Joel Lake Sweeney

Joel Sweeney wrote this letter to his sister from Fredericksburg on May 5, 1862. Born in Topsfield in 1839, He enlisted in the 12th Massachusetts Volunteers, Company D in 1861. In addition to being at the Battle of Fredericksburg, he was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863 and again at the Battle of the "Wilderness" on May 5, 1864. He mustered out on July 5, 1864 as a First Sergeant. He died in Lynn on May 1, 1901. One of four Topsfield soldiers at Gettysburg, the other three were: Dalmer Jerome Carlton, Charles Henry Clarke and Jeremiah Y. Wells.

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