Help with muster cards.

[Russell]

Hello all, I need help interpreting these two muster cards. This is my GG Grandfather, Thomas Kelly Lawrence. I know he was wounded in the Wheatfield and laid there until he was captured on July 3rd. He was then taken to a Union field hospital where he laid until July 31st then he was taken to camp Letterman where his leg was amputated on August 6 and died there on August 19, section 3 grave 35.
I'm trying to figure out what it say's "To _______________________ Hosp. and the other card that say's "Remarks Transferred to Pro Mar." What does Pro Mar mean? Maybe someone knows the answers to these. I'm trying to locate which field hospital he might have been taken too. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[rpkennedy]

View attachment 535434View attachment 535435
Hello all, I need help interpreting these two muster cards. This is my GG Grandfather, Thomas Kelly Lawrence. I know he was wounded in the Wheatfield and laid there until he was captured on July 3rd. He was then taken to a Union field hospital where he laid until July 31st then he was taken to camp Letterman where his leg was amputated on August 6 and died there on August 19, section 3 grave 35.
I'm trying to figure out what it say's "To _______________________ Hosp. and the other card that say's "Remarks Transferred to Pro Mar." What does Pro Mar mean? Maybe someone knows the answers to these. I'm trying to locate which field hospital he might have been taken too. Thanks in advance for any help.

What's the name? I'm on my phone and am having trouble reading it.

Also, 24th Georgia? Paging @lelliott19.

Ryan

 

[Allyn]

I'm guessing Pro. Mar. means Provost Marshall.

 

[RedRover]

View attachment 535434View attachment 535435
Hello all, I need help interpreting these two muster cards. This is my GG Grandfather, Thomas Kelly Lawrence. I know he was wounded in the Wheatfield and laid there until he was captured on July 3rd. He was then taken to a Union field hospital where he laid until July 31st then he was taken to camp Letterman where his leg was amputated on August 6 and died there on August 19, section 3 grave 35.
I'm trying to figure out what it say's "To _______________________ Hosp. and the other card that say's "Remarks Transferred to Pro Mar." What does Pro Mar mean? Maybe someone knows the answers to these. I'm trying to locate which field hospital he might have been taken too. Thanks in advance for any help.

I concur, "Pro. Mar." certainly means "provost marshal" or the officer in charge of prisoners, security, etc.

From Scott's Military Dictionary, 1863:

...

The appears to say something to the effect he was at the hospital of the US Army's 2nd Division, 5th Army Corps at Gettysburg.

 

[Russell]

Thomas Kelly Lawrence, Co. G, 24th Georgia Inf.

 

[rpkennedy]

According to Confederate Casualties at Gettysburg (page 420), he suffered a gunshot fracture to the thigh and was captured on July 2. On July 5, he was in the Second Division, Fifth Corps hospital where he stayed until he was transferred to Camp Letterman on July 31. After he died on August 19, he was buried in Grave #35, Section 3 of the Camp Letterman Cemetery and that his grave marker was still legible in 1866 when he was disinterred and his remains sent to Savannah.

Ryan

 

[Russell]

According to Confederate Casualties at Gettysburg (page 420), he suffered a gunshot fracture to the thigh and was captured on July 2. On July 5, he was in the Second Division, Fifth Corps hospital where he stayed until he was transferred to Camp Letterman on July 31. After he died on August 19, he was buried in Grave #35, Section 3 of the Camp Letterman Cemetery and that his grave marker was still legible in 1866 when he was disinterred and his remains sent to Savannah.

Ryan

Thanks Ryan, I need to get that book but man they are proud of it, on Amazon it's 150.00.

 

[rpkennedy]

Thanks Ryan, I need to get that book but man they are proud of it, on Amazon it's 150.00.

I picked it up this past year when I had a book credit which put the price around $75. I could justify that to my wife much more easily than $150.

Ryan

 

[Tom Elmore]

I'm thinking the notation reads that he was taken to the hospital of 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, Fifth Corps (that would be Fisher's brigade). I'm not exactly sure where that brigade sent its wounded - possibly Jesse Worley farm. Some hospitals of the Fifth Corps included:

Michael Fiscel farm (1st Division, Fifth Corps)

J. Weikert farm (treated wounded of 2nd Division, Fifth Corps and 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Fifth Corps until it came under fire on July 3, when at least some patients were transferred to the Lewis Bushman farm)

William Bushman farm (treated a patient from 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Fifth Corps)

Henry Beitler farm (treated a patient from 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Fifth Corps)

Jesse Worley farm (3rd Division, Fifth Corps)

 

[Russell]

I'm thinking the notation reads that he was taken to the hospital of 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, Fifth Corps (that would be Fisher's brigade). I'm not exactly sure where that brigade sent its wounded - possibly Jesse Worley farm. Some hospitals of the Fifth Corps included:

Michael Fiscel farm (1st Division, Fifth Corps)

J. Weikert farm (treated wounded of 2nd Division, Fifth Corps and 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Fifth Corps until it came under fire on July 3, when at least some patients were transferred to the Lewis Bushman farm)

William Bushman farm (treated a patient from 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Fifth Corps)

Henry Beitler farm (treated a patient from 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Fifth Corps)

Jesse Worley farm (3rd Division, Fifth Corps)

Thanks that helps a lot, where ever he was he was there till the 31st, finding when the field hospital closed might narrow it down as well,

 

[rpkennedy]

I'm thinking the notation reads that he was taken to the hospital of 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, Fifth Corps (that would be Fisher's brigade). I'm not exactly sure where that brigade sent its wounded - possibly Jesse Worley farm. Some hospitals of the Fifth Corps included:

Michael Fiscel farm (1st Division, Fifth Corps)

J. Weikert farm (treated wounded of 2nd Division, Fifth Corps and 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Fifth Corps until it came under fire on July 3, when at least some patients were transferred to the Lewis Bushman farm)

William Bushman farm (treated a patient from 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Fifth Corps)

Henry Beitler farm (treated a patient from 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Fifth Corps)

Jesse Worley farm (3rd Division, Fifth Corps)

Fisher was the Third Brigade. The Second Brigade of the Pennsylvania Reserves was not at Gettysburg.

Ryan

 

[Tom Elmore]

The great majority of wounded in the Union Second Corps hospitals were transferred to Camp Letterman over a period of two days - July 26 and 27. By then the Twelfth Corps wounded were there and most of the Eleventh Corps. Transfers from the Fifth Corps began on July 27. The last Fifth Corps patients at the Michael Fiscel farm were moved to Camp Letterman on August 3.

 

[Tom Elmore]

Fisher was the Third Brigade. The Second Brigade of the Pennsylvania Reserves was not at Gettysburg.

Ryan

My go-to reference by L. W. Minnigh failed me on this occasion.

 

[Story]

Thanks Ryan, I need to get that book but man they are proud of it, on Amazon it's 150.00.

Try interlibrary loan?

 

[gc45]

Great thing here that you folks could help RUSSELL.

 

[lelliott19]

View attachment 535434View attachment 535435
Hello all, I need help interpreting these two muster cards. This is my GG Grandfather, Thomas Kelly Lawrence. I know he was wounded in the Wheatfield and laid there until he was captured on July 3rd. He was then taken to a Union field hospital where he laid until July 31st then he was taken to camp Letterman where his leg was amputated on August 6 and died there on August 19, section 3 grave 35.
I'm trying to figure out what it say's "To _______________________ Hosp. and the other card that say's "Remarks Transferred to Pro Mar." What does Pro Mar mean? Maybe someone knows the answers to these. I'm trying to locate which field hospital he might have been taken too. Thanks in advance for any help.

On the card you asked about, as @Tom Elmore said, T K Lawrence was carried to a Fifth Corps hospital. He was there on July 5.

The difficult to read text says: "Br. 2' Div, S [or 3 or 2] F, 5' AC"
Translated as: Br[igade] 2[nd]; Div[ision] SF or 3F or 2F; and then 5[th] A[rmy] C[orps].

There were three Divisions in the Fifth Corps. Luckily for us, I don't think the 3d Division (Crawford's) had a 2nd brigade at Gettysburg - just a 1st and 3rd brigade. SO we can rule out the 3d Division of the 5th Corps. Which leaves us with the 1st and 2d Divisions of the 5th Corps. The Division is noted as SF or 3F or 2F. [That is the hardest part to read.]

I have no idea if/why a Division of the fifth corps might be known as SF? It could be 2 F. We already ruled out the 3d Division so I'm guessing its not a 3F--- So it either had to be 2nd brigade of the 1st Division of the 5th Army Corps -- Sweitzer's brigade --- or the 2nd brigade of the 2nd Division of the 5th Corps -- Burbank's brigade.

On this other card, there's a bit of info that might be of interest. On the line for "Complaint" it says "G. Fract L. Leg Amp L Thigh L 3d" From other cards in his file, we know it was a Left Leg Fracture caused by a gunshot. So I translate the note on this card to be G[unshot] Fract[ure] L[eft] Leg Amp[utated] L[eft] Thigh L[ower] 3d. So the gunshot and the resulting fracture were low in his thigh --- in the lower third of his thigh near the knee.

That may not seem like a significant piece of information, but it is. The lower down in the leg, the more likely he was to survive. If the wound/fracture was up high near his hip, his chance of survival would have been very small; virtually non-existent. But down low in the thigh --- he should have had a pretty good chance of survival - depending on the skill of the surgeon, maybe >50% IF the amputation had been executed promptly on July 2 or early on July 3. But unfortunately, it wasn't.

We don't know the date the amputation occurred. We just know he was still listed with just a GS Fracture on July 5th. It may have been performed at the Union 5th Corps hospital but I don't think so. I think it was performed after he was admitted to Letterman --- after July 31.

Surgeons at the brigade hospital were overwhelmed. Thomas K Lawrence may have objected - thinking it wasn't "that bad." Or he may have refused amputation altogether. Whatever the reason for the delay, the amputation wasn't performed quickly....and he died August 19th.

 

[firstflabn]

I have had good luck on more than one occasion asking NARA to scan an original doc that was illegible on the microfilm version. They now do scans in color, so you could play with various settings and filters to give yourself a better chance. The key is to be brief and precise (so they can go right to it) and to limit your request to no more than a few pages. Usually takes about 3 weeks, sometimes quicker. Doesn't cost anything to try. Good luck. [email protected]

 

[Russell]

On the card you asked about, as @Tom Elmore said, T K Lawrence was carried to a Fifth Corps hospital. He was there on July 5.

The difficult to read text says: "Br. 2' Div, S [or 3 or 2] F, 5' AC"
Translated as: Br[igade] 2[nd]; Div[ision] SF or 3F or 2F; and then 5[th] A[rmy] C[orps].

There were three Divisions in the Fifth Corps. Luckily for us, I don't think the 3d Division (Crawford's) had a 2nd brigade at Gettysburg - just a 1st and 3rd brigade. SO we can rule out the 3d Division of the 5th Corps. Which leaves us with the 1st and 2d Divisions of the 5th Corps. The Division is noted as SF or 3F or 2F. [That is the hardest part to read.]

I have no idea if/why a Division of the fifth corps might be known as SF? It could be 2 F. We already ruled out the 3d Division so I'm guessing its not a 3F--- So it either had to be 2nd brigade of the 1st Division of the 5th Army Corps -- Sweitzer's brigade --- or the 2nd brigade of the 2nd Division of the 5th Corps -- Burbank's brigade.
View attachment 535538


On this other card, there's a bit of info that might be of interest. On the line for "Complaint" it says "G. Fract L. Leg Amp L Thigh L 3d" From other cards in his file, we know it was a Left Leg Fracture caused by a gunshot. So I translate the note on this card to be G[unshot] Fract[ure] L[eft] Leg Amp[utated] L[eft] Thigh L[ower] 3d. So the gunshot and the resulting fracture were low in his thigh --- in the lower third of his thigh near the knee.

That may not seem like a significant piece of information, but it is. The lower down in the leg, the more likely he was to survive. If the wound/fracture was up high near his hip, his chance of survival would have been very small; virtually non-existent. But down low in the thigh --- he should have had a pretty good chance of survival - depending on the skill of the surgeon, maybe >50% IF the amputation had been executed promptly on July 2 or early on July 3. But unfortunately, it wasn't.

We don't know the date the amputation occurred. We just know he was still listed with just a GS Fracture on July 5th. It may have been performed at the Union 5th Corps hospital but I don't think so. I think it was performed after he was admitted to Letterman --- after July 31.

Surgeons at the brigade hospital were overwhelmed. Thomas K Lawrence may have objected - thinking it wasn't "that bad." Or he may have refused amputation altogether. Whatever the reason for the delay, the amputation wasn't performed quickly....and he died August 19th.
View attachment 535534

The amputation was performed on August 6. I can't imagine him laying in a field hospital for a month with the fracture.

 

[Russell]

On the card you asked about, as @Tom Elmore said, T K Lawrence was carried to a Fifth Corps hospital. He was there on July 5.

The difficult to read text says: "Br. 2' Div, S [or 3 or 2] F, 5' AC"
Translated as: Br[igade] 2[nd]; Div[ision] SF or 3F or 2F; and then 5[th] A[rmy] C[orps].

There were three Divisions in the Fifth Corps. Luckily for us, I don't think the 3d Division (Crawford's) had a 2nd brigade at Gettysburg - just a 1st and 3rd brigade. SO we can rule out the 3d Division of the 5th Corps. Which leaves us with the 1st and 2d Divisions of the 5th Corps. The Division is noted as SF or 3F or 2F. [That is the hardest part to read.]

I have no idea if/why a Division of the fifth corps might be known as SF? It could be 2 F. We already ruled out the 3d Division so I'm guessing its not a 3F--- So it either had to be 2nd brigade of the 1st Division of the 5th Army Corps -- Sweitzer's brigade --- or the 2nd brigade of the 2nd Division of the 5th Corps -- Burbank's brigade.
View attachment 535538


On this other card, there's a bit of info that might be of interest. On the line for "Complaint" it says "G. Fract L. Leg Amp L Thigh L 3d" From other cards in his file, we know it was a Left Leg Fracture caused by a gunshot. So I translate the note on this card to be G[unshot] Fract[ure] L[eft] Leg Amp[utated] L[eft] Thigh L[ower] 3d. So the gunshot and the resulting fracture were low in his thigh --- in the lower third of his thigh near the knee.

That may not seem like a significant piece of information, but it is. The lower down in the leg, the more likely he was to survive. If the wound/fracture was up high near his hip, his chance of survival would have been very small; virtually non-existent. But down low in the thigh --- he should have had a pretty good chance of survival - depending on the skill of the surgeon, maybe >50% IF the amputation had been executed promptly on July 2 or early on July 3. But unfortunately, it wasn't.

We don't know the date the amputation occurred. We just know he was still listed with just a GS Fracture on July 5th. It may have been performed at the Union 5th Corps hospital but I don't think so. I think it was performed after he was admitted to Letterman --- after July 31.

Surgeons at the brigade hospital were overwhelmed. Thomas K Lawrence may have objected - thinking it wasn't "that bad." Or he may have refused amputation altogether. Whatever the reason for the delay, the amputation wasn't performed quickly....and he died August 19th.
View attachment 535534

Thank you so much!!!!!

 

[on again]

he is also listed on website Find a grave [Sorry No photograph with memorial]