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Elmer Ephraim
Ellsworth
was born in 1837 in Saratoga County, New York,
a son of Ephraim
Ellsworth
and Phebe (Denton)
Ellsworth.
Elmer's maternal grandparents were Benjamin
Denton (1785-1848) and
Grace (Fuller) Denton (1787-1832). Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth was, in fact,
a direct descendant of the Rev. Richard Denton
(1603-1662), founder of the first
Presbyterian Church in the new world.
As a young man, Elmer moved from New York to Illinois, working as a clerk
in Chicago. It was in Illinois that Elmer met Abraham Lincoln, working as
an election aide during Lincoln's campaign, leading to a close friendship
between President Abraham Lincoln and our Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth.
Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth organized a Zouave company within the Union Army
when the U. S. Civil War began. Patterned after French units and
their unique Algerian uniforms and colorful drills, Elmer's company
performed at the White House in 1860.
In May of 1861 Elmer's New York Zouave regiment prevailed over Confederate
forces at Alexandria, Virginia. However, it was here that Elmer was
killed while he was removing a Confederate flag, becoming the first
publicized Union Army casualty in the U. S. Civil War.
Col. Elmer Ellsworth was dead on 21 May 1861 in Alexandria, Virginia.
Reporters who saw President Abraham Lincoln immediately after he learned
of Col. Elmer Ellsworth's death wrote that the President broke
down into heavy sobbing when he learned of Col. Ellsworth's death.
President Lincoln arranged for Col. Elmer Ellsworth's funeral
to be held in the East Room of the White House.
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