Civil War veteran
Private, Co. E, 32nd Massachusetts Infantry
The second of four known children born to Henry and Rebecca (Whiting) Morton, both of whom were born in Plymouth. His father worked in that town as a Blacksmith.
Henry was 20 when he married 19-year-old Lydia T. Harlow, the daughter of Branch and Rebecca (Jones). Henry and Lydia would be parents to four children, including Richard K.H., born in 1850 and who died at 16; Rebecca Almira, born in 1852; Frank Abbott, born in 1855; and William M., who would live 14 years before his death in 1874. Both Richard and William fell victim to the insidious “White Plague,” better known as Tuberculosis, which was then the leading cause of death throughout the United States.
Shorter than the average man at 5 ft. 4 in. tall while featuring a light complexion, blue eyes and light-colored hair, Henry, a 32-year-old Plymouth, MA Seaman, enlisted in that town for three years’ service on Dec. 2, 1861 and was mustered that same day as a Private in Co. of the 32nd Massachusetts Infantry.
His regiment was assigned to man Fort Warren in Boston Harbor, a duty they performed from Nov. 1861 until late May 1862 when they were deployed to Washington, DC. In July the 32nd was added to McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign where they were attached to the Army of the Potomac’s vaunted Fifth Corps.
Their first combat, though limited, occurred at Second Bull Run on August 30, 1862. The full brunt of battle was borne by the rank and file at Fredericksburg on Dec. 13, 1862 and that experience was repeated at Chancellorsville in May 1863 and in Gettysburg’s Wheatfield on July 2nd. In November 1863, as participants in the Mine Run Campaign, they were subjected to brutal weather conditions in which hundreds of Union soldiers literally froze to death.
“Always an obedient and faithful soldier,” Henry was afflicted with Chronic Diarrhea in June 1863, which according to Capt. Josiah C. Fuller “was not engendered by any improper conduct on the part of the solider.” R. LeBaron, Assistant Surgeon of the 32nd Massachusetts, concurred that Henry’s medical condition made him “unfit for any branch of the military service” and rated his disability “at least one-half.” His discharge was effective Feb. 24, 1864 at his regiment’s camp, then situated at Liberty, VA.
Henry worked as a Needle Maker and resided in North Bridgewater according to the 1870 census. His trade was undoubtedly allied with the then booming shoe industry which drove the local economy. He and his wife Lydia relocated to Brockton by 1880 where he was employed in a “shoe shop” and became an active member in the Fletcher Webster G.A.R. Post 13 at Brockton. The Post was named in honor of famed orator Daniel Webster’s son who fell in battle on Aug. 30, 1862 at Second Bull Run.
Widowed in 1884 when his wife Lydia died of cancer, Henry survived her passing by seven years until his own death due to Bright’s Disease in 1891.
Private, Co. E, 32nd Massachusetts Infantry
The second of four known children born to Henry and Rebecca (Whiting) Morton, both of whom were born in Plymouth. His father worked in that town as a Blacksmith.
Henry was 20 when he married 19-year-old Lydia T. Harlow, the daughter of Branch and Rebecca (Jones). Henry and Lydia would be parents to four children, including Richard K.H., born in 1850 and who died at 16; Rebecca Almira, born in 1852; Frank Abbott, born in 1855; and William M., who would live 14 years before his death in 1874. Both Richard and William fell victim to the insidious “White Plague,” better known as Tuberculosis, which was then the leading cause of death throughout the United States.
Shorter than the average man at 5 ft. 4 in. tall while featuring a light complexion, blue eyes and light-colored hair, Henry, a 32-year-old Plymouth, MA Seaman, enlisted in that town for three years’ service on Dec. 2, 1861 and was mustered that same day as a Private in Co. of the 32nd Massachusetts Infantry.
His regiment was assigned to man Fort Warren in Boston Harbor, a duty they performed from Nov. 1861 until late May 1862 when they were deployed to Washington, DC. In July the 32nd was added to McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign where they were attached to the Army of the Potomac’s vaunted Fifth Corps.
Their first combat, though limited, occurred at Second Bull Run on August 30, 1862. The full brunt of battle was borne by the rank and file at Fredericksburg on Dec. 13, 1862 and that experience was repeated at Chancellorsville in May 1863 and in Gettysburg’s Wheatfield on July 2nd. In November 1863, as participants in the Mine Run Campaign, they were subjected to brutal weather conditions in which hundreds of Union soldiers literally froze to death.
“Always an obedient and faithful soldier,” Henry was afflicted with Chronic Diarrhea in June 1863, which according to Capt. Josiah C. Fuller “was not engendered by any improper conduct on the part of the solider.” R. LeBaron, Assistant Surgeon of the 32nd Massachusetts, concurred that Henry’s medical condition made him “unfit for any branch of the military service” and rated his disability “at least one-half.” His discharge was effective Feb. 24, 1864 at his regiment’s camp, then situated at Liberty, VA.
Henry worked as a Needle Maker and resided in North Bridgewater according to the 1870 census. His trade was undoubtedly allied with the then booming shoe industry which drove the local economy. He and his wife Lydia relocated to Brockton by 1880 where he was employed in a “shoe shop” and became an active member in the Fletcher Webster G.A.R. Post 13 at Brockton. The Post was named in honor of famed orator Daniel Webster’s son who fell in battle on Aug. 30, 1862 at Second Bull Run.
Widowed in 1884 when his wife Lydia died of cancer, Henry survived her passing by seven years until his own death due to Bright’s Disease in 1891.
Civil War veteran
Private, Co. E, 32nd Massachusetts Infantry
The second of four known children born to Henry and Rebecca (Whiting) Morton, both of whom were born in Plymouth. His father worked in that town as a Blacksmith.
Henry was 20 when he married 19-year-old Lydia T. Harlow, the daughter of Branch and Rebecca (Jones). Henry and Lydia would be parents to four children, including Richard K.H., born in 1850 and who died at 16; Rebecca Almira, born in 1852; Frank Abbott, born in 1855; and William M., who would live 14 years before his death in 1874. Both Richard and William fell victim to the insidious “White Plague,” better known as Tuberculosis, which was then the leading cause of death throughout the United States.
Shorter than the average man at 5 ft. 4 in. tall while featuring a light complexion, blue eyes and light-colored hair, Henry, a 32-year-old Plymouth, MA Seaman, enlisted in that town for three years’ service on Dec. 2, 1861 and was mustered that same day as a Private in Co. of the 32nd Massachusetts Infantry.
His regiment was assigned to man Fort Warren in Boston Harbor, a duty they performed from Nov. 1861 until late May 1862 when they were deployed to Washington, DC. In July the 32nd was added to McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign where they were attached to the Army of the Potomac’s vaunted Fifth Corps.
Their first combat, though limited, occurred at Second Bull Run on August 30, 1862. The full brunt of battle was borne by the rank and file at Fredericksburg on Dec. 13, 1862 and that experience was repeated at Chancellorsville in May 1863 and in Gettysburg’s Wheatfield on July 2nd. In November 1863, as participants in the Mine Run Campaign, they were subjected to brutal weather conditions in which hundreds of Union soldiers literally froze to death.
“Always an obedient and faithful soldier,” Henry was afflicted with Chronic Diarrhea in June 1863, which according to Capt. Josiah C. Fuller “was not engendered by any improper conduct on the part of the solider.” R. LeBaron, Assistant Surgeon of the 32nd Massachusetts, concurred that Henry’s medical condition made him “unfit for any branch of the military service” and rated his disability “at least one-half.” His discharge was effective Feb. 24, 1864 at his regiment’s camp, then situated at Liberty, VA.
Henry worked as a Needle Maker and resided in North Bridgewater according to the 1870 census. His trade was undoubtedly allied with the then booming shoe industry which drove the local economy. He and his wife Lydia relocated to Brockton by 1880 where he was employed in a “shoe shop” and became an active member in the Fletcher Webster G.A.R. Post 13 at Brockton. The Post was named in honor of famed orator Daniel Webster’s son who fell in battle on Aug. 30, 1862 at Second Bull Run.
Widowed in 1884 when his wife Lydia died of cancer, Henry survived her passing by seven years until his own death due to Bright’s Disease in 1891.
Private, Co. E, 32nd Massachusetts Infantry
The second of four known children born to Henry and Rebecca (Whiting) Morton, both of whom were born in Plymouth. His father worked in that town as a Blacksmith.
Henry was 20 when he married 19-year-old Lydia T. Harlow, the daughter of Branch and Rebecca (Jones). Henry and Lydia would be parents to four children, including Richard K.H., born in 1850 and who died at 16; Rebecca Almira, born in 1852; Frank Abbott, born in 1855; and William M., who would live 14 years before his death in 1874. Both Richard and William fell victim to the insidious “White Plague,” better known as Tuberculosis, which was then the leading cause of death throughout the United States.
Shorter than the average man at 5 ft. 4 in. tall while featuring a light complexion, blue eyes and light-colored hair, Henry, a 32-year-old Plymouth, MA Seaman, enlisted in that town for three years’ service on Dec. 2, 1861 and was mustered that same day as a Private in Co. of the 32nd Massachusetts Infantry.
His regiment was assigned to man Fort Warren in Boston Harbor, a duty they performed from Nov. 1861 until late May 1862 when they were deployed to Washington, DC. In July the 32nd was added to McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign where they were attached to the Army of the Potomac’s vaunted Fifth Corps.
Their first combat, though limited, occurred at Second Bull Run on August 30, 1862. The full brunt of battle was borne by the rank and file at Fredericksburg on Dec. 13, 1862 and that experience was repeated at Chancellorsville in May 1863 and in Gettysburg’s Wheatfield on July 2nd. In November 1863, as participants in the Mine Run Campaign, they were subjected to brutal weather conditions in which hundreds of Union soldiers literally froze to death.
“Always an obedient and faithful soldier,” Henry was afflicted with Chronic Diarrhea in June 1863, which according to Capt. Josiah C. Fuller “was not engendered by any improper conduct on the part of the solider.” R. LeBaron, Assistant Surgeon of the 32nd Massachusetts, concurred that Henry’s medical condition made him “unfit for any branch of the military service” and rated his disability “at least one-half.” His discharge was effective Feb. 24, 1864 at his regiment’s camp, then situated at Liberty, VA.
Henry worked as a Needle Maker and resided in North Bridgewater according to the 1870 census. His trade was undoubtedly allied with the then booming shoe industry which drove the local economy. He and his wife Lydia relocated to Brockton by 1880 where he was employed in a “shoe shop” and became an active member in the Fletcher Webster G.A.R. Post 13 at Brockton. The Post was named in honor of famed orator Daniel Webster’s son who fell in battle on Aug. 30, 1862 at Second Bull Run.
Widowed in 1884 when his wife Lydia died of cancer, Henry survived her passing by seven years until his own death due to Bright’s Disease in 1891.
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