For Eliza – Entangled Love In The American Civil War (1859-1865)

 Marriage to William Downing in the June of 1859 was a day of great joy for Eliza Anderson. Not solely owing to her love for William, but that she had achieved a standing in the community of Haverhill, Massachusetts, without the support of her parents. Without her parents presence Eliza would have legally needed to be 21 years of age to marry William, she was actually only 19 at the time of her marriage. By recording her age as 22 and her place of birth as “Ireland” Eliza was able to obscure her origin sufficiently for the marriage to proceed.

Prior to her marriage Eliza had a very mysterious past, with no trace of her living with her parents in the USA. It is possible that she arrived in America as an orphan, escaping the Great Irish Famine (1845-52) as many children did following the death of their parents, helped by Workhouses and other institutions. So her marriage deceit may be from a wish to progress in the New World rather than a straight defiance of her parents wishes.

William Downing’s family, in contrast, were well established in the Town of Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts. Haverhill had grown quickly, with well established industries of textiles, tanneries and shipbuilding, along the north shore of the Merrimack River. The tanning industry helped Haverhill become the most important shoe manufacturing location in the United States. William Downing made shoes. He was a skilled “cordwainer”, which meant he made shoes from scratch, rather than a “cobbler” who just mended shoes. His 21 year old brother, John, also made shoes, and father Aaron’s family had been in Haverhill since the mid 18^th century.

John Henry Blackburn was born at Amesbury, Massachusetts in 1834. His father, Buckley Blackburn, had emigrated to the USA with members of his family from England in 1827 to escape a local depression in the textile industry, and married John’s mother, Olive Janvrin in 1830. The booming industry in neighbouring Haverhill had attracted John, a skilled blacksmith, to move from Amesbury in 1857 and join his cousin Charles, a carriage maker, in lodgings at Mrs Thomas’ on Washington Street alongside the Merrimack. John knew William Downing, who was almost the same age, and his younger brother, John. They had socialised and promenaded on Main Street trying to catch the girls eyes. William had caught Eliza’s eye, and John was jealous in a way that friends could be.

Haverhill in 1861

The Merrimack River provided the perfect transport to take Haverhill products to the sea at Newburyport and onwards down the east coast of America. One of the biggest employers was Ezekiel Hale Jr and Ezekiel James Madison Hale. They had rebuilt their flannel mill in 1845 after the first was destroyed by fire. The new mill at Hale Falls was three times bigger than the old mill and could produce 1500 yards of flannel a day. One downside was that the new mill was inland and needed transport to the Merrimack for its products. This was an upside, however, for John and Charles with their skills.

For the Downing and Blackburn families, especially newly wed Eliza, bustling Haverhill was enabling them to put down roots and grow their lives.

The Civil war

The impact of electing Abraham Lincoln as President in 1860 was never expected to have the devastating consequences which resulted. A long running dispute over expanding slavery into the western territories exploded with the election of Lincoln, who opposed the expansion.

In response to Lincoln’s election seven southern states seceded from the Union and formed the Confederacy with Jefferson Davis as their President. The Confederacy seized Federal forts and installations within their territory and a war began on April 12 1861 when their army bombarded Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Four more states joined the Confederacy and within this short time a third of the United States population were in opposition to the Union.

The army in the North and the South were not short of recruits as a wave of popular enthusiasm for the war ran through the individual States. As single men both John Downing and John Blackburn were two of the first to volunteer. They both Joined up as Privates in “E” Company of the 12^th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment on 26^th June 1861 at Fort Warren in Boston harbour. The 12^th were known as the “Webster Regiment” as they were recruited largely due to the efforts of their first Colonel “Fletcher Webster” son of former US Secretary of State and Congressman Daniel Webster. As was common at that stage of the war regiments were put together to serve a three year term, such was the 12^th Massachusetts.

12th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment Flag

The Regiment was rushed off to the scene of the major fighting in Maryland on the 23^rd July. Despite this urgency the two Johns, Blackburn and Downing spent the Summer and Autumn of 1861 guarding the “line” along the Potomac River between Washington D.C. and Frederick Maryland. This patrolling continued into the Shenandoah Valley in February 1862 and in the Spring reconnoitring  around Winchester as part of General Hartsuff’s Brigade in the Army of Virginia. By August 9th they reached the battlefield of Cedar Mountain just as the fighting died down, but the regiment still suffered casualties owing to artillery fire.

22^nd Massachusetts Regiment & William Downing

This relatively subdued activity of the two Johns was not to befall William when he volunteered on September 14^th 1861. He was responding to Senator Henry Wilsons promise to raise an additional full Brigade from Massachusetts. Wilson made this gesture in response to the disastrous result of the Battle of First Bull Run on 21^st July. His efforts were not as successful as he would have liked and the need for soldiers on the battlefield resulted in the first companies that were ready being rushed South. They formed the 22^nd Massachusetts Regiment and included 10 Companies, of which Haverhill provided “H” Company and Private William Downing. Owing to the rush the 3^rd Massachusetts Light Artillery and 2^nd Company of Massachusetts Sharpshooters were attached to the 22^nd Regiment. So from a military perspective they were a very advanced, integrated fighting force.

Following a month of training they travelled by train via New York, where the 1100 men marched down 5^th Avenue to receive a battle flag made by the “Ladies of New York”. Finally arriving at winter camp outside Arlington, Virginia as part of Brigadier General John H. Martindale’s brigade.

Senator Wilson was the Regiments first Colonel, but after the initial politicking was done he turned command over to a regular army officer, Colonel Jesse Gove a strict disciplinarian.

The 22^nd were part of the Army of the Potomac under Major General George B. Mclellan, and found themselves part of his plan to take the Confederate capital of Richmond. This involved taking Yorktown and advancing up the Virginia Peninsular. So William Downing found himself part of an amphibious transfer down the peninsular, landing at Fort Monroe in March 1862 with 53,000 men of the Union. After a month long siege in which the Confederates convinced the Union Army that they had more than their 11,000 men, the Confederates withdrew from Yorktown.

This enabled the Army of the Potomac to advance up the peninsular toward Richmond. By 26^th May the 22^nd Massachusetts had reached Gaines Mill, eight miles North East of Richmond and were in sight of its steeples. The 22^nd had by now been reduced to just 750 men owing to sickness and some minor casualties around Yorktown. Forming part of V Corps they made camp at Gaines Mill and stayed for nearly a month.  

Major General George B. Mclellan

General Mclellan was positioning his army for the final assault on Richmond and was not aware that the Confederates were planning a major counter offensive to thwart his advance. General Robert E. Lee had recently taken over command of the Army of Northern Virginia and on 26^th June began an operation, known as “the seven days battles”, to drive Mclellan away from Richmond. By the 27^th June Mclellan had lost the initiative and V Corps were forced back on the defensive at Gaines Mill.

After defending most of the day the Union army broke at 6pm and retreated over the Chickohominy River. The 22^nd Massachusetts were initially held in reserve but the retreat exposed them to the full power of the Confederate attack. They found themselves outlfanked on two sides and Colonel Gove gave the order to retire, but then reversed his order and the 22^nd were to make a stand in front of Turkey Hill. This was a fateful decision as Colonel Gove was killed almost immediately, his body never recovered from the battlefield. Command fell to Captain Walter Sampson who, after some murderous defending ordered a withdrawal further up the ridge. Here they were able to hold the line with the help of their attached artillery battery, the 3^rd Massachusetts Battery. Gaines Mill was to be the 22nd Massachusetts worst engagement of the war and effectively ended Mclellan’s peninsular campaign. From the 22^nd 71 men were killed, 86 wounded and 177 taken prisoner. William Downing was one of those taken prisoner.

Colonel Jesse Gove - Killed at Gaines Mill 1862

From the start of the war up until 1863 neither side wanted to hold on to Prisoners of War (POW) as they were thought of as just an encumbrance which consumed precious resources. Only later when the balance of POWs became significantly different between the sides was the concept of retaining prisoners realised. Consequently in 1862 prisoners were being quickly exchanged between the sides shortly after battle. William Downing was thankful to be released back to his own side on 7^th August and was able to rejoin the Union Army at its base alongside the James River at Harrison’s Landing. This was just in time to join Mclellan’s withdrawal from the peninsular on 14^th August. Embarking from Harrison’s Landing, travelling round the peninsular and up the Potomac River to Acquia Creek near Fredericksburg. On their return to Halls Hill camp they were visited by Senator Wilson who on witnessing the 200 remaining of his 1100 strong Regiment was heard to exclaim with tears in his eyes; “Is this my old Regiment ?”

Needless to say the 22^nd were in no state to play a part in the Second Battle of Bull Run.

 

12^th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment & The Two Johns

John Blackburn and John Downing were not to be outside of the action for long as the 12^th Massachusetts found themselves centre stage at the Second Battle of Bull Run. Abraham Lincoln had been disappointed with Mclellans dynamism during the peninsular campaign and appointed Major General John Pope as head of the Army of Virginia and ordered Mclellan to join forces with him to the south of Washington. The brief for Pope was to defend Washington and the Shenandoah Valley. Feeling indignant at what he felt was a slight towards his efforts in the peninsular Mclellan was very slow to move his forces. For Robert E. Lee and the Confederates this was a tremendous opportunity to divide and defeat his opponents.

The Confederates under Lee had deployed experienced Major Generals Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson and James Longstreet. Jackson raided the supply lines of Pope threatening their connection to Washington then withdrew taking up concealed defensive positions on high ground at Stony Ridge. Pope was convinced he had the Confederates on the run and throughout the 29^th and 30^th August 1862 launched a series of assaults on Jackson’s hidden positions. Meanwhile Longstreet bided his time on the exposed left flank of the Union forces as they threw men at Jackson.

When the attack from Longstreet came it took Union forces by surprise and successive units were deployed to defend the left flank against a mass attack by 25,000 men. The 12^th Massachusetts were deployed as part of their Brigade at Bald Hill and Chinn Farm defending Henry House Hill. The Brigade commander was Brigadier General Zealous B. Tower (General Hartsuff being away ill) and the 12^th Regiments commander was their Colonel, Fletcher Webster. Their intervention was at first successful as they pushed back the Alabamian Regiments, but these were immediately replaced by a fresh Division. Tragically having lined up his four Regiments to face the attackers Fletcher Webster was hit by an artillery shell and collapsed dead on the field. The demoralising effect of seeing Webster dead led his men to begin withdrawing. Brigadier General Zealous Tower had his horse shot from under him and was carried away unconscious. The battle situation was seriously deteriorating for the Union side.

Colonel Fletcher Webster                 General Zealous B. Tower

Despite further efforts by other Union units to defend the flank the day was lost and Pope’s army withdrew and retreated to Centreville, which despite its grand name was just a collection of shacks on the road to Washington. The 12^th Massachusetts had suffered 25 Officers and men killed or mortally wounded at Second Bull Run.

Reorganisation saw the 12^th Massachusetts become part of General Joseph Hookers 1^st Corps as they pursued the Confederates into Maryland. So effectively becoming part of the Army of the Potomac under Mclelland, therefore the same high level command as William Downing and the 22^nd Massachusetts.

Robert E. Lee had advanced into Maryland following victory at Bull Run and Mclellan’s army had the task of driving them out. Lee dug in at the far side of Antietam Creek. On the 17^th September 1862 Major General Hookers 1^st Corps launched a full assault on the Confederate left, and so began the bloodiest day in American history. The 12^th Massachusetts were part of the assault across Miller’s Cornfield, which became known as “Bloody Cornfield” losing 74 men killed and 150 wounded. Privates Blackburn and Downing were among the Union force which pushed forward. In turn the Louisiana “Tigers” Brigade forced them back towards East Woods. The Union response with artillery onto the Cornfield then slaughtered the “Tigers” who lost 323 from their 500 strength. At the end of the day the 12^th Massachussetts suffered the heaviest on the Union side, suffering casualties representing 67% of their number. The two Johns were among the fortunate 33%.

Despite Antietam being a victory for the Union in that they reversed the Confederate advance, there were continuing signs for concern. Mclellan only deployed a fraction of his force allowing Lee to face off in battle and eventually escape back to Virginia. The repeated timidity with regards winning a battle and forcing victory by Mclellan led Lincoln to dismiss him in November replacing him with Ambrose Burnside.

William Downing and the 22^nd Masachussetts pursued Lee’s Army back into Virginia and crossed the Potomac at Blackfords Forge on 20^th September. A concerted Confederate counter attack drove them back across the river “half drowned” and Lee’s Army made their escape.

Ambrose Burnside was to pursue a strategy towards the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, but first capturing Fredericksburg. To do this he had to take the Army of the Potomac across the river Rappahannock using pontoons. Both the 22^nd and 12^th Massachusetts infantry used this method to cross the river on December 13^th. Although the Union Army occupied Fredericksburg the Confederate Army held a commanding position overlooking the city from Marye’s Heights. Both Massachussetts regiments spent two days attempting to take the heights. The 22^nd, under intense artillery fire “instinctively turned their sides to the storm of bullet, shot and shell” as they made their advance. On the 15^th December after spending two days pinned down the 22^nd and 12^th withdrew to Fredericksburg. Despite rumours regarding the Union commanders next move nothing materialised to substantiate rumours of another assault on the heights and the whole of V and 1st Corps withdrew back across the pontoon bridges to Falmouth.

During the Fredericksburg debacle the 22^nd Massachusetts lost 12 killed and 42 wounded of their remaining 200 men. The 12^th Massachusetts lost 37 killed and 94 wounded.

It was the nature of the American Civil War that armies would “over winter” at a specific location and emerge the following Spring to rejoin the war. Home leave was not a feature. So it was that the 22^nd Massachusetts settled into Camp Gove and the 12^th Massachusetts at Belle Plains both near Falmouth, Virginia. The soldiers built simple log huts for shelter but William and the two Johns desperately needed rest, recuperation and reinforcements.

It wasn’t until May 1863 that the 22^nd Massachusetts manoeuvred along the Rappahannock looking for General Lee’s army, expecting a containment operation. It was not the Confederate strategy to stay put at this stage of the war and on June 3 Lee left Fredericksburg on route for Pennsylvania, so taking the initiative onto Union territory. By the time V Corps and the 22^nd realised this had happened on 13^th June the whole Army of the Potomac was racing North to confront the Confederates. The point of confrontation was Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

The 12^th Massachusetts had left their camp on June 10^th having been restored to a strength of 301 over the winter months. As part of Baxter’s Brigade they were the first to confront the Confederates at a place called Oak Ridge. During fierce fighting on 1^st July against the Mississippi Brigade they suffered nearly 40% casualties and missing. Even at this early stage it was effectively the end of the battle for the 12^th.

End of First Day - Gettysburg 1st July 1863

At dawn on the 2^nd July the 22^nd Massachusetts reached Gettysburg and fielded a strength of only 67 men for duty. Despite these numbers they deployed with V Corps in advance to the “Wheatfield” and set up a defensive position along a stony ridge near Rose Farmhouse. Setting out their cartridges in front of them they expected a long defense. III Corps ahead of them began a retreat, however, and the 22^nd found themselves facing the South Carolinian Brigade. This development unnerved their Division commander, Brigadier General Barnes, who ordered a retreat back across the Wheatfield to Trostles Farm. Here the 22^nd defended behind a stone wall for the rest of the day. On the third day of battle they were deployed in a ravine near Little Round Top where they constructed piles of stones to protect themselves from sharpshooters operating to their front and to hold the line.

General Lee undertook an infamous charge on the third day, known as Pickett’s Charge, in an attempt to break Union lines. This was unsuccessful and signalled the turning point in the war as the Union claimed victory and the Confederates began the retreat back to Virginia.

For their part the 22^nd Massachusetts had suffered a further 15 killed and 25 wounded. A sickening outcome of 60% casualties from their low start point of only 67 men. Miraculously William Downing was a survivor from the original volunteers.

In the Fall of 1863 both Union and Confederate armies moved south, engaging in small skirmishes as they went. Lee moved his army across the Rappahannock River to establish a defensive line, but maintained a pontoon crossing at the small settlement of Rappahannock Station to use in flanking manoeuvres when required. General George Meade, commanding the Union Army, sent a force containing both 12^th and 22^nd Massachusetts to overwhelm this crossing on November 7^th causing 1670 Confederate casualties against  419 on the Union side.

Following a further attempt by Meade to get behind Lee’s flank at Mine Run Creek at the end of November 1863 the Army of the Potomac went into winter quarters around Brandy Station, Virginia. The 22^nd Massachusetts at Beverley Ford and the 12^th Massachusetts at Culpepper, Virginia.

Civil War Graffiti - Graffiti House, Brandy Station, Virginia (Used as a Field Hospital)

These locations were in near proximity to each other and John Blackburn and the Downing brothers were able to make contact and spend some time together. It was during this time that the regiments began to recover from the strains of battle they had felt during the year. Much needed manpower replenishment came first, with the 22^nd receiving 200 new recruits in September.

The winter camps were not, however, healthy places to be. The makeshift hospitals were full of wounded, some with horrific wounds created by new style killing technology such as the hollow Menie bullet which in turn often led to gangrene and amputation. A surprising component of overall Civil War deaths, however, came from well known and common diseases of the time, the camps and close proximity of men becoming the perfect conduit.

Of the 620,000 combined Union and Confederate deaths during the war disease related deaths outnumbered combat deaths by a factor of 2:1. This puts the Union deaths from disease at circa 240,000. The most common types of disease were dysentery and typhoid, both associated with unsanitary living conditions.

It was during the winter encampment that William Downing fell ill. Despite care in one of the makeshift hospitals in commandeered properties, such as Graffiti House, William succumbed on February 2^nd 1864 and was officially reported as “died of disease”. His brother John was distraught on hearing the news and was supported in his grief by John Blackburn. But how would this news affect Eliza back home in Haverhill ?

No rumour of the foe’s advance

Now swells upon the wind

No troubled thought at midnight haunts

Of loved ones left behind*

*From the poem Bivouac Of The Dead – Theodore O’Hara (1820-1867). Used on cover of “Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors & Marines In The Civil War” published 1931 as part of Chapter 475, Acts of 1899..

Haverhill & Continuance

Aaron Chalice Downing had always provided for his children. Amongst the rise of the shoe, leather and textile industries around him he never developed the skills to rise from the position of “labourer”, consequently the prospect of owning a house was never an option. Throughout the children’s lives they moved through a succession of lodgings and rented houses. Other challenges arose when his wife Susan died in 1851, leaving him with four children, although his wife’s widowed mother, also called Susan, moved in to provide support.

At the beginning of 1864, with both sons away at the war, Aaron was  renting a property for himself and his remaining unmarried daughter Annette, plus his ailing mother in law, now aged 87.

Eliza was also living in a rented property where she and William had set up home four and a half years previously. The only income was from William’s army pay. It was uncommon for women to work in a trade at this time and locality, keeping house was the most common employment. This was about to change.

Amongst the disruption caused by the war one thing did remain reliable and that was the United States Postal Service. This enabled the troops to send continual streams of letters back to their loved ones and Eliza was used to receiving post from William updating her, as much as allowed, on what he was doing and how he was feeling. Something was wrong with the post on one particular day however, it was a different envelope and the writing for the address was not his. Opening the letter Eliza shook with trepidation and fear. It was a letter of regret, regret that her husband William had passed away through illness while serving with the Army of the Potomac in Virginia. Somehow, fighting through the grief, she knew she had to tell William’s father Aaron.

The shock of William’s passing had to give way to practical realities. William was the sole source of Eliza’s income, without which she could not remain in their house. Annette, Aaron’s youngest daughter was due to be married and move away to Hamilton, Mass. Leaving the increasingly frail mother in law Susan without assistance and unable to keep house. Under the circumstances, however sad, it was appropriate for Eliza to give up her house and move in with Aaron as “housekeeper”.

 

Ulysses S. Grant                 Robert E. Lee

The Overland Campaign

In March 1864 Ulysses S. Grant had been made overall commander of the Union Armies, having impressed Lincoln in the Western Theatre of operations, and began an attritional campaign to wear down General Lee’s army and take the Confederate capital of Richmond. The Army of the Potomac, including the 12^th Massachusetts as part of the 5^th Division, headed deeper into Virginia. South of the Rapidan River they were engaged in the Battle of the Wilderness (5^th to 6^th May) at the Orange Turnpike and Plank Road, again suffering heavy casualties. 

1864 May 6th Battle of the Wilderness - Desperate fight on the Plank Road near Todd's Tavern

At Spotsylvania on May the 8^th to 12^th the 12^th Massachusetts were asked to clear Spindle Farm and Laurel Hill of what was thought to be only cavalry. The Confederates had quickly reinforced this area, however, with two infantry brigades and an artillery battalion. Inevitably 5^th Division and 12^th Mass. Were driven back with severe casualties. Both John Blackburn and John Downing managed to survive these engagements along with further elements of the Overland Campaign at North Anna and Cold Harbour.

The Overland Campaign continued through a series of inconclusive battles which served Grant’s overall objective to simply wear down the opposition. The end was coming, however, for the 12^th Massachusetts Regiment as they were nearing the end of the three year term on which they had been signed up. After this term expired the regiments were compulsorily “mustered out”. The regiments last day on duty was on the 25^th June, after which it returned to Boston and was mustered out between 1^st and 8^th July 1864. For the two John’s this would be their first return to Haverhill since 1861.

Arriving home in the middle of July Haverhill seemed physically the same as when they had left. The mills were very busy producing clothing and footwear for the army. The people were different though, many having experienced loss of loved ones. The Downing family specifically could not face further heartache. As he was Aaron’s only remaining son John Downing chose not to return to the war and returned to his former profession of shoemaker, taking up lodgings at Mr Fink’s on Washington Street.

John Blackburn was in a different frame of mind. Having experienced the horror of war and the death of his friend William, he was now confronted with the pain caused to Eliza and Aaron. Possessing a feeling of great loss for which there was no rational conclusion, John re-enlisted in the army.

By November 1864 he was serving in B Company of the 11^th Maine Infantry Regiment. The Maine, as the Massachusetts regiments, had been created in 1861 for three year terms. The 11^th Maine continued past its “Muster Out” date but had to be continually bolstered by new recruits, of which John was one. During 1864 the 11^th Maine suffered 363 killed, wounded, missing and prisoners, for which it received a further 549 recruits to more than make up the numbers.

11th Maine Regimental Flag

John joined the 11^th Maine in November just as it had been temporarily withdrawn from the front lines to New York to help keep order during the 1864 presidential election, which Abraham Lincoln subsequently won. When they returned to the front they were assigned to the 3^rd Brigade of the 1^st Division of XXIV Corps of the Army of the James.

They were stationed 10 miles from the Confederate capital of Richmond and on March 27^th 1865 were ordered to cross the Appomattox River and engaged the enemy at Hatchers Run on 31^st.

Lieutenant General Grant had besieged Petersburg since 1864 as part of his war of attrition. On April 2^nd he ordered a major assault on the earthwork defences around the city. This included the XXIV Corps and 11^th Maine who lost 25 men killed or wounded. This assault had the major breakthrough required as, following the death of Confederate Lieutenant General A.P. Hill, Lee ordered a general withdrawal from Petersburg and Richmond. The 3^rd Brigade moved off in the pursuit of the retreating forces.

April 1865 - Union Soldiers at Appomattox Court House

General Lee formed a defensive line at Appomattox Court House but was in desperate need of supplies. With the Army of the Potomac and the Army of the James converging on his positions the situation became desperate. His supplies at Appomattox Station were destroyed on the 8^th April by Brevet Major General George Armstrong Custer’s Cavalry. His last chance was his supply base at Lynchburg with the route was blocked solely by Major General Sheridan’s Cavalry. The XXIV Corps of the Army of the James was the closest infantry to provide support for Sheridan and marched 30 miles in 21 hours to arrive at 4am on the 9^th April. Sheridan had deployed 3 divisions of cavalry to hold a ridge south west of the court house, but when the Confederates under Major General Gordon attacked they were forced back. The Confederate success continued until they crossed the ridge and saw the newly arrived XXIV Corps with the whole of V Corps close behind. This was an overwhelming sight and the Confederate cavalry chose to withdraw to Lynchburg.

Without supplies or a path of retreat Lee and the Confederacy faced defeat and surrender. In turn each of Lee’s commanders gave him their assessment of the situation, which confirmed this was the end. The only officer to differ was the artillery chief Brigadier General Alexander, who correctly predicted that surrender would be mirrored in the other Confederate armies. Robert E. Lee met with Ulysses S. Grant on the 9^th of April and signed a general surrender. Following which his remaining 28,000 men stacked their weapons and awaited their return home.

Maine Regiment Soldier - Uniform & Equipment would have been worn by John H. Blackburn

John H. Blackburn was wounded in the right knee during these final stages of the civil war. It was a disabling injury so unlikely to be just a flesh wound, which were themselves serious owing to the risk of infection. Artillery shell fragments and the new menie bullet would pierce straight through soft tissue and on impact with bone would explode it, causing horrific injury. He spent a number of months recovering in hospital, which were not healthy places to be owing to the spread of disease and John was conscious of the fate of William Downing. John was invalided out of service on 12^th August 1865 and made his way back to Haverhill.

For Eliza her grief was less raw a year and a half following William’s death and her domestic arrangements had become less complex. Aaron’s mother in law, Susan, had died in September the previous year and daughter Annette had married and moved away in January 1865. This left a void in the previous burden of housekeeping for Eliza, with only Aaron to support. This void and the emotional space left by William’s death were about to be filled.

Eliza had kept in regular contact with John Blackburn by post since William’s death and John’s appearance in Haverhill in the summer of 1864. Whether this rekindled earlier feelings from prior to her marriage or which had grown through emotional support in the interim was unclear. Yet less than a month after John Blackburn’s release from the army he and Eliza were married.

On the 11^th of September 1865 the clergyman Henry Plummer conducted the ceremony between John and Eliza in Haverhill.

Eliza was desperately wanting to build her life in Haverhill as she had planned with William, she wanted to rid herself of setbacks and any continuing deceit. As part of managing the contradictions of her early life Eliza had recorded her details in the Massachusetts Census in August 1864 as being 27 years of age, even though Aaron was expecting her to be 28 based on her age when marrying William. In her marriage registration to John, Eliza stated her age as 26, less than a month after being officially recorded as 27, but still in advance of her real age of 25. With her marriage to John Henry Blackburn she could start to put these conflicts to rest and pursue life as other women of her age.

Epilogue

Business and commercial life continued to flourish in Haverhill in the years following the end of the civil war. This allowed its citizens to realise ambitions and enjoy a family life. The continued growth of Haverhill as a centre for the footware industry meant that John Downing had no employment problems returning to his pre-war occupation of shoemaker. He married Isora Chellis in 1873 and they went on to have three children. The recurrent threat of common illness returned to haunt the Downing family in 1883 when John died prematurely of Pthisis or Consumption. Pthisis, commonly known as consumption or “wasting disease” had only been identified as a bacterially transmitted disease the year before in 1882 and no vaccines existed. So for John the gradual wasting away of his body was the accepted outcome for what would become known as tubercolisis.

Aaron Downing mysteriously disappeared from Haverhill, leaving no trace or indication of his intentions.

John Henry Blackburn and Eliza made a life together and raised a family in Haverhill, making their home at number 40 on the newly constructed Locke Street. John returned to his trade of Blacksmith despite the rigidity which the injury to his right knee. Life seemed complete for Eliza with the arrival of son Edward in 1869 and daughter Olive in 1874.

This life lasted until the Fall of 1889 when John fell ill. The signs of this illness were well known, it was the “wasting disease” and the ultimate fate was predictable with no cure available. In January he wrote and had witnessed his last will and testament. Touchingly, after leaving a token dollar to each of his two children, he left the rest of his possessions to Eliza with the words; “I give, devise and bequeath unto my beloved wife Eliza Blackburn all the rest”. John lasted until 9^th of September 1890 before he finally gave into this terrible disease, dying of “chronic Pthisis”. 

Extract from the Will of John H. Blackburn - 13th January 1890

Eliza had never had an occupation other than keeping house so a means to support herself was paramount. She was executor to John’s Will but also was entitled to a war widows pension which she applied for on the 20^th September. She was technically entitled to a pension as William Downings widow also, but never applied for this.

The shadow of the wasting disease did not leave Eliza as her son Edward Cooper Blackburn was struck down in 1899 aged 30, and died of its new name; “tuberculosis”.

Eliza had much to reflect on during her later years. The struggles following her arrival in America followed by the machinations to present herself of a legal age during her marriage to William. The war years had been hard with William’s absence and eventual death.

It was a release of joy, however, to marry John. This time nothing could prevent their happiness. Her marriage document was the last time she lied about her age. There was now no need to conduct any deceit. So on the United States Census of July 1870 she recorded her age as 29, and she was 29.

So life continued for Eliza in Haverhill as she moved in with her daughter Olive and her family. She lived with them for 36 years until the end finally came in 1926. This was not the end to Eliza’s story though, as she had one final twist to add. In the record of her death she had two maiden names; Anderson and in brackets “Clifford”. Her parents, George and Margritte, had not been married.

In fact it is likely that Eliza did escape the Irish famine, arriving in Boston on the 27^th April 1847 as Eliza Clifford, one of many unaccompanied orphans to arrive in the USA during this time.