Luther C Ladd

Luther C. Ladd

On April 19, 1861, the 6th Massachusetts Infantry (Militia) was going through Baltimore, Maryland to Washington DC. A riot broke out between the soldiers and pro-southern townspeople and there were killed and wounded on both sides. Private Luther C. Ladd of Company D from Lovell, Massachusetts was among those killed. He had turned 17 years old as of December 22, 1860. Three other soldiers beside Private Ladd were killed (Private Addison Whitney of Lowell, Massachusetts, Company D; Corporal Sumner Needham of Lawrence, Massachusetts, Company I, and Private Charles Taylor, Company D) and about 36 soldiers were injured. Privates Ladd, Taylor, and Whitney are buried at the Ladd-Whitney Monument at Lowell, Massachusetts. Purportedly, Luther C. Ladd's last words were, All Hail the Stars and Stripes. The Massachusetts 6th Infantry was organized on January 21, 1861 and was mustered out on August 2, 1861. The Massachusetts soldiers were not the first Union fatalities. After the bombardment of Fort Sumpter, an accidental explosion had killed Private Daniel Hough of Company E, 1st United States Artillery.

Drawing and information submitted by Phillip Fazzini.

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Sources:
Harper's Weekly June 1, 1861 (Page 341, Column 1)
Eric Thomsen (blacksox@eudoramail.com)
www.civilwarhome.com/baltimoreriot.htm
www.laddfamily.com/2239.htm
www.pdmusic.org/civilwar/cws22.txt
www.state.ma.us/statehouse/minutemen.htm
www.usgennet.org/usa/nh/topic/civilwar/notnhunits.htm
www.library.uml.edu/clh/
www.pollardml.org/

Luther C. Ladd