General Joseph Griswold Perkins, a veteran of the War of the Rebellion, died early Monday morning at his residence in Old Lyme. Born in 1838, General Perkins was the son of Thomas Shaw Perkins of New London, and Mary Ann Griswold of Black Hall. Much of his youth was spent in New London, and it was there that he prepared for college. Graduating from Brown university (then college) at Providence, he went to Hartford and there studied law and was admitted to the bar. But before he had settled in regular practice came the outbreak of the Civil war and President Lincoln's call for volunteers.
General Perkins was among the very first to respond to the call to arms, going to the front with a company of the old First Rifles. Having served through this term of enlistment, returned to Hartford and was temporarily attached to the staff of Governor Buckingham. Upon the organization of the First Connecticut Heavy artillery he was offered the command of one of the batteries, and having accepted the office, served through the various campaigns of the Army of the Potomac and in the defenses of Washington. When, in 1863, negroes were enlisted in the Union army and white officers were needed for the colored regiments, he was appointed Lieutenant colonel of the 19th United States colored troops, and it was while in command of this regiment that he won the brevet rank of brigadier general, for his gallantry at the affair of the Crater before Petersburg, Va., on the thirtieth of July, 1864.
After the close of the Civil was General Perkins went with his regiment to the Mexican border and was for some time stationed in Brownsville, Tex. Mustered out in 1867, he returned to Connecticut and settled in Old Lyme. He married there in 1869, Louisa Griswold, daughter of Richard Sill Griswold, who, with his three children, Mrs. Wolcott G. Lane of New York, Mrs. George Griswold and Griswold Shaw Perkins of Old Lyme, survive him. General Perkins served one term in the state senate and had at different times held many of the town offices in Old Lyme.
Published in the Norwich Bulletin, January 30, 1913 page 5 column 3
(Bio from FAG Contributor Irma)
General Perkins was among the very first to respond to the call to arms, going to the front with a company of the old First Rifles. Having served through this term of enlistment, returned to Hartford and was temporarily attached to the staff of Governor Buckingham. Upon the organization of the First Connecticut Heavy artillery he was offered the command of one of the batteries, and having accepted the office, served through the various campaigns of the Army of the Potomac and in the defenses of Washington. When, in 1863, negroes were enlisted in the Union army and white officers were needed for the colored regiments, he was appointed Lieutenant colonel of the 19th United States colored troops, and it was while in command of this regiment that he won the brevet rank of brigadier general, for his gallantry at the affair of the Crater before Petersburg, Va., on the thirtieth of July, 1864.
After the close of the Civil was General Perkins went with his regiment to the Mexican border and was for some time stationed in Brownsville, Tex. Mustered out in 1867, he returned to Connecticut and settled in Old Lyme. He married there in 1869, Louisa Griswold, daughter of Richard Sill Griswold, who, with his three children, Mrs. Wolcott G. Lane of New York, Mrs. George Griswold and Griswold Shaw Perkins of Old Lyme, survive him. General Perkins served one term in the state senate and had at different times held many of the town offices in Old Lyme.
Published in the Norwich Bulletin, January 30, 1913 page 5 column 3
(Bio from FAG Contributor Irma)
General Joseph Griswold Perkins, a veteran of the War of the Rebellion, died early Monday morning at his residence in Old Lyme. Born in 1838, General Perkins was the son of Thomas Shaw Perkins of New London, and Mary Ann Griswold of Black Hall. Much of his youth was spent in New London, and it was there that he prepared for college. Graduating from Brown university (then college) at Providence, he went to Hartford and there studied law and was admitted to the bar. But before he had settled in regular practice came the outbreak of the Civil war and President Lincoln's call for volunteers.
General Perkins was among the very first to respond to the call to arms, going to the front with a company of the old First Rifles. Having served through this term of enlistment, returned to Hartford and was temporarily attached to the staff of Governor Buckingham. Upon the organization of the First Connecticut Heavy artillery he was offered the command of one of the batteries, and having accepted the office, served through the various campaigns of the Army of the Potomac and in the defenses of Washington. When, in 1863, negroes were enlisted in the Union army and white officers were needed for the colored regiments, he was appointed Lieutenant colonel of the 19th United States colored troops, and it was while in command of this regiment that he won the brevet rank of brigadier general, for his gallantry at the affair of the Crater before Petersburg, Va., on the thirtieth of July, 1864.
After the close of the Civil was General Perkins went with his regiment to the Mexican border and was for some time stationed in Brownsville, Tex. Mustered out in 1867, he returned to Connecticut and settled in Old Lyme. He married there in 1869, Louisa Griswold, daughter of Richard Sill Griswold, who, with his three children, Mrs. Wolcott G. Lane of New York, Mrs. George Griswold and Griswold Shaw Perkins of Old Lyme, survive him. General Perkins served one term in the state senate and had at different times held many of the town offices in Old Lyme.
Published in the Norwich Bulletin, January 30, 1913 page 5 column 3
(Bio from FAG Contributor Irma)
General Perkins was among the very first to respond to the call to arms, going to the front with a company of the old First Rifles. Having served through this term of enlistment, returned to Hartford and was temporarily attached to the staff of Governor Buckingham. Upon the organization of the First Connecticut Heavy artillery he was offered the command of one of the batteries, and having accepted the office, served through the various campaigns of the Army of the Potomac and in the defenses of Washington. When, in 1863, negroes were enlisted in the Union army and white officers were needed for the colored regiments, he was appointed Lieutenant colonel of the 19th United States colored troops, and it was while in command of this regiment that he won the brevet rank of brigadier general, for his gallantry at the affair of the Crater before Petersburg, Va., on the thirtieth of July, 1864.
After the close of the Civil was General Perkins went with his regiment to the Mexican border and was for some time stationed in Brownsville, Tex. Mustered out in 1867, he returned to Connecticut and settled in Old Lyme. He married there in 1869, Louisa Griswold, daughter of Richard Sill Griswold, who, with his three children, Mrs. Wolcott G. Lane of New York, Mrs. George Griswold and Griswold Shaw Perkins of Old Lyme, survive him. General Perkins served one term in the state senate and had at different times held many of the town offices in Old Lyme.
Published in the Norwich Bulletin, January 30, 1913 page 5 column 3
(Bio from FAG Contributor Irma)
Inscription
Joseph Griswold Perkins
Born New London, Conn.
April 20, 1838
Died Old Lyme, Conn.
January 20, 1913
Reverse:
Capt. Co. E
1st. Conn. Hvy. Art.
Col. 19th. U.S.C.T.
Retired as Brig. Gen.
From the Civil War
One of the 1st Three Men Who Enlisted From Conn.
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