Vignette bust view of William C. Cuseck wearing a dark frock coat buttoned at the collar, white shirt and a small bowtie.

Image is clear with good contrast. Strong period ink signature at bottom front reads “WILLIAM C. CUSECK / CO. B 1ST MASS WEIGHTY ARTY.”

Pencil inscription at top of reverse reads “CUSECK 1st M.” Reverse also has back mark for A. PEARCE… ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, VA.

William C. Cuseck was born in either St. John, New Brunswick or Newburyport, Massachusetts on September 1, 1841. He was living in Methuen, Massachusetts when he enlisted as a Private in Company B, of the 1^st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery on July 5, 1861.

The regiment was assigned to the Washington, D. C. area until May of 1864 when it was converted to infantry and assigned to the 2^nd Corps of the Army of the Potomac. The regiment saw action at Spotsylvania where it lost heavily on May 19^th. They also were engaged at North Anna, Totopotomy, Cold Harbor and Petersburg where it again suffered heavily on June 16, 1864.

The regimental history of the 1^st mentions Cuseck several times. It says in part:

“William C. Cuseck was one of the youngest boys in the regiment. He was marked from the first by his bravery and intelligence…” and in another excerpt “During the engagement at Petersburg, Cuseck and some of his comrades were back a little way from the rifle pits, getting their meal ready, when a percussion shell struck nearby and rolled to the edge of the fire. Sergt. Emmons Hill kicked it away with his foot just in time to prevent an explosion. The enemy had flanked the line and there was nothing to do but run, so Emmons and Cuseck ran together through the woods and got away after legging it about a mile, although about half of the regiment was captured. The beans were not captured, for Cuseck had grabbed the skillet and hung on to the beans during all the headlong flight. "We ate them while they were still hot," says William, "and they were the best beans we ever tasted."

Cuseck was mustered out on July 8, 1864.

After his release from the army Cuseck resided in Newburyport, Massachusetts where he was a member of the Albert W. Bartlett Post #49 of the GAR holding the office of Post Commander for a time. The news article below, taken from the Sacred Heart Review of May 28, 1892, relates the details of a sword presentation to Cuseck as commander of his GAR Post and speaks to the character of the man.-

"May it never be drawn except in the march of a peaceful army " is the appropriate wish of a local paper with regard to the sword presented last Thursday evening to William C. Cuseck, commander of A. W. Bartlett Post 49, G. A. R., by the members of the Father Lennon Benevolent Association, of which Commander Cuseck has long been a valuable and esteemed member. The pleasant affair took place in the hall of the society, the presentation address being delivered by the president, James F. Carens, who spoke as follows: — Mr. Cuseck,— At the beginning of the year when the members of Post 49, G. A. R., in the exercise of their sound judgment saw fit to place you at their head, your friends, and they are legion, were pleased. They felt it a just recognition of a brave soldier, a good citizen and an honest man. To-night a few of your many friends meet here to place in your possession a sword of peace, and on behalf of the members of the F. L. B. A., an organization for whose welfare you have labored long and well, I ask you to receive this sword and belt as a slight token of their appreciation of your true worth. May its blade of steel prove as true as your friendship, and may its golden hilt prove as pure as your loyalty to country and friends, and whether worn in the sacred and sad duty of placing the cypress on the graves of your dead comrades or in the peaceful taking of Washington next September your friends know that it will never be dishonored. Although greatly surprised, Mr. Cuseck succeeded in heartily thanking the society for the beautiful gift, and the motive that prompted it.

William Cuseck died in Newburyport on November 23, 1932 and is buried there in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Vignette bust view of William C. Cuseck wearing a dark frock coat buttoned at the collar, white shirt and a small bowtie.

Image is clear with good contrast. Strong period ink signature at bottom front reads “WILLIAM C. CUSECK / CO. B 1ST MASS WEIGHTY ARTY.”

Pencil inscription at top of reverse reads “CUSECK 1st M.” Reverse also has back mark for A. PEARCE… ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, VA.

William C. Cuseck was born in either St. John, New Brunswick or Newburyport, Massachusetts on September 1, 1841. He was living in Methuen, Massachusetts when he enlisted as a Private in Company B, of the 1^st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery on July 5, 1861.

The regiment was assigned to the Washington, D. C. area until May of 1864 when it was converted to infantry and assigned to the 2^nd Corps of the Army of the Potomac. The regiment saw action at Spotsylvania where it lost heavily on May 19^th. They also were engaged at North Anna, Totopotomy, Cold Harbor and Petersburg where it again suffered heavily on June 16, 1864.

The regimental history of the 1^st mentions Cuseck several times. It says in part:

“William C. Cuseck was one of the youngest boys in the regiment. He was marked from the first by his bravery and intelligence…” and in another excerpt “During the engagement at Petersburg, Cuseck and some of his comrades were back a little way from the rifle pits, getting their meal ready, when a percussion shell struck nearby and rolled to the edge of the fire. Sergt. Emmons Hill kicked it away with his foot just in time to prevent an explosion. The enemy had flanked the line and there was nothing to do but run, so Emmons and Cuseck ran together through the woods and got away after legging it about a mile, although about half of the regiment was captured. The beans were not captured, for Cuseck had grabbed the skillet and hung on to the beans during all the headlong flight. "We ate them while they were still hot," says William, "and they were the best beans we ever tasted."

Cuseck was mustered out on July 8, 1864.

After his release from the army Cuseck resided in Newburyport, Massachusetts where he was a member of the Albert W. Bartlett Post #49 of the GAR holding the office of Post Commander for a time. The news article below, taken from the Sacred Heart Review of May 28, 1892, relates the details of a sword presentation to Cuseck as commander of his GAR Post and speaks to the character of the man.-

"May it never be drawn except in the march of a peaceful army " is the appropriate wish of a local paper with regard to the sword presented last Thursday evening to William C. Cuseck, commander of A. W. Bartlett Post 49, G. A. R., by the members of the Father Lennon Benevolent Association, of which Commander Cuseck has long been a valuable and esteemed member. The pleasant affair took place in the hall of the society, the presentation address being delivered by the president, James F. Carens, who spoke as follows: — Mr. Cuseck,— At the beginning of the year when the members of Post 49, G. A. R., in the exercise of their sound judgment saw fit to place you at their head, your friends, and they are legion, were pleased. They felt it a just recognition of a brave soldier, a good citizen and an honest man. To-night a few of your many friends meet here to place in your possession a sword of peace, and on behalf of the members of the F. L. B. A., an organization for whose welfare you have labored long and well, I ask you to receive this sword and belt as a slight token of their appreciation of your true worth. May its blade of steel prove as true as your friendship, and may its golden hilt prove as pure as your loyalty to country and friends, and whether worn in the sacred and sad duty of placing the cypress on the graves of your dead comrades or in the peaceful taking of Washington next September your friends know that it will never be dishonored. Although greatly surprised, Mr. Cuseck succeeded in heartily thanking the society for the beautiful gift, and the motive that prompted it.

William Cuseck died in Newburyport on November 23, 1932 and is buried there in St. Mary’s Cemetery.  [ad]

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