Lieutenant and captain in Co. A, H, and C of the 16th Connecticut Infantry. Dickerson was a POW in Plymouth NC and escaped from Camp Sorghum (Columbia, SC) in November of 1864.
On the reverse side of photograph, indicates Bundy & Williams, New Haven, CT.
From the "Soldiers Record" (Hartford, CT) Oct 31, 1868.
CAPT. ALFRED DICKERSON. Alfred Dickerson, whose sad and sudden death on Saturday last, has brought deep sorrow not only into the circle of his own family friends, but also into a much larger circle of those who knew and loved him, was born in Newburg, N. Y., in the year 1841 and was therefore twenty-seven years of age when he died. He came to this city in the year 1857, and found employment in the store of P. Jewell & Sons, with whom he remained until the second year of the late war, when he entered the service of his country. Mr. Dickerson enlisted in the 16th Connecticut regiment, and went forth with it as Sergeant-Major and shared with it the rough fortunes of war from the bloody field of Antietam.to which the regiment was ordered immediately upon its arrival from Hartford,to the time of its capture at Plymouth by the confederate General Hoke, on the 20th of April, 1864. Just previous to the capture of the regiment, he was promoted to the office of Captain. While the privates were sent to Andersonville, Captain Dickerson, with the other officers, h was taken first to Macon, and afterwards to Columbia, S. C. From this prison there he, in company with three or four brother officers, effected an escape, and in a small boat, by the kind help of the negroes, through many trials and perils, succeeded in safely descending the Santee river and reaching one of the United States gunboats off the mouth of the river. Afterwards he rejoined the remnant of his regiment at Newborn, where he remained until the close of the war brought all the brave boys in blue back to their homes again. Resuming his employment in the service of P. Jewell & Sons, Captain Dickerson married, in the month of May, 1866, Mary, the daughter of Mr. Ralph Foster, and found a happy home of his own amid a host of affectionate friends. Scarcely three months ago the blessing of a little child Was bestowed on his household. Captain Dickerson was one of the most promising young men in our city. He was widely known, warmly loved, universally respect-ed. Faithful and brave as a soldier, his heart was in the cause of his country, and ho was willing to give his life in her service. Upright, frank, diligent, ambitious of good things, and both persistent and energetic in endeavor, he unconsciously commended himself to the whole community. A certain line and pure enthusiasm was one of his decided characteristics, and was always manifest in all that he undertook to be or to do. With a will and zeal and straightforward energy ho did his manifest duty. In the year 1858, at an early age, he joined the second church of this city, and has stood constant and steadfast in his profession, approving himself as a bravo and loyal soldier of Jesus Christ, And altogether he was a growing man ; a genuine, noble, useful, promising 'man, in whose death the community at large has no little loss. On Monday last lie felt ill, and during the next day kept his bed, under a physician's care in Lockhaven, Pa. Tuesday night he started homeward, and arrived here Wednesday evening. His disease—a very malignant type of erysipelas—rapidly developed itself. On Friday afternoon his mind was perfectly clear, and in an interview with the pastor, the Rev. Mr. Parker, in a perfect understanding of the hopelessness of his recovery, he expressed himself in terms of submission and confidence and hope that filled even the sad chamber of death with an exceeding glory, and gave to his friends a permanent and unspeakable comfort. On Saturday, shortly after noon, he expired. This testimony, ear, departed brother, 0 fair, young, brave soul, we bear thee , in all simplicity, as with unfeigned regret we bid thee Good Bye—for a season ! The funeral was attended from the late residence of the deceased on Buckingham St., on Monday afternoon. The Grand army, and the City Guard association of which the deceased was a member, attended in a body.
