Josiah B. Philbrick, Company D, 15th New Hampshire Infantry

 By  Robert W. Philbrook

(Originally published in the September 2001 PPFA Newsletter)

JOSIAH BRADBURY⁹ PHILBRICK  (LEVI B.⁸, JONATHAN⁷, NATHAN⁶, JAMES⁵, EBENEZER⁴, JAMES³, JAMES², THOMAS¹) was born October 15, 1837 and was son of Levi Philbrick & Meribah T. (Seavey.)    While surviving the rigors of military life and the battle of Port Hudson, Louisiana, Josiah would contract typhoid fever during the muster out of his unit.  He was carried to the home of his wife’s parents in Warner, N.H. and died there on October 2, 1863 at the age of 24 years.  The book, “History of 15th New Hampshire Volunteers,” gives the following description of Josiah:

“(Josiah) was well educated in the public schools and Pembroke and New London academies.  An inordinate reader, ready writer, and superior public speaker; a patriotic and brave soldier, popular with his comrades and beloved by all who knew him.  Buried with military honors in South Deerfield, N.H., deeply lamented.  A comrade writes of him as follows: ‘Josiah B. Philbrick, better known as “Brad,” was one of those indispensable persons in camp life; intelligent, quick witted, and humorous, in fact a fist-class anecdote relater, never lacking for a story to fit the occasion, making brightness and sunshine to break the monotony of army life.  Being a good cook, he was detailed as such until we moved up the river to Port Hudson, where he took part in the siege of that place.’  He participated in all the hardships and dangers of the siege – worked in the trenches, and on battery sixteen, served as sharpshooter and on the picket line, and was in the two great battles of May 27 and June 14.”

A letter from Josiah to a comrade’s wife describes their camp life while serving at Camp Parapet in Carrollton, Louisiana.  Below are portions of that letter and it is dated February 21, 1863:

“Dear Mrs. Batchelder:

We were notified to-night that a mail would go North to-morrow, and as Mr. Batchelder is on guard, he wished me to write to you.  We have moved our camp some two miles since we landed here, and we are now encamped in a very important position, as there is a chain of heavy fortifications extending five miles from the river to the lake, all mounted with heavy guns for the defense of New Orleans.”

“There are about 15,000 men here and in New Orleans, and some 4, 000 are up the river at Baton Rouge, who will in all probability, and perhaps before this reaches you, make an attempt to reduce the rebel stronghold at Port Hudson.  Many gunboats have gone up the river within a few days, and heavy fighting may be expected there.  But you are as well posted as we are on that part of the operations, by the newspapers.  I believe the Mississippi river is soon to be opened, and if it is, it will be the greatest blow which can befall the rebellion – much more damaging than the fall of Richmond would be.”

“We have lost four by death out of our company.  Wesley Fife, of Deerfield, was the first to go; since which time Edward P. Lane of Candia, Charles S. Marston of Chichester, and Charles F. Smith of Deerfield, have died.  Mr. Batchelder was sick a fortnight or so.  He did not go to the hospital; however, he is now well, and has been on duty several days.”

“There are thousand of negroes here, who have run away from their masters and who are now at work on the fortifications, cutting wood and driving teams, and other similar work.  They are much more intelligent and capable than I ever supposed them to be.  There is a battery here of negro soldiers who are well drilled and disciplined, and handle their heavy guns like veterans.

Yours truly,  J. Brad. Philbrick.”

Sources:

Jacob Chapman, Philbrick & Philbrook Families

Charles McGregor, History of the 15^th New Hampshire Volunteers