Maurice shared his Christian name with his ten-year-younger second cousin, Maurice Steele.
At 21, Maurice left the family farm to become a Union infantry soldier in the Civil War. With many others in Delaware Township, Maurice was no fan of Lincoln and was opposed to the war: he enlisted to avoid the draft. Once the war was underway, however, he wanted to see it properly executed and achieve its purposes. Excerpts of his letters home are collected in The Diary of Gabriel Layton and the Civil War Letters of His Son: A Chronicle of Life Along the River in Delaware Township 1859-1869, by William F. Henn.
In his letter dated December 16, 1862, Maurice wrote from his camp in front of Fredericksburg:
Dear Father,
I have dreadful news to tell you. We were in the battle on Saturday last, and our once fond and happy Company are nearly cut to pieces. In the afternoon of that day we were marched in front of the enemy and within 150 to 200 yards of his breastworks, when they opened fire on us with two pieces of artillery, shelling us dreadfully. But our batteries soon silenced theirs; during which we lied flat upon the ground, the shells and solid shot singing over our heads dolefully. When the enemy's batteries ceased to reply, we sprang to our feet and charged upon double quick to within musket shot. Oh horrible sight--our men fell thick and fast on all sides. Thank God I escaped unhurt, though a ball passed through the cape of my overcoat...
A dark tempestuous night aided us in retreating across the river, and saved us from total destruction. I think with twice the force we had we would have been defeated--they have the shelter of the works and breastworks, thrown up in every direction. Lieut. Orvis, Sergt. M. D. VanAuken and one Corporal, are the only officers [sic] left in our company, which number[ed] over 60 men when we entered the contest, and which now numbers but 26...
N.B. Not only was Maurice's company decimated, but casualties for the regiment as a whole numbered 243 souls (killed, wounded and missing) in this one battle. M. D. Van Auken, mentioned by Maurice, would survive the war. Seven months after this battle, the regiment would go on to fight in the Battle of Gettysburg.
During much of his stint from Aug. 9, 1862, to July 27, 1865, Maurice was ill and hospitalized. On one occasion he was shot in the hand.
He survived what he called "this accursed unholy war" to go back to farming and teaching school. Later he would serve as justice of the peace, bookseller, and agent for the procuring of pensions. He married Sarah S. Titman on Dec. 26, 1871; they were childless.
Maurice died of acute nephritis at the young age of 47. Below is an obituary, the newspaper source of which is unknown.
DEATH OF MAURICE LAYTON
Maurice H. Layton, Justice of the Peace in Delaware township, died after an illness of only about a week of Bright's disease of the kidneys at his home, near Dingman's Ferry, last Saturday night, aged about 42 [sic] years.
Mr. Layton was formerly a teacher, but of late years had acted as agent for the sale of books and for the procuring of pensions. He was the son of the late Gabriel D.W. Layton. His mother, who survives him, was a sister to the late Mrs. Thomas Courtright [sic], who was buried on the 10th inst., and the funeral of Mrs. Layton's only son followed only two weeks later.
Two sisters of Mr. Layton, living at Warren, Pa., came to their aunt's funeral and remained to attend that of their brother.
He leaves a wife, daughter of Jacob Titman, but no children. He was a nephew of John Layton, Esq., late County Surveyor and former County Superintendent of Public Schools. He was an active, intelligent citizen and will be greatly missed in Delaware township.
At 21, Maurice left the family farm to become a Union infantry soldier in the Civil War. With many others in Delaware Township, Maurice was no fan of Lincoln and was opposed to the war: he enlisted to avoid the draft. Once the war was underway, however, he wanted to see it properly executed and achieve its purposes. Excerpts of his letters home are collected in The Diary of Gabriel Layton and the Civil War Letters of His Son: A Chronicle of Life Along the River in Delaware Township 1859-1869, by William F. Henn.
In his letter dated December 16, 1862, Maurice wrote from his camp in front of Fredericksburg:
Dear Father,
I have dreadful news to tell you. We were in the battle on Saturday last, and our once fond and happy Company are nearly cut to pieces. In the afternoon of that day we were marched in front of the enemy and within 150 to 200 yards of his breastworks, when they opened fire on us with two pieces of artillery, shelling us dreadfully. But our batteries soon silenced theirs; during which we lied flat upon the ground, the shells and solid shot singing over our heads dolefully. When the enemy's batteries ceased to reply, we sprang to our feet and charged upon double quick to within musket shot. Oh horrible sight--our men fell thick and fast on all sides. Thank God I escaped unhurt, though a ball passed through the cape of my overcoat...
A dark tempestuous night aided us in retreating across the river, and saved us from total destruction. I think with twice the force we had we would have been defeated--they have the shelter of the works and breastworks, thrown up in every direction. Lieut. Orvis, Sergt. M. D. VanAuken and one Corporal, are the only officers [sic] left in our company, which number[ed] over 60 men when we entered the contest, and which now numbers but 26...
N.B. Not only was Maurice's company decimated, but casualties for the regiment as a whole numbered 243 souls (killed, wounded and missing) in this one battle. M. D. Van Auken, mentioned by Maurice, would survive the war. Seven months after this battle, the regiment would go on to fight in the Battle of Gettysburg.
During much of his stint from Aug. 9, 1862, to July 27, 1865, Maurice was ill and hospitalized. On one occasion he was shot in the hand.
He survived what he called "this accursed unholy war" to go back to farming and teaching school. Later he would serve as justice of the peace, bookseller, and agent for the procuring of pensions. He married Sarah S. Titman on Dec. 26, 1871; they were childless.
Maurice died of acute nephritis at the young age of 47. Below is an obituary, the newspaper source of which is unknown.
DEATH OF MAURICE LAYTON
Maurice H. Layton, Justice of the Peace in Delaware township, died after an illness of only about a week of Bright's disease of the kidneys at his home, near Dingman's Ferry, last Saturday night, aged about 42 [sic] years.
Mr. Layton was formerly a teacher, but of late years had acted as agent for the sale of books and for the procuring of pensions. He was the son of the late Gabriel D.W. Layton. His mother, who survives him, was a sister to the late Mrs. Thomas Courtright [sic], who was buried on the 10th inst., and the funeral of Mrs. Layton's only son followed only two weeks later.
Two sisters of Mr. Layton, living at Warren, Pa., came to their aunt's funeral and remained to attend that of their brother.
He leaves a wife, daughter of Jacob Titman, but no children. He was a nephew of John Layton, Esq., late County Surveyor and former County Superintendent of Public Schools. He was an active, intelligent citizen and will be greatly missed in Delaware township.
Maurice shared his Christian name with his ten-year-younger second cousin, Maurice Steele.
At 21, Maurice left the family farm to become a Union infantry soldier in the Civil War. With many others in Delaware Township, Maurice was no fan of Lincoln and was opposed to the war: he enlisted to avoid the draft. Once the war was underway, however, he wanted to see it properly executed and achieve its purposes. Excerpts of his letters home are collected in The Diary of Gabriel Layton and the Civil War Letters of His Son: A Chronicle of Life Along the River in Delaware Township 1859-1869, by William F. Henn.
In his letter dated December 16, 1862, Maurice wrote from his camp in front of Fredericksburg:
Dear Father,
I have dreadful news to tell you. We were in the battle on Saturday last, and our once fond and happy Company are nearly cut to pieces. In the afternoon of that day we were marched in front of the enemy and within 150 to 200 yards of his breastworks, when they opened fire on us with two pieces of artillery, shelling us dreadfully. But our batteries soon silenced theirs; during which we lied flat upon the ground, the shells and solid shot singing over our heads dolefully. When the enemy's batteries ceased to reply, we sprang to our feet and charged upon double quick to within musket shot. Oh horrible sight--our men fell thick and fast on all sides. Thank God I escaped unhurt, though a ball passed through the cape of my overcoat...
A dark tempestuous night aided us in retreating across the river, and saved us from total destruction. I think with twice the force we had we would have been defeated--they have the shelter of the works and breastworks, thrown up in every direction. Lieut. Orvis, Sergt. M. D. VanAuken and one Corporal, are the only officers [sic] left in our company, which number[ed] over 60 men when we entered the contest, and which now numbers but 26...
N.B. Not only was Maurice's company decimated, but casualties for the regiment as a whole numbered 243 souls (killed, wounded and missing) in this one battle. M. D. Van Auken, mentioned by Maurice, would survive the war. Seven months after this battle, the regiment would go on to fight in the Battle of Gettysburg.
During much of his stint from Aug. 9, 1862, to July 27, 1865, Maurice was ill and hospitalized. On one occasion he was shot in the hand.
He survived what he called "this accursed unholy war" to go back to farming and teaching school. Later he would serve as justice of the peace, bookseller, and agent for the procuring of pensions. He married Sarah S. Titman on Dec. 26, 1871; they were childless.
Maurice died of acute nephritis at the young age of 47. Below is an obituary, the newspaper source of which is unknown.
DEATH OF MAURICE LAYTON
Maurice H. Layton, Justice of the Peace in Delaware township, died after an illness of only about a week of Bright's disease of the kidneys at his home, near Dingman's Ferry, last Saturday night, aged about 42 [sic] years.
Mr. Layton was formerly a teacher, but of late years had acted as agent for the sale of books and for the procuring of pensions. He was the son of the late Gabriel D.W. Layton. His mother, who survives him, was a sister to the late Mrs. Thomas Courtright [sic], who was buried on the 10th inst., and the funeral of Mrs. Layton's only son followed only two weeks later.
Two sisters of Mr. Layton, living at Warren, Pa., came to their aunt's funeral and remained to attend that of their brother.
He leaves a wife, daughter of Jacob Titman, but no children. He was a nephew of John Layton, Esq., late County Surveyor and former County Superintendent of Public Schools. He was an active, intelligent citizen and will be greatly missed in Delaware township.
At 21, Maurice left the family farm to become a Union infantry soldier in the Civil War. With many others in Delaware Township, Maurice was no fan of Lincoln and was opposed to the war: he enlisted to avoid the draft. Once the war was underway, however, he wanted to see it properly executed and achieve its purposes. Excerpts of his letters home are collected in The Diary of Gabriel Layton and the Civil War Letters of His Son: A Chronicle of Life Along the River in Delaware Township 1859-1869, by William F. Henn.
In his letter dated December 16, 1862, Maurice wrote from his camp in front of Fredericksburg:
Dear Father,
I have dreadful news to tell you. We were in the battle on Saturday last, and our once fond and happy Company are nearly cut to pieces. In the afternoon of that day we were marched in front of the enemy and within 150 to 200 yards of his breastworks, when they opened fire on us with two pieces of artillery, shelling us dreadfully. But our batteries soon silenced theirs; during which we lied flat upon the ground, the shells and solid shot singing over our heads dolefully. When the enemy's batteries ceased to reply, we sprang to our feet and charged upon double quick to within musket shot. Oh horrible sight--our men fell thick and fast on all sides. Thank God I escaped unhurt, though a ball passed through the cape of my overcoat...
A dark tempestuous night aided us in retreating across the river, and saved us from total destruction. I think with twice the force we had we would have been defeated--they have the shelter of the works and breastworks, thrown up in every direction. Lieut. Orvis, Sergt. M. D. VanAuken and one Corporal, are the only officers [sic] left in our company, which number[ed] over 60 men when we entered the contest, and which now numbers but 26...
N.B. Not only was Maurice's company decimated, but casualties for the regiment as a whole numbered 243 souls (killed, wounded and missing) in this one battle. M. D. Van Auken, mentioned by Maurice, would survive the war. Seven months after this battle, the regiment would go on to fight in the Battle of Gettysburg.
During much of his stint from Aug. 9, 1862, to July 27, 1865, Maurice was ill and hospitalized. On one occasion he was shot in the hand.
He survived what he called "this accursed unholy war" to go back to farming and teaching school. Later he would serve as justice of the peace, bookseller, and agent for the procuring of pensions. He married Sarah S. Titman on Dec. 26, 1871; they were childless.
Maurice died of acute nephritis at the young age of 47. Below is an obituary, the newspaper source of which is unknown.
DEATH OF MAURICE LAYTON
Maurice H. Layton, Justice of the Peace in Delaware township, died after an illness of only about a week of Bright's disease of the kidneys at his home, near Dingman's Ferry, last Saturday night, aged about 42 [sic] years.
Mr. Layton was formerly a teacher, but of late years had acted as agent for the sale of books and for the procuring of pensions. He was the son of the late Gabriel D.W. Layton. His mother, who survives him, was a sister to the late Mrs. Thomas Courtright [sic], who was buried on the 10th inst., and the funeral of Mrs. Layton's only son followed only two weeks later.
Two sisters of Mr. Layton, living at Warren, Pa., came to their aunt's funeral and remained to attend that of their brother.
He leaves a wife, daughter of Jacob Titman, but no children. He was a nephew of John Layton, Esq., late County Surveyor and former County Superintendent of Public Schools. He was an active, intelligent citizen and will be greatly missed in Delaware township.
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A soldier of the Rebellion
PVT. CO. G 142 REG. VOL. INF.
G.A.R.
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