Pvt Charles D. Percy
| Charles Percy Percy, Charles D. (also spelled Percey) Born: March 1847, Granby, Connecticut Died: April 8, 1901, Middletown, Connecticut Burial: Old North Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut Occupation: Laborer > Barber > Coachman Enlisted: December 14, 1863, New Haven, Connecticut Unit: 29th Connecticut Colored Infantry Regiment Company: C Rank: Private --------------------------- Charles D. Percy was born in Granby, Connecticut in March of 1847. His parents were Nancy Peterson and Leonard Percy. Charles was the fifth of twelve children, which included three sets of twins. He spent most of his childhood growing up in Granby. In the 1860 Federal census, thirteen-year-old Charles is listed in the Windsor, Connecticut household of Anson Loomis, who was part of the prominent Loomis family in the area. The only Black person in the household, it’s likely he was working for the family. On December 1, 1863, Charles Percy’s older brother, Earl D. Percy, made his way to New Haven, Connecticut, enlisting in the 29th Connecticut Colored Regiment. Earl was placed in Company C. Earl Percy’s enlistment would prove to be the catalyst to a chain of enlistments by Percy men. On December 14, 1863, likely inspired by his brother Earl, Charles Percy also made his way to New Haven to enlist. He would have been age sixteen at the time, but in providing his age, Charles said he was eighteen and therefore was allowed to enlist. He was placed in Company C with his older brother. On December 26, 1863, likely inspired by the enlistments of his brothers Earl and Charles, Sylvester Percy made his way to New Haven to also enlist. Although his brothers were placed together in Company C, Sylvester was placed in Company G. On January 15, 1864, Sylvester is listed as deserting, deciding instead not to continue with his enlistment. On January 2, 1864, either fearing for the safety of his sons or inspired by their bravery, Leonard Percy, the father of Earl, Charles and Sylvester, traveled to New Haven to enlist. He was placed in Company C of the 30th Connecticut Colored Regiment, which was an overflow regiment created as the ranks of the 29th were approaching capacity. Leonard Percy would have been around 57 years old at the time—but like his son Charles, he appears to have falsified his age to be allowed to enlist. He said he was 43. From May 31 thru June 12, 1864, the 31st USCT served as part of Union forces in the Battle of Cold Harbor. This occurred near Mechanicsville, Virginia. Union forces suffered an estimated 13,000 casualties. One of those casualties was Charles Percy’s father, Leonard Percy, who was wounded on June 12, 1864. Leonard was sent to L’Ouverture Hospital, a Union hospital in Alexandria, Virginia. L’Ouverture Hospital was built in February 1864, specifically for Black soldiers and freed people. This speaks to the sentiment of the times, Black men serving segregated from white regiments, and in cases like this, treated at segregated hospital facilities. There, amid hundreds of other sick and wounded United States Colored Troops, Leonard Percy remained for nearly two months before dying on August 1. Leonard Percy was buried in the Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia—a burial ground established for African Americans during the Civil War. Understanding the injustice in segregating these men in service, hospitalization and burial, 400 Black soldiers recuperating at L’Ouverture Hospital submitted a petition for the right to burial alongside White men. Below is a portion of the petition: “As American citizens, we have a right to fight for the protection of her flag, that right is granted, and we are now sharing equally the dangers and hardships in this mighty contest and should share the same privileges and rights of burial in every way with our fellow soldiers who only differ from us in color. We ask that our bodies may find a resting place in the ground designated for the burial of the brave defenders of our countries flag.” The petition resulted in the January 1865 disinterment of approximately 118 Black soldiers, reburied with full military honors in Alexandria National Cemetery. Leonard Percy was one of the men disinterred. Unfortunately, Black civilians buried at the Cemetery were not given the same dignity. In 1955, the Cemetery was paved over to make way for a gas station… office space later built on the site. The graves of over 1,700 Black people, many of them formerly enslaved, paved over and forgotten. The site was rediscovered and purchased by local citizens and activists, added to the National Registry of Historic places in 2012, with a monument added in 2014 in memory of the soles still buried there unmarked. Charles and Earl surely heard about the death of their father, which must have weighed heavily on them both. At the time of Leonard Percy’s death, Charles was still fighting for freedom and Earl had already been discharged from service. On July 12, 1864, Earl was diagnosed with Pulmonary Tuberculosis. The illness was documented as having existed prior to his enlistment; therefore, Earl was discharged with a note that he could never apply for a pension. With his brother Sylvester deserting in January 1864, his brother Earl discharged due to illness in July 1864, and his father Leonard dying in August 1864, Charles Percy was now at war without his family. At 17 years old, he was now alone. Charles Percy would serve out the remainder of the war, returning to Connecticut. On April 14, 1868, he married Mary Elizabeth Evans in Hartford. They had a son named Clarence L. Percy around 1869. The family can be seen in the 1880 census living in Hartford. On December 22, 1896, Charles Percy’s wife Mary died. Her death was reported in the Hartford Courant the following day. Charles Percy was now a widower. On December 28, 1897, Charles married Elizabeth Robinson in Hartford. In the 1900 census, the couple is listed as living on Lafayette Street in Hartford, which is where Charles was living with his prior wife on her death. Charles Percy died on April 8, 1901. His death was reported in the Hartford Courant on April 10. His obituary indicates that at the time of his death, he was in the Hospital for the Insane in Middletown, Connecticut. Along with acknowledging his military service, his obituary also indicates he previously served as the coachman for Senator Henry Roberts, a prominent Republican politician and businessman from Hartford who was also the 61st Governor of Connecticut from 1905 to 1907. Charles Percy is buried at Old North Cemetery in Hartford, Connecticut. |