Woodruff Civil War Soldiers
The Back Stories
Woodruff Soldiers
Here are the stories of two soldiers who died very young
Richard Kirtland “Kirt” Woodruff (November 1, 1840 Westbrook Middlesex Co. Connecticut – August 11, 1864 De Camp General Hospital David’s Island New York Harbor) Age 24.
Occupation: University Student
Enlistment: 5’7”, black eyes black hair dark complexion, age 21
Unit: “I” 15th Connecticut Infantry, “B” 30th Connecticut Volunteers Colored, “C” 31st USCT
Highest rank: Captain
Service: August 25, 1862 – August 11, 1864, 699 days
Major engagements: Battle of Fredericksburg, Burnside’s Mud March, Siege of Suffolk, Battle of Cold Harbor, Siege of Petersburg, Battle of the Crater
Pension: None
Chapters: Letters Home, Killed in Action
Richard Kirtland “Kirt” Woodruff
Richard was a member of Yale University’s class of 1863 when he left the university to enlist as a corporal (8th corporal) in Company “I” 15th Connecticut Infantry on August 25, 1862. He mustered out of the 15th to accept a commission as Captain of Company “B” of the 30th of USCT on March 23, 1864. This regiment was subsequently merged, and Richard was made Captain of Company “C” of the 31st USCT. In his report on the operations of the 31st USCT dated December 20, 1865, Major Thomas Wright discussed the regiment’s role at The Battle of the Crater and noted “Captain Woodruff (wounded in arm), died.”
Richard’s biography in the history of the Class of 1863, Yale College,
RICHARD KIRTLAND WOODRUFF, son of the late Rev. Richard and Mariah D. (Kirtland) Woodruff, was born at Westbrook, Conn., November 1, 1840, and came to us from Hartford Grammar School. He left the Class at the end of Junior year, and enlisted in the 15th Regiment Connecticut Volunteers, being mustered into service as corporal of Company I, August 11, 1862. He was honorably discharged therefrom February 25, 1863, that he might accept a commission in the United States Colored Troops. March 23, 1864, he became captain of Company B in the 30th Regiment (colored) Connecticut Volunteers. His regiment was shortly after consolidated with the 31st United States Colored Regiment, in which his company was known as Company C. At the battle of Petersburg, July 30, 1864, he was wounded in the left arm. The wound disabled him from further service, and he proceeded towards home as far as the hospital on David’s Island, N.Y. Here he was attacked by tetanus, from which he died, August 11. 1864.
In his will dated March 27, 1863 he left his entire estate, valued at $3,672.53 to his aunt Elizabeth Norton Woodruff who was the eldest sister of Richard, Rachel and Emily. Gustavus Upson was the executor and paid the fee of $71.67 to have Kirt’s body embalmed, placed in a metal casket and returned to Connecticut where he was buried in North Cemetery in West Hartford.
A collection of letters from Richard Kirtland “Kirt” Woodruff to his first cousins Alice Rachel Upson and Frances Maria “Frank” Upson from August 19, 1855 to January 10, 1864 including while he was at Yale University and serving in the 15th Connecticut Infantry, has survived.
(May 8, 1843 Geneseo Livingston Co. New York – January 30, 1863 Deserted House near Suffolk Virginia) Age 19.
Occupation: Laborer
Enlistment: 5’ 3”, age 19
Unit: “B” 130th New York Infantry
Highest rank: Private
Service: August 4, 1862 – January 30, 1863, 149 days
Major engagements: The Battle of Deserted House January 30, 1863
Pension: Mother’s January 30, 1863 – August 27, 1899, $4,148
Chapters: Killed in Action
James Webster Woodruff
James lived with his parents and siblings in Dansville, Livingston Co., New York and worked as a laborer for a boot and shoe dealer and for a nurseryman. He enlisted as a private with the 130th New York Infantry on August 4, 1862 at Dansville and mustered in with Company “B” when the regiment mustered in on September 3, 1862. His letters home to his parents described the movement of the regiment by marching, train and boat to the vicinity of Suffolk Virginia. He sent money home regularly and was concerned about the poverty of his family. His older brother Oscar served with the 10th New York Cavalry. James was killed in the first action in which the regiment was engaged.
Major General John James Peck commanded the Union garrison at Suffolk Virginia. On January 30, 1863, Confederate Brigadier General Roger Atkinson Prior crossed the Blackwater River with about 1,800 men on a foraging expedition. General Peck sent a force of about 8,000 infantry and cavalry to drive the Confederates off. They collided at a place called Deserted House about eight miles west of Suffolk, near Kelly’s Store. The fighting commenced at 4:00 p.m. when Union cavalry drove in Confederate pickets and an artillery duel began. The Union infantry remained in a column in the road behind the federal guns. According to the New York Times “the infantry in the road suffered considerably, while awaiting orders to move “. At 5:30 the whole Union force advanced. The Confederates retreated at 6:00 p.m., making a short stand at Carrsville six miles further west. A short artillery duel, and a charge by the 13th Indiana Infantry forced the Confederates further west where one final charge by the 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry inflicted further casualties as the Confederates retreated over the Blackwater. The Federals suffered 23 killed and 108 wounded and 12 missing, the Confederates 8 killed 31 wounded and 13 captured. The 130th New York had suffered 7 killed, 20 wounded and 2 missing. The 130th New York had stood in the road behind the Union guns from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and then advanced with the rest of the Federal force. James was either killed by canon shot standing in the road, or in the general advance. His name is listed among the killed in the battle described on page 1 of the New York Times. This minor engagement is known as the Battle of Deserted House or the Battle of Kelly’s Store.
The Times newspaper article said that the dead were brought back to camp and buried. Evidently James’ family had the body returned to be buried in the Green Mount Cemetery in Dansville where his parents and some of his siblings are buried. James’ mother was awarded a pension paid from the date of his death to the date of her death in 1899. His brother Oscar survived the war.