After the death of his wife and two of his children, Edward Robinson Willis (45 years of age) enlisted on August 12, 1861 in Company A (the Wetherill Blues), 31st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel D. H. Williams commanding. The regiment was sent to Washington D.C. to protect the city and for training. Early in the war, it was re-designated the 82nd Pennsylvania Volunteers. He was wounded, but not severely, at Antietam and had a horse shot from under him at Petersburg. For the entire war he faithfully send letters to Mary, his oldest daughter. Edward was discharged with his regiment on July 13, 1865 at Hall's Hill, Virginia. Edward returned from the Civil War suffering from chronic diarrhea, from which he never recovered, and subsequently died on September 18, 1865 in Media Pennsylvania. He was not quite 49 years old.
Samuel Walter was the last survivor of the Civil war in the Fairfield community. He was a member of Company G, 82nd Pennsylvania Infantry, and served for more than a year. At the battle of Sailor's Creek, Mr. Walter was wounded in the left arm when a minie ball entered at the elbow. He lay on the field of battle for two nights and one day before he received surgical attention. Surgeons then wanted to amputate his arm, but Mr. Walter refused to grant them permission. He carried the ball in his arm the remainder of his life. He was honorably discharged from service June 26, 1865. He was a member of Corporal Skelly G. A. R. post, No. 9, of Gettysburg, and Zion Lutheranchurch, Fairfield. Excerpted from his obituary in The Star and Sentinel, Gettysburg, PA, November 3, 1934. Samuel Walker is buried at Flohr’s Lutheran in McKnightstown, PA.
Private Andrew O'Neil was mustered into Company C on September 17, 1863. He was wounded at Cold Harbor on June 3, 1864. He was later transferred to Company D and mustered out on July 13, 1865.
Private Willinst Mendler, Company B, mustered in February17, 1865, owned a hotel/saloon in Pittsburgh during the 1870's and died in 1883 at Brooklyn, NewYork.
Private Erastus Smart, Company A, was wounded on April 6 1865 during the battle of Sailor’s Creek and died at Burkville Junction, Virginia on April 10th.
