Lieutenant Henry B. Needham was born in 1838 in the town of Middlebury, Vermont.
At the age of 24, he enlisted on May 2, 1861. He mustered in on May 9, 1861 as a Private in Company I with the 1st Vermont Infantry. He mustered out on August 15, 1861 and was commissioned a 1st Lieutenant. Needham then joined Company E of the 14th Infantry on August 30, 1862 and mustered in on October 7, 1862. He mustered out on July 30, 1863.
Needham was commissioned again to serve as a 1st Lieutenant. This time, he joined Company H of the 17th Vermont Infantry on May 19, 1864. He mustered in on May 23, 1864.
Lieutenant Needham was mortally wounded in action at Petersburg on July 30, 1864. Ultimately, he died from those wounds on August 6, 1864, in a Washington, DC hospital.
His mother, Augusta, applied for his pension and received it on October 27, 1864.
Obituary:
“Deaths in Hospital – The following deaths were reported at Washington, August 7 – Lt. H. B. Needham, 17th Vt.”
Source: Vermont Record, August 12, 1864
Courtesy of Tom Boudreau