George Boyce was mustered into Company H on November 5, 1861. On September 17, 1862, at the battle of Antietam, he was shot through the forehead. John Mars was near him when he was wounded. As he fell he said to John with his dying breath,"Tell my mother I died doing my duty." His body lies next to other comrades at the Antietam National Cemetery, Section 5, Lot A, Grave 3. Prior to the Civil War Boyce an interesting and yet tragic experience as is recounted through these newspaper articles. Hastings Independent June 24, 1858 Horrible Affair A Father Killed By His Son On Friday the 18th inst., just about sundown a difficulty occurred between Isaiah Boyce and his son George in which the former received wounds, from the effects of which he has since died. It appears that the old man came home intoxicated, which with him was no unusual thing that in this condition he became boisterous and abusive, as drunken men often will be; that the son in endeavoring to quiet him became enraged and inflicted wounds which have resulted in the fathers' death. The family for months and we might almost say years, lived a most miserable life; and on Friday this turmoil had ripened till a death blow had been inflicted and the son afterwards arrested for murder. A postmortem examination of the body was made on Sunday evening last. Mr. Boyce having died in the morning of that day and a Coroner's Jury was empaneled whose verdict was that the deceased came to his death by a blow inflicted by his son.It is a most painful occurrence; the family feels it and the young man in particular, though to an ordinary observer the idea might be conveyed that he was utterly reckless and unconcerned. It is true, that with the training he has had, he is destitute of the finer sensibilities which moral and intellectual training will generate; yet we think he is impressed with the enormity of offense he has committed. End of Article Hastings Independent June 24, 1858 George Royce was sent to Stillwater prison because he was unable or unwilling to post $1,000 dollars bail. Hastings Independent June 16, 1859 The Court From Wednesday the 8th inst. to Tuesday last, the attention of the Court has been occupied with the trial of George Boyce, charged with committing murder on the 18th of June last. On the part of the prosecution, Mr Perkins and Mr. Smith were the counsel and for the defense A.M. Hays and Wm B. Leach. The case was a tedious one and was submitted to the jury Tuesday evening last, which after being out about twelve hours returned with a verdict of an aquittal. Hastings Independent October 5, 1862 Sgt. Mars reports that George Royce was mortally wounded at the battle of Antietam; his final words were a request to let those at home know that he died doing his duty. Sources: The Hastings Independent June 24, 1858. The Hastings Independent June 16, 1859. The Hastings Independent June 24, 1859. The Saint Paul Pioneer, St Paul, MN, Sept 27, 1862, p 1. The Stillwater Messenger, September 30, 1862. The Hastings Independent, October 5, 1862. Family Tree Maker, CD351, Roll of Honor:Civil War Union Soldiers, Volume XV. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
