MARCH 4, 1864.
FIRST NORTH CAROLINA INFANTRY (Colored)
Capt. Charles A. Jones. Among the brave men who fell in the recent disastrous engagement at Olustee, Florida was Capt. Charles A. Jones of the First North Carolina
(colored) regiment. Capt. Jones was a son of Jonathan Jones, Jr. of Malden and 23 years of age. He entered the army as a volunteer in the 21st Massachusetts regiment, accompanied Gen. Burnside in his victorious campaign in North Carolina, was in the second Bull Run battle, and fought also at South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg. On all these bloody fields and throughout all his service with the regiment, he behaved with such gallantry as to win the hearty approbation of his commanding officers, who united in recommending him for promotion in the 21st regiment, but he preferred to take a captain's commission in the 1st North Carolina regiment. After a long and gallant service he laid down his life for his country amid the swamps of Florida. The deceased possessed many excellent qualities of head and heart, and was beloved by all who knew him. The father of the deceased has had all his sons, three in number, in the army, and spend six months himself caring for the sick and wounded. One son is still in service with the 35th Mass. Regiment at Knoxville.
Article printed in the Boston Journal, 4 March 1864; pg 2, col. 3.
It is made available here through the courtesy of Thomas Hayes.
Thomas Hayes created an historical reference Web site, Letters of the Civil War, from the newspapers of the cities and towns of Massachusetts. He researched the Boston Herald, Chelsea Telegraph and Pioneer, Dedham Gazette, Roxbury Gazette, Randolph Transcript, Worcester Transcript and the Malden Messenger. Unfortunately, his site is no longer available.
Hayes stated, "I have filed, by date, a little over 3,300 letters. These are from the Soldiers, Sailors, Nurses, Correspondents and Politicans. This project started out as a simple endeavor to find that one letter from my Grandfather, Walter A. Hewes, who served in the 1st Mass. Infantry and 4th Mass. Cavalry. To date, no luck, but I have about 30 more papers to research."
Other Letters from Olustee
Battle of Olustee home page
http://battleofolustee.org/