Community Corner
Coventry Roots: Casualties in the Civil War
The next four men in the series were all casualties on the same day during the Battle of Antietam, which is still considered the bloodiest battle in American History.
Willard P. Wilcox was born in West Greenwich and was the son of Varnum P. and Martha Wilcox. In 1860 he was a resident of Summit where he worked as a laborer. Willard enrolled September 5, 1861, and mustered in October 30, 1861, as a Corporal in Company B 4th Rhode Island. He was 25 years 4 months old when he was killed in action at Antietam on September 17, 1862.
Willard is buried in the Antietam National Cemetery, Sharpsburg, Maryland. Six other Coventry Men served in the 4th Rhode Island in the Civil War – John Matteson, Edward McDonald, Samuel Myrick, Cromwell P. Myrick, Josiah and Jeremiah Moon. The only one to survive was Jeremiah Moon.
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John A. Matteson was born in 1822 in Coventry and was the son of Cory and Elizabeth (Potter) Matteson. He was a Private in Company D 4th Rhode Island after he enrolled and mustered in on August 8, 1862.
John was 42 years 1 month and 10 days old when he was killed in action at Antietam, Maryland, on September 17, 1862, having served only a short 40 days. His grave marker is in Historical Coventry Cemetery #45, Matteson Family Cemetery Coventry.
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Edwin Stone was the son of Richard and Lucy (Abbott) Stone and was born in 1828 in Coventry. He was married March 25, 1860, in Warwick to Phebe Randall. Edwin was enrolled on August 15, 1862, as a Private in Battery A 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery in Providence by Major Sanford.
He was 34 years old when he was killed in action at Antietam, Maryland, on September 17, 1862, and is buried in the Antietam National Cemetery, Sharpsburg, Maryland.
Josiah Moon was born in West Greenwich in 1836 the son of Oliver and Nancy Moon and a twin to Jeremiah Moon. He was married by Paul Harrington, Minister of the Gospel, to Ann Mirah Kingsley on July 1, 1860, in Coventry. The wedding was witnessed by Paul Harrington and Stephen C. Wait. Before the war, he was a mill operative. Josiah enrolled on September 5, 1861, and mustered in October 30, 1861, as a Private in Company B 4th Rhode Island.
In November 1861 while Josiah was away in the service, the Town of Coventry voted to remove Ann Mirah Moon and her child, about 4 weeks old, from Coventry to West Greenwich. Josiah was 26 years old when he was killed in action at Antietam, Maryland, on September 17, 1862, and is buried in the Antietam National Cemetery, Sharpsburg, Maryland. His twin brother, Jeremiah, also served in the same company and survived the war.