The Civil War Experience of Joseph Underwood
Many readers will be familiar with the Jubrey family in Windsor Locks. This Windsor Locks family of African-American heritage has a long and honorable history of service to their community. Here is an account, in his own words, of the civil war exploits of Joseph B. Underwood, the grandfather of Martha E., Elsie G, and Estelle R. Jubrey. It was recorded by him in 1891 as part of an effort by the Windsor Locks Chapter of the Grand Army of the Republic to record the stories of Civil War veterans while they were still around to tell them. [I will warn that Mr. Underwood uses a racially charged word in his account but I have left it to be true to his original words.]
“I was born in August 1839 in Enfield, County of Hartford, State of Conn. I enlisted at Windsor, CT Dec. 29, 1863 as a private in Co. K, 29th Regiment for the term of three years and was honorably discharged at Brownsville, Texas Oct. 24th 1865 by reason of Order of War Dept. I was in the battles of Deep Bottom and Fort Harrison. In carrying supplies I had a mule killed, and had to stop under fire and cut off the harness, and while doing so a bullet cut my Canteen strap and I concluded that it was no place for a Coon. My most intimate comrades were Orrin Williams, Paul Coyer & John Underhill…dated at Windsor Locks Jan. 10 1891.”