Artificer Leon Allison, son of James and Josephine Allison, was born in Three Rivers, Canada, May 1, 1820. He worked on a farm until his eighteenth year, when he went to Spencer, Mass., where he learned the shoemaker’s trade. From there he removed to Providence and worked at his trade for awhile and then enlisted in the navy about the year 1841, serving on board the United States man-of-war Delaware for three years, when he was honorably discharged, returned to Providence, and resumed his former occupation, the shoemaking business, and was thus engaged when he entered the army in the War of the Rebellion.

He enlisted as a private in Battery H, First Rhode Island Light Artillery, Oct. 9, 1862, and was mustered into service Oct. 14, 1862. He was subsequently promoted to artificer. While the battery was stationed at Fort Smith on the Potomac River, near Aqueduct Bridge, Comrade Allison was sent into Washington on official business. On his return he was brutally assaulted and all his valuables taken from him, even to the shoes on his feet. Upon his arrival at the fort he was sent to the hospital, where the surgeon found that his jaw was broken. After he had recovered from his injuries he resumed his duties in the battery, and served with credit until his muster out June 28, 1865.

On returning to Providence he again followed his accustomed avocation, and has been engaged in the shoemaking business ever since. Although a veteran in years as well as of the war, he is still active and strong for a man of his age, and is highly respected in the community.

He is a member of Prescott Post, No. 1, G. A. R., of Providence, and also of Battery H Veteran Association.

Guidon Horace F. Floyd was but a stripling of fifteen years of age when he entered the service of his country. He became so imbued with martial ardor that he walked from Webster, Mass., to Providence, R. I., and from thence to Camp Mauran, where he enlisted as a private in Battery H, First Rhode Island Light Artillery, and was mustered into service Oct. 14, 1862. He was subsequently promoted to battery guidon.

In January, 1863, while the battery was encamped near Fairfax Station, Va., Comrade Floyd was taken sick with typhoid and rheumatic fever, and was sent to the hospital at Fairfax Seminary, returning to the battery at Chantilly, Va., in May or June of that year. While stationed at Fort Scott in the fall of 1863, he was sick with rheumatism and malaria.

In the battle before Petersburg, Va., on the 2d of April, 1865, he won special commendation from his superior officers for his gallant conduct. He carried the battery guidon at the head of the battery throughout the entire action. In the seventh and last position which the battery occupied on that eventful day in rear of the Whitworth House, while the battery was under a very severe cross fire from the enemy he was ordered by Captain Allen to deliver a message to Colonel Cowan, commanding the Artillery Brigade of the Sixth Corps, requesting assistance. In compliance with this request the Colonel sent his New York battery to our support. Comrade Floyd on returning to the battery after delivering his message, while riding down our line of battle his horse was struck by a shell, killing him instantly. Our comrade was prostrated by the concussion of the shell, and his horse also falling upon him, injured his leg severely and caused a severe strain upon his bodily powers, producing nervous prostration, with which he suffered for some time afterwards. Colonel Cowan in referring to this affair said: “I received a dispatch from Captain Allen by the boy guidon of Battery H, and could not help admiring the courage and patriotism displayed by this lad on that occasion.” Comrade Floyd subsequently recovered from his injuries, and was mustered out with the battery, June 28, 1865.

Comrade Floyd now (in 1894) resides in Buffalo, N. Y. He is a member of Chapin Post, No. 2, Department of New York, and has held the office of adjutant in the post, and is also a past president of the Army and Navy Union of Buffalo. For over nineteen years he has been connected with the Seventy-fourth Regiment New York National Guard, rising from the ranks as private to the position of first lieutenant. He resigned this office several years ago to accept the position of armorer in the regiment. He is a member of DeMolay Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, and has held the office of marshal. He is also an active member of the Royal Arcanum.

Comrade Floyd is held in high esteem by his military associates, his brethren in the various societies with which he is connected, and by his fellow citizens generally. In the opinion of the writer Comrade Floyd deserves a medal from Congress for the bravery he displayed in front of Petersburg.

Warner Alden, son of Oliver and Lucinda (Cobb) Alden, was born in North Middleboro, Mass., Feb. 3, 1830. He is a lineal descendant of John Alden, who came over in the Mayflower, and was one of the founders of the Plymouth Colony. His father, Oliver Alden, served in the War of 1812. His mother, Lucinda (Cobb) Alden, was the daughter of Ansel and Cynthia (Howard) Cobb. Comrade Alden’s parents had three children, Abner, William C., and Warner. Abner served at the age of nineteen in the Florida War, and was discharged as a first lieutenant. He died in 1883, in Iowa. William C. enlisted in the Third Massachusetts Infantry, during the War of the Rebellion, and went to Fortress Monroe, and served three months. Upon the expiration of his term of service he returned home with his regiment, re-enlisted and served three years in the Fortieth Massachusetts Infantry, and is now living in Boston.

In his youth Comrade Warner Alden received a common school education in the public schools of his native town. After leaving school he learned the trade of mason, which calling he still follows.

Comrade Alden enlisted Oct. 1, 1862, in Battery H, First Rhode Island Light Artillery, and was mustered into service with his battery Oct. 14, 1862. He served faithfully and continuously with his battery until he was mustered out of service June 28, 1865, at the termination of the war.

He married Matilda White. They have four children: Mabel J., May F., Lizzie N., and Gordon Brooks.

Comrade Alden is a worthy member of Prescott Post, No. 1, Department of Rhode Island, Grand Army of the Republic, having joined that Post Sept. 2, 1892. He is also a member of Battery H Veteran Association, First Rhode Island Light Artillery.

Solomon Close, son of Joseph and Sarah (Brown) Close, was born in the town of Greenwich, Fairfield County, State of Connecticut, Oct. 19, 1845. His ancestor, Thomas Close, came from England about the year 1661, and settled in Greenwich, Conn. He had four sons, Thomas, Joseph, Benjamin, and John. Comrade Close is a direct descendant from Joseph. The names of Thomas Close and Thomas Close, Jr., appear on the list of seventy-two proprietors who purchased a large tract of land in West Greenwich, Conn., in 1762.

The grandfather of Comrade Close (Solomon Close) was a soldier in the War of the Revolution. At the time of the attack made by the British upon West Greenwich, under Governor Tryon, Feb. 26, 1776, he was an eye witness of the escape of General Putnam down the precipice as he was being pursued by the British soldiers. Putnam afterwards said he could hear the enemy’s bullets strike in the trees as they fired at and overshot him as he rode down the steep declivity.

It is also related of Comrade Close’s grandfather that two other soldiers and himself were concealed for twenty-four hours in an old stone wall at Throg’s Neck, then occupied by the British. They were there for the purpose of capturing a British officer. They failed in the accomplishment of this object, however, as the enemy obtained information of their designs and instituted a search for the Yankee soldiers, who were hiding in an arch in the old stone wall, which was covered over with salt grass by a friend of the Yankee soldiers. While lying there the British walked over the very spot where they were concealed, and our comrade’s grandfather says he could have struck the blade of his knife into their feet as they walked over him. They halted near the spot for quite a while, as the grass was considerably trampled down at that point. One of the British soldiers remarked that the “d——d rebels” must have lain there the night before. They were subsequently released from their perilous position by the aid of their friend already alluded to, and made good their escape. It is stated that Solomon Close was present at the storming of Stony Point, by the Continental forces under the command of Gen. Anthony Wayne. Our comrade’s grandfather died Jan. 28, 1840, before his grandson was born, and for whom he was undoubtedly named. Other members of the Close family served with distinction in the War of the Revolution, and one particularly, Elnathan Close, was engaged in privateering. His exploits in connection with others like himself have formed the basis of many exciting tales.

Captain Andrew Meade and Elnathan Close, of Greenwich, with other daring spirits were engaged in privateering to the great annoyance of the enemy. They sallied out on their expeditions provided with large whaleboats, which were easily hidden from view in the day time in the small bays along the coast. On one occasion they proceeded by night to Ferry Point and seized upon a small store vessel, and secured her as a prize. The vessel was anchored in a small inlet known as Chimney Corner. The prize was so valuable that the enemy pursued them with one of their war vessels. They anchored off Chimney Corner, and began making dispositions to retake their vessel. But the people on shore who had assembled for the purpose of defending the prize, determined if possible to prevent its falling into the hands of the British. With a six-pounder, which was the only large gun in the town, they fired upon the British vessel. The first shot struck the deck of the vessel. The enemy returned the fire, but finding it impracticable to retake the vessel or inflict injury to the people on shore they relinquished their efforts in that direction and hastily withdrew.

The attack on the British vessel at Ferry Point had been made in two divisions. One division was commanded by Captain Meade and the other by Elnathan Close. Captain Meade while leaving the vessel with his division was wounded in both arms from shots fired by two marines on guard. Elnathan Close with his division at the same time boarded the vessel on the opposite side, soon had possession of the decks, and the forces below quickly surrendered with but little resistance.

Thus it will be seen that Comrade Close came of good military stock. On his mother’s side his ancestor, Thomas Brown, of Sussex, England, emigrated to this country in 1632. Comrade Close’s father, Joseph, was at one time captain of a company of militia at White Plains, N. Y., where he then resided. He subsequently removed to Greenwich, Conn., and purchased a farm of about one hundred acres, and pursued there his occupation of farmer and drover, dealing largely in cattle, which he bought mostly in the middle and western states.

Joseph Close’s family consisted of six children, four boys and two girls. One of these boys, Solomon, the subject of our sketch, was attending school when the War of the Rebellion began. He became imbued with martial ardor and had a strong desire to enter the army. But his parents opposed it. Not because they were not loyal to the Union cause, but they deemed it advisable that Solomon should remain at school a while longer.

In February, 1865, while his father was away buying cattle, our comrade decided that if he could not enter the service of his country as a soldier, he would go on a whaling voyage. To this proposition his mother reluctantly gave her consent. He proceeded to New York city and shipped for a voyage. From that city he was sent to New Bedford, from which port the ship was to depart. While waiting for the vessel to sail Comrade Close observed the arrival of a whaler from a long voyage in the Arctic regions. The appearance of the vessel and the crew and the rough usage to which they had been subjected cooled the ardor of our friend for a cruise in the northern seas, and he sought the shipping agent and requested that he might be allowed to enter the army instead. To this arrangement the agent consented, and, as there was no recruiting office in New Bedford, our comrade proceeded to Providence, R. I., and enlisted as a private in Battery H, First Rhode Island Light Artillery, March 7, 1865, and joined the battery at Burkeville Junction, Va., April 22, 1865, the day before the battery left that place for the long march to Danville, Va. Although not permitted to share in the more stirring scenes of the battery’s history, yet he cheerfully performed every duty incumbent upon him during his brief term of service, and was mustered out with the battery June 28, 1865.

On the 11th of June, 1866, he enlisted in the city of New York in Troop K, Fourth United States Cavalry, and served three years on the Texas frontier. In August, 1866, that dread scourge, cholera, made its appearance, and several men of his company were taken sick and died. Two of his tent-mates were among the victims. Comrade Close was detailed to regimental hospital to care for the sick, and remained there until the epidemic abated. His regiment was at that time stationed a few miles outside of the city of San Antonio, Texas. After the cholera had disappeared the several companies of the regiment were scattered for a time, some of them being sent to different posts on the frontier, his company being assigned to Fort Inge, about ninety-five miles west of San Antonio. His company scouted the country in the vicinity of the post for two years, having several sharp engagements with the Comanche Indians. In this capacity the company continued the larger portion of its stay in Texas, hunting Indians, Mexican bandits, and outlaws. It was subsequently relieved by the Ninth United States Cavalry, and the company was ordered to Fort Brown, Texas, where Comrade Close was honorably discharged, June 11, 1869, his term of service having expired. He arrived home July 4, 1869.

On the 22d of October, 1869, he was employed as locomotive fireman on the New York and New Haven Railroad. May 28, 1873, he was promoted to locomotive engineer, and still retains that position. Although our comrade has seen twenty-four years of railroad service, yet he has never had a collision, nor has a passenger been injured on any of the trains he has run. It is a singular coincidence that three of his brothers have also been locomotive engineers.

Comrade Close married Cornelia J. Husted Sept. 25, 1872. She died Oct. 29, 1873. He married Mary F. Knapp Sept. 26, 1876. They have two children, Joseph, born Feb. 25, 1878, and Mary F., born Dec. 11, 1879.

Comrade Close is a resident of Stamford, Conn., and is an honored member of Hobbie Post, No. 23, Department of Connecticut. As indicative of the esteem in which Comrade Close is held we will state that on the 11th of April, 1893, he was made the recipient of a handsome gold badge of the Grand Army regulation pattern, studded with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires, and presented to him by a number of his comrades and friends. He was elected Junior Vice Commander of Hobbie Post, Dec. 7, 1893. He is also a member of Battery H Veteran Association.

George W. Freeborn, son of Samuel and Eliza P. Freeborn, was born in Newport, R. I., on the 18th day of May, 1845. He received his education in the public schools of his native city. He enlisted as a recruit for Battery H, First Rhode Island Light Artillery, Feb. 25, 1865, and reported to the battery at Fort Tracy, in front of Petersburg, Va., March 1, 1865. In the battle before Petersburg, April 2, 1865, he proved to be a man of courage and thoroughly reliable in every emergency. He was mustered out of service with the battery June 28, 1865. He returned to Newport, R. I., and in 1867 married Martha A. Goslin, the daughter of John and Jane Goslin. They have five children.

Comrade Freeborn is now residing in Fall River, Mass., and is foreman of the packing house of David M. Anthony. He is a member of Richard Borden Post, of Fall River, and is also a member of the Veteran Firemen’s Association, and the Firemen’s Relief Association. He is connected with the American Order of Druids, and a member of Battery H, First Rhode Island Light Artillery Veteran Association.