McKnight's Jefferson County Pennsylvania Her Pioneers and People, Volume II p 496/497
CLARENCE RUSSELL THOMPSON, fourth son of Hon. John J. Y. and Agnes S. Kennedy) Thompson, was born at Corsica,
April 23, 1844, and removed with his parents to Brookville in 1852. He was but a boy in his teens when the war cloud burst upon the land, and he promptly enlisted "for the war," July 24, 1861, in Company I, 626. Regiment, Col. Samuel W. Black's Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was soon promoted to sergeant. At his muster he was a little over seventeen years old.
The company left Jefferson county July 24, 1861, and proceeded to Camp Wright, near Pittsburgh, Pa., where Clarence was mustered in with his company July 29th, the command being designated Company 1; 33d Independent
Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. At this saute camp Robert R. Means, of Brookville, was elected captain, Edwin H. Little, first lieutenant, and John T. Bell, second lieutenant. Both lieutenants were from Punxsutawney.
While at Camp Wright the regiment was ordered to report at Camp Cameron, Pa., where, after being organized, clothed, equipped and armed, they were ordered to Camp Ralph, near
the city of Washington. On Sept. 11th they were ordered across the Potomac and assigned to the 2d brigade of Fitz John Porter's division. Here the regiment was renumbered as the 62d Pennsylvania Volunteers and received the new Zouave uniforms, the most complete, in all details, of any outfit furnished the volunteers. I visited Sergeant Thompson in October, 1861; his regiment was at Fairfax Court House, the camp was called "Betty Black." I had a nice visit with him and all the Jefferson county boys.
Sergeant Thompson was never absent from his company, taking part in all the marches and skirmishes of his regiment until the terrible battle of Gaines Mill, Va., June 27, 1862, and in that brilliant charge of the 62d. and under an enfilading fire, in which gallant Colonel Black fell and Lieutenant Colonel Swearingen was taken prisoner, this brave young soldier was killed. His superior officers being all "hors de combat," Sergeant Thompson was in command of his company at the time, and was last seen in a hand-to-hand encounter with the Rebel foe. Thus died a valiant boy in blue, for no purer patriot ever wore the blue, no
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA 497
nobler specimen of young manhood than Clarence Russell Thompson ever offered his life upon the altar of his country. He died for me, he died for you. He was buried on the field by the Rebels. After the war the unknown from Gaines Mill were removed to Virginia and reburied in the Fair Oaks National cemetery, where Sergeant Thompson now lies unknown. His uncertain fate was a great grief to his family and friends.
In 1866 Mrs. Captain Steck related to me this story : While sitting in my tent one day at Camp Betty Black, in Virginia, in 1861, Clarence Thompson, a Brookville boy, and a member of Company I. 62d Pennsylvania Volunteers, came in with the outside leaves of a head of cabbage, saying to me, "Are these fit to eat?" I said, "They don't look as if they were ; where is the rest of the cabbage?'' He said: "Oh! I have eaten it all. and feel that I must eat these also, for I never tasted anything so good in all my life." I said, "I'll see what I can do with the leaves. - ' I had them cooked and sent to his tent, when he enjoyed a great feast.
Soldiers will remember that the only bountiful vegetable they got in camp was beans, and can well understand why Sergeant Thompson enjoyed the outside leaves of this Virginia cabbage. - (Contributed by Dr. W. J. Mc-
Knight.)
CLARENCE RUSSELL THOMPSON, fourth son of Hon. John J. Y. and Agnes S. Kennedy) Thompson, was born at Corsica,
April 23, 1844, and removed with his parents to Brookville in 1852. He was but a boy in his teens when the war cloud burst upon the land, and he promptly enlisted "for the war," July 24, 1861, in Company I, 626. Regiment, Col. Samuel W. Black's Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was soon promoted to sergeant. At his muster he was a little over seventeen years old.
The company left Jefferson county July 24, 1861, and proceeded to Camp Wright, near Pittsburgh, Pa., where Clarence was mustered in with his company July 29th, the command being designated Company 1; 33d Independent
Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. At this saute camp Robert R. Means, of Brookville, was elected captain, Edwin H. Little, first lieutenant, and John T. Bell, second lieutenant. Both lieutenants were from Punxsutawney.
While at Camp Wright the regiment was ordered to report at Camp Cameron, Pa., where, after being organized, clothed, equipped and armed, they were ordered to Camp Ralph, near
the city of Washington. On Sept. 11th they were ordered across the Potomac and assigned to the 2d brigade of Fitz John Porter's division. Here the regiment was renumbered as the 62d Pennsylvania Volunteers and received the new Zouave uniforms, the most complete, in all details, of any outfit furnished the volunteers. I visited Sergeant Thompson in October, 1861; his regiment was at Fairfax Court House, the camp was called "Betty Black." I had a nice visit with him and all the Jefferson county boys.
Sergeant Thompson was never absent from his company, taking part in all the marches and skirmishes of his regiment until the terrible battle of Gaines Mill, Va., June 27, 1862, and in that brilliant charge of the 62d. and under an enfilading fire, in which gallant Colonel Black fell and Lieutenant Colonel Swearingen was taken prisoner, this brave young soldier was killed. His superior officers being all "hors de combat," Sergeant Thompson was in command of his company at the time, and was last seen in a hand-to-hand encounter with the Rebel foe. Thus died a valiant boy in blue, for no purer patriot ever wore the blue, no
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA 497
nobler specimen of young manhood than Clarence Russell Thompson ever offered his life upon the altar of his country. He died for me, he died for you. He was buried on the field by the Rebels. After the war the unknown from Gaines Mill were removed to Virginia and reburied in the Fair Oaks National cemetery, where Sergeant Thompson now lies unknown. His uncertain fate was a great grief to his family and friends.
In 1866 Mrs. Captain Steck related to me this story : While sitting in my tent one day at Camp Betty Black, in Virginia, in 1861, Clarence Thompson, a Brookville boy, and a member of Company I. 62d Pennsylvania Volunteers, came in with the outside leaves of a head of cabbage, saying to me, "Are these fit to eat?" I said, "They don't look as if they were ; where is the rest of the cabbage?'' He said: "Oh! I have eaten it all. and feel that I must eat these also, for I never tasted anything so good in all my life." I said, "I'll see what I can do with the leaves. - ' I had them cooked and sent to his tent, when he enjoyed a great feast.
Soldiers will remember that the only bountiful vegetable they got in camp was beans, and can well understand why Sergeant Thompson enjoyed the outside leaves of this Virginia cabbage. - (Contributed by Dr. W. J. Mc-
Knight.)
McKnight's Jefferson County Pennsylvania Her Pioneers and People, Volume II p 496/497
CLARENCE RUSSELL THOMPSON, fourth son of Hon. John J. Y. and Agnes S. Kennedy) Thompson, was born at Corsica,
April 23, 1844, and removed with his parents to Brookville in 1852. He was but a boy in his teens when the war cloud burst upon the land, and he promptly enlisted "for the war," July 24, 1861, in Company I, 626. Regiment, Col. Samuel W. Black's Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was soon promoted to sergeant. At his muster he was a little over seventeen years old.
The company left Jefferson county July 24, 1861, and proceeded to Camp Wright, near Pittsburgh, Pa., where Clarence was mustered in with his company July 29th, the command being designated Company 1; 33d Independent
Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. At this saute camp Robert R. Means, of Brookville, was elected captain, Edwin H. Little, first lieutenant, and John T. Bell, second lieutenant. Both lieutenants were from Punxsutawney.
While at Camp Wright the regiment was ordered to report at Camp Cameron, Pa., where, after being organized, clothed, equipped and armed, they were ordered to Camp Ralph, near
the city of Washington. On Sept. 11th they were ordered across the Potomac and assigned to the 2d brigade of Fitz John Porter's division. Here the regiment was renumbered as the 62d Pennsylvania Volunteers and received the new Zouave uniforms, the most complete, in all details, of any outfit furnished the volunteers. I visited Sergeant Thompson in October, 1861; his regiment was at Fairfax Court House, the camp was called "Betty Black." I had a nice visit with him and all the Jefferson county boys.
Sergeant Thompson was never absent from his company, taking part in all the marches and skirmishes of his regiment until the terrible battle of Gaines Mill, Va., June 27, 1862, and in that brilliant charge of the 62d. and under an enfilading fire, in which gallant Colonel Black fell and Lieutenant Colonel Swearingen was taken prisoner, this brave young soldier was killed. His superior officers being all "hors de combat," Sergeant Thompson was in command of his company at the time, and was last seen in a hand-to-hand encounter with the Rebel foe. Thus died a valiant boy in blue, for no purer patriot ever wore the blue, no
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA 497
nobler specimen of young manhood than Clarence Russell Thompson ever offered his life upon the altar of his country. He died for me, he died for you. He was buried on the field by the Rebels. After the war the unknown from Gaines Mill were removed to Virginia and reburied in the Fair Oaks National cemetery, where Sergeant Thompson now lies unknown. His uncertain fate was a great grief to his family and friends.
In 1866 Mrs. Captain Steck related to me this story : While sitting in my tent one day at Camp Betty Black, in Virginia, in 1861, Clarence Thompson, a Brookville boy, and a member of Company I. 62d Pennsylvania Volunteers, came in with the outside leaves of a head of cabbage, saying to me, "Are these fit to eat?" I said, "They don't look as if they were ; where is the rest of the cabbage?'' He said: "Oh! I have eaten it all. and feel that I must eat these also, for I never tasted anything so good in all my life." I said, "I'll see what I can do with the leaves. - ' I had them cooked and sent to his tent, when he enjoyed a great feast.
Soldiers will remember that the only bountiful vegetable they got in camp was beans, and can well understand why Sergeant Thompson enjoyed the outside leaves of this Virginia cabbage. - (Contributed by Dr. W. J. Mc-
Knight.)
CLARENCE RUSSELL THOMPSON, fourth son of Hon. John J. Y. and Agnes S. Kennedy) Thompson, was born at Corsica,
April 23, 1844, and removed with his parents to Brookville in 1852. He was but a boy in his teens when the war cloud burst upon the land, and he promptly enlisted "for the war," July 24, 1861, in Company I, 626. Regiment, Col. Samuel W. Black's Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was soon promoted to sergeant. At his muster he was a little over seventeen years old.
The company left Jefferson county July 24, 1861, and proceeded to Camp Wright, near Pittsburgh, Pa., where Clarence was mustered in with his company July 29th, the command being designated Company 1; 33d Independent
Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. At this saute camp Robert R. Means, of Brookville, was elected captain, Edwin H. Little, first lieutenant, and John T. Bell, second lieutenant. Both lieutenants were from Punxsutawney.
While at Camp Wright the regiment was ordered to report at Camp Cameron, Pa., where, after being organized, clothed, equipped and armed, they were ordered to Camp Ralph, near
the city of Washington. On Sept. 11th they were ordered across the Potomac and assigned to the 2d brigade of Fitz John Porter's division. Here the regiment was renumbered as the 62d Pennsylvania Volunteers and received the new Zouave uniforms, the most complete, in all details, of any outfit furnished the volunteers. I visited Sergeant Thompson in October, 1861; his regiment was at Fairfax Court House, the camp was called "Betty Black." I had a nice visit with him and all the Jefferson county boys.
Sergeant Thompson was never absent from his company, taking part in all the marches and skirmishes of his regiment until the terrible battle of Gaines Mill, Va., June 27, 1862, and in that brilliant charge of the 62d. and under an enfilading fire, in which gallant Colonel Black fell and Lieutenant Colonel Swearingen was taken prisoner, this brave young soldier was killed. His superior officers being all "hors de combat," Sergeant Thompson was in command of his company at the time, and was last seen in a hand-to-hand encounter with the Rebel foe. Thus died a valiant boy in blue, for no purer patriot ever wore the blue, no
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA 497
nobler specimen of young manhood than Clarence Russell Thompson ever offered his life upon the altar of his country. He died for me, he died for you. He was buried on the field by the Rebels. After the war the unknown from Gaines Mill were removed to Virginia and reburied in the Fair Oaks National cemetery, where Sergeant Thompson now lies unknown. His uncertain fate was a great grief to his family and friends.
In 1866 Mrs. Captain Steck related to me this story : While sitting in my tent one day at Camp Betty Black, in Virginia, in 1861, Clarence Thompson, a Brookville boy, and a member of Company I. 62d Pennsylvania Volunteers, came in with the outside leaves of a head of cabbage, saying to me, "Are these fit to eat?" I said, "They don't look as if they were ; where is the rest of the cabbage?'' He said: "Oh! I have eaten it all. and feel that I must eat these also, for I never tasted anything so good in all my life." I said, "I'll see what I can do with the leaves. - ' I had them cooked and sent to his tent, when he enjoyed a great feast.
Soldiers will remember that the only bountiful vegetable they got in camp was beans, and can well understand why Sergeant Thompson enjoyed the outside leaves of this Virginia cabbage. - (Contributed by Dr. W. J. Mc-
Knight.)
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