SANFORD WALLACE -- 142nd INFANTRY FOUGHT IN VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA - The 142nd Infantry spent a year in North Carolina before being ordered to the Seat of War in Virginia around Petersburg and Richmond in May 1864. By the time 16-year-old Sanford Wallace enlisted in September of that year the regiment had had over 200 casualties and needed an infusion of new men.Sanford joined his regiment from the Recruitment Depot on October 14th and went into his first battle on the 27th of the month at Darbytown Road which became known as the Battle of Fair Oaks and Darbytown Road or the Second Battle of Fair Oaks. During this engagement near Richmond, more than 80 men who enlisted with Sanford took part -- resulting in seven of the new men receiving gunshot wounds and two being killed. In all there were 103 casualties from the 142nd with 21 dying as a result. Fortunately, Sanford survived his first battle, and in November, sailed with General Butler on the first expedition against Fort Fisher, NC. They landed there and encamped in the rear of the fort on the secured a position near to and in rear of the fort cutting the Confederates off from the mainland. The two attacks at Fort Fisher were their last before joining the Campaign of the Carolinas culminating in the surrender of General Joseph Johnston on April 29, 1865. He was mustered out on June 7, 1865, at Raleigh, NC.
