New Britain herald., 1927-06-29
PainuiNe Mews
CIVIL WAR VETERAN
 ANSWERSL LAST CALL
William (. Renfree Dies at Home
 on Church Street
AUTOS BLOCK FIRE TRUCKS

AUTOS BLOCK FIRE TRUCKS Bad T1e.up at Rcdstonc Hill Blaze -Olson's Homer Wins for Peck
 Spring-Truck Sinks in Milford
 Street Sand-Asks Bid, for Carry ing Nail-Briefs.
 Commissary Sergeant William G. Renfree. one of Plainville's last four Civil War veterans and l department c. A. K. officer. answered the final bugle call last night when he died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. William Scoville of 34 Ch,.ch street. at 1d:15 o'clock. He would have been s4 years old in September.
 "Coloner' Renfree. as he was af- fectionately called by the large number of townspeople who knew and loved the old man, was born in Monnon, England, in 1S42. mil grating to this country when about six years old The town Q: Thomas ton was his first reside lce in this country, and he very naturally be- came a clock-maker by trade.
 On October II, 1861. he enlisted as private from Plymouth and served with Co. E. list Connecticut cavalry. This regiment participated in SS battles and skirmisbes, serv- ing as infantry and artillery as well as cavalry when occasion demanded, fighting on horse and afoot. in field and behind breastworks. The local man was promoted to a sergeancy on October 1, 1862. On January l.. 1864. his enlistment term expired. hut he re-enlsted and was appointed commissary sergeant.
 Among the battles in which Ser Eeant Renfree took part were Port l Republic, Cedar Mountain, Bull Run. Chantilly. the Wilderness. Spottsyl- vania Court House. Winchester, Cedar Creek, Dinwiddie Court House, Five Forks, Sailors Creek and Ap- pomattox. During the last months of the war he was with Sheridan in his famous campaigns and was ir at the finish when Lee surren- Gered. He was wounded in the leg and had his horse shot under him. He retained the piece of metal which hit him and kept it with his large collection of war relics.
 When the war was over, he was mustered out on August 2, 1865, and returned to Thomaston During brief stay in Illinois ne met and married Miss Catherine Albright ill 1870. Returning east, he lived in Ninsted and then Bristol. About 16 years ago he ceased practising his clockmaker's trade and came here 1 to live with his daughter. He had l heen ill for several weeks before his death, which was due to kidney trouble. Mrs. Renfree died three years ago.
 Mr. Renfree was a member of Stanley post, G. X. R., of New Brit ain, having joined about a year ago when the old Winsted post was dis banded. For the past two years he had been department inspector on the commanders staff.
 i He was also member of Unity lodge. Knights of Pythias. of Win sted: of the Masons: the Knights of khorassan: the Army and Navy club. and the Congregational church. i Surviving MT. Renfree are three children, Mrs William Scoville, with whom he made his home. Mrs. Fred Barrows of Ansonia, and Robert Renfree of New Haven: seven grand children. Russell Scoville of Plain- vile. Clarence Barrows and Mrs. Walter Hawks of Ansonia. Robert Fuller off Woburn. Mass, Lawrence Yorker of Winsted. and Arthur l Renfree and Mrs Elsie Grimes, Ind; i; and nine great grandchildren.
 The funeral will be held Friday. the service being conducted at his late home at 2:3o o'clock by Rev. Charles s. Wyckoff, pastor of the Congregational church. Interment will be in Plymouth.
 Autos Block Fire Trucks Excitement seeking motorists greatly hampered the Plainville and Bristol fire departments last night when the barn of Joe Nacartiola was destroyed by fire shortly before midnight. They thronged the road and made it impossible for some of the apparatus to reach the scene. when even those pieces which ar- rived ahead of the fire fiends were forced to wait some time before they could return. Chief F. P. Prior of Plainyille and Chief Hayes of Bristol are righteously indignant about the matter. and. had the fire not been approximately on the town line. the Bristol chief would un- doubtedly have made several arrests last night.
 The fire was discovered by men about the center at 11:30 o'clock and was immediately reported to Chief Prior. Although it was not