Page 10 - North Haven Magazine Issue 28 Spring 2023

ANDERSONVILLE
ANDERSONVILLE
The North Haven - by Marisa Hexter

Prison Connection

rom 1861 until 1865, the United States of America was divided by war. A war that many
Fbelieved would end in an irreparable rupture of the country. The “War Between the States”
divided the country in many ways; socially, economically, and politically. No one was excluded
from this fractured part of history; including North Haven citizens. In 1860, the population of
North Haven was 1,865. Around this time many were farmers, but slowly industrializing busi-
nesses were making their way into the town. In total, 102 men from North Haven served in the
Union. These men dispersed through 17 different regiments with the most men serving in the
15th and 11th Infantries. Of those 102 men who said goodbye to their hometown to serve 11
died, 7 were killed, 8 were wounded, 11 were captured, and 16 deserted their positions. The most
tragic day for the North Haven community was on May 3, 1863, when four North Haven soldiers
died in battle and another 4 were captured by the Confederacy in Chancellorsville, Virginia. No
North Haven soldiers died in captivity. There are a few written histories of the terrors which
some North Haven soldiers endured in Confederate Prisons. Alfred Arlington Howarth was
one of those men who was wounded in battle, captured, and imprisoned for seven months; but
survived to tell his tale.
A photo of Howarth in Union Soldier Uniform
during the 19th century, Alfred went on to
find work in the carriage body-making trade.
During this time he worked in New Haven. Af- only 97 pounds, with poor health and a serious
ter about five years of working, the Civil War wound. After a while, Alfred settled back into
broke out. Howarth was one of the first men in his family home in town, marrying Ellen Brad-
North Haven to sign up to enlist. On Septem- ley in 1869, and went on to have five children.
ber 7, 1861, Alfred was officially a Private in Unable to work in his trade anymore because
the 6th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, under of his injury, Howarth became a full-time suc-
the command of Captain Louis C. Allen and cessful farmer and stayed in North Haven until
Colonel John Lyman Chatfield for a three-year his death.
service. Howarth saw many battles during his
active service: Hilton Head, Pocotaligo, James The Civil War spared no person, community,
Island, Fort Secessionville, Jacksonville, Morris or family. All were affected by the atrocities
Island, Fort Wagner, Bermuda Hundred, Ches- caused during the turbulent four-year peri-
ter Station, and Drewry’s Bluff. od of American history. Alfred Howarth was
A symbol with the number of men who served one of many men who eagerly enlisted to help
in the Civil War from North Haven Drewry’s Bluff was Alfred Howarth’s last phys- fight for a cause they believed in, and within
But before we tell his story, one must know ical battle, but his biggest challenges were the same group of men, he also endured great
hardship. Yet, Alfred persevered and survived;
ahead. Not only was he taken prisoner by
about the horrors of the Civil War prisons for the Confederacy, but Howarth was seriously to live a long, happy, and successful life right
captured soldiers. During the four years of war, wounded. During the battle, a bayonet from here in his hometown of North Haven.
over 600,000 men total were prisoners of war the opposing side was aimed at his heart. But
in the country. Quickly, these prison camps just in time, Alfred put his hand up to protect
became overcrowded. Disease, lack of medical himself. While the weapon did not pierce his
faculties and sanitation, and insufficient food torso, it severely injured his hand. On May 16,
led to many prisoners falling ill and dying. 1864, Howarth and many other Union soldiers
The most notorious prison camp was Ander- were captured and sent to Libby Prison. For
sonville, also known as Camp Sumter. Used Howarth, this first prison was a holding place,
for just over a year, Andersonville saw 45,000 as he was only there for ten days. Afterward,
Union soldiers imprisoned there, and 13,000 he was sent to Andersonville, where he spent
died within the confines. At one point, 33,000 the majority of his imprisonment, totaling four
men were held there at one time, with only one months. During his time there, Alfred was
water source for the entire camp. Alfred How- one of the men required to assist in carrying
arth was one of the many soldiers who did sur- deceased soldiers. A story recounts in which
vive his time in Andersonville.
Howarth was one in a group of men trying to
Born on September 6, 1839, in New Haven, tunnel their way to freedom, only to be caught.
Their punishment was nearly starving the men.
Howarth spent a substantial part of his youth After four months in Andersonville, Alfred was
in North Haven. His father, an immigrant from sent to a prison camp in Florence, North Car-
England, moved himself, his wife, and their olina, where he spent his final three months
seven children to North Haven in 1852. There, imprisoned. On December 16, 1864, Howarth
his father bought a farm where he was a gentle- was paroled and sent home to North Haven. A letter written to Howarth by Sheldon Thorpe, town
man farmer while he ran his business in New When he entered the war, Alfred weighed 162 historian and fellow Civil War Veteran. Howarth's
Haven. After graduating from the North Hav- pounds, but by the time he got home, he was letter back to Sheldon giving him information about
en Academy, the town’s only finishing school his time in the war

North Haven Magazine - Spring Issue 2023
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