Civil War Veteran
Served the last 3 yrs of the war in Co. H. 7th N.H. Volunteers
Honorably discharged as a sergeant and received Gilmore medal for gallant conduct.

Married in 1870 to Maria Jennie Moore of Pelham, N.H.
Alice Moore Merrill was born of this marriage.

After his wife Maria's death he married Anna Maud Smith of Worcester in 1883.
She died April 30,1886 in Lowell, MA.
Jennie Maud Merrill and Arthur Smith Merrill were born of this marriage.

In 1889 he married Anna Boynton and 3 children were born to them; Ruth, Boynton and Dana Otis Merrill.
Anna died March 5, 1929 in Pepperell and daughter, Ruth died Dec. 17, 1930 in Pepperell.

Mr. Merrill has lived in Pepperell, MA. since 1900.
Survived by 4 children, Jennie Maud Merrill of Pepperell, Arthur S. Merrill of New Vineyard, ME., Rev. Boynton Merrill D.D. of West Newton and Dana O. Merrill of Pepperell.

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Sergt. Otis Addison Merrill, Profile:
(Reference: The Seventh Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers in the War of the Rebellion, by Henry F.W. Little)

The eldest son of Benjamin A. and Mary J. (Winn) Merrill, was born in Hudson,
N. H., August 22, 1844, and is a descendant of Nathaniel Merrill, an emigrant from England,
who settled in Newbury, Mass., in 1634.
Hill early life before the war was spent on his father's farm. His education was obtained
at the district schools of his native town. At the breaking out of the War of
the Rebellion he felt that it was his duty to serve his country, and enlisted August 14, 1862,
as a private in Company H, Seventh N. H. Volunteers, joining the regiment
at St. Augustine, Fla., September 17, 1862. He was in
every battle and skirmish in which the regiment participated
with the single exception of the second assault on
Fort Wagner, S. C., July 18, 1863. He was an eye-witness
of the assault from his post of duty as a guard. He
was detailed during the siege of Morris Island, S. C., as
a sharpshooter, under Capt. Richard Ela, of the Third
N. H. Volunteers. He was awarded a Gillmore medal of
honor for gallant and meritorious conduct at the siege of
Charleston, on Morris Island, S. C., which was not presented
him until June 19, 1864' He was promoted to
Corporal, to date from August 25, 1864, and was soon after
detailed as one of the color guards, in which capacity he
served until his promotion to sergeant, January 26, 1865.
At Wilmington, N. C., he was detailed by General Hawley
to take charge of four hundred colored people on
board a transport and report to General Gillmore at Hilton
Head, S. C.
During his last month's duty at Wilmington he acted as
first sergeant of the provost guard, which was composed
of a detail of one hundred and twenty-five men from
General Abbott's brigade. He was hit by rebel bullets
four times, but was not hurt severely enough to be reported
on the list of wounded. He left the regiment June 25,
1865, by reason of the expiration of his term of enlistment,
and received a final discharge at Concord, N. H.,
July 7, 1865.
After his return home he learned the trade of carpenter
and joiner in Haverhill, Mass., at the same time taking up
the study of architecture. He moved to Lowell, Mass.,
in 1869, and followed his trade until 1873, when he gave
all his time to the study and practice of architecture, and
was for a short time in partnership with Charles S. Eaton;
in 1883, the firm of Merrill & Cutler was formed and
has continued in business to the present time. Among
the public buildings designed by this firm are the Concord
High School building, Concord, N. H.; the Young Men's
Christian Association building, New Bedford, Mass.; the
Town Hall, Wilton, ~. H.: the First Congregational
Church, Odd Fellows' building, Central Fire Station,
Old Ladies' Home, the Lowell Armory, and the new
City Hall, all of Lowell, Mass. He now resides in
Lowell, Mass.

THE EXPEDITION TO CHARLESTON, S. C., AND THE
ATTACK ON FORT SUMTER, IN APRIL, 1863.
The following description of this expedition is given by
Sergt. Otis A. Merrill, who was present with his company,
H, one of the companies of the Seventh New Hampshire
ordered from St. Augustine, Fla., where the regiment was
at that time stationed, under Colonel Putnam, to join the
expedition:
"On Friday, March 27, 1863, the steamer 'Cossack'
arrived at St. Augustine, Fla., from Hilton Head, S. C.,
with orders for Colonel Putnam to take five companies of
his regiment and proceed at once on the steamer to Hilton
Head, to join an expedition, the objective point being, as
we supposed, Charleston, S. C., Companies B, F, H, I,
and K, were selected and ordered to be in readiness for
inspection the following day at 10 o'clock A. M., and go
aboard the' Cossack.' Adjt. H. G. Webber and Asst.
Surg. Henry Boynton of the regimental staff were to
accompany the battalion. The men were ordered to take,
besides their arms and equipments, one change of underclothing,
their overcoats, and blankets, leaving their dress
coats, hats, and other things at St. Augustine. The
weather was so rough on Saturday that the battalion did
not go on board the steamer until Sunday afternoon, when
they at once started for their destination. They had proceeded
but a short distance when a severe squall came up,
and, before they had reached the bar, they were obliged to
anchor. As soon as the squall had abated so that it was
safe to raise the anchor, the steamer was taken back to St.
Augustine, and anchored off Fort Marion, where she
remained until toward night on Monday. In the mean
time the storm had been very severe and the water on the
bar was exceedingly rough. Colonel Putnam was very
anxious to obey orders and report promptly at headquarters
of the department, and on this account, no doubt, the
steamer started sooner than her captain or the pilot
thought it prudent. The' Cossack' was a crazy old boat,
and the rough sea outside was liable to materially change
the channel over the bar, which was composed of quicksand
and liable to change under such circumstances.
"The captain of the steamer, who seemed to be a rough
old sea-dog, desired to wait a day or two longer for the
sea to become smoother, but the colonel was bound to go,
and the old native pilot said he would pilot them over.
On reaching the bar, the waters were white with foam as
they rolled up the shallow channel, which was only
eleven feet deep at high tide, while the steamer, which
was quite heavily loaded, drew nine feet.
"The pilot got into his dory to ' flag' the steamer along
the channel over the bar. The engineer of the boat was
heard to say, 'Shall I put on all steam, captain?' the
captain in his gruff voice replying, 'Yes, if we've got to
go to hell, let us go quick! '
"Twice the old steamer struck on the sand-bar with a
thump, as she came down in the trough of the sea, and
the men began to wonder if this was to end their soldiering.
The steamer and the pilot were alternately hidden
from each other as they were tossed up and down on the
rough waves, which frequently broke over the deck of the
steamer. Getting safely over the bar, they at once proceeded
on their rough voyage toward Hilton Head, stopping
at Fernandina, Fla., the next day, long enough to
take on board five companies of the Seventh Conn. Volunteers
(Colonel Hawley'S regiment).
"They arrived at Hilton Head about noon, Wednesday,
April I, and were at once ordered ashore. New' A'
tents were issued to the men, and they went into camp
near and north of the hospital. Sunday morning, April
5, the battalion left Hilton Head on the new headquarters
dispatch steamer 'General Hunter,' and proceeded at
once to Stono Inlet, S. C.• to await the result of the bombardment
of Fort Sumter by the iron-clads of our navy.
" It was a beautiful sight to see the sixty government
vessels of which the expedition was composed, as they
steamed along toward Charleston. The vessels arrived at
Stono Inlet about dark or a little after, and went in over
the bar as fast as they could be piloted.
" Tuesday, April 7, was a beautiful spring day, and one
in which the iron-clads of our navy were to be severely
tested by the forts in Charleston Harbor. The attack of
the iron-clads, consisting of the • New Ironsides' and
eight monitors, on Fort Sumter commenced at 3 o'clock
P. M., and continued for about two and one half hours.
Stono Inlet is about ten• miles from Fort Sumter, and each
discharge of the artillery and the bursting of the shells
could be distinctly heard, and at that distance at times
seemed like one continuous roar. The discharge of the
heavy guns jarred the steamers at Stono Inlet the same as
a house is often jarred by heavy thunder.
" The attack by the navy on Fort Sumter and the other
forts in the harbor was a failure, but not a disaster. We
lost but four men and one vessel, the 'Keokuk.' All
the other vessels could be easily repaired. Two guns on
Fort Sumter were disabled, one burst, and the rebels had
one man killed and a few wounded. On the fleet engaged
there were about one thousand men and thirty guns,
fighting against several times as many men, in what was
probably the best fortified harbor in the world at that time.
"The men remained on board the transports several
days, expecting the attack on the forts to be renewed
again, and were much surprised when they received
orders to return to Hilton Head. The battalion of the
Seventh was transferred to the steamer 'Convoy,' and at
8 o'clock on Wednesday morning, April IS, Colonel
Putnam with his men returned to St. Augustine, Fla.
They sustained no loss and appeared in good order, and
all seemed to have well enjoyed the trip.
"While at Hilton Head on the return trip, the men
saw the yard-arms manned on the U. S. steam frigate
'Wabash,' which is at present !.'he receiving ship at the
Charlestown, Mass., navy yard. There were about one
hundred and seventy-five in number. At the word of
command they ran up the rigging at almost lightning
speed, collected around the masts, and in an instant, at
another word of command, deployed out on the yard-arms,
each of which had the appearance of having a company
of soldiers upon it in perfect line, and some of them were
nearly an hundred feet in the air. It was a sight that but
few of our men ever saw except at that time, and we
were told that it was done in honor of the admiral, who
had come on board the frigate at that time."

GILLMORE MEDALS.
On the 28th of October. 1863, General Gillmore, full of
gratitude to the rank and file of the regiments which had
taken so prominent a part in the siege of Morris Island,
issued General Order No. 91, Headquarters Department
of the South, providing for department medals of honor
for gallant and meritorious conduct during the operations
before Charleston, to not over three per cent of the aggregate
strength of the various regiments, companies, and
detachments that have been in action or" on duty in the
batteries or trenches. Candidates for these honors were
to be nominated by the company officers, and sent through
the usual military channels.
The following named men of the Seventh New Hampshire
were recommended for Gillmore medals by a board
of officers appointed in orders of November 25, 1863, from
Headquarters U. S. Forces, Morris Island, S. C., under
the provisions of General Order No. 94, Headquarters
Department of the South:
Sergt. Brainard Cummings, Company A; Sergt. Geor~e
F. Corson, and Private Michael Cahill, Company B;
Privates Zenas P. Alden and Robert Miller, Company
C; Privates George Parker and Clinton P. Wells, Company
D; Privates Henry Kimball and Robert A. Brown,
Company E; Corp. Martin V. B. Perkins and Private
Samuel P. Sargent, Company F; Private Franklin W.
Randall, Company G; Privates Stephen H. Price and
Otis A. Merrill, Company H; Corp. George Weaver and
Private John H. Smith, Company I; Sergt. Alonzo G.
Dudley and Private George Rainey, Company K.
No record of the dates of the issue of the medals recommended
by this board of officers can be found in the records
of the War Department.
These medals were called "Gillmore Medals," and
were of bronze, and bear on one side a representation in
relief of Fort Sumter in ruins, and upon the other a facsimile
of the general's autograph, while upon the bar
above the medal, to which the medal is attached, appears
the name, rank, company, and regiment, of the soldier
receiving the same. A certificate was also issued with
each medal. Those awarded to the men of the Seventh
were not all issued and presented while our regiment was
on Morris Island, some of them being received by the men
during the summer of 1864'
Though all regiments participating in the siege were
invited by General Gillmore to send in the names of
deserving soldiers, a few regiments declined the offered
honor on the basis that every man of the regiment had
been" gallant and meritorious." However this may be,
the recipients of those medals may proudly wear them, for
they were faithfully earned.

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