Robert Bruce Ferriss

A farmer from New Milford, he enlisted an mustered as a Private in Company I, 8th Connecticut Infantry on 21 September 1861. He was appointed Corporal after the battle of Newbern, NC on 15 March 1862.

He was killed, shot through the chest, in action on 17 September 1862 at Antietam.

[He] was almost instantly killed by a musket shot through the breast at the battle of Antietam on the 17th of this month. He fell at his post on the right of his company when he was cheering his comrades and fighting with all his strength. It was near the close of the battle that he reeled and fell down near me, giving me a very forlorn look which he also directed towards Col. Applemen [Appelman], who was also very near him. I asked him if he wished for anything but the blood rushing from his mouth prevented him from speaking & his head sinking upon the ground satisfied me that he was dying. My attention being called to another part of the line I saw no more of him as we were soon ordered away ... That night & following day the enemy held that field but the day after we drove them back & I hurried to see the fate of our missing comrades & found Corp. Robert Ferris where we left him lying peacefully on his back with a very pleasant smile upon his countenance, as if he had lain down to his long rest with the sweet consciousness that his work was done, and well done.

Originally buried on the Otto Farm near Sharpsburg, his body was returned home for final burial.

Basic information from Banks1, with details - including his picture and the quote above - from a letter to his wife from Captain Roberts - from a fine post on John's blog. His service from the Record.2 Birth date from family genealogists and Orcutt's History of the Towns of New Milford and Bridgewater, Connecticut, 1703-1882 (1882). His gravesite is on Findagrave.

05/28/1835

09/17/1862; Sharpsburg, MD; burial in Center Cemetery, New Milford, CT