The Empty Chair, the Next Generation: The Battle of Fredericksburg, George's Death

Civil War Ambulance at Fort Scott National Historic Site, Kansas (https://www.nps.gov)

 

The Union Army under the command of General Ambrose Burnside arrived at Falmouth, opposite Fredericksburg, Virginia, on November 10. He had ordered pontoon boats, but because of delays in deploying the boats they were not in place until December 10, which gave the Confederate forces plenty of time to fortify Marye’s Heights outside Fredericksburg. The resulting battle included thirteen assaults on the impregnable heights, with the slaughter of thousands of Union soldiers.

Assistant Surgeon Charles C. Lee summarized the battle well in a report filed after the battle:

In this battle, which may be said to have lasted three days, beginning with the bombardment of the town, December 11th, an attempt was unsuccessfully made to dislodge the rebel army from the heights of Fredericksburg by our right and centre, while our left, under General Franklin, should penetrate their extreme right, and cut off their retreat. In the efforts to bridge the Rappahannock, on December 11th, General Franklin alone succeeded in laying pontoons. On the right, the enemy’s sharpshooters, protected by the houses along the bank, kept our engineers at bay, in spite of the continual bombardment of the town. On the following day little or nothing was done, on account of the dense fog that obscured everything. At daybreak, on December 13th, two pontoon bridges were laid opposite the town. Our troops crossed, and met with comparatively little opposition until they attempted to storm the heights. These attempts were continued until late in the evening, with what disastrous result is known to all. Though repulsed from the heights, they held possession of the town, where all the wounded from our right and centre were collected in the churches and other temporary hospitals; and in this condition, constantly expecting another attack, we remained December 14th and 15th. On the afternoon of the 15th, the medical director transmitted an order from the commanding general to remove all the wounded immediately across the Rappahannock. By means of the ambulances, this was done as rapidly as possible during the same afternoon and evening, and the following night the entire army recrossed in safety to their former camps. * .* The wounded were conveyed to the division hospitals previously organized by the medical director. Five series of these, belonging, respectively, to the First, Second, Fifth, Sixth and Ninth Corps, were soon in operation at convenient points within half a mile or a mile of the river.

Medicine wagon (Wikipedia)

The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion (1861-1865) Vol. 1 Part 1, p. 130.

The wounded were kept in camp until Christmas Day when they were transported to hospitals in Washington.

George began to feel sick around the time that the march to Fredericksburg took place in early November, according to his Sergeant, S.S. Goodsell.

At the request of George's widow, Elizabeth, Sergeant Goodsell wrote to her giving an account of the last few months of George's life before his death on Feb. 11, 1863 at the Eckington Hospital located in the Gales Mansion, located at what is now 200 T St. NE.

Sergeant Goodsell wrote:

Newport News Apr 2nd/63

Mrs Lewis,
I received your Letter written Mar 11th, not until Yesterday, for it was directed to the regs’t, And I am forty five miles from the reg’t & went down there (to Suffolk) And my Capt. Told me He had it about 2 weeks, And now after so much delay, I will most willingly answer Yours, And give You all the Information that I can respecting the Sickess & Death of Your Husband — from the Day that George left Camp Casey [Chase?] near Alexandria on Arlington Hights, he seemed to commence feeling bad, and looked pale and languid, and on abt 7 days March I gave Him up my Horse to ride, And after we got to Falmouth before Fredericksburgh, He appeared to be about the Same, And I told Him he need do no duty, (although the duty was light)

2/ And that He had better put Himself under the Doctors care, but He was afraid He would have to go into the Hospital, then I Saw the Doctor, and He told me that if George would come and see him, He would give Him medicine to take, and He could continue staying in the Corps. I told George what I had done and not until then did He consent to take medicine, And George Seem to think that it helped Him, but I did not, And told Him that if He would go to the regt I would Surely get Him discharged, but He was fearfull again that He would have to go into the Hospital (and I did not blame him for that) and from that time (about 1st of Jany) He would have spells of putting his elbows upon His knees, & His Head upon His hands, and appear to be in deep thought, and almost Stupid, So much so that I would always have to speak twice to Him and I remember a number of times, when finding Him So

3/I would ask Him what was the Matter, And ask Him if Anything was wrong at Home, He would always answer me quickly and as cheerfully as He could that there was nothing the matter at Home, And that His family was well, and that everything was going as well as He could wish for, and Always finished his remarks with a word of praise for His Uncle I.C. Lewis, And that if Anything was wrong He would do all He Could to make it right[. A]bout the first of Feby He did not feel as well (although He would always prefer going after His meals Himself, And he kept in the tent most of the time, but on the 3rd He was better again, and Said He had not felt so well in two months[. And on the night of the 5th went on guard (that to stand from half past Eight until Eleven near the [lieutenants] quarters to see that none of the Horses went that way) I told Him there was no need of his going, but He said he felt so much better that he would go on[. T]he Morning of the 6th He said He continued to feel

4/better, and packed His knapsack for the march to Bell Plains, as he Expected to move any Moment, He put everything of any value that He wanted to take with Him in His knapsacok, except His gloves (And then I saw Put in afterwards) the 15th regmt had then gone to Acquia Creek) we were ordered to hitch up but I told George to favor Himself as much as possible, and when we started that he might ride in one of the ambulances, but just as we expected the order to move, it came to unhitch and move the next morning at 8 A.M. George said that He was glad that we were not going that day, for He did not feel quite as well, and He thought He would feel better in the morning. He eat two Hearty meals that day, but at Supper time did not eat much, and said He did not feel as well. I asked Him if He would not here the Sergeon of the 13th NH regmt come and see him (as I was acquainted with Him and knew Him to be a man as well as a good Physician. He laughed at me and said no, He was not sick, but did not feel very well, & Sat in the bed about 8x1/2, and as He had been lying down through the Evening, Come to get up, He could not Bare His weight upon his legs And had Some Strong Pain Curer in the wagon

5/and asked Him if I Should not get it & have the boys bath his legs with it but He did not think it best, and before I left the Cabin He said He felt better, but I left one of the boys to sit up with Him thinking that He might want something through the night, if George grew worse to Call me, He Called me just before Daylight, He said George did not feel as well, but that He had rested pretty well all night. I got  and went to the cabin and found two of the boys helping Him up, And as soon as I saw Him I knew that He was out of his head. I asked him what He wanted, but He made me no reply. I told the boys that George was pretty sick and that I must get Him under the Doctors care as soon as possible, and told the boys to get a Stretcher and put him upon his blankets and take him to the 13th NH Doctor. I went and called the doctor up and we had everything ready for His Comfort. As soon as the boys arrived with Him, the Dr

6/said that He was very strongly sick and He did not think that George would live until He got Him to Washington, but that He should have every Possible care, and you may rest asured that He did have until He got into the Hospital at Washington. I addressed a letter to His uncle as soon as possible, and in due time received a kind from Him. We had a long tegious time in getting here, but as soon as we got here I met the Doctor that Gov Be Kinham (?) Sent through the Hospital, and He told me that George died. As you wrote me, & that a Mr Lewis took Him Home, , I supposed it was His uncle at the time. I hear that Mr Lewis has been Here And I would have liked to see him, for then I could told Him better then to write you. George was payed up to Nov 1st and had (I think He told me) $21,00, and some change, and he broke a $20,00 note in to fives, and I saw him send a number of them, but they might never have got home,

The first page of Serg. Goodsell's letter

7/ he received the P.S. Stamps, and they besides 40 its was all He had in his part money. I had the Boys look in presence of the Hospital nurse so to take and send Home if he had any money, but we thought we had but to leave what he had everything that belongs to him, He had packed Himself. As we looked closely to see if there was anything left behind, but found nothing but a small rubber pouch which He kept His tobacco in, & we thought as it had got torn it would not be worth while sending it Home. So George had due Him when He died, 3 months, & 11 days pay from Nov 1st until Feby 12th, And as soon as I can get arrainged I shall see the Comdg Officer of Comp F, and get His discipline list and send you (if I can) and then you Can Collect the money there. I should have written upon the recipe of your uncles letter, but thought it was Him that went to Washington and would get the particulars concerning His Death, after He left me, but as it is I think I have told you all I know of him, Except that He always done His duty, most

8/readyly when asked to do it, and felt anxious to stay Here & be discharged when the rgmt was, for He said He did not want to leave before, and have the name of Coward flung in His face, and I must say here then, He had to part with us, that I missed one of the best men I had, and then come to learn the most, and from that time I have that Sympathy for you (His wife + Children) that being in the Army has not and as my wife heard the Sad news, She too sympathyzes with you, and would to God that this Controversy might come to an end that no more might be so sorely afflicted. If you wish any more information, let me know from you + I will do what I can to inform you, if it is in my power, while

I remain most
Respectfully
Sergt S.S. Goodsell

The telegraph to I.C. Lewis reporting George's death

Ambulance Corps 3rd div
9th a.c
Sent Robinson [illegible]!

George died on February 11 and it appears that one of his uncles, Jared Lewis, went down to retrieve his body to bring it back to Meriden. He telegraphed his brother, I.C. Lewis, to tell him what he found. Presumably Jared had him embalmed, a service that was provided by embalmers who moved with the army. It wouldn't have been cheap but the Lewis family could certainly afford it.