| Notes |
- The History of the Fifteenth Connecticut Volunteers
In the War for the Defense of the Union, 1861-1865
Captain Julius Bassett was born in Seymour, (then Humphreysville), Connecticut, February 20, 1818. He continued a resident of that place until the discovery of gold in California in 1849, when he with a number of others, sailed from New Haven, Connecticut, for San Francisco, California, arriving there after a tedious voyage of over six months. With the exception of a short visit to his home, he remained on the Pacific Coast until 1855, when he returned to the East and became a resident of Meriden.
On the breaking out of the rebellion he was one of the earliest to respond to the call of President Lincoln for volunteers, enlisting as a private in the Meriden Company, 3d Connecticut Regiment, and serving with it in the battle of Bull Run.
He was, as stated elsewhere in this work, the first to enlist in the company, which afterwards became Company A, 15th Connecticut Volunteers, and of which he was elected Captain.
After serving for nearly three years with his regiment in their various campaigns, he was mortally wounded in the action near Kingston, North Carolina, March 8, 1865.
His family made every effort to recover his body, but were unsuccessful, and he rests in an unknown grave upon the field of battle.
In 1885, twenty years after his death, Captain R.A. Carter, of Monroe, North Carolina, wrote to the Governor of Connecticut, asking to be put in communication with the family of Captain Bassett.
As a result of this they were in a short time put in possession of his sword and sash, which had been presented to him by his company and bore an inscription to that effect.
Captain Carter, had in the engagement above referred to, command of the Confederate detachment opposed to that of the 15th Regiment.
In his letter to the family, he wrote of Captain Bassett as "brave to madness".
All his comrades will endorse this statement, and agree that the cause of the Union had no more earnest, patriotic defender than Captain Julius Bassett.
From the notebook of Lilly Carter Hoffman 1888-1979
Stories told to her in 1934 by Confederate Veteran, John Hatley
The 42nd Regiment were marching near Kingston, North Carolina. During this march, John Hatley was taken prisoner and released when the war was over. The ground was swampy part of the time. The company came upon the enemy and engaged in a skirmish. The Federal Captain was killed and about four of his men. The others surrendered. Captain Carter ordered a burial detail. The Federal Captain's sash was a large long one of red and white handsome material. The soldiers thought Captain Carter should have it. The Confederate Captain was wearing a sash and he draped his sash around the body of the officer and marked the grave with his own sword. Captain Carter kept the Federal Captain's sword and sash which he displayed over his mantel until 1886. Engraved on the sword, "Capt. Julius Bassett-Conn." Bob contacted the Connecticut Governor searching for the family of Captain Bassett. He received a letter from Fred Bassett of New York and one from his brother in Michigan. They never knew what had happened to their father. After many letters which were published in the Monroe newspaper, the sash and sword were returned. In appreciation, they sent Bob Carter a handsome gold-headed ebony walking stick capped at the bottom in silver. Upon the gold head was inscribed, "Capt. Robert Allen Carter from the family of Capt. Julius Bassett". (This stick is located in the archives in Raleigh, North Carolina.) When Lilly (LCH) was born in 1888, she was named Lilly Bassett Carter after the fallen federal Captain from Connecticut.
1850 Federal Census of Seymour, New Haven County, Connecticut (29 Aug 1850)
Julius Bassett - 33 - M - Connecticut - Blacksmith 1200
Augusta - 30 - F - Connecticut
Frederick - 8 - M - Connecticut
Sarah - 6 - F - Connecticut
Heber - 4 - M - Connecticut
1860 Federal Census of Meriden, New Haven County, Connecticut (5 Jul 1860)
Julius Bassett - 42 - M - Connecticut - Mason
Sarah - 28 - F - Connecticut
Fredk - 17 - M - Connecticut
Sarah - 15 - F - Connecticut
Heber - 13 - M - Connectcut
Lydia Miller - B - 30 - F - Connecticut - Domestic
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Bassett Family Association Database
1818 - 1865 (47 years)