John Levi Hosford
Rank: Company H of the 4th Vermont Infantry
Descendant: Raymond M
John was born 21July 1843 in East Haven, VT to Russell and Almira Hosford. Russell was a farmer, and as soon as John was old enough, he was farming also.
On 4 August 1863, he enlisted in Company H of the 4th Vermont Infantry. The regiment became part of Lewis Grant’s 2nd Brigade, George Getty’s 2nd Division, and John Sedgwick’s 6th Army Corps Union. Casualties were high in the regiment throughout the war, perhaps the highest number of any regiment in the state. According to Lewis Grant’s report, the regiment was pinned down for quite a while by Confederate forces. John became one of these casualties at the Battle of Wilderness when he lost a leg. He mustered out 20 March 1865.
He returned to East Haven, Vermont where he resumed farming. On 8 October 1869 in Guildhall, VT, he married Nancy Jane Matthews of Granby, VT. They had 5 children.
In addition to farming, he was also a member of the General Assembly of Vermont from East Haven.
He died 12 June 1907 in East Haven, VT and is buried in East Haven Cemetery.