Trivia 11-21-19

[Trivia Master]

Before joining the Army, I played club baseball in my hometown. My military career was short, as I was killed in my first encounter with rebels in Virginia. Many years later, my baseball interests proved very important to historians and archaeologists.
Who am I?
What was my regiment?
In what action was I killed?
What was my connection to baseball?

credit: @WJC

 

[hughes]

1st Massachusetts
Blackburn Ford
buried wearing early baseball shoes

 

[hughes]

ADDENDUM:
James Silvey (didn't see the who am I part, it blended into the text..sometimes I don't read carefully)

 

[FarawayFriend]

Unfortunately, of all the sources that probably tell the story of the young man I found, only one would open for me as a European. Therefore I hope I found the right guy and could gather all the information needed for all four parts of the question from the glimpses of sources I found

1) You are Albert Wentworth
2) Your regiment was the 1st Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment
3) You were killed at the Battle of Blackburn's Ford that took place even before the Battle of First Manassas
4) Your connection to baseball was of course that you had played in a Boston baseball club before the war, as the question already said. Other than that, when your remains were found, you were wearing a canvas-topped baseball shoe. Sorry, I could not find out about any other connection to baseball than these two (which hopefully will be enough to earn me the points...)

[...]

[...]

Bringing Closure to a Civil War Mystery in Centreville

 

[DBF]

1. I believe you are: James Silvey, 23 years of age
2. Company G, 1st Massachusetts
3. Battle of Blackburn's Ford - July 18, 1861
4. Slightly confused on connection to baseball - he played before the war (as stated) and since you mention specifically "historians and archaeologists" I suppose it was because Silvey was wearing his canvas topped baseball shoes when they dug up his body 157 years after the battle. He was the only soldier of the six that had on shoes. Source - Grave #6
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2002/mar/27/the-saga-of-six-soldiers/

 

[Wallyfish]

Albert F. Wentworth, 17, Company H, of Chelsea
1st Massachusetts Infantry
Battle of Blackburn's Ford
When his grave was excavated, He was wearing canvas topped baseball shoe (s).

Albert played for the Boston Baseball Club.

Wentworth source

 

[stuart1861]

- Albert Wentworth
- 1st Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment
- Blackburn's Ford
- died and buried in baseball shoes

 

[Stone in the wall]

Not a clue, good one WJC

 

[streetwiseprof]

Albert Wentworth, 1st Massachusetts Infantry. Killed at Blackburn's Ford, VA. Body was found with a canvas-topped sports (baseball) shoe.

 

[JOHN42768]

Got me

 

[Stony]

1. Albert Wentworth
2. 1st Massachusetts Infantry
3. Battle of Blackburn's Ford
4. Albert was wearing sports shoes — an early style of baseball shoe with canvas tops.
source-https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-during-the-oppressively-hot-battle-of-blackb

 

[SWMODave]

I am going to guess you are looking for Albert Wentworth, who was killed at the Battle of Blackburn's Ford, and was one of the mysterious so called Centreville Six. Wentworth's body was finally identified by his baseball shoes, a rather uncommon accessory to wear into battle. He served with the 1st Massachusetts Infantry. Archaeologists excavated the remains in 1997, and it took historians many years to identify the 6. As to the question of "my connection" to baseball, if the answer is not the shoes - or the fact he played the game prior to the war, then not sure what the OP is looking for.

Source

 

[hoosier]

I know you are not Abner Doubleday.

Other than that, I'm clueless on this question.

 

[lelliott19]

Who? James Silvey
What regiment? Company G, 1st Massachusetts Infantry
Action? Battle of Blackburn's Ford (July 18, 1861)
Connection? He played club baseball in Boston prior to enlistment; he was wearing canvas topped athletic shoes when he was killed. Those shoes were of interest to the archaeologists and helped to identify him. Source Link to Video; Names provided at 57 minutes

 

[Michigander]

1. James Silvey
2. 1st Massachusetts

 

[Michigander]

Ooops. Sorry about that. This is a very hard question.
1. James Silvey
2. 1st Massachusetts (specifically Company G)
3. Battle of Blackburn's Ford (Fought in Centreville, VA prior to Bull Run. Very hot battle)
4. Buried in an unmarked grave with "baseball cleats" on. (Perhaps shows some significance to the early involvement of baseball players fighting in the civil war and what types of materials their equipment was made out of)
Source (Provides the answer to the baseball connection and the regiment)
Source (@ 55:30 in this youtube video it shows that James Silvey was indeed a club baseball player who played in Boston).
I have been unable to identify the team he played for however.

 

[sarladaise]

1. James Silvey,
2. 1st Massachusetts Regiment, Co. G
3. Blackburn's Ford, July 18, 1861
4. You played club baseball in Boston and wore canvas baseball shoes when your remains were found.

, The Mystery of the Centreville Six

Very interesting story!

 

[ErnieMac]

1. James Silvey.
2. 1st Massachusetts.
3. Blackburn's Ford (July 18, 1861)
4. Club level baseball player from Boston.

(About 55:30 into the video).

 

[ErnieMac]

1. James Silvey.
2. 1st Massachusetts Infantry.
3. Blackburn's Ford (July 18, 1861)
4. Club level baseball player from Boston.

(About 55:30 into the video).

 

[Soldier Boy]

1) James Silvey
2) 1st Massachusetts Infantry Regiment
3) The Battle of Blackburn's Ford
4) You were on a club baseball team in Boston just before the war. You were buried with your baseball shoes on.

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...e-oppressively-hot-battle-of-blackburns-ford/

www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2002/mar/27/the-saga-of-six-soldiers/ Grave 6