Like many men in the 24th, Otis Southworth
was born in New York. He was an "engineer" by profession
(which in 19th Century parlance could signify a number of different
occupations). His residence at the time of the Regiment's formation
is variously given as Plymouth, Pontiac, or "Wayne County",
with Plymouth or the surrounding areas being the most likely.
Otis was related by marriage to another soldier in the 24th, Ezra Derby.
Otis enlisted in Captain Crosby's company (company C), August
9, 1862 at Plymouth. He was mustered into service on August 15,
1862. Along with the rest of the Regiment, Otis was heavily engaged
during the first day at Gettysburg. Family history reports that
he briefly carried the flag (possibly the blue regimental flag).
He was shot in the head, and probably died instantly. He was 29
years old. Otis was originally buried on the field, he now rests
in the Gettysburg National Cemetery, Michigan Plot, Section A,
grave 10.
His descendants have two of his letters. In a letter to his brother, Seth, in Benton Harbor, written while at Camp Isabella (Winter Quarters Late December 1862-April 21, 1863), Otis talks of being sick, of the rain and cold, etc. The other letter was dated June 30, 1863. The Regiment was camped just outside of Gettysburg and mentioned that "we expect to engage the enemy any day now." He died the next day --probably near McPherson's Woods.
A recently discovered original copy of Colonel
Morrow's Official Gettysburg Report provides some additional
insight into Otis' last moments. In a section that was not published
in The Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, Morrow
includes Otis Southworth in a list of men whose conduct had been
"highly praised by their superiors."
When he went off to war, Otis left his young
wife, Harriet Derby Southworth behind. Once can only imagine her
grief when she learned that Otis was among the fallen. Only a
year later she would learn that her brother Ezra had been killed
at Petersburg.
