EDGAR BECKWITH REED -- 1st ENGINEERSDIED OF MALARIA - Edgar Beckwith Reed was 18 years old when he enlistedin the 1st Engineers on September 5, 1864. The son of Lucius Reed andMargaret Beckwith traveled to Troy to be mustered into Company L on thesame day.The regiment was organized in New York City, and was known as\"Serrell\'s Engineers.\" Col. Edward W. Serrell commanded the regimentall through the war, or until February 1865, when he was honorablydischarged, and James F. Hall succeeded to the command.The regiment was for some time in the Department of the South, and itsflag was the first to float over Fort Pulaski in 1862. At BermudaHundred in May 1864, the regiment rendered valuable service, and also inthe Siege of Petersburg in 1864 and 1865.Edgar's Company L joined the regiment when they were in Virginia beforePetersburg in the final stages of the war. Later, they were sent tocoastal South Carolina for a while. They were then sent to Petersburg tostrengthen the fortifications in late 1864. In the Schuyler Falls TownClerk's Records of 1865, Edgar claims he was at the Surrender of GeneralLee before he was mustered out on June 30, 1865, at Richmond, VA. Justbefore he mustered out, he was appointed to be an artificer, which wouldhave increased his pension.Edgar did not live to receive a pension. He died of malaria on October25, 1866, in Schuyler Falls, and was buried near his parents in theUnion Cemetery in Morrisonville.In 1892, both parents applied for pensions based on his service. Thereis no record of their being granted.We left a memorial for Edgar on his Findagrave page, and have tried tohave him linked with his parents in the same cemetery, however, Don, whohas added over 14,000 memorials has his messages disabled, so commonwith those who have thousands of memorials to look after. Such a shame.
