Lewis Wales

Researcher: Justin Garilli

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            Lewis E. Wales, a man who, after death, was buried in this very town. Born in 1844 to Otis and Jerusha Wales, Lewis lived his childhood in the town of Franklin. Growing up with four brothers and sisters, Lewis learned a great deal about responsibility. Working in the fields and doing much physical labor taught him the value of hard work. With his acquired knowledge of hard work and responsibility, Lewis enlisted into the army upon the announcement of the Civil War. Lewis was put under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Stedman. He served as a private for the Massachusetts infantry in Company B of the Forty-second regiment. Lewis was enlisted for nine months, in which time traveled all the way to New Orleans, Louisiana. His regiment made the extensive trip in a matter eighteen days. Along the way they stopped at Hilton Head, South Carolina. They also stopped at Tortugas, Florida and Ship Island, Mississippi. Finally, Company B of the Forty-second regiment of the Massachusetts Infantry reached New Orleans, Louisiana on December 29, 1862. Although Lewis’s company was never deployed from its post at New Orleans, they still served a profound purpose. Company B served as protection of the Anaconda plan. Since they were located in New Orleans they were right at sea-side, which allowed them to prevent any confederates from escaping and ruining the Anaconda plan. Company B also served as a capable back-up unit in case Ulysses S. Grant depleted his troops carrying out his “doing the math” strategy. Unfortunately, Lewis did not get to fight any significant battles and did not get to witness the end of the war. Sadly, as forty-three others in the regiment had done, Lewis E. Wales had his life taken by disease. Let him not be forgotten, for no matter how small a part he played, without Lewis E. Wales who knows what would have happened.