Love of gain or honor did not influence him to enter our army... it was a desire to serve his country and do his duty that induced him to leave his peaceful avocations, gird on his armor and join his companions in the risk and hardships of a life in the army.

From the eulogy of Augustus E. Bronson

Introduction

September 1862

October 1862

November 1862

December 1862

January 1863

February 1863

March 1863

A.E. Bronson Eulogy

An unmarried teacher, Augustus E. Bronson had been captured at Bull Run as a member of the 3rd Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, and subsequently spent nine months as a prisoner of war.

Soon after his release in the summer of 1862, he enlisted along with his brother in Company C of the 17th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. Shortly after taking the field, Augustus began to send letters back home for publication in the "Danbury Times". The letters are typical of what might be expected---they tell of the day to day activities of his fellow soldiers as well as those events and incidents he found newsworthy. Unfortunately, his letters began to decrease in frequency with the coming of spring in 1863. They would stop altogether on July 1, 1863, when Augustus was mortally wounded at Gettysburg. He died in a field hospital on July 5, 1863. His body was returned home for burial.

A grateful note of appreciation goes out to Bob Young of the Danbury Gravestone Project for spending countless hours at the microfilm copying the "Danbury Times" articles. Many thanks as well are due to Ginny Gage (whose husband Lew is a great-cousin of A.E. Bronson) for transcribing the letters from 2nd generation copies for this site. Without their generosity, this information would still be hidden away to all but the most tenacious researcher.