JEFFERSON WELLS -- 83rs, 94th and 97th INFANTRYPAPERWORK FOR THREE REGIMENTS - Augustus Jefferson Wells was born in Peru. He preferred to be known as Jefferson and used that name when he enlisted in the 83rd Infantry in Plattsburgh on July 7, 1863. He was the son of Robert and Sarah Wells who farmed in Ellenburg. Jefferson had been married to Rebecca Wallace since the early 1840s and they had eight children. Jefferson and his eldest son, Sidney, who was born in 1846, enlisted in the 83rd on the same day.Jefferson enlisted as a substitute for Richard Staves and was one of the men recruited to be a replacement for the 82 casualties, they had at the Battle of Gettysburg. The regiment had two battles in Virginia before going on to the Mine Run Campaign in late November just before they went into Winter Quarters.Coming out of winter quarters, they went straight into the Battle of The Wilderness. Jefferson was wounded in the arm and captured in action on May 6, 1864, and taken to a series of southern prison, finally ending up at Camp Sumter, known also as Andersonville Prison. He was there until September 1st when he died of diarrhea.While Jefferson was a POW, he was transferred administratively to the 97th Infantry, in June 1864, because the 83rd's term of service has come to an end. His paperwork was transferred again to the 94th Infantry in August, when 103 men from the 97th were transferred to the regiment.Jefferson was buried in a temporary grave and then re-interred in Andersonville National Cemetery. He was one of 26 men from the 83rd who died at that prison camp.Rebecca started receiving her pension in December 1864.
