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sums of money, which together with clothing, hospital stores, &c., was sent to the front.
Incorporated Jan. 30, 1808.
Population in 1860, 2,509; in 1865, 2,293.
Valuation in 1860, $886,550; in 1865, $860,922.
The selectmen in 1861 were
C. H. Baldwin,
Levi Goss,
Nahum Hastings; in 1862 and 1863,
D. C. Murdock,
Nahum Hastings,
J. H. Moore; in 1864,
D. C. Murdock,
Nahum Hastings,
J. S. Cutting; in 1865,
D. C. Murdock,
E. F. Brigham,
L. Hawes.
The town-clerk in 1861, 1862, 1863, and 1864 was
H. Houghton; in 1865,
H. F. Holt and
A. Hind.
The town-treasurer in 1861 was
Oliver B. Sawyer; in 1862, 1863, 1864, and 1865,
George F. Howe.
We have not been able to obtain a complete transcript of the war record of the town.
We know, however, that a meeting was held on the 29th of April, 1861, at which four thousand dollars were appropriated by the town to raise and equip a military company, and to pay them for time spent in drilling previous to being mustered into active service.
The same amount was appropriated in 1862 for the payment of bounties and for State aid to soldiers' families, and ten thousand dollars in 1863 for the same objects.
West Boylston furnished about two hundred and forty men for the war, which was a surplus of ten over and above all demands.
Twelve were commissioned officers.
One of the enlisted men was
Sergeant Thomas Plunkett, who, while carrying the colors of his regiment (the
Massachusetts Twenty-first), in the
battle of the Wilderness, in May, 1864, was struck with a ball which took off both his arms.
He fell forward with the colors under him. He was taken to the rear, where his arms were amputated.
Strange to say, he recovered, and is now a respectable, healthy citizen of
West Boylston.
The regimental colors, deposited in the
State House, retain the blood-stains of the gallant sergeant.
The total amount of money appropriated and expended by the town on account of the war, exclusive of State aid, was
