Person:Irving Wardwell (1)

Irving was found in the 1850 census at Lyndeborough, Hillsboro Co, NH. He was shown as 19 years old and a laborer on the farm of Benjamin Goodridge, who was his brother-in-law. He was found in the 1860 census at Trenton, Hancock Co, ME as a 29 year old clergyman, living with his wife, son, and sister, Cecelia Wardwell. He was not listed with any real estate or personal property. Irving joined the Methodist ministry, like his father before him, when he was about 26 years old, in 1857. He was a member of the East Maine Conference. The marriage record of Irving and Miranda stated that he was of Lubec, Washington Co, ME at the time of marriage. The witnesses to the marriage were Albion Miller and Maria Lowell, who were soon married themselves (Irving performing the ceremony), Maria being the sister of Miranda. Irving volunteered for Civil War duty, mustered in on 1 September 1862 as a private in Captain Bolton's Company C, 22nd Maine Volunteer Infantry. On 16 March 1863 he was promoted to Chaplain of the 28th Regiment Maine Infantry. President Lincoln had ordered every Regiment to appoint an ordained minister of a Christian denomination that was approved by the Governor of the state that the volunteer regiment was from. While these men were on duty they would receive the allowance of Captain of Calvary, about $1700 annually. Chaplains generally held services one day a week, usually Sunday and at a fixed hour such as after morning formation. They were charged with seeing that the men in their unit received proper spiritual guidance. Often times Chaplains would serve as bankers and carry money for the men home to their families. They also served as ambulance drivers and wound dressers. A total of 66 Chaplains lost their lives during the War, including Irving. The uniform of the Chaplain was a plain black frock coat with standing collar and one row of nine black buttons; plain black pantaloons; black felt hat or army forage cap without ornament. Irving died during his Civil War service of typhoid fever, at Donaldsonville, LA. He was only 32 years old at death. His pension file stated that he died by reason of exposure and fatigue in taking care of sick and wounded men in the hospital. Irving began recording in a Ministers Log Book about 20 May 1861 until he left for Civil War service in October 1862. His widow made entries in it after his death. This log book is still extant and makes for interesting reading. -William Colehour

"Rev. Irving A. Wardwell, of the East Maine Conference, who enlisted as a private in the 22nd Maine Regiment, has been appointed Chaplain of the 28th Regiment." -Zion's Herald and Wesleyan Journal 25 February 1863

"FROM NEW ORLEANS New Orleans, March 12, 1863. Dear Herald : Trusting that a few words from my pen will not be uninteresting, at least to my friends, I send you the following Very unexpectedly to me, somebody had me appointed chaplain of the 28th Maine Regiment of Militia.. The first news I received of it was through a letter from home. I waited a fortnight for a note from the Adjutant General, and the commission from Gov. Coburn. Our regiment had received marching orders for Port Hudson. A mail was soon expected up river. In just one half hour after orders came for our regiment to march, the mail arrived, bringing with it or in it the necessary appointment. If the appointment had not arrived in time, I should have shouldered my musket and marched alone with the boys. I left Baton Rouge on the 10th inst. to join my regiment, stationed at Pensacola, and am now waiting at New Orleans for a passage thither. I shall probably be detained here till next Monday. As I floated down the waters of the grand Mississippi, the image of Joseph P. French, whose history is familiar to many loving friends in Maine, came constantly home to my mind.. He bravely fought the enemy on the 5th of August, 1862, at Baton Rouge, where he received a severe wound in the leg, causing its amputation. He was put on board a steamer, started for New Orleans, and drowned on the passage. His body was afterwards picked up, and lies buried on the river's bank. As his image came before me I could but exclaim, "Noble man! slain in a noble cause! " Though his body lies far from the hills of old Maine, on the bank of the Mississippi, yet his memory will never cease to live in the hearts of all who knew him. The steamer on which I took passage from Baton Rouge, brought quite a number of invalid soldiers from the General Hospital at Baton Rouge for New Orleans, and Many more have arrived today. I found many of them at the Marine Hospital this afternoon. One poor fellow seemed fast sinking in the cold embrace of death;.but said he, "Jesus is precious. I'm very weak; 'tis hard for me to pray, but Jesus takes no advantage of my weakness." Long shall I remember those words. They were the utterance of true Christian faith. Just such a friend is Jesus. I am waiting patiently to join my regiment at Pensacola, that I may be an instrument of good to those whom the providence of God has thrown under my care. Gen. Banks was at Baton Rouge on the 10th inst., superintending the movement against Port Hudson. We are anxiously waiting for news from the expedition. If Port Hudson is taken, Vicksburg must surely fall, the Mississippi be opened, and rebeldom receive the deadliest blow yet. But I fear the rebels have had too much time to fortify at Port Hudson, for Banks to be successful in his present attack. I fear that there are too many half-hearted, skin-deep patriots among the shoulder-straps, for any victory to be obtained in this present onset. God grant that the reality may prove different from my fears. I remember that when I was a lad I sometimes in running stubbed my toe against a stone, got angry, and to get revenge set to kicking the inanimate stone, which only made the pain deeper. So, it appears to me, it is now with the Union and rebellion. They got into a fight, and both stubbed their toes against the "nigger," and now they both turn to kicking poor "darkey." God hasten the day when every shackle shall be kicked off from the long fettered limbs of the negro all over our land. I. A. WARDWELL -Zion's Herald and Wesleyan Journal 01 April 1863

"Rev. Irving A. Wardwell was born on the shores of the Penobscot, March 8, 1841, and died on the banks the Mississippi, July 22, 1863. His father was a local preacher, and four of the sons were itinerant ministers in our church. Irving was converted at 14. In 1856 he was licensed to preach, and employed at Brooksville. He joined the East Maine Conference in 1857, and was sent to Lubec. In 1858 he was stationed at Cherryfield. In 1859, at Mt. Desert; 1860, at Trenton;.1861-2, at Orrington. During hie stay at Orrington, armed rebellion struck at the nation's life; our periled mother called on the sons she had nurtured to rally for her defense. That cry of distress stirred thousands of loyal hearts. Ministers saw members of their churches and of their families hastening to the rescue, and could themselves scarce keep back from the conflict. The subject of this sketch decided after a severe struggle that it was his duty to enter the army; and in the fall of 1862 enlisted as a private in the 22nd Maine Regiment; and went with it to Louisiana.The propriety of this course will be questioned; by some and defended by others. Many doubt whether a man solemnly dedicated to the office of the ministry has the right to enter what seems a foreign, if not incompatible calling. If such action can be justified it must be unless there is a divine dispensation -by the magnitude of the emergency to be met and the temporary character of the service demanded, But whatever may be thought of the propriety of Bro.Wardwell's course, no one that knew him will question his sincerity in pursuing it. He thought he was right, and time only served to confirm and strengthen that conviction. His course in the camp was in keeping with this sentiment. He carried his Christian and ministerial character with him, and while faithfully performing the duties of a private soldier, he visited the sick, attended funerals, and preached to his comrades in arms. In March 1863, he was appointed chaplain to the 28th Maine Regiment. Officers and men testify to his usefulness and to the high esteem in which he was held in his new position. But he served them only for a brief period. On the 8th of July he was seized with a typhoid foyer, which terminated his life, at Donaldsville, La., on the 22d of the some month. His friends know little of his last hours, but the purity of his previous life, the devotedness of his later labors and the last letters to loved ones furnish ample evidence that he died in the Lord." -Zion's Herald and Wesleyan Journal 02 December 1863

1. ↑ Penobscot, Maine Vital Records.
2. ↑ Penobscot, Maine Vital Records.