Remembering Augustus Fairchild and Nathaniel Caverly – 150 years later

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Civil War battles at Chancellorsville, Suffolk, and Gettysburg. In December of last year the 150th anniversary of Fredericksburg was observed. In marking these anniversaries I wish to remember the sacrifice of my second great-granduncle Augustus Fairchild at Fredericksburg and the sacrifice of my great-granduncle Nathaniel Caverly at Suffolk.

Augustus Fairchild, a private in Company A of the 27th Connecticut Infantry Volunteer Regiment, saw his first military action at Fredericksburg and was killed during the doomed Union infantry assaults on Marye’s Heights on 13 December 1862. His body was not recovered after the battle and his mortal remains lie in an unmarked grave in Fredericksburg National Cemetery atop Marye’s Heights. Eight-five percent of the burials in this cemetery are unknown soldiers from the Battle of Fredericksburg.



Augustus’ family placed a gravestone in his memory in the Fairchild plot at the Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven.

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Nathaniel Caverly, a corporal in the 13th New Hampshire Infantry Volunteer Regiment, also saw first military action at Fredericksburg. He survived that hellish battle but was mortally wounded at Suffolk on 3 May 1863 during a gallant charge on the last day of the Siege at Suffolk. He died on 5 May 1863 and was buried at Suffolk. In 1866 his remains were removed to a place of honor at Hampton National Cemetery in Hampton, Virginia.

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I have been researching the Civil War service of Augustus and Nathaniel in two anniversary blogs that commemorate their military service and the journey of their regiments throughout the war. For additional information about Augustus Fairchild and the 27th Connecticut Infantry Regiment please visit http://27thctregt150.blogspot.com and Augustus' Find A Grave memorial. For additional information about Nathaniel Caverly and the 13th New Hampshire Infantry Regiment please visit and http://13thnhregt150.blogspot.com and Nathaniel's Find A Grave memorial.

Augustus Fairchild and Nathaniel Caverly had notable New England ancestry. Augustus was a direct descendant of William Bradford and Nathaniel was a direct descendant of American poetess Anne Dudley Bradstreet. To view Augustus' descent from William Bradford please click here. To view Nathaniel's descent from Anne Dudley Bradstreet please click here.

References:
¹Grove Street Cemetery (New Haven, New Haven County, Connecticut), Augustus B. Fairchild marker, Magnolia Avenue, Lot 58, photographed by Carol Swaine-Kuzel, 5 November 2009.
²Hampton National Cemetery (Hampton, Virginia), Nathaniel Caverly marker, Section D, Lot 3183, photographed by Carol Swaine-Kuzel, 24 October 2007.