Help With Ancestor

[kevikens]

I have always had a great problem with tracing ancestors on my father's side. When he was only nine years old in late 1918 both his parents and a brother died in the Great Flu Pandemic following the end of WW I. Being an orphan and shunted around among relatives, he had little recollection of his father or mother's sides of the family, except for one thing the spelling of our last name, which is somewhat uncommon, and according to him , has been unique to our family tree. He does remember, though, that his father told him that his family had been in America for many generations and was not one of recently arrived immigrants.

Recently I have come across a grave site of a possible ancestor, a George McGonigal who I was able to find out was born in Pa. around 1818, moved to Burlington County NJ about 1850, married and fathered two boys, William and James Primrose, and a daughter, Emma, all of whom were children during the war. Despite his age he enlisted in September of 1861 in the Tenth NJ Regiment where he is listed as a "hospital steward". What is a hospital steward and would that have meant he was on some kind of detached duty or did he stay with the regiment regardless of its marching orders? In mid July of 1863 he was sent as a private to company C and remained in that capacity till he was mustered out in Sept of 1864. Why that change? Were hospital stewards abolished and then sent into the depleted ranks after Gettysburg? Would it have been as a personal request, overwhelmed by trying to care of the huge number of wounded from the battle? Did he make a mistake and was "demoted" to the ranks?

After the war he returned to Beverly, NJ where he died in 1877 and buried in the town's Monument Cemetery. If anyone can tell me about the duties of a hospital steward or know anything more about the tenth NJ, or George McGonigal and his childrenplease let me know. Thanks.

 

[Frederick14Va]

As a Hospital Steward he would have normally had to possess some form of medical and/or pharmaceutical background to even be considered for the position. They could be assigned to a particular regiment or a hospital facility. They were a senior ranked enlisted position in the medical staff of a regiment or hospital. (pay grade is about equal to a First Sergeant). Not a slacker position by no means. On the field was the surgeons handyman... In a hospital setting generally fulfilled the roles as administrator, record keeper, book keeper, apothecary, supervisor of other detailed or hired employees..

Typically they were commonly chosen from within a given regiment by the Colonel for that position based on medical knowledge and experience (usually). Most of these folks had been a pharmacist, chemist, apothecary, or medical assistant, previously. Could be assigned or detailed elsewhere as needed too. The Hospital Steward position was not abolished. He being reduced to the ranks could have been for a number of various reasons...

There is also a George McGonigal listed on the roster of the 6th Veteran Reserve Corp, Co.I . May or may not be the same person. There was another George McGonigal listed in the 187th Pennsylvania Infantry, Co.A

 

[kevikens]

Thanks. After the war he did serve in local government and was elected once as mayor of Beverly. I cannot find anything that would indicate a medical or pharmaceutical background.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Thanks. After the war he did serve in local government and was elected once as mayor of Beverly. I cannot find anything that would indicate a medical or pharmaceutical background.

- Register of Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Civil War 1861-65 :

George McGonigal

Residence was not listed;
Enlisted on 9/25/1861 as a Hospl Steward.

On 9/25/1861 he mustered into Field & Staff NJ 10th Infantry
He was Mustered Out on 9/25/1864


Promotions:
* Private 7/18/1863 (As of Co. C)


Intra Regimental Company Transfers:
* 7/18/1863 from Field & Staff to company C
....................................................................................................

George McGonigal

Residence was not listed;
Enlisted on 9/25/1861 as a Private.

On 9/25/1861 he mustered into "C" Co. NJ 10th Infantry
He was Mustered Out on 9/25/1864


Promotions:
* Hospital Steward 9/25/1861
* Private 7/18/1863 (Reduced to ranks)


Intra Regimental Company Transfers:
* 9/25/1861 from company C to Field & Staff
* 7/18/1863 from Field & Staff to company
...........................................................................................

NEW JERSEY
TENTH INFANTRY
(Three Years)
Tenth Infantry.--Cols., William Bryan, William R. Murphy,
Henry O. Ryerson; Lieut.-Cols., John W. Wright, William S.
Truex, Charles H. Tay, John D. Johnson; Majs., Mathew W.
Berriman, Daniel Lodor, Jr., Henry A. Perrine, James W.
McNeely. This regiment was organized under the provisions of
an act of Congress, approved July 22, 1861, and by authority
issued by the war department direct to private individuals
resident of the state, and not in any way under the control or
supervision of the state authorities. Under the authority thus
given, recruiting was commenced and the organization soon
completed. It was then accepted by the war department as an
independent organization, having been designated the "Olden
Legion." The regiment went into camp at Beverly, N. J., and
from thence proceeded to Washington on Dec. 26, 1861, with 35
officers, 883 non-commissioned officers and privates, a total
of 918. It went into camp at Camp Clay on the Bladensburg
turnpike, a mile from Washington. On Jan. 29, 1862, the
regiment was transferred to the state authorities and it was
then thoroughly reorganized and designated the 10th regiment.
The greater part of its early service was performed in and
around Washington, having been assigned there for provost duty.
On April 12, 1863, it was detached and proceeded to Suffolk,
Va., to assist in repelling a demonstration by the enemy at
that point. Coming up with the enemy at Carrsville, near the
Blackwater, the 10th speedily became engaged, capturing some
prisoners and inflicting considerable loss on the retreating
foe, the regiment losing several men in killed and wounded.
During the following winter, which was spent in the mining
regions of Pennsylvania, many of the organization reenlisted
and the regiment was otherwise recruited, but to such an extent
were desertions instigated by the people of that section, that
the colonel, who was anxious to be united with the Army of the
Potomac, urged the department to place his command in the
field. It shared in all the battles of the Wilderness campaign
all the way to Petersburg, on every field displaying
conspicuous gallantry. In the battle of the Wilderness it
suffered severely, especially in the assault of the Confederate
Gen. Gordon late on May 6. In the engagement resulting from
this assault, the regiment lost nearly one entire company in
prisoners alone. On the evening of the 8th it again met the
foe, when the regiment on its left became in some way separated
from it and the two being thus isolated, were pounced upon by
the enemy with great force, compelling them to give way, with
heavy loss--the 10th having 80 men and several officers
captured, including Col. Tay, the prisoners being taken to the
rear and the next day started for Richmond, but were
fortunately on the same day rescued from the hands of their
guards by Gen. Sheridan, at Beaver Dam Station. The total loss
of the regiment up to this time, aside from prisoners, had been
113--18 killed and 95 wounded. In the fighting along the Po
river the 10th shared with the brigade, and at Cold Harbor
again suffered largely, being in the first day's engagement in
the third line of battle, and losing some 70 in killed and
wounded. In the assault upon the enemy's position the regiment
charged alone at a peculiarly exposed point and sustained heavy
loss, amounting in all to some 65 in killed and wounded. On
Aug. 15 it participated in a sharp picket skirmish near
Strasburg, and two days afterward took part in the battle of
Winchester, assisting to hold the whole of Early's army in
check for a period of six hours. The regiment not only lost
considerably in killed and wounded, but also in prisoners, Col.
Tay being again captured, with 115 men of the brigade. At the
close of this affair, the 10th, which crossed the Rapidan in
May with 600 men, had only 80 men left for duty--a fact which
exhibits more forcibly than any words the severity of the
experience which it had been called upon to undergo. In the
subsequent battles in the Shenandoah Valley the regiment,
feeble as it was, bravely maintained its reputation. During
the winter of 1864-65, having with the brigade rejoined the
army before Petersburg and being largely recruited, it
participated in the various movements which resulted so
detrimentally to the enemy and in the grand assault of April 2
rendered distinguished service. When the Confederate flag went
down at Appomattox, the regiment turned its face homeward,
reaching the vicinity of Washington, 450 strong, on June 2, and
was mustered out of service at Hall's hill, Va., June 22, 1865.
The total strength of the regiment was 2,584, and it lost, by
resignation 20; by discharge 293; by promotion 69; by transfer
162; by death 274; by desertion 748; by dismissal 1; not
accounted for 138; mustered out 879.


Source: The Union Army, vol. 3

 

[AndyHall]

1860 Census:

 

[AndyHall]

There is a tree on Ancestry that carries some of George McGonigal's descendants through his son James down to the present. Do any of these folks look familiar?

 

[Cilla]

I know Andy already talked about Ancestry, but you can also find more military records on fold3.com. There might be some records of a McGonigal from the 10th NJ. Best of luck.

 

[lelliott19]

I checked and there are only index cards for New Jersey on Fold 3. No detailed records.

 

[kevikens]

Guys, thank you so very much for all that information. Unfortunately I don't recognize any of those descendants as any close relatives but there may be more out there. Thanks again.

 

[Cilla]

I checked and there are only index cards for New Jersey on Fold 3. No detailed records.

Oh well in that case we will have to look elsewhere.