Riley A. Bird

Abt 1836 - 1864  (~ 28 years)

• Name	Riley A. Bird  [1]
  Born	Abt 1836	Vergennes, Addison Co., VT, USA   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Census	1860	Bristol, Addison Co., VT, USA   [2]
  Riley Bird (age 24) resided with his parents. He wasunmarried
  Military	Between 4 Oct 1861 and 5 May 1864	Civil War   [3]
  	Capt., Co. A, Vermont Infantry
  	Killed in action at the Battle of the Wilderness May 5,1864. Military Service Bristol, Vermont ENLISTED October 4, 1861 as a 1st Lieutenant MUSTERED October 15, 1861 UNIT Company A, 6th VermontInfantry TRANSFERRED n/a PROMOTED Promoted Captain on November 1, 1862 DISCHARGED n/a COMMENTS Killed in action on Play 5, 1864 at the battleof the Wilderness Excerpts from Benedict's "Vermont in the Civil War" Captain Riley A. Bird (of Bristol) of Company A, a soldierof rare merit especially distinguished himself on the firstday [ot the battle of the Wilderness] and died before itsclose. He was first wounded in the head and advised to goto the rear, but with the blood streaming down his face hesternly and even angrily refused, saying that it was 'thebusiness of no live man to go to the rear at such atime'. Soon a second musket ball struck him in the thigh.He retired a few steps, sat down, took off his sash, boundit round his leg and then resumed his place in the line. Athird bullet pierced his heart, and he fell dead with theword which he was cheering on his men cut short upon hislips. Sources: George C. Benedict, Vermont in the Civil War. AHistory of the Part taken by the Vermont Soldiers andSettlers in the War for the Union, 1861-5. Burlington, VT.Free Press Association (1886), Chapter X. Excerpts from the Official Records CAMP IN THE FIELD, VIRGINIA June 28, 1864 Captain A. Brown, Jr. A.A.A.G., Second Brigadier, Second Division, Sixth Corps SIR: I have the honor to snake the following report of thepart Taken by Ile Sixth Vermont Regiment in the battles ofthe Wilderness, Mao I: On the 5th of May we were ordered to take a position inthe second line of battle and on the left of theplank road. About noon we were ordered to charge the enemy.in this advance Colonel E. L Barney, Adjt. S. ft Lincoln,Captain C. W, Dwinell, Company C, First Lieutenant F. A.Holton , Company I, were wounded; Captain George C.Randall, Company F. Captain Riley A, Bird, Company A, andFirst Lieutenant Albert A. Crane, Company A, were killedOn the following day a general advance was ordered. Theline of battle in which the Sixth Regiment was placed,advanced upon the enemy in the morning. After engaging theenemy for about an hour, and having exhausted all ourammunition, we were ordered to the next line in rear. Inthese battles all officers and men fought bravely. Total loss the 5th and 6th of May; Officers, killed, 3;wounded, 4. Enlisted men, killed 31; wounded, 151;missing, 7, I have the honor to be sir, your most obedient servant. G. A. HALE, Lieutenant-Colonel,, Commanding Regiment Sources: The War of The Rebellion; A Compilation of theOfficial Records of the Union and Confederate archive,series 1, volume 36, part 1 (Wilderness-Cold Harbor),715-716. HEADQUARTERS FIRST VERMONT BRIGADE August 27,1864 Peter T. Washburn, Adjutant and Inspector General SIR: I have the honor to report that this Brigade crossedthe Rapidan May 4th, 1864, and encamped two miles south ofGermania Ford. On the morning of May 5th, we marched to Old Wildernesstavern and halted several hours. Soon after noon thisBrigade and two others, (the 1st and 4th of this Division,Brig. Gen. Getty commanding, were detached from the 6thCorps and ordered forward across the "old pike," and alongthe 'Brook" road, to where it crosses the plank roadleading from Chancellorsville to Orange Court House. Uponarriving at the cross roads, the first Brigade becameengaged with the enemy's advance, which was coming down theplank road driving before it a force of our Cavalry... One engaged In that terrible conflict may well pause toreflect upon the horrors of that night. Officers and menlay down to rest amidst the groans of the wounded anddying and the dead bodies of their comrades, as they werebrought to the rear. One thousand brave officers and men ofthe Vermont Brigade fell on that bloody field... The list of killed and wounded contains the names of someof the most valuable officers in the service. Of the Captains who were killed, or have subsequently diedfrom the effects of wounds, there were Capts. OrvilleBixby, of the 2d Regiment, Enoch H. Bartlett and ErastusBuck, of the 3rd Regiment; J. W. D. Carpenter, Dennis W.Farr and Daniel Lillie, of the 4th Regiment; A. R.Hurlburt, Geo. D. Davenport and Chas. J. Ormsbee, of the5th Regiment, Riley A Bird and George C. Randall, of the6th Regiment, each and all of whom were valuable officers.It is no disparagement to those who survive that theplaces of these Captains cannot be filled. It would be a pleasure to mention at length Individualcases of daring and noble heroism, but when all did sonoble it is impossible to further particularize. It was aterrible struggle— a time which truly "tried men'ssouls.' The memory of those who fell will be sacredlycherished among the true and tried patriots ofVermont; and those who survive, well may proudlysay. "I, too, was in the battles of theWilderness." I am, General. very respectfully, your obedient servant, LA. GRANT, Brigadier-General, Commanding Sources: The war of the Rebellion, A Compilation of theOfficial Records of the Union and Confederate Armies,series 1, volume 36, part 1 (Wilderness-Cold Harbor);696-701
  Died	5 May 1864	Battle of the Wilderness   [3]
  Buried	Greenwood Cemetery, Bristol, Addison Co., VT, USA   [3]
  Person ID	I204572	Sprague Project
  Last Modified	18 Jan 2021

  
  

  Father	Frederick Augustus Bird,   b. 23 Jan 1791, Worthington, Hampshire Co., MA, USA ,   d. 1861, CA, USA  (Age 69 years)
  Mother	Celomma [--?--],   b. Abt 1797, Vergennes, Addison Co., VT, USA ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Married	Y  [1]
  Family ID	F74013	Family Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - Abt 1836 - Vergennes, Addison Co., VT, USA Census - 1860 - Bristol, Addison Co., VT, USA Military - Capt., Co. A, Vermont Infantry - Between 4 Oct 1861 and 5 May 1864 - Civil War Died - 5 May 1864 - Battle of the Wilderness Buried - - Greenwood Cemetery, Bristol, Addison Co., VT, USA  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos		Bird, Riley (1836-1864)
  		I204572 Bird, Riley (1836-1864)

  
  

• Sources

  [S279] Correspondent: Bryant, Charles S., note of October 25th, 2003. [S2826] Correspondent: Bird, Roger, note of November 18, 2008. [S2826] Correspondent: Bird, Roger, note of September 12th, 2008.