NELSON SURPRISE -- 5th CAVALRYLEFT TO DIE BY THE SURGEON - In the Civil War Draft Registration Recordsfor May and June 1862, Nelson Surprise's name is found between MichaelSullivan and Albert Stafford. All three were farmers in the Town of AuSable. He was the son of Luke Surprise (Surprenant) and Aurelia Dragon,who, although they were both born in Quebec, married in Peru in 1840.Aurelia was 17 when Nelson was born in Peru in 1841.On December 7, 1863, he enlisted in the 5th Cavalry, or First IraHarris Guard, in Au Sable. For his enlistment, he received a town bountyof \$150 and a county bounty of \$200. A few days after Christmas, hewas mustered into Company B, and promised to serve for 3 years. Between January and November 1863, the 5th Cavalry had been in 50+engagements in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, includingGettysburg, and Nelson was just one of a number of much-needed recruitswho joined them while they were in winter quarters.In May 1864, they were with the Army of the Potomac detached with the9th Corps. In their first 4 engagements, they sustained 23 casualtiesincluding 10 who were captured or went missing. In June, they were inabout 15 battles before the end of June and ended up at Ream's Stationon June 29th. Nelson was wounded and captured there and taken south andended up at the Confederate States Military Prison in Florence, SC. Hedied there about December 26th. Before he was paroled from the stockade, Eli Cameron, also from the5th Cavalry and imprisoned with Nelson, swore in Nelson's widow'spension application that he had seen him "nearly dead from exposure,disease and starvation". He further stated that Nelson was "so weak hecould not move and had been given up to die by the physician."His widow, the former Phebe Phelion, testified, when she applied for apension as a remarried widow, that their only child died before Nelson,and that she was remarried to John Abair on December 26, 1865. It tookover 5 years before Phebe's claim was recognized and she received herpension.The prison at Florence, was stockade and similar to Andersonville. Over2,800 Union soldiers died there. They were left to fend for themselvesoutside with flimsy blankets and very little food or medical attention.In all likelihood, Nelson was buried in one of the many trenches, theground around which was later made into Florence National Cemetery. Readmore about the cemeteryat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Stockade\More pictures of the Florence Stockade can be seen at:
