his wife and two children Sarah and Arthur in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, United States. Aged 48.

Occupation: Fruit Dealer

Augustus went into business with his brother-in-law, Rufus Haley.

His father passed away in 1881 and his mother in 1890.

Tragically he passed away on 14 October 1892 at the age of 57 as the result of a Railroad Accident - he was hit by a train.^[5]

Burial

Garden Cemetery, Chelsea, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZ8P-3PX : accessed 12 July 2015), Augustus B. Burwell, 31 Mar 1835; citing CHELSEA,SUFFOLK,MASSACHUSETTS, ; FHL microfilm 0874029 IT 1.
2. ↑ http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2001.05.0194%3Achapter%3D3
3. ↑ "New Hampshire, Marriages, 1720-1920," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FD2K-75X : accessed 12 July 2015), Augustus B. Buswell and Martha A. Haley, 22 May 1866; citing reference 2:1NG1HF8; FHL microfilm 1,000,970.
4. ↑ http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2001.05.0194
5. ↑ "New Hampshire, Death Records, 1654-1947," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSK6-82Y : accessed 12 July 2015), Augustus B Burwell, 14 Oct 1892; citing Dover, Bureau Vital Records and Health Statistics, Concord; FHL microfilm 1,001,064.
6. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/214391564/augustus-barclay-burwell), memorial page for Augustus Barclay Burwell (31 Mar 1835–14 Oct 1892), Find a Grave Memorial no. 214391564, citing Garden Cemetery, Chelsea, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by DeAnna Wendland (contributor 50493241)

• https://familysearch.org/tree/#view=ancestor&person=LZ38-65S

• "United States Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSG7-2NP : 4 December 2014), Augustus B. Burwell, First Sergeant, Company , 2nd Independent Battery, Massachusetts Light Artillery, Union; citing NARA microfilm publication M544 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 5; FHL microfilm 881,874.

• "United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K83W-NJS : 14 November 2014), Augustus B Burwell, 1890; citing NARA microfilm publication M123 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 338,199.

• "United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KD59-4QD : 3 April 2015), Augustus B Burwell, 1883.

• https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/appointment-burwell-chief-piece-first-1849057074

Census Records

• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDSX-CFB : 9 November 2014), Augustus B Burwell in household of Albert A Burwell, Chelsea, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZCL-LFP : 30 December 2015), Augustus B Burwell in entry for Albert A Burwell, 1860.

• "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDQH-WD6 : 17 October 2014), Augustus B Burwell, Massachusetts, United States; citing p. 4, family 29, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,149.

• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHR5-TTR : 11 August 2016), Augustas B Burwell, Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, United States