Seeking Info on Identified Mass. Soldier in CDV

bobinwmass

Sergeant
Joined
Jul 14, 2019
Location
Western Massachusetts
I just bought this CDV identified as Frederick Dexter, wearing his Boston Independent Corps of Cadets uniform. You can make out the ICC on his kepi and his Independent Corps of Cadets beltplate. Dexter joined the ICC in April 1860. In May 1862 the company was mustered into Federal service for about 2 months, serving at Fort Warren in Boston Harbor guarding Confederate prisoners housed there. In September that year the company took a lead role in recruiting the 45th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, a 9-month unit that served in the New Bern, North Carolina area. Because of the number of ICC members enlisted in the regiment, it was commonly referred to as "The Cadet Regiment". Dexter served as a sergeant in Company B. In December 1862 the regiment participated in battles at Kinston and White Hall, resulting in a number of members killed and wounded. Dexter was discharged due to disability in January 1863. I don't know if this was due to wounds or illness. Does anyone have access to Fold3 information that they'd be willing to share that may give me more details? Thanks. Dexter apparently continued his membership in the ICC following his Federal service, as I found info indicating he served as a corporal, sergeant, and lieutenant in the company.

ICC.DEXTER.jpg
 
Frederick Dexter (aka Frederic Dexter)

Born 13 September 1841, Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, the son of George Minot Dexter and Elizabeth Ann Amory, the youngest of the couple's nine children.

Married 9 April 1867 Susan Chapman (1843-1917.) at Brookline, Norfolk, MA. It appears Frederick and Susan Dexter had no children.

Died 7 March 1895 at Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Find A Grave link
 
Genealogical Information: he was born 13 Sep 1841 in Cambridge and died in Boston on 7 March 1895 of "Val. Dis. of Heart" (he is buried at Mt. Auburn in Cambridge). He married Susan Chapman (who had been born in Milton) on 30 Apr 1867 in King's Chapel, Boston. All these places are in the Boston, Mass. area.

Possibly he was treasurer of the cotton buying company of Dexter & Saltonstall in Boston.

He enlisted in the Boston Cadets as a private on 26 May 1862 and was mustered out on 2 July 1862 at Fort Warren (in Boston harbor). Then he mustered in again 26 Sept. 1862 into 45th Mass. Infantry (Co. B) and was discharged for disability on 7 Jan. 1863 at New Berne, NC

There may have been another service term in between the 2 above because HDS states that he was promoted to sergeant on 12 Sept. 1862--of the 45th (Co. A).

I can't see that he filed for an invalid pension but someone with access to Fold3 may find that. His 1890 entry on the Vets' Schedule was filed from Beverly but doesn't list any disability.

According to the Dexter Genealogy, he had no children. The name is also spelled "Frederic".
 
Genealogical Information: he was born 13 Sep 1841 in Cambridge and died in Boston on 7 March 1895 of "Val. Dis. of Heart" (he is buried at Mt. Auburn in Cambridge). He married Susan Chapman (who had been born in Milton) on 30 Apr 1867 in King's Chapel, Boston. All these places are in the Boston, Mass. area.

Possibly he was treasurer of the cotton buying company of Dexter & Saltonstall in Boston.

He enlisted in the Boston Cadets as a private on 26 May 1862 and was mustered out on 2 July 1862 at Fort Warren (in Boston harbor). Then he mustered in again 26 Sept. 1862 into 45th Mass. Infantry (Co. B) and was discharged for disability on 7 Jan. 1863 at New Berne, NC

There may have been another service term in between the 2 above because HDS states that he was promoted to sergeant on 12 Sept. 1862--of the 45th (Co. A).

I can't see that he filed for an invalid pension but someone with access to Fold3 may find that. His 1890 entry on the Vets' Schedule was filed from Beverly but doesn't list any disability.

According to the Dexter Genealogy, he had no children. The name is also spelled "Frederic".
Thanks for all that information. I do have that he joined the Boston Cadets on April 12, 1860 (from ICC 25th anniversary of Fort Warren celebration) and that the Cadets as a group were mustered into Federal service on May 26, 1862, with Dexter as a private. That booklet also lists his occupation in 1862 as a clerk, but in 1887 as a cotton buyer, so I'm sure you are correct with the company name and his position.
 
"Val. Dis. of Heart"
Disease of the heart valves.
That booklet also lists his occupation in 1862 as a clerk, but in 1887 as a cotton buyer,
Enumerated on the 1860 US Census in the household of his parents at Brookline, Norfolk, MA --- occupation Dry Goods
1621979245655.png


Enumerated on the 1880 US Census residing with wife Susan at Louisville (Street?), ED 642, Boston, Suffolk, MA -- occupation "cotton buyer."
1621978951281.png
 
Enumerated on the 1880 US Census residing with wife Susan at Louisville (Street?), ED 642, Boston, Suffolk, MA --
That's Louisburg Square, which was--and still is--a lovely old and expensive square of homes on Beacon Hill. In 1890 he was in Beverly (an expensive town on the northshore) and, at the time of his death, he lived on Marlboro Street in the Back Bay (another costly area). The private from Brookline was doing alright for himself!
 
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