Ellwood City (Hazel Dell) Civil War Veterans
Civil War Veterans
These Civil War veterans gathered for a reunion in Ellwood City about 60 years after the wars end. Most, if not all these men belonged to the 100th Pennsylvania Regiment (known as the Roundheads). The story of the 100th Pennsylvania Roundheads is very well documented in a book by William Gavin, now out of print “History of the 100th Pennsylvania Roundheads”. Of course there was no Ellwood City during the Civil War, but Wurtemburg existed, Princeton, Portersville, Enon Valley, Chewton, Wampum, New Castle, New Brighton, and Hazel Dell (now the 4th ward of Ellwood). Gavin also did a book which is in the Ellwood City Library, “Infantryman Pettit” a story of a corporal from Hazel Dell who was killed by a sharpshooter in the trenches of Petersburg VA in 1864. The Roundheads were named after the group of same name in England given there by Oliver Cromwell. When Dr. Leasure of New Castle went to see Sec. of War Cameron about raising a regiment, he asked Leasure what kind of men he had. Only the best, and so Cameron named them Roundheads.
Many from our area joined the 100th, but also many in 6th Heavy Artillery, 134th, 63rd, 9th Reserves, 101st, 103rd. Hope I’ve helped you fill information… by the way, the veterans formed the GAR (Grand Army of the republic) after the war, and their sons the SUV (Sons of Union Veterans). -Ken Turner (Special thanks to Robert Stevenson)
Corporal Pettit’s former homestead property was the site on which my first home was situated in “Hazel Dell”. Last summer,along with my brother,we made the trip to find Corp. Pettit’s gravesite.I took along a jar of dirt from his old property and spread it over his grave,bringing a little piece of home to this brave soldier who died in enemy territory and never made it back home.I have several pictures of his grave.
Regarding Corp.Pettit again:
My brother and I visited several battlefields in Va. last summer,one of which was the Battle of the Crater and some of the trenches nearby.After reading Mr Gavins book,and learning of the fatal shot that killed Pettit,and the angle it struck him,I am confident that we were within 100 yds or so of where Pettit died. We were very near Gracie’s Salient,to which Mr Gavin stated Pettit was close to at the time of his death.Judging by the angle of the fatal shot,which struck his neck and then lodged in his jaw,the shot had to have come from below him from a sharpshooter firing uphill.There are only three areas that we saw (at least now thats all that are there) that would present that type of angle.It was an awesome,yet sad feeling knowing we were so close to where a hometown boy lost his life doing what he loved,being a soldier for his country so very long ago.
Does anyone know the names of the men in this picture? My great great grandfather, Henry Parker is one of them. I know he did not have a beard and that he was 14 when he enlisted, so he would be one of the younger men. I have seen other pictures of him, but cannot be sure.
is there any way to identify the men in this picture?
Thanks for the pictures and the history. My family lived on first avenue in a house built by my grandfather in 1900. The house is at 424 first avenue and he dug the cellar and well by hand. Plans were from sears or montgomery ward and still can be seen in catalogue reproductions from the period. Over a hundred years old and still standing. During war years he and my parents had a garden that covered the whole lot. They also had a goat and rabbits as did pretty much everyone in Hazel Dell.