After discharge, transportation home?

litprof4

Cadet
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Feb 8, 2016
Location
Pennsylvania
My ancestor was a member of the 59th New York. He suffered a neck wound at Antietam. From October 1862 until January 1863, he recuperated at the Old Church in Frederick, Maryland. Then he was discharged. How did the army provide transportation for returning home soldiers? Also, which church in Frederick was deemed the Old Church? Thank you for your help and time.
 
I don't have specific information on the 59th NY, but I know I have read various accounts of troops on ships, trains, marching... even an account of individuals and small groups of soldiers walking along trails beside the Clarion River in west-central PA to get back to their homes and farms.
 
My ancestor was a member of the 59th New York. He suffered a neck wound at Antietam. From October 1862 until January 1863, he recuperated at the Old Church in Frederick, Maryland. Then he was discharged. How did the army provide transportation for returning home soldiers? Also, which church in Frederick was deemed the Old Church? Thank you for your help and time.
Providing "transportation" meant train, ship, boat or stage coach tickets. The transportation network was not so complete that everyone could get home without the possibility of having to walk the last few miles. Soldiers sent home on orders or when discharged were provided transportation (where available).
 
Also, which church in Frederick was deemed the Old Church?

I don't have any personal knowledge of which church you are referring to but a Google search brought up a pdf file titled "Downtown Frederick in the Civil War - Heart of the Civil War" which seems to identify the old All Saints' Episcopal Church as a likely candidate:
"All Saints’ Episcopal Church – 106 West Church Street
The current building dates to 1855, erected by Richard Upjohn, although the congregation has existed since 1742. During the Civil War this was known as the New Protestant Episcopal Church. The older church building around the corner on Court Street was known as the Old Protestant Episcopal Church, serving the congregation from 1814 until 1855 when it was converted into a parish hall—a function it still serves today. From September 1862 to January 1863, both buildings served as hospital sites. While it is unclear precisely how many patients were treated at individual sites, General Hospital No. 3 cared for approximately 462 patients. From 1847 to 1853, Rev. William N. Pendleton served as rector. During the Civil War, Rev. Pendleton became a Confederate General and served as Chief of Artillery in the Army of Northern Virginia. Rev. Charles Seymour was the rector here from the start of the war until he resigned in July 1862. Seymour was strongly pro-Union, a view which was out of step with the mostly pro-Southern congregation."
 
After posting the above, I came across additional information from John Schildt's " Roads to Antietam" (p. 116) that lists more hospitals in Frederick, including "the old and new German Reformed Churches on West Church Street". So, I guess your relative could have been in either "old" set of churches.
Mr. Schildt notes that the source for this information is the "Jacob Engelbrecht Diary, September, 1862".
 
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