Antietam grave and an outdoor art gallery

Private William Wallace Porter of Glastonbury, Conn, was mortally wounded at Antietam. 
He died at the German Reformed Church in Sharpsburg on Oct. 10, 1862, 24 days after the battle.

While snooping around ancient Green Cemetery in Glastonbury, Conn., on Sunday afternoon, I was struck by the beauty of the old gravestones there. The ornate designs on the cracked, crumbling and weathered markers, some dating to the mid-18th century, give the place the feel of an outdoor art gallery. I was there to research the story of William Wallace Porter, a private in the 16th Connecticut, who was killed at Antietam. The 27-year-old soldier was one of several men in his regiment who died in the days and weeks after Antietam at the Sharpsburg's German Reform Church, which was used as a makeshift hospital. Porter is buried next to his wife, Arazina, and his brother, John, who was killed near Petersburg in 1864. Both brothers served in Company H of the 16th Connecticut, which met its demise in farmer John Otto's cornfield. (Check out my video.) I'll post much more about the life and times of Private Porter in the near future. In the meantime, enjoy the artwork.

This one reminds of a sad light bulb.

Heh! Why so glum?

Close-ups of the tops of 18th-century gravestones at Green Cemetery in Glastonbury.

Although worn by the elements, this little girl still retains her beauty.

This marker reminded me of an old Beatles tune. "Dear Prudence... won't you come out to play?"

30-year old Thomas Kimberly of Glastonbury, Conn., met his maker in a powder mill explosion.

Brothers: Connecticut's Civil War sacrifice (Cont.)

Brothers John and William Wallace Porter are buried in Green Cemetery in Glastonbury, Conn.
William was mortally wounded at Antietam; John died near Petersburg.

Close-up of the grave of William Porter, a "Christian soldier
 and patriot." He was only 27 years old when he died at a
 Sharpsburg, Md., field hospital. 

The number of Civil War deaths is mind-blogging. At least 620,000 men died, and one scholar believes that figure is way too low. 

Also astounding are the double tragedies many Connecticut families suffered during the war. I have found 13 sets of brothers from the state who died during the war, including one more today during a visit to  ancient Green Cemetery in Glastonbury, about 15 miles southeast of  Hartford. In late November, I wrote about eight sets of brothers who perished during the war, plotting out their hometowns on a map that accompanied the post.

The Historical Society of Glastonbury offers walking tours
 of Green Cemetery.

Glastonbury's William Wallace Porter, a 27-year-old private in Company H of the 16th Connecticut, suffered a severe wound in his left leg at Antietam on Sept. 17, 1862. Twenty-three days, Porter, whose leg was amputated, died in a Sharpsburg-area field hospital.
William's brother, John, a 28-year-old private in Company D of the 1st Connecticut Heavy Artlillery, was killed in battle near Petersburg on Nov. 25, 1864.

According to a diary of a man named Joseph Wright, the Porter brothers' father took his wagon south, retrieved the bodies of both his sons and returned them for burial at Green Cemetery. I'm eager to tap into Wright's diary, part of the Historical Society of Glastonbury collection, for further research on the brothers.

Two weeks ago, Connecticut Civil War researcher Mary Falvey shared with me the stories of two more brothers who died during the war: Hartford's Charles and Lewis Weld. A colonel in the U.S. Colored Troops 41st Infantry, Lewis died of disease on Jan. 9, 1865. Charles, a captain in the U.S. Army 17th Infantry, was mortally wounded at Chancellorsville on May 1, 1863. Both brothers are buried in Old North Cemetery in Hartford.

If you know of other sets of brothers from Connecticut who died during the Civil War, drop me a line. I have a major project I am interested in pursuing on the topic.

Some gravestones at Green Cemetery in Glastonbury, Conn., date to the late 17th century.
Here's a close-up of the interesting top of an old marker.