THOMAS SCOT LUNT -- 83rd INFANTRYENGLISHMAN SHOT IN THE HEAD - The eldest and youngest sons of ThomasLunt and Martha Godfrey didn't stay at home in Lancashire, England, theytraveled the world. Godfrey Lunt, the oldest, who was born in 1838, diedin Peru, South America. The youngest, John, born in 1850, died in NewZealand, and the second oldest son born in 1839, Thomas Scot Lunt, diedat Richmond, VA, after being wounded and captured in action on October15, 1863, at Culpeper, VA.John was a member of the 83rd Infantry. He enlisted in Plattsburgh inAugust 1863. During that summer, he and 78 men enlisted to serve forthree years. Many of the men, like John, enlisted as substitutes forothers and received \$300 for their actions.The 83rd had been in existence since June of 1861, and, by the timeThomas joined is regiment in the early fall of 1863, they had sustainedover 400 battlefield casualties. Most of the casualties coming fromtheir engagements at Antietam, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg.While they were near Culpeper, VA, he was shot in the head, captured andtaken to Libby Prison, a former food warehouse, about 90 miles to thesouth, where he died on October 25, 1863, after 2 months and 18 days ofservice. He was probably buried in a local cemetery. Of the 79 men whoenlisted with Thomas, 6 died of disease and 12 were either killed inaction of died later of their wounds.The original 3-year men of the regiment mustered out on June 23, 1864.The men who joined later and who still had time to serve, weretransferred to the 97th Infantry.We wonder how the man for whom Thomas enlisted took the news of hisdeath - maybe he was never told?
