Veteran of the American Revolutionary War, Daniel Waldo, photographed at the age of 101 in 1864...
Daniel Waldo was one of the last living links to the American Revolution. Born on September 10, 1762, in Connecticut, he enlisted in the Continental Army at age 16 and served during the final years of the war for independence. By the time this photograph was taken in 1864, Waldo was 101 years old and had witnessed the entire history of the United States from the presidency of George Washington to the middle of the Civil War.
After the Revolution, Waldo became a minister, educator, and advocate for veterans. In 1864, Congress invited him to serve as chaplain for a session of the House of Representatives. During his prayer, he reminded lawmakers that he had personally known many of the nation’s founders and urged them to preserve the Union amid the Civil War.
The photograph is especially significant because photography was still relatively new. Waldo belonged to a generation born before the invention of the steam locomotive, yet lived long enough to be captured by a camera.
Waldo died in 1864 just weeks after his appearance before Congress. At the time of his death, he was believed to be the last surviving commissioned officer of the Continental Army and one of the final verified veterans of the Revolutionary War.
(Colorized Photograph)
© Connecticut History
