Caleb H. Burdick was the son of Thomas Burdick and Abigail Davis. He was documented to be 5' 8" tall and 125 pounds in adulthood (1870), and was a blacksmith. Caleb married Sarah M. Denison in 1852; they ultimately had four sons. Caleb served in the US Civil War from November 1862 to August 1863. His wife Sarah died young (just 3 days shy of 35 years old), and he later married another Sarah (Parks). Caleb suffered from many ailments, including a gunshot injury sustained during the war, and died of cancer at the age of 63.

Via History of Groton, censuses, and the National Archives, and B. Burdick's hard work:
1828- Born in Griswold or Plainfield, Connecticut
1850- Living with father Thomas Burdick Jr. in Plainfield. (abt. 22 years old)
post-1850- Moved to the Groton/Mystic (census)
1852- Married Sarah Matilda Denison (b. 8 Dec 1835), dau. of Elisha Williams Denison and Fannie Cheseboro
1854-55 Son Frank H. born.
1856- Son Eugene born.
1858- Son Walter E. born.
1860- Living in Groton (census)
1862- 10 November. Enrolled in CT Volunteers for 9 months as a Private in the Army.
1862- 12 November. CT 26th Regiment of Co. K departs towards east New York.
1862- 16 December. Sailed to Ship Island and New Orleans. Attached to Sherman's Division, Dept. of the Gulf.
1863- 20 May. Moved from Camp Parapet to Springfield Landing.
1863- 24 May. Regiment joined the siege of Port Hudson, LA.
1863- 14 June. Caleb wounded: musket ball through left hand, metacarpals in the pinky fractured.
1863- 16 July. Caleb sent to St. Louis Hospital in New Orleans.
1863- 19 July. Caleb returned to duty.
1863- 7 Aug. Regiment returned to Connecticut, arriving by steamship to Norwich, CT.
1863- 17 Aug. Caleb mustered out of the Army. Owed $24 of "clothing and kind or money advanced."
1867- Son Thomas born.
1869- 7 Oct. Petitioned for disability pension (#148.469).
The wound received to his hand made him unable to work his trade (blacksmith).
1869- 10 Oct. Appeared before Amos Clift, Judge of the Court of Probate (District of Groton) to claim disability.
Stated that he lived at Mystic River since returning from the war (1863) and was employed as a shopkeeper.
1870- 22 April. Examined by Dr. A. M. Nelson of New London. Nelson determined that Caleb's hand had "become sometimes very lame and almost useless at that time."
1870- 9 June. Awarded 3/4 disability with $4/month beginning on 7 Oct 1869.
1870- 5 Dec. Wife Sarah M. Denison dies of Typhoid Fever.
1872- 15 May. Caleb marries Sarah C. Parks (formerly Boardman, formerly Clark). They have no issue.
1879- 7 June. Caleb receives $294.53 for pension owed from discharge (from 17 Aug 1863 to 7 Oct 1869at $49/year).
1889- 1 Aug. Caleb claims additional disorders.
1889- Disabled for 3 months.
1890- 27 June. Additional disability claims rejected.
1891- 29 April. Caleb determined totally unable to earn support of manual labor due to war injury, asthma and lung issues, kidney issues, leg fracture (left), partial deafness (right ear), and a tumor (left cheek).
1891- 19 August. Caleb succumbs to cancer.