William Ayers, of
Somerville, was the eldest son of John and Sally (Page)
Ayers, of
Boston, Mass. Sally
Ayers, his mother, subsequently married
Joshua Bailey, who died before the war.
Mrs. Bailey built the first house on Prescott street,
Somerville, near Highland avenue. Her two sons, William and
George W. Ayers, both enlisted at the outbreak of the
Civil War. William, the subject of this sketch, enlisted in the Somerville company, B, Fifth Regiment, in its ‘100-day services.’
He was a faithful soldier until he was sunstruck at or near Little Washington Village, N. C. He was in several engagements and toilsome marches with his regiment, and was a ‘non compos mentis’ for many years, and committed suicide in
[
23]
1892 by hanging.
William Ayers was a
United States pensioner at $50 per month for several years before his death.
He was a single man, never married.
George W. Ayers was the second son of
John Ayers and Sally (Page)
Ayers, of
Boston.
They had three children,
Sallie D. Ayers, the eldest, who married
Captain Martin Binney, the writer of this sketch,
William Ayers, and
George W. Ayers.
Their two sons were both in the service during the
Civil War.
George W. Ayers enlisted for
Somerville in Company D. Twenty-fourth Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers.
He was in several battles in the Army of the Potomac, and was at one time in
Fernandina, Fla., and, being a cabinet-maker, he was detailed to make coffins.
In one of the battles in which the regiment was engaged,
George W. Ayers was taken prisoner, and was at
Macon, Ga., and at
Andersonville, where he suffered all the horrors of that prison pen. He was finally exchanged.
The prisoners of war in this first exchange of prisoners were in a horrible condition, emaciated and starved.
George W. Ayers died from starvation three days after his arrival at the Naval Academy grounds,
Annapolis, Md., in 1863.
The writer obtained leave of absence, and went to
Camp Parole for the purpose of getting him a furlough, but found him dead.
The bodies of
George W. Ayers and
William Ayers are in one grave, and a beautiful stone was erected to their memory by their sister, Sallie (
Ayers)
Binney.
