Natick's Civil War Service: A History and Roster by Tom A.C. Ellis

By: Tom A.C. Ellis, Jr.

Natick acted swiftly to defend our nation in the Civil War, reacting to the calamity 29 years before the outbreak of the war. It was 1832, when the Natick Antislavery Society was created. In 1841, she formed a militia, the Natick’s Mechanic Rifle Company.

It is not known, but estimated that Natick’s quota of men throughout the war would be under 400 men after exemptions. The Commonwealth’s Adjutant General accredited Natick with the service of 496 men, well above her obligations. Natick served in about 60% of the 114 military organizations created by Massachusetts.

She provided men for complete companies in two different regiments; that is about one hundred men in each company. They were the 13th Mass. Co. “H” and the 39th Mass. Co.”I”. Unfortunately, those regiments were in many precarious situations. Natick men severely paid for Union losses with 33 killed in action, 18 died from wounds, 45 from disease, 39 were taken as prisoners of war, and 130 became disabled and were given disability discharges.

Massachusetts, throughout the war, would raise three organizations to be manned by men of African descent. In those organizations, the 54th Mass Vol. Inf., 55th Mass. Vol. Inf., and the 5th Mass. Vol. Cav., Natick supplied seven officers and five enlisted men. In the United States Colored Infantries, Natick supplied fourteen officers and one enlisted man. She also supplied four enlisted men to the United States Navy. There were three officers and twenty-five enlisted men that served in these organizations, who were accredited to other municipalities, but they became citizens of Natick.
On the home front, the women of Natick exceeded all expectations. They formed an Auxiliary Association of the United States Sanitary Commission. While tending the fires on the home front, they provided supplies and comfort needed for the survival of their citizen soldiers.

Natick surpassed all duty required of her for the preservation of our Nation in the Great War of the Rebellion, at the seat of war, and on the home front. It is this book’s intention that her resolute service is never forgotten.