Years ago this author realized Framingham’s Civil War history had never been chronicled. Framingham’s tercentennial approached so he researched and wrote “Civil War Service of the Men and Women of Framingham, Massachusetts 1861 – 1865 a Memorial History” That book was sold out in a two-week period, but remained in demand. He later began a revised edition and titled it “Framingham’s Civil War Service, A History And Roster” This book concisely details’, with relevant illustrations, and a comprehensive index, the plight of the town of Framingham during that national cataclysm.
This book records when the town created a militia, long before Fort Sumter was attacked. It details how the town called its first meeting in May of 1861, and organized its War Committee, of nine citizens. It provides information regarding the States’ quota of 407 men from Framingham. It shows how that quota would be reduced to 386 men through exemptions, and that Framingham provided 530 men for the war effort.
This book explains the stroke of luck Framingham experienced when Governor Andrew disbanded the militia it had created. That dispersed those men to many different regiments the governor was organizing. The result was that no one company from Framingham was decimated in a single battle. Other towns had lost scores of their able body, healthy men in one battle.
This book details how Framingham men served in over 77% of Military Units created by the Commonwealth. It describes how Framingham men were active in over 85% of the major battles of the Civil War. It details how twenty-eight men would be killed in action, and how another nine were wounded, and died from those wounds. It details how fifteen would die from diseases, and how another eighty-two would become so disabled, that they would be discharged because of those afflictions.
It explains how Framingham provided Black men to serve in all three black regiments organized by the Commonwealth. It details how Framingham women created three distinct Auxiliary Associations for the United States Sanitary Commission. It provides detailed genealogy regarding all 530 men that served, as well as cemetery records.
