Luther C. Ladd
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Luther Crawford Ladd (22 December 1843 – 19 April 1861) was a soldier in the Union Army who was killed during the
Baltimore riot of 1861 The Baltimore riot of 1861 (also called the "Pratt Street Riots" and the "Pratt Street Massacre") was a civil conflict on Friday, April 19, 1861, on Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland. It occurred between antiwar "Copperhead" Democrats (the lar ...
. He is often referred to as the first Union soldier killed in action during the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
. Luther Crawford Ladd was 17 years old at the time of his death.Detzer, p. 119. On April 13, 1861, Private Daniel Hough became the first non-combat casualty of the war when he was accidentally killed by a cannon that exploded along with an ammunition pile next to the gun during a salute to the flag at the U.S. Army's surrender of
Fort Sumter Fort Sumter is a historical Coastal defense and fortification#Sea forts, sea fort located near Charleston, South Carolina. Constructed on an artificial island at the entrance of Charleston Harbor in 1829, the fort was built in response to the W ...
to Confederate forces on April 13, 1861. Private Edward Galloway was mortally wounded by the same explosion and died three days later. Luther C. Ladd was born in
Bristol, New Hampshire Bristol is a New England town, town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,244 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is home to Wellington State Park, Sugar Hill State Fores ...
, the son of John Ladd. He resided on the Ladd farm, south of Fowler's River. In 1853 Luther and his father moved to nearby
Alexandria, New Hampshire Alexandria is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,776 at the 2020 census, up from 1,613 at the 2010 census. Newfound Lake is in the northeast corner, with Wellington State Park on the western shore. The ...
, where he attended district schools. At age 16 in 1860, Ladd left Alexandria for
Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell () is a city in Massachusetts, United States. Alongside Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge, it is one of two traditional county seat, seats of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in ...
, where he obtained employment at the Lowell Machine Shop. In April 1861 Luther answered President Lincoln's first call for 75,000 men by enlisting for three months in Co. D, 6th Massachusetts Militia. On April 19, 1861 while marching through the city of
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
this regiment was attacked by an angry mob. Luther C. Ladd was the first to fall. His injuries included a fractured skull and a fatal bullet wound that severed an artery in his thigh. Luther C. Ladd's remains were interred in the Alexandria Village Cemetery, later to be removed and buried beneath the Ladd & Whitney monument in Lowell, Massachusetts.


References

1843 births 1861 deaths 1861 in the United States 1861 riots People from Bristol, New Hampshire People of New Hampshire in the American Civil War Union military personnel killed in the American Civil War Union army soldiers {{AmericanCivilWar-bio-stub