CopV 
 
 / 
 
 
A Stranger's Burial. 
 Frc.m the Kussell (Kau.) Record, May 31, 1891. 
 
 Dr 'J'hoinas Bolton, or Smii Fran- 
 cisco, died at the residence i.f Mother 
 IJickeidyke on SatiirdMV and was bur- 
 i'-d in tlie Russell cemetery Sunday 
 afternoon. 
 
 The deceased had an eventful life. 
 [le was born in Ireland about 51 years 
 ag:o. When lie wr.s 6 ye;irs of age his 
 parents left Ireland tor the United 
 States. The ship was wrecked and 
 both parents lost while the little boy 
 and a sister were saved nnd brought to 
 Americ;i, where they were adopted ly 
 some kind family in Massachusetts 
 He became a dentist and was enaraged 
 in that profession when the rebellion 
 broke out. He enlisted as a [)rivate in 
 Company A, 27th Mass. He was the 
 pet and pride of his I'egiment, greatly 
 beloved by his comrades. A niedal 
 presented him by Major General Foster 
 for having saved Washington, X. ('., 
 together with .$1,500,000 worth of jirop- 
 erty to the United States; also a n)edMl 
 from the captain of his company for 
 having saved a picket post from capture 
 was shown by Mr. Housel at tiie fn. 
 ner-.l. 
 
 PRESENTED 
 
 TO 
 
 THOS. BOLTON 
 
 of ('o. A. 27th Mass. Vols, 
 
 for saving Washington, 
 
 N. Carolina, 
 
 anrl $1,500,0(10 to the U. S. 
 
 Maj. Gen. J. G. Foster. 
 
 PRESENTED 
 
 BY 
 
 CAPT. VANCE 
 
 of 
 
 i. Co. 27 Mass. Vols. 
 
 to T. BOLTON 
 
 for saving the 
 
 PICKET POST 
 
 at Bachelor's ("reek 
 
 from capture in '62. 
 
 INSCIilPTIONS ON THE MEDALS. 
 
 He was captured by the enemy at 
 Drury's Bluff in 1864 and spent six 
 months in Andersonville, from whence 
 
 he was released in a deplorable con' 
 tnni. He was brought to Savanna'* 
 where Mother BicKerdyke was in charg(\ 
 of the hospital for receiving the suffer- 
 ing prisoners. He was cjirried in by 
 his comrades and was, to all appear- 
 ances, in a dying condition, being un- 
 ci nscious and suffering from scurvy so 
 that his flesh was dropping from his 
 bones. His comrades plead with her 
 to try and do something for him and 
 she, literally, snatched him from the 
 grave and to him she was indeed and 
 in truth 3Iofher Bickerdyke. After the 
 war he settled in San Francisco where 
 he practiced his profession, and was a 
 member of Geo. H. Thomas Post, G. A. 
 K. Some time ago he became a victim 
 of consumption lor which no remedy 
 could be found. As he felt his end ap 
 proaching he felt an irrepressible desire 
 to be with Mother Bickerdyke, for 
 whom he cherished deep, affectionate 
 gratitude, characteristic of the true 
 soldier. He telegraphed her that he 
 was coming and arrived April 18. He 
 immediately took his bed and was 
 never able to sit up to take a meal. 
 Mother Bickerdyke took the same car..- 
 of him as she would had he been her 
 son, and members of the G. A. R. v/ere 
 always ready to do all they could. Hi^^ 
 last days were as comfortable as they 
 could be. His end was peace, and he 
 cherished a good hope for the future. 
 The funeral services weie held at the 
 M. E,, church where the sermon was 
 preached by Rev. L. O. Housel. While 
 no blood relation was present to mourn, 
 tears were shed and genuine grief felt 
 by many as the story of his life was 
 briefly related. The old soldiers were 
 out in pretty good force, feeling deeply 
 the loss of a worthy comrade, though 
 personally unknown. A goodly proces- 
 sion followed the remains to the ceme- 
 terv where they were deposited, with 
 appropriate ceremonies, near the grnve 
 of A. G. Wef-'d. Tt appears to h;ive 
 been his desire to be buried here. 
 

 
 
 
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