CHARLES HARRISON BRISTOL, was born March 12, 1840 at Newhaven, Middletown, Connecticut. He enlisted as a private in the US Army on April 22, 1861, serving in Company G, 2nd Connecticut Infantry as a Private.

The 2nd Regiment, Connecticut Infantry was organized at New Haven on May 7, 1861 and left Connecticut for Washington, D. C. on May 19, 1861. It was attached to Mansfield's command, the Department of Washington, until June, 1861, then to  Key's 1st Brigade, Tyler's Division, McDowell's Army of North Eastern Virginia until August 1861.   Bristol was mustered out on August 7, 1861, with the regiment, at New Haven, Connecticut.

The 2nd Connecticut Infantry saw service at Camp Corcoran, in the defences of Washington, D. C., until June 1,  advanced to Vienna and Falls Church, Virginia from June 1 through the 3^rd and served picket duty at Fall’s Church until July 16.

They then advanced on Manassas, Virginia from  July 16^th through the 21^st, participated in the occupation of the Fairfax Church House on  July 17^th, participated in the  Battle of Bull Run on July 21^st and mustered out on August 7, 1861. Bristol himself was mustered out on August 7, 1861, with the regiment, at New Haven, Connecticut.

Then on  April 8, 1864 the sloop Swallow which was in distress was rescued by the “Britannia”. On May 7, 1864 she engaged the  CSS Raleigh off New Inlet, North Carolina and in August received minor damage when shrapnel exploded aboard her during an engagement with CSS “Tallahassee”; allowing the “Tallahassee” to escape after a running fight into Wilmington, North Carolina. The Britannia also participated in the attacks on Fort Fisher, North Carolina on December 24 & 25, 1864 and again on January 13 through the 15^th, 1865. Gunfire from her decks forced the surrender of a battery and the capture of some 70 Confederate prisoners.

In January 1866 the “Britannia” joined the East Gulf Blockading Squadron, where she remained until the close of the war. From February 23^rd through the 27^th of April 1865, she took part in joint operations around o£ St. Marks, Florida, which resulted in the closing of the St. Marks River to Confederate forces and wrought considerable damage to Confederate saltworks in the area. The Britannia was sold on August 10, 1865 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

According to the “Connecticut Record of Service of Men during War of Rebellion”, on December 17, 1864 Bristol enlisted as a private into Company G, 15^th Connecticut Infantry and was captured at Kinston, North Carolina on March 8, 1865.  He became a prisoner of war, on March 23, 1865, was transferred to Richmond, Virginia  and was paroled three days later on March 26, 1865 at Boulware & Coxe's Wharf in  Virginia; being furloughed on March 30, 1865, from which he never returned.

Accounts of his subsequent service differ with one source showing he was furloughed and never returned although he does not appear on the roster. Having been paroled once, it is very likely if he did enlist in the 7^th Connecticut Infantry, he  likely  did  so  under  an assumed name; lest he was captured again.

Still another source records him as having enlisted in Company G of the 15^th Connecticut Infantry, at a much later date, on December 17, 1864; as a private again. On this recording his discharge and date of departure are not recorded.   It does record, however, that he was a prisoner of war on March 8, 1865 at Kinston, North Carolina, was paroled on March 26, 1865, furloughed on March 30^th, that he was born in Connecticut, died in Australia and was buried in Numurka, Victoria.

Charles and Eliza had a total of eleven children; Harriet Eliza, Gerald Edgar Hall, Charles Francis Leonard, Stephen who was still born, Martha who died in infancy, Donald Stephen Schubert who was killed in World War I, Henry “Cleve” Cleveland, Dora Iradina Harriet, George Franklin Osborne, Olive Ruth and Winfred Ann. The family relocated to and made their home in Katunga, Victoria in the latter part of the 1890’s. In  Katunga Charles worked as a carpenter and Eliza worked as a midwife in the delivery of many local babies. Of all the children, Cleve was the only one to remain in Katunga, marrying Lil O’Brien who moved there with her family in 1929. Her father worked as a linesman and her mother was the Railway Station Mistress. Cleve and Lil had three children in Katunga, Barbara, Len and Rhonda.

Cleve, like his father, was a carpenter  and regarded as a perfectionist in everything he constructed or renovated; including many of the districts finer homes and public buildings.  With the establishment of the Soldiers Settlement Commission, Cleve teamed up with a Mr. Tommy Davies and served as head carpenters for the commission; building and maintaining the timber framing and moulds for commission concrete work. Cleve continued in that capacity until he retired and passed away in August 1972. Lil continued living in Katunga until April 1982, when she moved to Numurkah. 

Charles Harrison Bristol died however, on July 22, 1931, of bronchitis and cardiac failure and was buried at Numurkah Cemetery in Victoria, Australia in the Presbyterian Section in grave number 620.

Descendants of Charles Harrison Bristol include Mrs. Lorna Berry, mother of Mrs. Maureen Denham and sisters Mrs. Freda Smith and Mrs. Margaret Walker who are are grand daughters of Charles Bristol. Mrs. Maureen Denham is the great granddaughter; and are located in Victoria, Australia.

Unadilla under construction - Harpers Weekly Magazine

Bristol General Index Card

Connecticut: Record of Service of Men during War of Rebellion

Historical Data Systems, Inc.

History of the Britannia, 1862

History of the USS Unadilla

Katunga Centenary, April 9th & 10th, 1988

Maureen Denham, Victoria, Au.

Middletown, Connecticut Birth Records, 1861

Numurkah Cemetery

Regimental Histories, UNION CONNECTICUT VOLUNTEERS

Veterans Records, Film Number M535 roll 2