PICTURES OF ROCHESTER, NH CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS
Dan Meehan of the Rochester Fire Department supplied these pictures of John and Luther Sampson. Thank you very much Dan!!!!!!!!!!
John Calvin Sampson - Click here to see a bigger version of the picture
Luther Sampson - Click here to see a bigger version of the picture
The Sampson Brothers - Civil War Heroes
In July 1864 John Sampson was on furlough and out of harm's way. He read that his regiment (the 9th NH Volunteer Regiment) was heading to the front to engage the enemy. Upon hearing this news John quit his furlough and rushed back to his regiment. On July 30, 1864 the 9th NH Volunteer Regiment fought in the Battle of the Crater.
The genesis of this battle occurred when General Grant was unable to take the fortifications that were protecting Petersburg, VA. He ordered a 511 foot tunnel dug to the Confederate positions. Within this tunnel was 4 tons of black powder. The black powder was exploded creating a huge hole (or crater) within the enemy lines. Union troops charged into the crater including John Sampson. The Union troops ended up being trapped in the crater when enemy troops rallied and charged into the crater. During this battle John Sampson was shot twice and died on the field of battle. The Union troops lost 4,400 men that day, General Grant called it "the saddest affair I have ever witnessed in the war". After the battle General Grant ordered that the bodies of the fallen soldiers be left on the field of battle and not be buried. Captain Luther Sampson's devotion to his brother was so strong that he donned the uniform of a private and located his brother's body under a flag of truce. Luther removed the belt buckle, buttons and suspenders from his brother just in case he was caught and not allowed to bring the body out. He was successful and was able to bring his brother's body out of the battlefield and finally to a train that sent John's body back to Rochester. The whole town of Rochester paticipated in the funeral of John Sampson. He was buried in the family cemetery on Sampson Road
