Barney Ross, Albany's Civil War drummer boy

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1st Lieutenant
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Aug 5, 2011
Location
SE PA
St. Agnes Cemetery has received the only known image of Private Bernard (Barney) Ross, an Albany resident who was just 12 when he enlisted in the Union Army in 1861, after it was discovered by a Connecticut woman last week going through some Civil War memorabilia collected by her late father.

The boy and his father, Simon, enlisted together in 1861. They were assigned to different regiments, Grimaldi said. Barney, all four-feet-10-inches of him, was too young for combat, but kept the beat of his drum for the marching troops, becoming "Albany's Little Drummer Boy."

Simon, in his late 40s, served just three months. Barney re-enlisted after three years, but took ill soon afterward and served a total of 39 months.

Grimaldi assumes the family, poor Irish immigrants who lived on Albany's Lafayette Street, needed the $8-per-month stipend they received for Barney's war service. There were six younger children at home.

http://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-lo...f-Barney-Ross-Albany-s-Civil-War-10996600.php
 
Bernard Ross died 1/3/86 and is buried in St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands, NY. He served 4/19/61 to 5/12/63 in Company B, 3 NY Inf. His age was 12, he was 4-10, had brown hair, fair complexion and gray eyes. He re-enlisted in C, 3 NY Infantry on 8/27/63 at age 15. He was listed as absent sick in hospital at the time of muster out of the regiment.

1880 he was living in Albany NY age 32 and was single. He died just a few years later, so I don't believe he ever married
 
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