Location: In front of Sargent Memorial Library, 427 Massachusetts Avenue, Boxborough
Coordinates: 42°28’53.4″N 71°30’13.1″W
Date dedicated: November 11, 2021
Design/Sculptor/Manufacturer: Unknown
[After the World Wars, many towns built “honor roll” monuments with plaques honoring soldiers from various wars. While not exclusively Civil War monuments, they typically memorialize that conflict as well. And while their inclusion strays a bit from the mission of this project, omitting them seems inappropriate, especially if the town lacks a dedicated Civil War monument and the memorial lists those who served or died in that war.]
Boxborough’s war memorial is one of the newest in the Commonwealth. The Boxborough Veterans Memorial, located at the entrance of the Sargent Memorial Library, stands as a testament to the town’s dedication to honoring its veterans and their families. The effort began with the formation of a Veterans’ Memorial Committee in 2017 and involved representatives from several different town committees as well as local veterans. Their goal was to provide the public with opportunities to reflect on the dedication of the men and women from Boxborough who served.[1]
An existing but often overlooked World War I Memorial plaque and boulder was moved and neatly incorporated into the new memorial. New tablets were created listing those who died in the Revolution War, the Civil War, World War I, and Vietnam, as well as a list of all those who served in World War II. The memorial was dedicated during Veterans Day Ceremonies on November 11, 2021. Since its dedication, the Veterans Memorial has become a focal point for annual ceremonies.
The three Civil War soldiers listed are John H Fletcher, Alonzo M. Woodward, and Francis P. Finnegan. Private Fletcher, a 19-year-old farmer, enlisted on October 9, 1861 with Company E of the 26th Massachusetts Infantry. The unit served in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864. He was killed in action during the Third Battle of Winchester, Virginia on September 19, 1864. Private Woodward, a 26-year-old farmer enlisted on August 25, 1862 with Company E of the 6th Massachusetts Militia. He died of disease on October 6, 1862 at Suffolk, Virginia. Landsman Finnegan, a 24-year-old engineer, enlisted on June 26, 1861 with the U.S. Navy. He served on several different ships and died on September 24, 1863 while serving aboard the USS Albatross (presumably of disease).[2]
A town of just 403 people in 1860, Boxborough had approximately 20 men who served in the Civil War. Seven of these enlisted for the nine-months term of the 6th Massachusetts Militia. The regiment participated in various expeditions near Suffolk, Virginia and repelled Confederates during the Siege of Suffolk. Another five Boxborough men served in the 26th Massachusetts, mustered in for a three-year enlistment on August 28, 1861, serving in multiple brigades and divisions across the Department of the Gulf, Army of the Shenandoah, and Department of Washington. After participating in campaigns from New Orleans to the Shenandoah Valley, the regiment mustered out on August 26, 1865, in Savannah, Georgia.
The Boxborough Veterans Memorial stands as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by residents of this small town throughout its history.
[1] Town of Boxborough, Boxborough Veteran’s Tribute Committee
[2] Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War (Boston: Adjutant General’s Office, 1931).