Oliver P Harwood

  General Notes:

Researcher Joe Harland on Rootsweb

P. Harwood Pgs 804 - 805 P. Harwood, of Oasis, Wis., a member of G. A. R. Post, No. 135, at Wautoma, he was born Feb. 6, 1826, in
Bangor, Franklin Co., N. Y., where he resided with his parents until he reached manhood, and was married Sept.
24, 1850, to Elizabeth Stienbarge. this marriage there were four sons, who are married and live in Iowa and Dakota, and the second son died soon after he was married. In 1854 he came with his family to Wisconsin, locating in Waushara County, where he was a farmer until the war, and he enlisted Feb. 10, 1862, in Company I, 5th Wisconsin Infantry, at Berlin, for three years. He joined his command while it was a member of King's Brigade, and was soon after transferred to that of Gen. Hancock, and in March started for Manassas, but the action there being at an end, returned to Alexandria and made connection with the forces of McClellan for the
Peninsular campaign. He was in the attack at Lee's Mills, on Warwick River, and went to the Battle of Williamsburg,
fought in the succeeding actions in which his regiment was involved, at Fredericksburg, Yorktown, Rappahannock
Station, Mine Run, Antietam and Gettysburg, and on the first day's fight in the Battle of the Wilderness he was taken a prisoner. He had previously veteranized and taken his furlough and on the day mentioned was one of a detail to guard a train. He was stationed on the extreme left of the skirmish line, when they were attacked by a brigade of rebels. He was several rods from his comrades, and when he was captured he informed the rebels that a strong force of troops were lying a little back from the stream. They believed him and did not advance, and by this ruse he saved the wagon train, which they would have otherwise captured. He was taken to Orange Court House, where the bulk of his personal possessions was taken from him, and he was removed successively to Gordonsville, Lynchburg and Danville to Andersonville. He was captured May 5, and reached Andersonville May 23, where he remained until Sept. 12, when he was sent to Florence, S. C. Late in the month of February, with a number of other prisoners, he was paroled and sent to Wilmington, and for an account of the march of that forlorn hope see sketch of J. H. Jenkins, on another page. The sufferings of Mr. Harwood were the same as those recounted in numberless other cases on these pages, and his health was shattered in a terrible manner. He had the scurvy so badly that all his teeth
fell out and he has never since seen a well day. Mr. Harwood, the subject of this sketch, states that many men
died from lack of ambition and energy sufficient to move about and take care of themselves. He was the first man
who did shoemaking at Andersonville. For a hammer he had an iron nut or bur, which was stolen from a railroad car,
and on which he put a stick for a handle, and he made lasts of pieces of boards. He had previously done some cobbling,
but had not learned the trade. He picked up old shoes, which he repaired, or made new ones. For thread he had the
ravelings of a piece of English tent cloth, and he obtained needles, which he heated to make them flexible. For pegs
he took the heart of a pine tree, and made them one at a time with a case knife. He made up his mind that he could
never get out of prison and determined to make the best of it, and he went to work in order to be employed and to earn
something to keep himself alive. He was for some time the only shoemaker in the stockade, rising early in the morning
and working late at night by the light of pitch pine knots. The money he earned he used to the best advantage in
relieving the necessities of himself and companions. After a while others began to make shoes and it became quite
a business. His pegging awl and case knife, which he had brought from Wisconsin, he managed to secrete when he was
taken prisoner, and he smuggled them into prison at Andersonville, and carried them with him to Florence, where he
carried on his business also. He kept his razor with him, which he carried clear through and used it in shaving his
fellow prisoners. At Wilmington he was paroled and went to Annapolis, where he was very nearly burned to death in
a tent that took fire. In 1862, while on a reconnaissance from Yorktown, with a number of comrades, he came near
capture. The detachment was overnight within the rebel lines and was given up for lost. At Andersonville he gave
ten cents a spoonful for salt, and only drew salt rations twice. He gave a greenback dollar for a pound of salt
that had just been taken from a pork barrel. Some times the men who went out to gather wood would be allowed to
bring in an extra stick for their own use and they sometimes bought beans and other food from citizens where they
chopped, and smuggled such articles as they bought into the prison. A common method was to split a log, make it
hollow and place the provisions inside and fasten it together by wedges which passed through both pieces. This was
discovered by the authorities by reason of the hollow logs being carelessly exposed. Every kind of provision was sold
at fabulous prices. At Annapolis, Md., Mr. Harwood received a furlough and returned to Wisconsin. The war closed before
his leave of absence expired and he did not rejoin his command. the war he has lived in Waushara County. For the last twenty-two years he has lived in Oasis, Wis. was married Aug. 25, 1867, to Lucy E. Cummings and they have had four children: Mary L., eldest daughter, is married to Albert B. Straw, of Wautoma; George H. died July 10, 1879. Lulu M. and Rosa B. are unmarried. Oliver P. HARWOOD
Sex: M
Birth: 06 FEB 1826 in Bangor, Franklin Co., NY
Residence: 1830 Fort Covington, Franklin Co., NY
Residence: 22 AUG 1850 Moira, Franklin Co., NY
Residence: 1857 Will Co., IL
Residence: 12 JUL 1860 Marrion, Waushara Co., WI
Residence: 09 JUL 1870 Oasis, Waushara Co., WI
Residence: 09 JUN 1880 Oasis, Waushara Co., WI
Residence: 21 APR 1910 Plainfield, Waushara Co, WI
Death: 15 OCT 1910 in Plainfield, Waushara Co, WI
Burial: 17 OCT 1910 Dearfield
PROP: Waushara Co., WI 02 APR 1857
MILI: Co. I, 5th Regiment Wisconsin Infantry 10 FEB 1862 15
Occupation: Farmer
Note: He served in the Union army, enlisting 10 FEB 1862 in Co. I., 5th Regt. Wisconsin Infantry. In Oct 1910 a Lucy E. Harwood filed for pension benefits.

Father: Heman HARWOOD b: 19 DEC 1794 in Weathersfield, Windsor Co., VT
Mother: Mary STOWELL b: 03 DEC 1794 in Winchester, Cheshire Co, NH

Marriage 1 Abigail Elizabeth STEENBERG b: 13 JAN 1830 in Shefford Co., Quebec
Married: 24 SEP 1850 in Bangor, Franklin Co., NY 19 2

Marriage 2 Lucy E. CUMMINGS b: 11 DEC 1841 in Portland, Cumberland Co, ME
Married: 25 AUG 1867

Oliver married Lucy Elizabeth Cummings on 25 Aug 1867. (Lucy Elizabeth Cummings was born on 11 Dec 1841 in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine and died on 22 Apr 1924 in Marshfield, Wood Co., WI.)