Civil War Experience of Willett Stillman Cottrell
The following information is from an old written page found in personal family history material.
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Willett Stilman Cottrell was a cousin of George Gardner Cottrell. Their fathers (Roswell Fenner Cottrell and Solomon Gates Cottrell, respectively) were brothers. They were always very dear friends and were married at the same time in a double wedding at Cherry Creek NY.
Willett Stillman Cottrell was born 25 Dec 1835 in the town of Newstead, Erie County, NY. He was married to Prudence West Gardner on 29 Jan 1854. In the fall of 1860, he moved to Winnebago County WI. On 26 Dec 1861 (his 26th birthday) he enlisted in the civil war, Union service, under Cap. D. H, Saxton, Company H. 18th Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers.
Stillman left Wisconsin on 1 Apr 1862. One year later he was taken prisoner at the battle of Shilo, Pittsburg Landing on 6 Apr 1862 and was taken to Memphis, TN. He remained there until the city was retaken by Union Troops and was then moved, with other prisoners, to Montgomery, AL. There the prisoners were confined in tobacco-sheds for two months and then moved to Macon, GA where they remained until an exchange of prisoners on 7 Oct 1862 freed them. When released Stillman, with other prisoners, started for home, but he died in a box-car about midnight 11 Oct 1862 and was left at Columbia, SC for burial.
He was literally starved to death, by unprincipled prison wardens who were afterward hanged.
His father, Roswell Fenner Cottrell, went there in search of the body to bring it north but authorities said that three union soldiers were buried there about the same time and they were unable to identify Willett's grave.
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