69th New York and 182nd New York

PLKeeley

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Apr 27, 2019
Hi, wondering if someone out there is an expert on these Regiments and can assist. My Great Grandfather is recorded as enlisting and serving in the 182nd but his gravestone at Arlington, his dependents’ pension records and our own family knowledge reflect that he served in the 69th. I can see some online references to the 182nd having been made up of many soldiers from the 69th and somehow the 69th was a part of the 182nd, but I haven’t been able to get further clarity.
Thanks,
Peter
 
Hi, wondering if someone out there is an expert on these Regiments and can assist. My Great Grandfather is recorded as enlisting and serving in the 182nd but his gravestone at Arlington, his dependents’ pension records and our own family knowledge reflect that he served in the 69th. I can see some online references to the 182nd having been made up of many soldiers from the 69th and somehow the 69th was a part of the 182nd, but I haven’t been able to get further clarity.
Thanks,
Peter

I'm pretty fluent with New York's records, what was his name?

Ryan
 
I'm pretty fluent with New York's records, what was his name?

Ryan
Hi Ryan, his name is George R. Davey. Also, his tombstone and record reflects he was a private but his beneficiary pension records and our own family history is that he was promoted to sergeant at some point (maybe posthumously?).
Thanks,
Peter
 
Is it possible that he may have enlisted under another name? I found no George Davey in either the 69th or 182nd Infantry.

Ryan
 
Update: according to records, there should have been a George R. Davey on the books for the 182nd New York but he does not appear on the roster at all. Interesting.

Ryan
 
Hi Ryan, that is interesting. Here is a picture of his headstone that reflects the 69th.
Thanks, Peter

8A785D86-5BCA-46D5-A594-718835667E6B.jpeg
 
I have a record that reflects he Enlisted into A Company, 175th Infantry (New York) on Nov 20 1862 and then was Transferred to A Company, 182nd Infantry (New York) on Jan 15 1863.
 
Yep - that’s the one I have that also shows his transfer to the 182nd. It looks like he was one of General Corcoran orderlies and when the 175th was sent south, he was transferred to the 182nd so he could remain as one of the General’s orderlies.
 
George Davey is shown as an orderly for Brigadier General Michael Corcoran. At the beginning of the War Corcoran was the colonel commanding the 69th Regiment of New York State Militia. He was later promoted to brigadier general. That unit served periodically throughout the war, usually for short durations. The 69th New York Infantry was a different unit, organized in late 1861, which included many members of the 69th Militia. I'd look for George Davey in the 69th Militia. It appears that Davey followed Corcoran. The 175th New York served under Corcoran at Suffolk until January 1863 when it was transferred to the Gulf of Mexico. The 182nd was also under Corcoran in the Norfolk area.
 
Thanks Ernie - that was my conclusion as well. Any ideas as to why he would have been serving in the 182nd but then reflected in death as with the 69th NY Infantry (see gravestone above)?
 
Thanks Ernie - that was my conclusion as well. Any ideas as to why he would have been serving in the 182nd but then reflected in death as with the 69th NY Infantry (see gravestone above)?

I may have an answer to that question. The 182nd New York was also known as the 69th New York National Guard Artillery. My guess is that there was some confusion after his death and assumed that he served in the 69th New York Volunteers.

Ryan
 
Thanks Ernie - that was my conclusion as well. Any ideas as to why he would have been serving in the 182nd but then reflected in death as with the 69th NY Infantry (see gravestone above)?
I don't know for certain, but think a couple things come into play. The headstone reflects the information that was provided at George Davey's death. The 69th Militia dated back to 1849, was composed of Irish immigrants and a source of pride in the Irish community of New York City. George, or friends present at his death may have wanted that recognition placed on his tombstone. The 175th and 182nd regiments, though composed in part from men of the 69th Militia, did not have that recognized pride. I think the 69th NY INF inscription which appears on the tombstone and in Arlington Cemetery documentation was the 19th Century equivalent of a clerical typo.
 
Thanks Ernie and Ryan. Also, any ideas on his documentation and headstone reflecting he was a Private, while his beneficiary pension records (and our own family history) is that he was a Sergeant? Could it have been a posthumous “promotion”?
 
The Arlington Burial Register is below (Ancestry.com again). George Davey's name is about 3/4 of the way down the page. My guess is he was a sergeant in the 69th New York Militia before or in the early days of the War. See if you can find muster rolls from that time period. I doubt there was a posthumous promotion, they were rare for officers let alone non-coms.
40447_1521003239_0588-00284.jpg
 
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