EVANGELIST DUVAL -- 69th INFANTRY2 MONTHS AND 1 DAY WITH THE 69th - Between May and the end of August1864, the 69th Infantry had over 400 casualties. Evangelist Duval, whowas born in Quebec. enlisted in Plattsburgh on August 23, 1864, as asubstitute for Peter M. Trombly from Black Brook. He and 41 other menenlisted in Plattsburgh that August and September, most of them assubstitutes. All, except one, John Reynolds, also from Canada, wereassigned to Company H. He was assigned to Company A. The men joinedtheir regiment after the 69th's hard summer of fighting while theywere in the trenches near Petersburg.On October 30, 1864, Rebels raided their picket line at night which wascomposed of posts about twenty yards apart connected by trenches. Thatnight the positions were manned by two officers, three sergeants whowere \"acting lieutenants,\" and 230 enlisted men, 190 of whom wererecent recruits - including 17 of the men who had enlisted inPlattsburgh. Posing as picket relief, the Southerners infiltrated theleft wing of the 69th's line and drove down it - capturing prisonersas they went.Another group of Rebels approached the regiment's right wing, which wascommanded by Lieutenant Murtha Murphy, who had enlisted in New YorkCity. He ordered his men to fire, scattering the Confederates. Anafter-action report of the debacle reported many men had been capturedand at least ten of the recent recruits deserted to the enemy. One ofthe deserters was John Nichols of Company A, a Canadian farmer, who hadalso enlisted as a substitute. He was subsequently captured by Uniontroops and hanged in Petersburg on March 10, 1865.Sixteen of the men with whom Evangelist enlisted were among thosecaptured, and most were sent to Salisbury Prison in North Carolina. Allthe prisoners were transferred to other prisons in February 1865. Whenthe war was over, he was mustered out with his detachment from the U. S.Army General Hospital at Summit Home, Philadelphia.Evangelist returned to the North County and received his army pay thataccumulated while he was a prisoner. He previously been given \$300 forbeing a substitute and a town bounty of \$200 for enlisting.
