Townsend Lawrence Hatfield

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Townsend Lawrence Hatfield

Birth: Oct. 9, 1840, White Plains, Westchester County, New York.
Death: Oct. 27, 1887, Massena Springs, St. Lawrence County, New York.

Wife: Lucy M. Watkins Hatfield (1841 - 1882).

Burial: Old Pine Grove Cemetery, Massena, St. Lawrence County, New York.

New York State Records.

HATFIELD, TOWNSEND L.—Age, 21 years. Enrolled, August 1, 1861, at Westchester, to serve three years; mustered in as second lieutenant, Co. C, September 10, 1861; as first lieutenant, Co. F, December 29, 1862; transferred to Co. E, February 28, 1863; to Co. K, no date; to Signal Corps, January 20,1864. 'Commissioned second lieutenant, December 14,1861, with rank from September 10, 1861, original; first lieutenant, January 12, 1863, with rank from December 29,1862, vice S. K.Wallace, discharged; captain, not mustered, January 8, 1864, with rank from August 28, 1863, vice T. G. Vidal, declined.

Official Records of the Rebellion.

Report of Lieut. Townsend L. Hatfield, Forty-eighth New York Infantry, Acting Signal Officer. 

Authors note.  This is only part of his report.

 

On the morning of the 18th, I was ordered to report to the commanding officer of the right batteries for signal duty, as our forces were expected to attack Fort Wagner that day. I kept up signal
communication with the Tower Station on Gregg s Hill under a very heavy fire. At 6 p. m. our attacking columns came up, and I was ordered to the front with the advance regiment, by General Seymour, commanding United States forces on Morris Island. I kept up with the advance regiment until I was wounded by a discharge of canister from Fort Wagner. This was within 50 yards of the fort. Private C. Cotter, signal man, carried me to the rear, and would not leave me until I was safe.