WILLIAM EDWARD WILCOX -- 118th INFANTRY10 MONTHS WITH THE 118th - By the time William Edward Wilcox enlisted inthe 118th Infantry, he was twenty-six years old, married to Helen Peckand had a couple of children. He was one of about 25 men who enlisted inPlattsburgh in August and early September 1864 and were sent straight tothe battlefield near Petersburgh for the final assaults.They arrived in time for the Battle of Chaffin's Farm on September 29thwhere one of the men with whom he enlisted was badly wounded. The nextday, they were at the "Battle of Holding the Fort\" against threecharges of the enemy. For the next month, the regiment was in theentrenchments around Fort Burnham to the east of Petersburg.On October 27th, the 118th marched to SevenPines and Fair Oaks and, the day after, they were in the Second battleof Fair Oaks. From the 29th to November 2nd, they rested in trenches andearth works in the vicinity of Fort Burnham then marched to Aiken\'sLanding under orders which were revoked when they got there.Held in reserve near Fort Burnham for a few days, they then marched toDeep Bottom to meet an expected attack. Through the winter and earlyspring, the regiment was in camps in the vicinity of the New MarketRoad, at the nearest point of their works to Richmond. On April 3, 1865,they entered Richmond.They crossed the James and for the next two months encamped oppositeRichmond before sailing down the river en route for home. Passingthrough New York City, they finally reached Plattsburgh on June 19th.After handing in their guns and receiving their final pay, they weremustered out a week later.William remained in Clinton County with his family. On the 1890 VeteransSchedules, he stated that he was still suffering from burst veins hereceived while on the march to Deep Bottom. He died in 1892 and wasburied in the Peasleeville Cemetery. Helen applied for and received apension based on William's service. She later married another veteran,George Lamay, who's wife had died in 1889. They are all buried inPeasleeville.
