Growing up Clarke, as he was called was somewhat of a mischievous boy, not settling down, not interested in his studies, therefore not an achiever. He went to Fairfield Academy for a period of time, but did not apply himself.
Eventually he got the itchy feet for new places and went to Iowa where his sister Mary Osborn lived. It was soon after his arrival that she took sick and passed away. This was a wake up call for him and through this death of his sister, he seemed to grow up.
Back to Fairfield and the academy he went, where he buckled down and was doing very well, with his sights finally set on a career in law, when the war broke out.
Like so many of his age, he enlisted into the 121st New York Volunteer Infantry, later also referred to as "Upton's Regulars." He was placed in Capt. Clinton Moon's Company
C as a Sgt. He left Camp Schuyler near Albany with the regiment.
Saw some action at Antietam, then onto Fredericksburg in December of 1862, where they were repulsed and went into winter camp across the Rappahannock River at White Oak Church. He was involved in the now famous "Burnside Mud March."
When the spring of 1863 campaign opened the 121st was sent off to make an attempt to link up with Gen. Hooker at Chancellorsville where a fierce fight was under way.
The 121st ran into a fierce fight at Salem Church, between Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville on the evening of 3 May, 1863. Many casualties, in deaths, wounding and capture. Captain Nelson O. Wendell, who was the leader of Company F was killed in that battle. Clarke Rice was appointed to take over Company F, as the new captain. (Not known who made the decision to place him in that position. Possible Col. Emory Upton, who was the leader of the regiment.)
He had the reputation among the other captains as being a very able leader. Some of those under him had some other ideas as he was strong on discipline and drill, which no doubt came from Upton who was much into this.
Again the 121st was repulsed and back on the other side of the Rappahannock eventually ended up in camp at White Plains, somewhere near Warrenton.
It was here that he started having medical problems, one being an ear ache. Dr. Daniel Holt, the surgeon of the 121st decided that he should be removed for observation and possible treatment, so was sent to a hospital in Georgetown, Washington D. C.
Once there his medical condition worsened and became critical. His family was notified and his brother Charles came down, arriving a day or so before he died of typhoid fever. It was his brother who took his body back to Fairfield, where a large funeral was held.
(Note: this biography was written by me, a great-great niece of Captain Nelson O. Wendell Co. F.)
Siblings:
Eleazer Carr married Sarah A. Ingham
Mary O. married Simeon Osborn
Caroline A. married William Harvey Ingham
George Hake
Daniel
Helen Nancy married Austin H. Coughlin
Charles married Maria Fuller Mills
Eventually he got the itchy feet for new places and went to Iowa where his sister Mary Osborn lived. It was soon after his arrival that she took sick and passed away. This was a wake up call for him and through this death of his sister, he seemed to grow up.
Back to Fairfield and the academy he went, where he buckled down and was doing very well, with his sights finally set on a career in law, when the war broke out.
Like so many of his age, he enlisted into the 121st New York Volunteer Infantry, later also referred to as "Upton's Regulars." He was placed in Capt. Clinton Moon's Company
C as a Sgt. He left Camp Schuyler near Albany with the regiment.
Saw some action at Antietam, then onto Fredericksburg in December of 1862, where they were repulsed and went into winter camp across the Rappahannock River at White Oak Church. He was involved in the now famous "Burnside Mud March."
When the spring of 1863 campaign opened the 121st was sent off to make an attempt to link up with Gen. Hooker at Chancellorsville where a fierce fight was under way.
The 121st ran into a fierce fight at Salem Church, between Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville on the evening of 3 May, 1863. Many casualties, in deaths, wounding and capture. Captain Nelson O. Wendell, who was the leader of Company F was killed in that battle. Clarke Rice was appointed to take over Company F, as the new captain. (Not known who made the decision to place him in that position. Possible Col. Emory Upton, who was the leader of the regiment.)
He had the reputation among the other captains as being a very able leader. Some of those under him had some other ideas as he was strong on discipline and drill, which no doubt came from Upton who was much into this.
Again the 121st was repulsed and back on the other side of the Rappahannock eventually ended up in camp at White Plains, somewhere near Warrenton.
It was here that he started having medical problems, one being an ear ache. Dr. Daniel Holt, the surgeon of the 121st decided that he should be removed for observation and possible treatment, so was sent to a hospital in Georgetown, Washington D. C.
Once there his medical condition worsened and became critical. His family was notified and his brother Charles came down, arriving a day or so before he died of typhoid fever. It was his brother who took his body back to Fairfield, where a large funeral was held.
(Note: this biography was written by me, a great-great niece of Captain Nelson O. Wendell Co. F.)
Siblings:
Eleazer Carr married Sarah A. Ingham
Mary O. married Simeon Osborn
Caroline A. married William Harvey Ingham
George Hake
Daniel
Helen Nancy married Austin H. Coughlin
Charles married Maria Fuller Mills
Growing up Clarke, as he was called was somewhat of a mischievous boy, not settling down, not interested in his studies, therefore not an achiever. He went to Fairfield Academy for a period of time, but did not apply himself.
Eventually he got the itchy feet for new places and went to Iowa where his sister Mary Osborn lived. It was soon after his arrival that she took sick and passed away. This was a wake up call for him and through this death of his sister, he seemed to grow up.
Back to Fairfield and the academy he went, where he buckled down and was doing very well, with his sights finally set on a career in law, when the war broke out.
Like so many of his age, he enlisted into the 121st New York Volunteer Infantry, later also referred to as "Upton's Regulars." He was placed in Capt. Clinton Moon's Company
C as a Sgt. He left Camp Schuyler near Albany with the regiment.
Saw some action at Antietam, then onto Fredericksburg in December of 1862, where they were repulsed and went into winter camp across the Rappahannock River at White Oak Church. He was involved in the now famous "Burnside Mud March."
When the spring of 1863 campaign opened the 121st was sent off to make an attempt to link up with Gen. Hooker at Chancellorsville where a fierce fight was under way.
The 121st ran into a fierce fight at Salem Church, between Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville on the evening of 3 May, 1863. Many casualties, in deaths, wounding and capture. Captain Nelson O. Wendell, who was the leader of Company F was killed in that battle. Clarke Rice was appointed to take over Company F, as the new captain. (Not known who made the decision to place him in that position. Possible Col. Emory Upton, who was the leader of the regiment.)
He had the reputation among the other captains as being a very able leader. Some of those under him had some other ideas as he was strong on discipline and drill, which no doubt came from Upton who was much into this.
Again the 121st was repulsed and back on the other side of the Rappahannock eventually ended up in camp at White Plains, somewhere near Warrenton.
It was here that he started having medical problems, one being an ear ache. Dr. Daniel Holt, the surgeon of the 121st decided that he should be removed for observation and possible treatment, so was sent to a hospital in Georgetown, Washington D. C.
Once there his medical condition worsened and became critical. His family was notified and his brother Charles came down, arriving a day or so before he died of typhoid fever. It was his brother who took his body back to Fairfield, where a large funeral was held.
(Note: this biography was written by me, a great-great niece of Captain Nelson O. Wendell Co. F.)
Siblings:
Eleazer Carr married Sarah A. Ingham
Mary O. married Simeon Osborn
Caroline A. married William Harvey Ingham
George Hake
Daniel
Helen Nancy married Austin H. Coughlin
Charles married Maria Fuller Mills
Eventually he got the itchy feet for new places and went to Iowa where his sister Mary Osborn lived. It was soon after his arrival that she took sick and passed away. This was a wake up call for him and through this death of his sister, he seemed to grow up.
Back to Fairfield and the academy he went, where he buckled down and was doing very well, with his sights finally set on a career in law, when the war broke out.
Like so many of his age, he enlisted into the 121st New York Volunteer Infantry, later also referred to as "Upton's Regulars." He was placed in Capt. Clinton Moon's Company
C as a Sgt. He left Camp Schuyler near Albany with the regiment.
Saw some action at Antietam, then onto Fredericksburg in December of 1862, where they were repulsed and went into winter camp across the Rappahannock River at White Oak Church. He was involved in the now famous "Burnside Mud March."
When the spring of 1863 campaign opened the 121st was sent off to make an attempt to link up with Gen. Hooker at Chancellorsville where a fierce fight was under way.
The 121st ran into a fierce fight at Salem Church, between Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville on the evening of 3 May, 1863. Many casualties, in deaths, wounding and capture. Captain Nelson O. Wendell, who was the leader of Company F was killed in that battle. Clarke Rice was appointed to take over Company F, as the new captain. (Not known who made the decision to place him in that position. Possible Col. Emory Upton, who was the leader of the regiment.)
He had the reputation among the other captains as being a very able leader. Some of those under him had some other ideas as he was strong on discipline and drill, which no doubt came from Upton who was much into this.
Again the 121st was repulsed and back on the other side of the Rappahannock eventually ended up in camp at White Plains, somewhere near Warrenton.
It was here that he started having medical problems, one being an ear ache. Dr. Daniel Holt, the surgeon of the 121st decided that he should be removed for observation and possible treatment, so was sent to a hospital in Georgetown, Washington D. C.
Once there his medical condition worsened and became critical. His family was notified and his brother Charles came down, arriving a day or so before he died of typhoid fever. It was his brother who took his body back to Fairfield, where a large funeral was held.
(Note: this biography was written by me, a great-great niece of Captain Nelson O. Wendell Co. F.)
Siblings:
Eleazer Carr married Sarah A. Ingham
Mary O. married Simeon Osborn
Caroline A. married William Harvey Ingham
George Hake
Daniel
Helen Nancy married Austin H. Coughlin
Charles married Maria Fuller Mills
Family Members
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