Camp History

The L. A. Tifft Camp No. 15, SUVCW was chartered July 2, 1884 by the Massachusetts Division of the Sons of Veterans United States of America.  Divisions were later renamed Departments and the name of the organization was changed in 1925 to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.  The first camp commander was Eliphalat Trask Tifft, the son of Lewis.Augustus Tifft, for whom the camp is named.

Lewis Augustus Tifft was descendent from a colonial family that left England in the 1630's and pioneered in the Rhode Island Colony.  About 1793, the family moved to Nassau, New York, a small town between Albany New York and Pittsfield, MA.  Around the same time, the family changed their name from Tefft to Tifft.  Lewis' parents were John Tifft and Sally White.  John Tefft, a merchant in Nassau, died in 1852 at the age of 36, leaving a widow and four children.  Lewis was 16 and the oldest.  In June of 1859, Lewis married Laurancie Trask.  Laurancie Trask was the daughter of a prominent citizen and politician of Springfield, Massachusetts, Elephalat Trask.  Mr. Trask was the mayor of Springfield in 1855, a member of the Mass. legislature and from 1858-1860, the Lt.-Governor of the State of Massachusetts. Lewis moved to Springfield, just before his wedding and his son, Eliphalat Trask Tifft was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on June 6, 1860.

Lewis Tifft mustered into Company A of the 46th Massachusetts Militia Infantry on August 27, 1862 in Readville, Mass.  He enlisted as a 2nd Lt. but became a Capt. before the regiment was mustered out in July of 1863.   From July to November of 1864 he served in the 8th Massachusetts Infantry as a Captain.  This was a 100 day unit and his company  assisted in repelling attacks upon Newberne, NC, and in raising the siege at Little Washington. In an engagement at Batchelders Creek, about seven miles from Newberne, NC., Capt. Tifft, for his judgment and courage, received very favorable mention in the Adjutant- General's report of Massachusetts for 1863.  In 1869 his wife died giving birth to twin girls.  On August 31, 1874, Lewis Augustus Tifft died.  He was 38 years old.  He was a member of Wilcox G.A.R. Post No. 16 and as such was the second to die after the Post had been chartered.  The following resolution was passed at the 1875 G.A.R. Dept. of Massachusetts Encampment, held at Salem, Mass.:

     Resolved, That in the death of Comrade L. A. Tifft, late of Springfield, Aide-de-Camp to the Department Commander, the Department has lost one of its most earnest and efficient members.  He was ever ready for duty, ever cheerful and genial.  We mourn his loss, but give him an epitaph worthy a comrade: "He had done his whole duty."

     Before 1880, his mother, two sisters and his twin daughters, moved from Springfield to Buffalo, NY to live with Lewis' brother, James Webster Tifft.  His son remained in Springfield and eventually became the first camp commander of L.A.Tifft Camp No. 15, SV.