The Portland daily press., 1882-01-28
millian, z. Rroughton.

| Captain William H. Broughton, man uni-
versally liked by all who knew him, died yes
] terday Eof rheumatic fever and pneumonia
combined at his residence on Bramhall street,
after brief illness.
| Capt. Broughton was one OF the youngest
| and bravest officers of the late civil war. He
was born in Naples in 1916, and removed to
Portland when quite young. In fact, he was
| only sixteen years old when he enlisted as
private in Co. d, 10th Maine, under the gal
lant COL Tilden. At the battle of Fredericks-
burg, Dec. 18th, 1862 the gallant boy-for he
was no more than that--was with his regiment
when four regiments in front of the 10th broke,
including the 94th New York, which had the
advance at the tine. The color sergeant OF
that regiment was shot down, and, as he lay
on the ground wou Dded he called for some
one of his own regiment to take the coors
from the field. Not one of them responded,
but Young Bro ughton, then sergeant, sprang
forward from the ranks of his own regiment,
seized the colors, bore them from the field and
delivered them into the bands OF Col Tllden.
For that, and other acts of bravery, ne was
promoted to second lieutenant on the field,
and was in charge of his company, the other
commissioned officers being either wounded or
dead
In the battle of Gettysburg, the second day
of the fight, his regiment captured thousand
rebels. and thirteen stands of coIors. although
| they had only two hundred men on the field.
He was captured before Petersburg in the
| summer of 1864 and was an inmate of Libby
| Prison.
| Capt. Broughton IS commissions were dated;
| First Lieutenant, Dee. 1st, 1868; captain,
| Nov. 9th, 1864. He was honorably discharged
| from the service June 9TH, 1866. He was in
seventeen battles in which his regiment par
ticipated: South Mountain, Antietam, Fred
| ericksburg,. Charlottesville, Gettysburg,
| Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North
| Anna River, Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor,
| Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, Hatch's Run,
| Gravelly Run, Five Forks, and at Appomat-
| tox Court House.
When Capt. Broughton was mustered out
of the service he was but nineteen years old
with an experience few of his age could boast.
| He tried for West Point on a competitive ex-
| animation. There were twenty competitors
| but Broughton secured the second place. Fail
| ing to get to West Point he then became book
keeper for James & Williams, and later was
| employed by other firms He was fond OF
| games of every kind both mental and ath-
| letic and possessed remarkable skill at them.
He was a wonderful checker player, the
| champion of the State and one of the best in
| the country. He was a member OF the old
| Eon and Athletic base ball clubs and was in
fact fond of all manly sports. He was most
| kind-hearted, genial man, full of fun, and
| while it did not astonish his friends to hear OF
| his illness his death came with sudden shock
| to them-it was so difficult to associate the
| tomb with that joyous nature. Bosworth Pest
of the Grand Army delegated committee last
night to attend his funeral He leaves widow
and four children, widowed mother and a
brother, Edward P. Broughton. He met
death with the indomitable courage that char
acterized his life, and was, while conscious
ness remained, solicitous for the welfare of his
family gathered about his bedside.
Capt. Broughton's acquaintance was exten
siye and there are few in that wide cir
Gle whose presence would be more generally
missed. He had the faculty of acquiring de-
voted friends. His happy disposition, his
ready wit, his alert and vigorous mind, and
tho cordiality of his manners, made him de-
lightful companion Even his faults were
those of manly, robust nature. The gallant
soldier and charming comrade viii be mourned
by hosts of friends, and his memory kept
green many year.