Putnam Elementary/Middle
Every day: Fruit. Monday: Manager's choice. Tuesday: Macaroni and cheese, roasted vegetables. Wednesday: Hot dogs or mini corn dogs, baked beans. Thursday: Pasta, meatsauce, broccoli. Friday: Stuffed-crust pizza. 
Putnam High
Monday: Grilled cheese or spicy chicken sandwich. Tuesday: Homemade chicken pot pie or bacon cheeseburger. Wednesday: Macaroni and cheese with pulled pork or buffalo chicken or wrap. Thursday: Spicy chicken tenders or "Wild Mike's" cheese bites. Friday: Stuffed-crust pizza or chicken tender fry basket.
Woodstock Public Schools
Every day: Fruit. Monday: Chicken patties on buns, sweet potato fries. Tuesday: Waffles, sausage, hash browns. Wednesday: Popcorn chicken, mashed potatoes, wax beans. Thursday: Beef tacos, refried beans. Friday: Pizza, salad.
Pomfret Community
Monday: Bosco sticks, marinara, cucumber wheels. Tuesday: Chicken and sausage jambalaya, corn. Wednesday: Chicken tenders, waffles, sweet potato fries. Thursday: Bee and cheddar walking tacos, black beans. Friday: Cheese or roni pizza, salad.

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This Way Toward Spring?
Signs and everything else at Roseland Park are still knee deep in snow but it's melting. Is spring around the corner? More photos on page 4. Expanded photo array Wed. night on our FB page. Linda Lemmon photo.

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Hometown Heroes of the Civil War

By Michael Rocchetti

Thomas L Taylor (1849-1932) was an enslaved African-American fugitive who escaped from a plantation in Virginia, made his way to the Union-occupied Fort Monroe at Hampton Vir., and as a contraband, enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served honorably in the cause of freedom during the Civil War.

He was a resident of Putnam for many years, and was both well-known and highly regarded. He was also a long-time member of the A.G. Warner Post #54 of the Grand Army of the Republic (a U.S. Civil War veterans organization). His gravestone indicates that he was the last surviving crew member of the famous ironclad ship, the USS Monitor, which battled the Confederate ironclad the Merrimac (aka the CSS Virginia) during the historic Battle of Hampton Roads in 1862.

However, this fact is not supported by the vital information and service records which are summarized in the affidavits he signed when he applied for his pension. It should be noted however, that he did officially serve on another Monitor type vessel - the USS Roanoke. He most likely served unofficially on the USS Monitor during the Battle of Hampton Roads in March of 1862 – which might explain why no U.S. Naval records can establish that as fact. During the Civil War it was not uncommon for a Union Army or Navy Commanding Officer to hire contrabands to serve as orderlies or laborers. Note: contraband status protected escaped slaves from re-enslavement.

Thomas Taylor officially enlisted as a landsman in the U.S. Navy at Norfolk Virginia on (or about) the 14^th of July 1863 at Fort Monroe (in Hampton, Vir.). After leaving the receiving ship USS Brandywine, he served nearly two years on the USS Roanoke (a three-turreted monitor).

The USS Roanoke was a steam frigate launched in 1855. It was then converted at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, to a three-turreted ironclad monitor and recommissioned on the 29th of June 1863. Shortly thereafter the USS Roanoke made its way down to Hampton Roads, Vir., where Thomas L. Taylor was assigned to the crew. The USS Roanoke served here at Hampton Roads as a harbor defense ship until the end of the Civil War.

The ironclad Roanoke had serious design flaws, saw no combat, and returned to the Brooklyn Naval Yard New York for decommissioning on April 27, 1865.

Thomas Taylor was then transferred to the receiving ship USS North Carolina a number of weeks before being honorably discharged on July 13^th 1865 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard New York.

He was married to Lillian Elizabeth White Taylor on Dec 3, 1874, in Worcester by the Reverend E.R. Wheelock. They had two children: Lillian Honor Taylor, born May 17, 1878, and William Henry Harrison Taylor born Dec. 8,^,1884.

On the 18^th of October 1913, Thomas Taylor signed another declaration for pension, at which time he indicated that he was still a Putnam resident, 67 years old, that he was black, slightly over 5 feet tall, that he was born at the Currituck Shore of North Carolina, and that since leaving the service he followed the sea until about 1866, lived in Boston for 4 or 5 months, Worcester for 6 or 7 years, and since then he lived in Putnam at the address 40 Oak Hill. He worked for many years as a building janitor.

On Christmas Eve 1931, Thomas Taylor was savagely beaten and robbed by thieves in Worcester. He never fully recovered from this beating, and he died on March 7, 1932, in Putnam. He is buried at the Grove Street Cemetery in Putnam. The local newspapers, the Putnam Patriot and the Windham County Observer, both published lengthy articles about him shortly after he died. It was quite obvious that he was highly regarded by the people of Putnam. He was buried with military honors at the Grove Street Cemetery in Putnam.  The bearers were provided by the Mayotte-Viens Post #13 American Legion. His last four remaining comrades from the A. G. Warner Post of the Grand Army of the Republic were unable to attend due to the infirmities of old age.

Hometown Heroes books can be purchased online at: https://hometown-heroes-of-the-quiet-corner.myshopify.com/  - all proceeds benefit the local American Legion Post. Hometown Heroes is a series published in the Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger with this mission: We owe it to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines to make sure that they are never forgotten, and that the memory of their service and sacrifice will forever live on in the hearts and minds of the grateful people of Putnam.