Erastus W. Jewett

{{Infobox military person

|name = Erastus W. Jewett

|birth_date = {{Birth date|1839|4|1}}

|death_date = {{Death date and age|1906|2|20|1839|4|1}}

|image = ErastusJewett.jpg

|birth_place = St. Albans, Vermont

|death_place = Burlington, Vermont

|placeofburial_label = Place of burial

|placeofburial = Church Street Cemetery, Swanton (town), Vermont

|allegiance = 25px United States (Union)

|branch = 25px Union Army (Army of the James)
25px Vermont Militia

|rank = 25px First Lieutenant (Army)
25px Colonel (Militia)

|unit = Company A, 9th Vermont Infantry
Staff of the Adjutant General of Vermont

|serviceyears = 1862-1864 (Army)
1882-1892 (Militia)

|battles = American Civil War

|awards = {{Flagicon image|Medal of Honor ribbon.svg}} Medal of Honor

}}

Erastus W. Jewett (April 1, 1836 – February 20, 1906) was a Medal of Honor recipient who fought in the 9th Vermont Infantry during the American Civil War.

Early life

Jewett was born in St. Albans, Vermont on April 1, 1836, the son of Eleazer Jewett and Dorothy (Abell) Jewett.{{cite book |last=Aldrich |first=Lewis Cass |date=1891 |title=History of Franklin and Grand Isle Counties, Vermont |url=https://archive.org/details/historyfranklin00aldrgoog |location=Syracuse, NY |publisher=D. Mason & Co. |pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyfranklin00aldrgoog/page/n755 683]–684}} Jewett had nine brothers and sisters, including Albert Burton Jewett, who commanded the 10th Vermont Infantry as a colonel, and Jesse A. Jewett, a captain in the 5th Vermont Infantry, who died in Swanton shortly after the war as the result of an illness he contracted during his military service.{{R|Aldrich}}

Erastus Jewett was educated in St. Albans, and worked as a surveyor in the years prior to the American Civil War.{{cite magazine |last=Forbes |first=C. S. |date=August 1897 |title=Honored Vermonters: Col. Erastus W. Jewett |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MUtHAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA14 |magazine=The Vermonter |location=St. Albans, VT |publisher=Charles Spooner Forbes |pages=14–15 |ref={{sfnRef|"Honored Vermonters: Col. Erastus W. Jewett"}}}}

Civil War

In June 1862, Jewett joined the Union Army to fight in the Civil War, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 9th Vermont Infantry. On August 3, he was captured, and remained a prisoner of the Confederacy for 25 days.{{Cite web|url=https://vermontcivilwar.org/get.php?input=3316|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013050714/http://vermontcivilwar.org/get.php?input=3316|url-status=usurped|archive-date=October 13, 2014|title=Vermont Civil War, Lest We Forget|website=vermontcivilwar.org|language=en|access-date=2018-04-04 |ref={{sfnRef|"Vermont Civil War, Lest We Forget"}}}} Jewett was promoted to first lieutenant in May 1863.{{sfn|"Vermont Civil War, Lest We Forget"}} During his service, he took part in the battles of Harper's Ferry (September 13 and 15, 1862), Newport Barracks (February 2, 1864), Chaffin's Farm (September 29, 1864), and Fair Oaks (October 27, 1864).{{sfn|"Vermont Civil War, Lest We Forget"}} He resigned in November 1864, and returned to Vermont.{{sfn|"Vermont Civil War, Lest We Forget"}}

Medal of Honor

He was awarded the Medal of Honor, his nations' highest military award, for his actions in holding off the enemy during the retreat of the garrison during the Battle of Newport Barracks on February 2, 1864.{{Cite news|url=https://www.fold3.com/page/637882359-erastus-w-jewett/facts|title=Erastus W Jewett: Person, pictures and information - Fold3.com|work=Fold3|access-date=2018-04-04|language=en-US}} This award was presented on September 8, 1891.{{Cite web|url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/813|title=Erastus Jewett - Recipient - Military Times Hall Of Valor|website=valor.militarytimes.com|language=en|access-date=2018-04-04}}

"By long and persistent resistance and burning the bridges kept a superior force of the enemy at a distance and thus covered the retreat of the garrison."{{Cite news|url=http://mohmuseum.org/medal_of_honor/jewett-erastus-w/|title=Jewett, Erastus W - The National Medal of Honor Museum|work=The National Medal of Honor Museum|access-date=2018-04-04|language=en-US}}

Later life

Jewett resided in Swanton, where he was engaged in the production and sale of hay and lime.{{R|Aldrich}} He was also active in the manufacture of metal goods, including buckles and wire.{{sfn|"Honored Vermonters: Col. Erastus W. Jewett"|pages=14-15}} Jewett continued his military service as a member of the Vermont Militia's headquarters staff from 1882 to 1892, including general inspector and inspector of rifle practice, and he attained the rank of colonel.{{sfn|"Vermont Civil War, Lest We Forget"}} He was involved in local politics as a Republican, and held several town and village offices, including village president.{{R|Aldrich}} Jewett was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Swanton post of which was named for his brother Jesse.{{sfn|"Honored Vermonters: Col. Erastus W. Jewett"|pages=14-15}} When Wheelock G. Veazey was the GAR's national Commander-in-Chief from 1890 to 1891, Jewett served on his staff as aide-de-camp with the rank of colonel.{{R|Aldrich}} Jewett was also active in the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, the Sons of the Revolution, and the Freemasons.{{R|Aldrich}}

Death and burial

Jewett retired in 1902 and was a resident of Burlington.{{cite news |date=February 28, 1906 |title=Death of Col. E. W. Jewett |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/168515742/ |work=St. Johnsbury Caledonian |location=St. Johnsbury, VT |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com |page=7 |ref={{sfnRef|"Death of Col. E. W. Jewett"}}}} On February 20, 1906, he was on his way to a local Grand Army of the Republic meeting when he became ill.{{sfn|"Death of Col. E. W. Jewett"|page=7}} He returned to his home, and died soon afterwards.{{sfn|"Death of Col. E. W. Jewett"|page=7}} Jewett was buried at Church Street Cemetery in Swanton.{{cite web |url=http://www.voca58.org/cemeteries/cemetery.php?Town=Swanton&Name=Church%20Street |title=Church Street Cemetery, Swanton |website=www.voca58.org |publisher=Vermont Old Cemetery Association |location=Burlington, VT |access-date=April 4, 2018}}

Family

Jewett was the husband of Fanny L. Brigham (d. 1882) of St. Albans.{{R|Aldrich}} Their children included Jessie, Mary, Nellie, and Walter.{{R|Aldrich}}