Michael R. Carroll papers (Ms.2006.03)

Biographical note

Michael R. Carroll was born in New York city. He joined the 73rd New York Volunteers in February of 1862 at 21, and mustered in as a private. This was, presumably, shortly after the 73rd New York was formed as a Zouave unit, comprised mostly of volunteer firemen of the city of New York. Carroll was wounded in a skirmish near Richmond, taken prisoner there, and later exchanged after seven weeks in captivity. He then fought at Gettysburg, where he escaped injury although his unit suffered appalling losses. At the close of the Civil War in 1865, the 73rd was disbanded and the men mustered out. Shortly before he was discharged, Carroll was promoted to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. He initially returned to New York to work with his father, then moved to Providence, R.I., to work first for the Gorham Manufacturing Company and then at the City Yards where, for most of his 25 years, he was an executive. He retired in 1920, and it was reported in his obituary that he had never missed a Memorial Day parade. He was survived by fours sons and a daughter.

Victor D. Chambers was born on the Gettysburg battlefield just after the end of the fighting on July 7, 1863. He apparently grew up in Philadelphia, raised by both his mother and his maternal grandmother; he later moved to Providence, Rhode Island, where he had both kin and friends, after their deaths. He worked for many years as a janitor in the Providence Public Schools, was married and divorced and had no children. He died in Providence in December of 1943.