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Daniel Alonzo Foster worked as a laborer, soldier, farmer, tin peddler and gardener. According to the book "History of the Town of Salem," on file at the Salem, NY Public Library, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, 123rd Regiment, Company H on 8/5/1862 and was discharged as a sergeant on 6/8/1865. During his military service, he was "under fire" in the battles of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Lookout Mountain, Buzzard’s Roost, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek and at the siege of Atlanta. In the 1865 census for Shushan in the Town of Salem, Daniel was listed as being "away." At that time, the record indicates that he and his wife had three children, the eldest being Charles E., age 8. Since Daniel was listed as being 29 at the time of that census, it is assumed that he was married when he was about 20. The actual marriage date has not been corroborated. In a 11/25/1922 newspaper story, he was identified as one of the oldest living Civil War veterans in Washington County. He was quoted as being proud of the military record of his family. Five of his grandsons, all children of his son Alonzo, served in the U.S. military forces during World War I. Daniel died on 7/31/1928 from carcinoma of the liver. He was almost 92 years old.
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