Soldier Talk Will Explore Civil War's Affect on Montville Area

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“Civil War Soldiers–My Only Three Boys” is the subject of the next Montville Township Historical Society program, Feb. 11 (Monday), 7:30 p.m. in the Montville Township Senior House, 356 Main, Montville.  

The title of this talk comes from the letter of a mother writing about her three sons that mustered into the Civil War. They were the lucky ones as they all made it home.  

We tend to think the Civil War did not happen here as no battles occurred in the local area. But the area was very much affected and many men served from the area. Many local volunteers filled the ranks of the 27th regiment, which was raised almost entirely from the Morris and Sussex counties in 1862.  

This unit entered the service for nine months. Because many of the volunteers came from an agricultural or farming background, they possessed physical strength and had robust endurance capabilities. Other local volunteers joined other regiments, the 7th, the 15th, the 13th, the 26th, the 27th, with their friends or a regiment which traveled through the area.  

The physical and mental toll that was to come and endured by these men was not thought about as they joined up to defend their country. Instead they thought of the glory of war or a way of earning some extra money not realizing their lives were to be immeasurably altered by the Civil War.  

The war tested their friendships and created lasting relationships with their fellow soldiers.  Some were killed in action at well known battles, such as Wilderness, Gettysburg and Petersburg and some died in battles not so well known, such as Salem Heights. Many were wounded in action.  

Drawing on records from the National Archives and local resources, come hear about the Civil War Soldiers of the local area in their own words.