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 was unmarried
  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 Vermont Infantry TRANSFERRED n/a PROMOTED Promoted Captain on November 1, 1862 DISCHARGED n/a COMMENTS Killed in action on Play 5, 1864 at the battle of the  Wilderness Excerpts from Benedict's "Vermont in the Civil War" Captain Riley A. Bird (of Bristol) of Company A, a soldier of rare merit especially distinguished himself on the first day [ot the battle of the  Wilderness] and died before its close. He was first wounded in the  head and advised to go to the rear, but with the blood streaming down his face he sternly and even angrily refused, saying that it was 'the  business of no live man to go to the rear at such a time'.  Soon a second  musket ball struck him in the thigh. He retired a few steps, sat down,  took off his sash, bound it round his leg and then resumed his place in the line. A third bullet pierced his heart, and he fell dead with the word which he was cheering on his men cut short upon his lips. Sources: George C. Benedict, Vermont in the Civil War.  A History of the Part taken by the Vermont Soldiers and Settlers 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 the part Taken by  Ile Sixth Vermont Regiment in the battles of the Wilderness, Mao I: On the 5th of May we were ordered to take a position in the second line of battle and on the left of the plank 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, and First Lieutenant  Albert A. Crane, Company A, were killed On the following day a general advance was ordered. The line of battle in which the Sixth  Regiment  was placed, advanced upon the enemy in the morning. After engaging the enemy for about an hour, and having exhausted all our  ammunition, we were ordered to the next line in rear. In these 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 the Official 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 crossed the Rapidan May 4th, 1864, and encamped two miles south of Germania Ford. On the morning of May 5th, we marched to Old Wilderness tavern and  halted several hours. Soon after noon this Brigade and two others, (the 1st and 4th of this Division, Brig. Gen. Getty commanding, were  detached from the 6th Corps and ordered forward across the "old pike,"  and along the 'Brook" road, to where it crosses the plank road leading  from Chancellorsville to Orange Court House. Upon arriving at the cross roads, the first Brigade became engaged with the enemy's advance, which was coming down the plank road driving before it a force of our Cavalry... One engaged In that terrible conflict may well pause to reflect upon the  horrors of that night. Officers and men lay down to rest amidst the  groans of the wounded and dying and the dead bodies of their  comrades, as they were brought to the rear. One thousand brave officers and men of the Vermont Brigade fell on that bloody field... The list of killed and wounded contains the names of some of the most valuable officers in the service. Of the Captains who were killed, or have subsequently died from the  effects of wounds, there were Capts. Orville Bixby, of the 2d Regiment,  Enoch H. Bartlett and Erastus Buck, 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 the 5th Regiment,  Riley A Bird and George C. Randall, of the 6th Regiment, each and all of whom were valuable officers. It is no disparagement to those who  survive that the places of these Captains cannot be filled. It would be a pleasure to mention at length Individual cases of daring  and noble heroism, but when all did so noble it is impossible to further particularize.  It was a terrible struggle—    a time which truly "tried men's  souls.' The memory of those who fell will be sacredly cherished among the true and tried patriots of Vermont; and those who survive, well may proudly say. "I, too, was in the battles of the Wilderness." I am, General. very respectfully, your obedient servant, LA. GRANT, Brigadier-General, Commanding Sources: The war of the Rebellion, A Compilation of the Official 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	16 Jun 2020

  
  

  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 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)

  
  

• 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.