A Man, A Flag, A Death

Considered the first casualty of the Civil War, Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth died May 24th 1861.


Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth was born April 11th 1837 in Malta, New York. He grew up in Mechanicville, New York. Ellsworth moved to Rockford, Illinois in 1854 to work for a patent office. While living there he became the drillmaster in 1857 for the local militia company the “Rockford Greys”. After his engagement to Carrie Spafford, at the suggestion of her father he moved to Chicago, Illinois to study law. Ellsworth went to work for Abraham Lincoln in 1860 to studied law, and help with Lincoln’s 1860 presidential campaign. At 5’6” Lincoln called Ellsworth "the greatest little man I ever met." Ellsworth accompanied Lincoln in 1861 to Washington, DC.

When the Civil War started and Lincoln called for 75,000 troops to be raised, Ellsworth recruited the 11th New York Volunteers known as the “Fire Zouaves”. He was their Colonel. On May 24th 1861; Ellsworth went to Alexandria, Virginia to remove a Confederate flag from the roof of a tavern. Ellsworth took the 11th across the Potomac, where he posted men at the railroad station and telegraph office. Then Ellsworth with four men entered the Marshall House Inn and cut down the Confederate flag. As Ellsworth came down the stairs with the flag the owner of the Inn, James W Jackson shot and killed him. Union Corporal Francis E Brownell killed Jackson straight away.

Ellsworth’s body was laid in state in the East Room of the White House. From there he was taken to City Hall in New York City where Union supporters came to see his body by the thousands. He was brought home to Mechanicville, New York, where he is buried in the Hudson View Cemetery. The 44th New York Infantry were formed in Ellsworth’s memory and were known as the “Ellsworth Avengers”.

The Other Chamberlain Brother

Thomas Davee Chamberlain the youngest brother of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain died on August 12th 1896.

Thomas Davee Chamberlain was the youngest of five siblings born to Joshua and Sarah Brastow Chamberlain on April 29th 1841. He was born in Brewer Maine, and grew up on the family farm there. Thomas was the only son in the family not to attend college, and was working in Bangor as a grocery clerk by the time he was a teenager.

Thomas joined the Union army July 16th 1862. He was placed in Company “G”, in the newly formed 20th Maine with his brother Joshua Chamberlain. The 20th saw fighting at Marye’s Heights during the Battle of Fredericksburg. They missed the fight at Chancellorsville due an out break of small pox. Thomas Chamberlain made it through the Battle of Gettysburg unhurt. During the siege of Petersburg, when Thomas’ brother Joshua was wounded and not expected to live, Thomas brought the surgeon of the 20th Maine, DR Abner O Shaw to his brother. Dr Shaw along with the Dr Morris W Townsend of the 44th New York worked through the night to save Colonel Joshua Chamberlain’s life. Thomas Chamberlain and the 20th Maine continued through the war seeing much of the major action. They were finally mustered out of service in Washington DC on July 16th 1865. By the time of mustering out Thomas had reached the rack of Lieutenant Colonel.

Fallowing the war, Thomas Chamberlain found himself unable to hold down a job. He suffered from lung and heart disease, and was believed to have been an alcoholic. Thomas died in Bangor Maine August 12th 1896 at the age of 55. He buried in Castine Maine.

Another good source for information
TOM CHAMBERLAIN:"MY BRAVE YOUNG BROTHER"