I Need Help Finding A Photo

[20thmaineboy]

Recently, I found out that I am a direct decedent of a Union Soldier. I have done a bunch of research to find more detail about him. I found out that he was a POW, though I cannot find where and how he died. I also wanted to find a photograph of him. I thought I found one of him, but then I found out it was of another soldier, and not him. I really badly want of photo of him and I am wondering if there is anyone who can help me find a photograph of my ancestor. I will leaves as much detail as I can about him as I can below:

Name: Washington Lyons
Military Beginning Rank: Private
Military Final Rank: Private
Military Side: Union
Military Unit: 2nd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry
Military Company: E
Muster Date: June 5 1863
Event Place: Tennessee, United States
Event of Death: Richmond, VA (I think)
Date of death: Mar 12 1864
Burial Location: Richmond, VA (I think)

 

[SethJ]

"Company E - Men from Wayne, Decatur, Perry and Hickman Counties."
Geni.com
Unsure if its a legit website, but if so, does it line up?

 

[20thmaineboy]

"Company E - Men from Wayne, Decatur, Perry and Hickman Counties."
Geni.com
Unsure if its a legit website, but if so, does it line up?

The info I think lines up correctly. But I believe that he was a foot soldier and not a mounted soldier. He lived on a farm in Union, Tennessee (No pun attended). The info below the main part of the post showing muster date, death, etc. It's from Ancestry.com and NARA. I had a lifetime genealogist from SUVCW check if it's real and accurate. I am confident this information is accurate. For the photo part, I found it on Ancestery.com. But at the same time, you never know.

 

[SethJ]

Do you have date of birth

The info below the main part of the post showing muster date, death, etc.

Do you have a date of birth? That may be of some help. Middle name perhaps? It may not have been common, but you never know.

 

[John Hartwell]

In 1866, his widow was granted a pension:

The pension file should contain valuable information. I highly recommend ordering through https://gopherrecords.com/

Attached below is his 17 page carded service record.

 

[20thmaineboy]

Do you have date of birth


Do you have a date of birth? That may be of some help. Middle name perhaps? It may not have been common, but you never know.

This is interesting, because different sources say different things. Some say about 1828, some say about 1830, some say about 1838. It's really inconvenient but that's just how it is. His name was George Washington Lyons. But on all of his war documents, thy just called him Washington Lyons. I think that what he went by. But his legal name was George Washington Lyons. What I do know his wifes maiden name (I think) was "Sharp". And he had 2+ kids. Two of them named "Canada Roger Lyons" and I believe "William Lyons". I know that It says In William Lyons Obituary that His father ((George) Washington Lyons) died in a southern prison during the Civil War.

 

[20thmaineboy]

In 1866, his widow was granted a pension:
View attachment 508392
The pension file should contain valuable information. I highly recommend ordering through https://gopherrecords.com/

Attached below is his 17 page carded service record.

I have both of these documents. I was required to have them in when joining The Sons of The Union Veteran. And I will give you all the documents I have below. I also found out that The ONLY Union units that fought in Rogersville were the 2nd Ohio Cavalry Regiment, 17th Ohio Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Regiment Tennessee Mounted Infantry, Battery M, 2nd Illinois Light Artillery. So this proves that he was a mounted soldier. So he was part of the 2nd Regiment Tennessee Mounted Infantry.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Recently, I found out that I am a direct decedent of a Union Soldier. I have done a bunch of research to find more detail about him. I found out that he was a POW, though I cannot find where and how he died. I also wanted to find a photograph of him. I thought I found one of him, but then I found out it was of another soldier, and not him. I really badly want of photo of him and I am wondering if there is anyone who can help me find a photograph of my ancestor. I will leaves as much detail as I can about him as I can below:

Name: Washington Lyons
Military Beginning Rank: Private
Military Final Rank: Private
Military Side: Union
Military Unit: 2nd Regiment, Tennessee Infantry
Military Company: E
Muster Date: June 5 1863
Event Place: Tennessee, United States
Event of Death: Richmond, VA (I think)
Date of death: Mar 12 1864
Burial Location: Richmond, VA (I think)

National Archives NextGen Catalog

The online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records.

catalog.archives.gov

2nd Tennessee Volunteer Infantry Regiment – Tennessee & the Civil War

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

I have both of these documents. I was required to have them in when joining The Sons of The Union Veteran. And I will give you all the documents I have below. I also found out that The ONLY Union units that fought in Rogersville were the 2nd Ohio Cavalry Regiment, 17th Ohio Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Regiment Tennessee Mounted Infantry, Battery M, 2nd Illinois Light Artillery. So this proves that he was a mounted soldier. So he was part of the 2nd Regiment Tennessee Mounted Infantry.

Untitled Document

 

[20thmaineboy]

National Archives NextGen Catalog

The online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records.

catalog.archives.gov

2nd Tennessee Volunteer Infantry Regiment – Tennessee & the Civil War

Thank you very much for this. Is there any way that I can find a photograph of him?

 

[20thmaineboy]

National Archives NextGen Catalog

The online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records.

catalog.archives.gov

2nd Tennessee Volunteer Infantry Regiment – Tennessee & the Civil War

Thank you very much for this. Is there any way that I can find a photograph of him?

 

[20thmaineboy]

National Archives NextGen Catalog

The online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records.

catalog.archives.gov

2nd Tennessee Volunteer Infantry Regiment – Tennessee & the Civil War

Sorry for the spam. There was a error message that said it did not send my reply, so I kept clicking it and it said try again.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Thank you very much for this. Is there any way that I can find a photograph of him?

Finding a photo is kind of a "shot in the dark". When one sees all the images of Civil War soldiers, it is easy to get the impression all of them had their photos taken. That's far from reality. It was a rather expensive undertaking. I hope you can find one someday. Are you from East Tennessee?

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

Finding a photo is kind of a "shot in the dark". When one sees all the images of Civil War soldiers, it is easy to get the impression all of them had their photos taken. That's far from reality. It was a rather expensive undertaking. I hope you can find one someday. Are you from East Tennessee?

@20thmaineboy @East Tennessee Roots is correct. With that said soldiers were able to have inexpensive images taken when CDV's became more widely available. Many people would like to have images of their Civil War ancestor/ancestors. I suggest you watch this short video.

Finding an Ancestor’s Photograph | Period Photos & Examinations

Many people join CivilWarTalk in the hope that it will help them find a photograph or photographs of his/her Civil War ancestor. As we all know finding a photograph of one’s ancestor is a long shot. Ronald Coddington runs Military Images Magazine and recently he found a CDV of one of his Civil...

civilwartalk.com

You could place an advertisement in Military Images Magazine or place a post on several Civil War Facebook forums. Even if you did all this plus search through pertinent unit histories, and search through numerous state and local historical societies archives, it would still be a long shot.

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

Duplicate post.

 

[Sowbelly and Hardtack]

Duplicate post.

 

[Stryker65]

@20thmaineboy your ancestor was not part of the 2nd Tennessee Mounted Infantry, but rather the 2nd Tennessee Infantry, which was temporarily mounted in 1863 as cavalrymen were needed more than infantrymen. The 2nd Tennessee Mounted Infantry was a separate unit, a battalion formed in 1864 to patrol central Tennessee. Your ancestor would then have served with General James Shackelford in the actions around Knoxville, most likely, in the Second Division (Col. John W Foster).

 

[20thmaineboy]

@20thmaineboy your ancestor was not part of the 2nd Tennessee Mounted Infantry, but rather the 2nd Tennessee Infantry, which was temporarily mounted in 1863 as cavalrymen were needed more than infantrymen. The 2nd Tennessee Mounted Infantry was a separate unit, a battalion formed in 1864 to patrol central Tennessee. Your ancestor would then have served with General James Shackelford in the actions around Knoxville, most likely, in the Second Division (Col. John W Foster).

Thanks for that information.

 

[Fairfield]

As you probably know, the state of Maine maintains a marvelous collection of photos of ACW soldiers on its website; the state of Tennessee may to something similar. Because Tennessee is a state in which I rarely research, my first step would be to send an email to the largest state library--in this case the Tennessee State Library. When in doubt, find a librarian! You might also check the Tennessee Virtual Archive on the web (its ACW collection is at https://teva.contentdm.oclc.org/customizations/global/pages/collections/cwmilitary/cwmilitary.html)