Frederick C. Anderson
Encyclopedia
Frederick C. Anderson was a Union Army
soldier in the American Civil War
who received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor
. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, and orphaned at a young age, Anderson was adopted by a farming family in rural Raynham
. He enlisted in the Union Army
shortly after the start of the war and, as a private
in the 18th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
, participated in several major battles, including Antietam
, Fredericksburg
, Chancellorsville
, and Gettysburg
. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for capturing a Confederate battle flag during the Battle of Globe Tavern
on August 21, 1864. Transferred to the 32nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
and wounded in the Siege of Petersburg
, he returned to the field in time to witness the Confederate
surrender at Appomattox Court House. After the war, he returned to Massachusetts, working and raising a family until his sudden death at age 40.
called the House of Industry. The facility was later described as "[a]n asylum for the insane and refuge for the deserted and the most destitute children of the city". It is unclear what happened to Anderson's parents, although their complete disappearance from public records suggests that they were deceased.
At age 14, Anderson was sent on the Orphan Train
, which transported orphaned, abandoned, and homeless children from large East Coast
cities to rural areas, where they were taken in by families and put to work. When the train reached Raynham, Massachusetts, Anderson was selected by Stilman Wilber, a local farmer. He lived and worked on the Wilber farm until his enlistment in the military.
. A 19-year-old private
, he joined Company A of the 18th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
. In regimental records, he was described as "5 foot 3 inches in height, with a light complexion, blue eyes and sandy hair".
In late August 1862, one year after enlisting, Anderson participated in his first engagement, the Second Battle of Bull Run
, where the 18th Massachusetts sustained its heaviest casualties of the war. A few weeks later they took part in the Battle of Antietam
, and on December 13 the unit saw heavy action at the Battle of Fredericksburg
. At Fredericksburg, the 18th Massachusetts advanced across open ground on a frontal assault against Confederate positions on Marye's Heights. Although the attack was repulsed under intense fire, the regiment's advance was among the most successful, having come closer to the Confederate
lines than most other Union units. The next year, Anderson took part in the Battle of Chancellorsville
in late April and early May and the Battle of Gettysburg
on July 2, where his unit fought in the Wheatfield as part of the V Corps.
In August 1864, the second month of the Siege of Petersburg
, Union forces, including Anderson's regiment, cut the Weldon Railroad
which supplied Petersburg
and the Confederate capital of Richmond
. On the morning of August 21, the Confederates attacked in an attempt to regain control of the railway. The 18th Massachusetts lead a counterattack against the smaller Confederate force, and during this action, which came to be known as the Battle of Globe Tavern, Anderson captured the 27th South Carolina Infantry Regiment's flag and flag bearer. Regimental flags were an important means of communication and identification during the war; the loss of a flag was a great blow to a regiment's morale, and the capture of an enemy flag was seen as a sign of bravery in close-quarters fighting.
For his actions at Globe Tavern, Anderson was awarded the Medal of Honor during a ceremony on September 13, 1864. With the captured Confederate flags on display, Anderson and several other men of the V Corps were decorated by General George Meade
, commander of the Army of the Potomac
. His official citation reads: "Capture of battle flag of 27th South Carolina (C.S.A.
) and the color bearer."
The 18th Massachusetts was disbanded on September 2, 1864, after three years of service. Soldiers who chose to reenlist for another three-year term, such as Anderson, and those who still had time left on their original enlistment were merged into the 32nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
. When the 32nd engaged in the ongoing Siege of Petersburg in early December, Anderson was wounded in the left foot. He was sent to the V Corps hospital in City Point, Virginia
, and after two and a half weeks was transferred to Jarvis Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, arriving there on December 26. A month later, on January 31, 1865, he rejoined his regiment. As a reward for reenlisting, he was granted a 45-day furlough, which he took in February and March. He returned in time to watch the surrender of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia on April 9 at Appomattox Court House, effectively ending the war. Anderson and the other soldiers of the 32nd Massachusetts were mustered out of service on June 29, 1865, in Boston.
. On May 20, 1866, he married Sarah E. Francis in Taunton
. The couple had three children: Carrie M., born in 1872, Herbert Newell, born in 1875, and Cecilia Ann, born in 1878. Anderson died suddenly of "apoplexy
" at age 40 while working at the Worcester Railroad freight yard in Providence, Rhode Island
. He was reportedly buried at the Anderson Family Cemetery in Somerset, however no record of this cemetery's existence has been found.
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
soldier in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
who received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, and orphaned at a young age, Anderson was adopted by a farming family in rural Raynham
Raynham, Massachusetts
Raynham is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,739 at the 2000 census. It has one village, Raynham Center.-History:...
. He enlisted in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
shortly after the start of the war and, as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the 18th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
18th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
-External links:**...
, participated in several major battles, including Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
, Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
, Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
, and Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for capturing a Confederate battle flag during the Battle of Globe Tavern
Battle of Globe Tavern
The Battle of Globe Tavern, also known as the Second Battle of the Weldon Railroad, fought August 18–21, 1864, south of Petersburg, Virginia, was the second attempt of the Union Army to sever the Weldon Railroad during the Siege of Petersburg of the American Civil War. A Union force under...
on August 21, 1864. Transferred to the 32nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
32nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
The 32nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union army during the American Civil War. The nucleus of the regiment was a battalion of six companies raised in September 1861 to garrison Fort Warren, the largest fortification in Boston harbor...
and wounded in the Siege of Petersburg
Siege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
, he returned to the field in time to witness the Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
surrender at Appomattox Court House. After the war, he returned to Massachusetts, working and raising a family until his sudden death at age 40.
Early life
Anderson was born on March 24, 1842, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Frederick C. and Elizabeth Anderson. By age eight he was living in a South Boston workhouseWorkhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
called the House of Industry. The facility was later described as "[a]n asylum for the insane and refuge for the deserted and the most destitute children of the city". It is unclear what happened to Anderson's parents, although their complete disappearance from public records suggests that they were deceased.
At age 14, Anderson was sent on the Orphan Train
Orphan Train
The Orphan Train was a social experiment that transported children from crowded coastal cities of the United States to the country's Midwest for adoption. The orphan trains ran between 1854 and 1929, relocating an estimated 200,000 orphaned, abandoned, or homeless children...
, which transported orphaned, abandoned, and homeless children from large East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
cities to rural areas, where they were taken in by families and put to work. When the train reached Raynham, Massachusetts, Anderson was selected by Stilman Wilber, a local farmer. He lived and worked on the Wilber farm until his enlistment in the military.
Civil War service
Four months after the start of the Civil War, on August 24, 1861, Anderson was mustered into the Union Army at Camp Brigham in Dedham, MassachusettsDedham, Massachusetts
Dedham is a town in and the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census. It is located on Boston's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham, on the southwest by Westwood and on the southeast by...
. A 19-year-old private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
, he joined Company A of the 18th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
18th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
-External links:**...
. In regimental records, he was described as "5 foot 3 inches in height, with a light complexion, blue eyes and sandy hair".
In late August 1862, one year after enlisting, Anderson participated in his first engagement, the Second Battle of Bull Run
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
, where the 18th Massachusetts sustained its heaviest casualties of the war. A few weeks later they took part in the Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
, and on December 13 the unit saw heavy action at the Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
. At Fredericksburg, the 18th Massachusetts advanced across open ground on a frontal assault against Confederate positions on Marye's Heights. Although the attack was repulsed under intense fire, the regiment's advance was among the most successful, having come closer to the Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
lines than most other Union units. The next year, Anderson took part in the Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
in late April and early May and the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
on July 2, where his unit fought in the Wheatfield as part of the V Corps.
In August 1864, the second month of the Siege of Petersburg
Siege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
, Union forces, including Anderson's regiment, cut the Weldon Railroad
Wilmington and Weldon Railroad
Originally chartered in 1835 as the Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad, the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad name began use in 1855. At the time of its 1840 completion, the line was the longest railroad in the world with 161.5 miles of track...
which supplied Petersburg
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
and the Confederate capital of Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. On the morning of August 21, the Confederates attacked in an attempt to regain control of the railway. The 18th Massachusetts lead a counterattack against the smaller Confederate force, and during this action, which came to be known as the Battle of Globe Tavern, Anderson captured the 27th South Carolina Infantry Regiment's flag and flag bearer. Regimental flags were an important means of communication and identification during the war; the loss of a flag was a great blow to a regiment's morale, and the capture of an enemy flag was seen as a sign of bravery in close-quarters fighting.
For his actions at Globe Tavern, Anderson was awarded the Medal of Honor during a ceremony on September 13, 1864. With the captured Confederate flags on display, Anderson and several other men of the V Corps were decorated by General George Meade
George Meade
George Gordon Meade was a career United States Army officer and civil engineer involved in coastal construction, including several lighthouses. He fought with distinction in the Second Seminole War and Mexican-American War. During the American Civil War he served as a Union general, rising from...
, commander of the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
. His official citation reads: "Capture of battle flag of 27th South Carolina (C.S.A.
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
) and the color bearer."
The 18th Massachusetts was disbanded on September 2, 1864, after three years of service. Soldiers who chose to reenlist for another three-year term, such as Anderson, and those who still had time left on their original enlistment were merged into the 32nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
32nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
The 32nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union army during the American Civil War. The nucleus of the regiment was a battalion of six companies raised in September 1861 to garrison Fort Warren, the largest fortification in Boston harbor...
. When the 32nd engaged in the ongoing Siege of Petersburg in early December, Anderson was wounded in the left foot. He was sent to the V Corps hospital in City Point, Virginia
City Point, Virginia
City Point was a town in Prince George County, Virginia that was annexed by the independent city of Hopewell in 1923. It served as headquarters of the Union Army during the Siege of Petersburg during the American Civil War.- History :...
, and after two and a half weeks was transferred to Jarvis Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, arriving there on December 26. A month later, on January 31, 1865, he rejoined his regiment. As a reward for reenlisting, he was granted a 45-day furlough, which he took in February and March. He returned in time to watch the surrender of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia on April 9 at Appomattox Court House, effectively ending the war. Anderson and the other soldiers of the 32nd Massachusetts were mustered out of service on June 29, 1865, in Boston.
Later life
After the war, Anderson stayed in Massachusetts and settled in the town of SomersetSomerset, Massachusetts
Somerset is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 18,234 at the 2000 census. It is the birthplace and hometown of Clifford Milburn Holland , the chief engineer and namesake of the Holland Tunnel in New York City....
. On May 20, 1866, he married Sarah E. Francis in Taunton
Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
. The couple had three children: Carrie M., born in 1872, Herbert Newell, born in 1875, and Cecilia Ann, born in 1878. Anderson died suddenly of "apoplexy
Apoplexy
Apoplexy is a medical term, which can be used to describe 'bleeding' in a stroke . Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as pituitary apoplexy and ovarian apoplexy. In common speech, it is used non-medically to mean a state...
" at age 40 while working at the Worcester Railroad freight yard in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
. He was reportedly buried at the Anderson Family Cemetery in Somerset, however no record of this cemetery's existence has been found.
See also
- List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: A–F