Benjamin Addison Sawyer, M.D.
U. S. Army Steward, Assistant Surgeon, Harvard Medical School Graduate, U. S. Navy
U. S. Army Steward, U. S. Navy Assistant Surgeon, U. S. Navy Surgeon
Acting Assistant Surgeon 9 February 1865. Honorably discharged 10 October 1865
Name: Benjamin Addison Sawyer
Cause of death: heart disease
Death date: May 28, 1920
Place of death: Haverhill, MA
Birth date: 1843
Type of practice: Allopath
Practice specialties: GS General Surgery
States and years of licenses: MA, 1894
Places and dates of practices: Haverhill, MA, Nov 5, 1913, Bradford, MA, Sep 16, 1913, Oct 14, 1915
Medical school: Harvard Medical School, Boston, 1865, (G)
Dr. Benjamin Addison Sawyer
Benjamin Addison Sawyer
Harvard men in the Civil War: Benjamin A Sawyer MD, 65 was with the Army of the James for three months in 64. He had been Hospital Steward in the 50th Massachusetts Volunteers in 62
History of the 50th Mass. Vol.: B. A . Sawyer Hospital Steward, Haverhill 20, Mustered in Nov 11 1862 mustered out Aug 24 1863. Subsequent service assistant surgeon United States Navy. Present residence Haverhill
Enlisted 21AUG1862 as a pvt; 20; Residence: Haverhill, MA; Occupation: Druggist; Mustered in 19 SEP1862 MA 50 Inf, Co. F; Promotions: Hospital Steward NOV 1862.
Mustered out 24 AUG 1863 at Wenham, MA.
Enlisted 9 FEB 1865 as Acting Assistant Surgeon; Commissioned 9 FEB 1865 US NAVY; Served on USS Lexington.
Discharged 10 OCT 1865.
Born 6 MAR 1843 Boscawen, NH; of Benjamin E 1811-1879 + Lucy Noyes 1813-1849.
Married Elizabeth George 1844-; Children: Annie Frances 1869.
1850: Concord, Middlesex, MA; Age 7; Living w/family; Born in NH.
1860: Haverhill, Essex, MA; Age 17; Occupation: Clerk; Living wfamily; NH.
1870: Haverhill, Essex, MA; Age 25; Married; Occupation: Physician.
1880: Duxbury, Plymouth, MA; Married; Occupation: Physician; NH,MA,MA,MA.
1888: GAR Medical Director MA Post 47 Haverhill, MA.
1895: GAR 29th National Encampment, Louisville, KY; Residence, Haverhill.
1900: Haverhill, Essex, MA; Age 43; Married 33 yrs; Occupation: Clerk in (?) house.
1910 Haverhill, Essex, MA; Age 67; Married 44 yrs; Occupation: (?) agent; 1 child, 1 living.
1920: Haverhill, Essex, MA: Age 76; Married; Occupation: none.
Pension: Invalid JUL1890 525208.
GAR: MA Post 47 Haverhill, MA.
Died: 28MAY1920 Bradford, MA; Buried Elmwood Cem, Bradford, MA.
Civil War Naval Officer Benjamin Addison Sawyer. The cdv photographer is Judkins of Haverhill, Massachusetts. There is a two cent proprietary stamp on the reverse. Sawyer became an Acting Assistant Surgeon in 1865. He was honorably discharged in 1865.
He was assigned to the Mississippi Squadron as an acting assistant surgeon. He graduated from the Harvard University Medical School in 1865. (Documents from Harvard Medical regarding Sawyer)
Prior to his Naval service, Sawyer was a Hospital Steward with the 50th Mass. V. M. Nov., 1862, Mustered out 24 Aug., 1863, Acting Assistant Surgeon U. S. A. 1864, Army of the James for three months.
50th Regiment Infantry (7th Massachusetts Volunteer Militia)
Organized at Boxford. Moved to New York November 19-20, 1862, thence sailed for New Orleans, La. (Cos. "A," "E" and "K"), on Steamer "Jersey Blue," December 11. Transferred to "Guerrilla" at Hilton Head, S.C., and arrived at New Orleans January 20, 1863. Company "I" sailed on Steamer "New Brunswick" December 1, arriving at Baton Rouge, La., December 16, and temporarily attached to 30th Massachusetts. Companies "B," "C," "D," "F," "G" and "H" sailed on Steamer "Niagara" December 13, but returned to Philadelphia, Pa., December 16. Again sailed from Philadelphia January 9, 1863, on Ship "Jenny Lind," arriving at Fortress Monroe, Va., January 13, where Companies "B," "D" and "H" were transferred to Ship "Monticello," and arrived at New Orleans January 27, but were detained at Quarantine until April, Joining Regiment at Baton Rouge April 2. Companies "C," "F" and "G" arrived at New Orleans February 9 and at Baton Rouge February 14. Attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 19th Army Corps, Dept. of the Gulf, to July, 1863. SERVICE.--Duty at Baton Rouge until March 14, 1863. Reconnaissance toward Port Hudson March 7-27. Expedition to Bayou Montecito April 19. At Baton Rouge until May 12, At White's Bayou May 12-26 (Cos. "A," "B," "C" and "I"). Siege of Port Hudson May 26-July 9. Assaults on Port Hudson May 27 and June 14. Surrender of Port Hudson July 9. Garrison duty at Port Hudson until July 29. Moved to Boston, Mass., via Cairo, Ill., July 29-August 11. Mustered out August 24, 1863. Regiment lost during service 2 Enlisted men killed and 1 Officer and 100 Enlisted men by disease. Total 103.
The Army of the James was a Union Army that was composed of units from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina and served along the James River during the final operations of the American Civil War in Virginia.
The Union Departments of Virginia and North Carolina merged in 1863. Troops from these departments formed the XVIII Corps. In April, 1864, the X Corps was transferred from the Department of the South and the two corps formed the Army of the James. Major General Benjamin F. Butler was placed in command.
During Lieutenant General Ulysses Grant's Overland Campaign in 1864, Butler made several unsuccessful attempts at Petersburg and Richmond. At the Battle of Cold Harbor the XVIII Corps was sent to act under the Army of the Potomac. The XVIII Corps also participated in the Siege of Petersburg. During the siege the Army of the James was mainly involved in the investment of Richmond.
Butler's only major success as commander of the army was in September, 1864, at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm, in which the army took a significant portion of the Confederate works guarding Richmond, including Fort Harrison. In December the Army was reorganized and the XVIII and X Corps were for the time discontinued. All the black troops in the army were formed into the XXV Corps and the white troops into the XXIV Corps and the Departments of Virginia and North Carolina were separated. Units from the former XVIII Corp and X Corps were formed into the "Fort Fisher Expeditionary Corps" and sailed to Fort Fisher. Butler used his position as department commander to assume personal command of the expedition, but after his failure at the First Battle of Fort Fisher, Grant took the opportunity to relieve Butler of command. Major General Edward Ord, hero of Chaffin's Farm, was placed in command of the Army of the James.
Under Ord's leadership the Army of the James was to achieve its greatest success. The XXIV Corps participated in the final assaults on Petersburg, while the XXV Corps was the first unit to enter the fallen city of Richmond. Ord and the XXIV Corps followed the Confederates to Appomattox Court House where they cut off Robert E. Lee's escape route. The Army of the James was then present at the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia.
