Item No. 1160708

A CDV view of Guy H. Watkins of Towanda, Pennsylvania, made in Mathew Brady’s New York studio. Watkins served as lieutenant colonel of the 141st Pennsylvania Volunteers, but before the war had been an attorney in Towanda and was the sitting district attorney for Bradford County when he left for the war. Raised in the fall of 1862, the 141st participated in all the campaigns of the Army of the Potomac from 1863-1865, suffering heavy casualties at Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Court House. Watkins was wounded through the lung May 3, 1863, at Chancellorsville and was thought to have been killed. He was captured by the Confederates, however, received prompt care from the medical staff of General James Longstreet, and was soon sent through to federal lines under a flag of truce. Watkins recuperated over the next several months and rejoined the 141st in time for the following spring’s campaign. On June 18, 1864, Watkins was shot through the body and killed while leading his regiment in an attack against rebel works near Petersburg.

The CDV features Brady’s imprint at the base of the mount as well as on the reverse. Watkins signed in ink, “Yours truly / G. H. Watkins / Lt. Col. 141 P. V.” The carte was previously trimmed down 2 1/4” x 3 7/8” for album placement. One small chip in the albumen above and to the right of Watkins.

The following excerpt is from History of the One Hundred Forty-first Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1862-1865, by David Craft (1885), 216-19.

The loss of Lieutenant-Colonel Watkins was deeply felt by both officers and men to whom he was strongly attached, and in whose gallant deeds he had had so large a share.

Guy Hulett Watkins was born in the borough of Towanda, March 19, 1831. Completing his education, which had been obtained in the schools of his native village, and at the seminary in Lima, New York, he entered the law office of his father, William Watkins, Esq., was admitted to practice in the courts of his county, September 9, 1853, and soon became the law partner of Hon. David Wilmot. His marked ability, industry and uprightness gave promise of unusual success in his chosen vocation. In 1859 he was elected District Attorney, his term not having expired when he entered the army.

From the first outbreak of the rebellion Mr. Watkins took a lively interest in the men and measures employed for its suppression, and its voice and means were always ready when either could be of use to the cause he had so deeply at heart. Profoundly impressed that next to his God his duty was to his country, his large heart and fearless nature chafed under the duties of civil life which prevented his sharing the toils and dangers of camp and of field.

"In the summer of 1862, when President Lincoln's summons to arms appeared, Colonel Watkins' sense of duty overcame the enjoyments of a happy home and family, the allurements of peace, and the business prospects which were so brightly opening. He weighed his duty calmly and conscientiously, and determined to resign all at home, and offer his life upon his country's altar." He at once entered with great earnestness into the work of raising the quota of men called for in Eastern Bradford. On the organization of Company B he was chosen its Captain, and on the formation of the Regiment was made Lieutenant-Colonel. The Colonel, H. J. Madill, being at the time in the Sixth Pennsylvania Reserves, the command of the Regiment devolved upon Colonel Watkins for nearly three weeks. His duties at this time, peculiarly trying to an experienced officer, were doubly so to the young lawyer, who but a few days before had exchanged the quiet life of a civilian for the turmoil of the army. Everything relating to the supplies, discipline, and drill of his Regiment must be learned. In military circles all was confusion. Pope had just been defeated at Bull Run, and McClelIan was hastening to Antietam. But in the midst of all this hurry and rush of new duties and strange work, he displayed rare tact and energy. To the utmost of his ability he cared for the wants and supplied the necessities of his men, who were as inexperienced as himself.

At the battle of Fredericksburg Colonel Watkins was dangerously sick of fever, and with some other officers of his Regiment was removed to Washington amid the din of the coming strife. Recovering his health he returned to the Regiment the 15th of January following, just in time to take part in the "Mud March" on the 20th, where the exposure nearly prostrated him again.

At the battle of Chancellorsville, May 1st, he had his horse shot with his foot in the stirrup in the act of mounting, and on the 3d, after many hairbreadth escapes, was himself shot through the right lung, left upon the field and captured by the enemy. Fortunately he received immediate surgical attendance by the most eminent physicians in the Confederate service, and after a week of distressing anxiety in which he was mourned by his friends as dead, was sent under a flag of truce to our lines and brought home, where, severe as the injury was, (in most cases fatal) he recovered.

About the last of June, learning through the papers of the invasion of Lee's army into Pennsylvania, in company with Captains Peck and Spaulding, who had also been wounded, he started to return to the Regiment. On reaching Harrisburg it was found the enemy had possession of the Northern Central Railroad at York, and they were ordered to proceed to Washington by way of Philadelphia. On reaching Washington the Surgeon-General of the Army found Colonel Watkins utterly unfit for duty in the field, and would not permit him to go farther. He was therefore placed in command of the camp of paroled prisoners.

So firmly were his friends persuaded that he never would be fit for active service in the field, that they secured the appointment from President Lincoln which was immediately confirmed by the Senate, of Paymaster in the Army. On mentioning this to the men of his command, which he had rejoined on the 5th of November, they expressed such unfeigned sorrow at parting with him, that with the unselfishness which ever marked his conduct, he determined to decline the appointment.

On the 3d of May, 1864, Colonel Madill having been injured by a fall of his horse was obliged to go home, and the command of the Regiment fell upon Colonel Watkins. Although much of the time more fit for the hospital than the field, yet how nobly he bore himself through all that terrible campaign, how bravely he ever stood at the head of his men in the thickest of the fight, how readily he met privation and suffering with them, has in some measure been recorded in these pages.

It has frequently been observed that at times men on going into battle have seemed to be in possession of an impression of its fatal result which usually turns out to be true. This was noticeably the case with Colonel Watkins. In a letter written soon after his death Colonel Madill says:— "In my mind he was satisfied what his fate would be. When I received orders to make the charge, I sent for him and told him what order I had received,—that we were to make the charge at four o'clock of that day. He made a few inquiries as to the place, etc. I gave him all the information I had. I observed that his manner changed and he became sad. I tried two or three times to rally him, but utterly failed." Although his mind seemed to be preoccupied while the orders and directions were being given, yet as soon as the charge was ordered he became himself again. He was shot through the body while, at the head of his men, he was passing over the rise of ground between the place where the Regiment was massed and the line of works they were to assail. Captain Atkinson, who was near him, went back and raised him up, and with the aid of Lieutenant Gerould, carried him back a few rods out of the fire, when at Colonel Watkins' request and while the storm of battle was raging around him, read to him the fourteenth chapter of St. John. For two hours he lived after receiving the fatal shot, expressing the assurance of his own hope of a blessed immortality through the Savior of men, and sending messages of love and affection to the dear ones at home, breathing his last amid the tears and prayers of his companions in arms with his head resting upon the arm of Captain Atkinson, who never left him from the moment he fell. Loving hands bore the body back to the home of his childhood, whence with fitting solemnities it was laid to rest in Riverside Cemetery, where a broken shaft, bearing appropriate emblems and inscription, marks his resting place.

One who knew him from his early life wrote of him:—" He was a true, constant, unselfish friend, an affectionate husband, a kind parent, a dutiful son, a devoted brother, but high over all, the bravest and noblest of patriots." More than twenty years have passed since he gave his country all he had to give, his life, but his memory is still green in the hearts of the men who fought by his side, and who always speak of him with a reverent respect, and the perfume of his virtues is still precious to those who loved him.

He left his aged parents, a wife, a son and daughter to mourn an irreparable loss.

Besides resolutions of respect and condolence passed by the Bar Association of Bradford County, and of the civic societies of which he was a member, the officers of his Regiment at a meeting held soon after his death unanimously adopted the following:

WHEREAS, By a dispensation of Divine Providence, to which we meekly, though sorrowfully bow, Lieutenant-Colonel Guy H. Watkins, our brother, has been taken from us and gathered with the martyred dead; therefore,

Resolved, That in the loss of Colonel Watkins, we have lost a brave and efficient officer; one whose high aim was unselfishly to discharge all the duties of his responsible position, however arduous or dangerous.

Resolved, That it is not alone the loss of a brave officer we mourn, but the loss of a companion and friend; one who has endeared himself to us by those manly, generous, social qualities, which he so eminently possessed; and which smoothed the hard march,—enlivened the lonely bivouac—and strengthened our wavering resolution in the hour of conflict. He was our counsellor and friend—undemonstrative, caring to govern only as he swayed us by a wand of love that all were proud to acknowledge—which made his slightest wish our law.

Resolved, That we can pay no greater tribute to his memory than by endeavoring to emulate the noble patriotism of our brother; who from a sense of duty preferred to share the hardships and dangers of the battlefield, than accept an honorable position tendered him by his Government for which his taste and education amply qualified him.

Resolved, That to his afflicted family we tender our sincerest sympathy. Were it possible we would take a part of their great sorrow into our own hearts and share that grief which now overshadows the family altar. May our Heavenly Father, who "tempers the wind to the shorn lamb," sustain and comfort them in these dark hours of their affliction.

Resolved, That these resolutions be copied into the Regimental Order Book, and that a copy be sent to the family of our late brother, Lieutenant-Colonel Guy H. Watkins.

[Signed]

Henry J. Madill, Col. 141st Regt., P. V.
C. W. Tyler, Major.
Wm. Church, Surgeon.
F. C. Dennison, Assistant Surgeon.
E. B. Brainerd, Adjutant.
R. M. Torrey, Quartermaster.
Benjamin M. Peck, Captain Company B.
Joseph Atkinson, Captain Company G.
John L. Gyle. Captain Company H.
Mason Long, 1st Lieut., Commanding Co. E.
Beebe Gerould, 1st Lieut., Command'g Co. K.
John L. Brown, 1st Lieut., Command'g Co. I.
Marcus E. Warner, 1st Lieut., Com' d'g Co. D.
Thomas Ryon, Captain Company D.
Joseph H. Horton, Captain Company A.
Charles Mercur, Captain Company K.
E. A. Spaulding, Captain Company I.