Person talk:Freeman Elkins (1)

Civil War [31 July 2011]

Which regiment did Freeman Elkins serve in? We're trying to mark all of the Civil War veterans here on WeRelate. Thanks! --Amy (Ajcrow) 19:20, 30 July 2011 (EDT)

History of the town of Hollis, New Hampshire, from its first settlement to ... By Samuel Thomas Worcester, Page 224.

EIGHTH NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.This regiment was also enlisted at Manchester in the fall and early in the winter of 1861, and was mustered in at Manchester December 23, 1861, commanded by Col. Hawkes Fearing, Jun., of that city. It left Manchester Jan. 24, 1862, for Ship Island, Mississippi, by the way of Boston, and was afterwards in the service in Louisiana and other States bordering on the Mississippi river till the expiration of its term of enlistment. The Hollis soldiers named below enlisted for three years in this regiment in the fall or winter of 1861. Austin, Albert S. Company E, enlisted December 20. Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps, April, 1864. Conant, Andrew II. Company B, enlisted December 20. Promoted to Corporal, February 14, 1863. Re-enlisted, January 4, 1864. Died at Natches, Miss., October io, 1865. Elkins, Freeman. Company E, enlisted December 20. Discharged for disability, at Ship Island, Miss., April 10, 1862.

Amy, now that I examine Freeman and use his census info to date him as born abt. 1805, I'm not sure if a 55 year old would enlist for war. The Ancestry.com info says he enlisted at 45?? Reliable?? There was another NH Freeman Elkins of Gilford NH and much younger but he enlisted at Gilford (see FamilySearch) and different regiment and company. I can't find a NH Freeman, age 45 in 1861.

I wondered about that, too. It would be rather unusual for a 55 year old to enlist. (Not impossible, but definitely out of the norm.) The family monument shows a birth date of 1805, but it appears to have been erected long after his death. I think I'll hold off marking him as a Civil War vet until there's some more proof. -- Amy (Ajcrow) 11:15, 31 July 2011 (EDT)