Charles Wells Blakeslee Jr voluntarily enlisted on 26 Mar 1862 as a soldier in a volunteer regiment of Connecticut to serve the United States for three years, or during the war. He gave his age as 18 so that he could "answer the call" thus making sure his father would not have to go. On 1 Apr 1862, he was sworn in as a private in Company G, 1st Regiment of Connecticut Heavy Artilery at New Haven and was listed as having gray eyes, brown hair, dark complexion, and being five feet eight inches "high."
The first Regiment was ordered to the Peninsula, VA, in charge of the seige train for the army of the Potomac on April 2nd and participated in the seige of Yorktown 12-14 Apr, the battle of Hanover Court House on 27 May, and operations about Hanover C.H. 27-29 May. It also spent seven days before Richmond 25 Jun - 1 Jul, at Gaines Mill 27 Jun and Malvern Hill on 1 July and was at Harrison's Landing until 15 Aug 1862.
"Charlie" was "left sick in the Regimental Hospital at Cold Harbor," with the notation "Probably captured 27 Jun 1862." But on 1 Jul 1862, he is listed as sick in the general hospital, Baltimore MD, having been "left sick at Harrison's Landing, 1 Jul 1862." The Surgeon General reports that he "was admitted to Camden Street General Hospital, Baltimore MD, 3 Jul 1862 for treatrment for gunshot wound and Debilitas, and was discharged the service 15 Aug 1862 because of Phthisis Pulmonalis" -- which he referred to as Typhoid Fever.
When Charlie was discharged, his father was notified to come pick him up at the hospital in Baltimore. Word has come down that Charles, Senior, had a difficult time finding his way as, being illiterate, he was not able to read the street signs.
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