Captain THEODORE (THOMAS) F. BURPEE

Captain (afterwards Colonel) THEO. (THOMAS) F. BURPEE was born February 17, 1830, at Stafford, Conn. His residences prior to the war, were Stafford, Somers, Ellington, and Vernon. In July, 1862, he gave up his business—finisher in a woolen mill—to organize a company in Vernon. This he speedily did, and the company came into the 14th with full ranks as Company D. Capt, Burpee was rapidly showing himself a capable officer, and earning the esteem of his comrades, when, to his own surprise, and to the regret of the whole regiment he was promoted to the Majority of the 21st Connecticut, Aug. 23, 1862, just before we left the State. Reluctantly leaving us, he threw his whole energy into the 21st, and before they left, the State (Sept. 3, 1862) was promoted to be its Lieut. Colonel. As such he was in all the battles in which his regiment was engaged up to the date of his death, and much of the time was in command, owing to Col. Dutton having a Brigade. Col. Dutton was mortally wounded in front of Petersburg, and dying June 8, 1864, Lieut. Col. Burpee was promoted to the Colonelcy with rank from that date. The very next day, June 9th, he too was mortally wounded like Col. Dutton, by a sharpshooter’s bullet, and died on the 11th. His body was taken home to Rockville, where funeral services were held June 19th, 1864.

An interesting memorial of Col. Burpee was published in the Connecticut War Record, Oct., 1864, and republished in the Soldier’s Record of March 27, 1869. It shows him to have been a man of earnest piety.