Medway & Millis

By: Tom A.C. Ellis, Jr.

Medway acted early and boldly in the defense of our nation. This book will clearly define Medway's place of honor and set out its contributions to this nation's history. The rumblings of war were in the air long before Fort Sumter was attacked on April 12, 1861. Medway, as a municipality, had already formed a militia unit. Then a Town Meeting was called for on April, 1861, at which funds were appropriated to support those soldiers and their families Medway supplied 387 men, well above its obligation. Medway men were dispersed throughout many different military units. Medway men went on to serve in 58% of all military units sent out by the Commonwealth. They suffered their share of casualties, because of their dispersal, no single battle decimated the town. Still, eight men would be killed in action, seven would die from wounds they received in battle, Thirty-seven would die of disease, and eighty-six would become disabled and be discharged. One of Medway's men was a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. The Commonwealth, throughout the war, would raise two black infantry and one black cavalry regiment. Medway would provide black men to serve in two of those units. Medway also provided white men as officers in black regiments. On the home front, the women of Medway would also exceed expectations. They created three distinct Auxiliary Associations of the United States Sanitary Commission, through which they provided much needed supplies for the comfort and survival of the Medway soldiers in the field. Medway’s contributions to the Civil War should never be forgotten; it is this book’s aim to ensure that never happens.