Page 38 - Family History
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Family Stories
volunteers (the 44th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment) called itself the
“Ellsworth Avengers” as well as “The People’s Ellsworth Regiment.”
Relics associated with Ellsworth’s death became prized souvenirs. The
Smithsonian and Bates College’s Special Collections Library have pieces of the
Confederate flag that Ellsworth was removing when he was shot. In 1894,
Brownell’s widow was offering to sell small pieces of the flag for $10 and $15
each. The New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center in
Saratoga Springs has most of the flag itself and Ellsworth’s uniform, showing
the hole from the fatal shot.
Col. Elmer Ellsworth died on May 24, 1861 – Elmer Ellsworth Fisher was born
less than a month later – June 22, 1861 .
Side Note: In all fairness, the innkeeper James W. Jackson became the same
“first blood” martyr as Ellsworth – only for the Confederates! He had his share
of namesakes as well.
Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmer E. Ellsworth
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