Augustus Wade Dwight was a lawyer who became an officer in the.
Background
Augustus Wade Dwight was born February 22, 1827 in Halifax, Vermont, the oldest of nine children. His father was physician Morris Dwight of the New England Dwight family, born October 1, 1796, and mother was Minerva Bryant, born February 18, 1800. In 1829 the family moved to Cummington, Massachusetts as the father practiced medicine, and in 1839 to Poughkeepsie, New York where his father tried to raise mulberry trees.
Education
He studied law for a while in California. He studied for the bar and was admitted to practice in Onondaga County, New York in 1859.
Career
He served in 21 battles and was wounded three times, the last wound being fatal. In 1840 they moved to LaFayette, New New York However, he dropped out in February 1852 when he could not afford lieutenant
Instead he went to California to join the California Gold Rush.
Somehow he ended up on a ship to the Hawaiian Islands, and from there to China. Returning to the United States, he had circumnavigated the earth.
A year into the, additional troops were being raised in Onondaga County. He was commissioned as Captain of Company East of the 122nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment on July 8, 1862.
By August 28, 1862 was promoted to lieutenant colonel under Colonel Silas Titus, and was sent immediately into combat action as part of the Army of the Potomac.
In its first engagement, the Battle of Antietam, they were kept in reserve and there were no losses. After a few other skirmishes, they saw heavy fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863. Sickness also took its toll on the regiment.
Other times, both officers were unable to lead and command passed to Captain Horace Hall Wapole (later promoted to lead the regiment).
Titus was also called away to serve as Provost Marshal. On September 19, 1864 at the Battle of Opequon, he received his first wound, a severe contusion of his right thigh, but was able to continue in his post.
On October 19, 1864 he was more severely wounded at Battle of Cedar Creek when a ball shattered his right wrist. He was given a medical discharge and sent home to recover with an effectively useless right arm.
He officially replaced Titus to command the regiment as acting colonel on February 28, 1865, under Colonel Thomas West. Hyde who was in turn acting as brigade commander.
On the early morning of March 25, 1865, Confederate forces launched the daring surprise attack on Fort Stedman near St. Petersburg. After initially capturing the Union fort, the attack stalled and the fort was retaken. During the operation, he was hit it the head by artillery fire and was instantly killed.
His commission as full colonel was not finalized before his death.
He was buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse, New New York