- Joined
- Dec 30, 2019
Alfred Sofield was born in 1824, the son of John and Julia Sofield. In 1862, Sofield was a Justice of the Peace in Tioga County and a former clerk to the Board of Commissioners. Springboarding off a newspaper advertisement, Sofield began recruiting a company for the new Bucktail Brigade being organized by Roy Stone. Sofield was apparently a convincing recruiter, because he filled his company's ranks at a War Meeting on Saturday, August 9, and by Monday he was marching his men about 25 miles to Troy, the nearest rail depot for the trip to Camp Curtain in Harrisburg. Two of the men likely to have been marching with Sofield that day were Nathan Wilcox, who was leaving behind a widowed Mother, and Edwin Dimmick, who by some accounts was leaving behind a wife and youngsters.
Sofield's Company was the first company of the new Bucktail regiments to arrive at Camp Curtain. There they joined about 25,000 other men who were being issued weapons and equipment and beginning their training. More Bucktail companies began to arrive, and the men Sofield's men became Company A of the 149th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The regiment drew men from 11 different Pennsylvania counties. Initially brigaded with only one other regiment, the 150th PA during their time in Washington, they were eventually joined by the 143rd PA soon after being assigned to the Army of the Potomac. Their brigade commander was Col. Roy Stone.
Although present for Chancellorsville, they were not significantly engaged. The first test under fire would be a severe one, on the McPherson Farm just west of Gettysburg. The brigade arrived on McPherson's Ridge just before noon on July 1. Although many historians of the battle will refer to a "midday lull" on July 1, it is doubtful that the men of Stone's Brigade would agree with that description. They soon found themselves under heavy artillery bombardment both from the west and from the north. The 149th tried to reposition itself into a sunken dirt road parallel to the Chambersburg Pike, but in doing so they were seen by the Confederate batteries to the west and subjected to an enfilading fire.
The men were lying down and enduring the bombardment, with no way to return fire. John Bassler (Captain of Company C) described the effect of a shell that struck under the prostrate form of Captain Sofield. He said that it exploded, cutting the Captain in two so that his feet were in contact with his head. The same explosion also killed Cpl. Nathan Wilcox and Pvt. Edwin Dimmick. Thus, Company A suffered three killed before the company had fired a shot. At least 50 more men of the 149th Pennsylvania would die before the battle's end.
Just a few weeks before the battle, it seems that Captain Sofield had received a letter from his wife, Helen, that troubled him. In his reply, he gave expression not only to loneliness at being separated, but also to his guilt at not being as good a husband as he felt she deserved. He said in part: "I have the blues worse than ever. To be reminded [by a letter from home] that I was so necessary to your happiness, and feeling far short of my duty as a husband as I have been for the past twelve years and how indulgent and forgiving you have been, causes me to feel sad, indeed. . . . If I am permitted to join you again after getting out of this war, I will try to atone for past errors."
The news of her husband's death must have torn Helen's soul in two. Even a visit to Alfred's grave (PA Row B - plot 1) and a view of the field where he died did not seem to heal her heartfelt wound. She raised their three sons, and never remarried. Instead of a husband lovingly trying to atone for "past errors", she was left instead with a pension of $20 per month until she died in California in 1902 at the age of 71.
When G.A.R. Post #49 was established in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, it was named in honor of Captain Alfred Sofield.
The Mothers of both Cpl. Wilcox and Pvt. Dimmick appear to have each received a pension of $8 per month. Scant compensation for the loss of a son.
Cpl. Wilcox lies in the Gettysburg Soldiers National Cemetery. He is in the Pennsylvania Section, Row A - plot 12).
Pvt. Dimmick's body was not identified after the battle. Perhaps he is among the many soldiers resting in the same cemetery identified only by the appellation "Unknown".
Information for this piece came from Courage Under Fire by Wiley Sword; 149th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War by Richard Matthews; History of Pennsylvania Volunteers by Bates; Tioga County Pension list of 1882 (found on line); "Osceola in the War of the REbellion" a Memorial Day Address by Hon. Charles Tubbs; and Find-A-Grave Website
Sofield's Company was the first company of the new Bucktail regiments to arrive at Camp Curtain. There they joined about 25,000 other men who were being issued weapons and equipment and beginning their training. More Bucktail companies began to arrive, and the men Sofield's men became Company A of the 149th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The regiment drew men from 11 different Pennsylvania counties. Initially brigaded with only one other regiment, the 150th PA during their time in Washington, they were eventually joined by the 143rd PA soon after being assigned to the Army of the Potomac. Their brigade commander was Col. Roy Stone.
Although present for Chancellorsville, they were not significantly engaged. The first test under fire would be a severe one, on the McPherson Farm just west of Gettysburg. The brigade arrived on McPherson's Ridge just before noon on July 1. Although many historians of the battle will refer to a "midday lull" on July 1, it is doubtful that the men of Stone's Brigade would agree with that description. They soon found themselves under heavy artillery bombardment both from the west and from the north. The 149th tried to reposition itself into a sunken dirt road parallel to the Chambersburg Pike, but in doing so they were seen by the Confederate batteries to the west and subjected to an enfilading fire.
The men were lying down and enduring the bombardment, with no way to return fire. John Bassler (Captain of Company C) described the effect of a shell that struck under the prostrate form of Captain Sofield. He said that it exploded, cutting the Captain in two so that his feet were in contact with his head. The same explosion also killed Cpl. Nathan Wilcox and Pvt. Edwin Dimmick. Thus, Company A suffered three killed before the company had fired a shot. At least 50 more men of the 149th Pennsylvania would die before the battle's end.
Just a few weeks before the battle, it seems that Captain Sofield had received a letter from his wife, Helen, that troubled him. In his reply, he gave expression not only to loneliness at being separated, but also to his guilt at not being as good a husband as he felt she deserved. He said in part: "I have the blues worse than ever. To be reminded [by a letter from home] that I was so necessary to your happiness, and feeling far short of my duty as a husband as I have been for the past twelve years and how indulgent and forgiving you have been, causes me to feel sad, indeed. . . . If I am permitted to join you again after getting out of this war, I will try to atone for past errors."
The news of her husband's death must have torn Helen's soul in two. Even a visit to Alfred's grave (PA Row B - plot 1) and a view of the field where he died did not seem to heal her heartfelt wound. She raised their three sons, and never remarried. Instead of a husband lovingly trying to atone for "past errors", she was left instead with a pension of $20 per month until she died in California in 1902 at the age of 71.
When G.A.R. Post #49 was established in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, it was named in honor of Captain Alfred Sofield.
The Mothers of both Cpl. Wilcox and Pvt. Dimmick appear to have each received a pension of $8 per month. Scant compensation for the loss of a son.
Cpl. Wilcox lies in the Gettysburg Soldiers National Cemetery. He is in the Pennsylvania Section, Row A - plot 12).
Pvt. Dimmick's body was not identified after the battle. Perhaps he is among the many soldiers resting in the same cemetery identified only by the appellation "Unknown".
Information for this piece came from Courage Under Fire by Wiley Sword; 149th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War by Richard Matthews; History of Pennsylvania Volunteers by Bates; Tioga County Pension list of 1882 (found on line); "Osceola in the War of the REbellion" a Memorial Day Address by Hon. Charles Tubbs; and Find-A-Grave Website
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