I was given a Pistol with a Soldiers name. I'm trying to find more info

Well Everyone.... I think we can lay this mystery to rest.....

My cousin who gave me the pistol, inherited it from his stepfather. His stepfather and his family all came from Philadelphia PA. So from what many of you said.... I do believe this pistol belonged to

William H. Hood
Company A
17th PA Infantry
Mustered in April 25 1861
Philadelphia PA.

Does anyone know how I can do more research on this specific person?
 
Well Everyone.... I think we can lay this mystery to rest.....

My cousin who gave me the pistol, inherited it from his stepfather. His stepfather and his family all came from Philadelphia PA. So from what many of you said.... I do believe this pistol belonged to

William H. Hood
Company A
17th PA Infantry
Mustered in April 25 1861
Philadelphia PA.

Does anyone know how I can do more research on this specific person?

That's great news! I would recommend starting with fold3

https://www.fold3.com/?xid=2044&sli...qQvpxbp9bw4x-FvdmzN1UkmkN0d-xX4QaAu8DEALw_wcB
 
C040BE54-4D93-447C-9C36-9E11116B3506.jpeg
 
This is great, thanks for posting this. I think the key here is the "WG" inscription which could, very possibly/likely, be the Washington Greys (17th Pennsylvania).
I would observe that if he only belonged to the 17th Pa. it appears to have been one of those short-term units common in 1861 and that he had no real wartime service. Having said that, it was common for members of those ninety-day regiments to go on to reenlist in others, possibly for the duration of the war. So to my mind it's highly likely that some of these "other" William H. Hood's *may* be the same man. And IF indeed one or more is, since they appear to have been officers, it's also possible this pistol could've been carried in service into the next assignment as well.
 
On closer examination, I believe ALL of these "William H. Hoods" are the SAME individual: in the bottom one he's a first sergeant in the 21st Pa. for a VERY short time - FIVE DAYS - then reenlists July 1, 1863 during the Gettysburg crisis in yet another regiment as a lieutenant in Co. A of the 44th Pa. until July 27, 1863 when he is promoted to captain commanding Co. I. This is yet again another short-term unit raised for repelling Lee's invasion of the state, and when the crisis is over it too is disbanded in August, 1863.
 
On closer examination, I believe ALL of these "William H. Hoods" are the SAME individual: in the bottom one he's a first sergeant in the 21st Pa. for a VERY short time - FIVE DAYS - then reenlists July 1, 1863 during the Gettysburg crisis in yet another regiment as a lieutenant in Co. A of the 44th Pa. until July 27, 1863 when he is promoted to captain commanding Co. I. This is yet again another short-term unit raised for repelling Lee's invasion of the state, and when the crisis is over it too is disbanded in August, 1863.
Good call. I hadn't dug into them because I was assuming it would be different soldiers but I do believe you could be right.
 
On closer examination, I believe ALL of these "William H. Hoods" are the SAME individual: in the bottom one he's a first sergeant in the 21st Pa. for a VERY short time - FIVE DAYS - then reenlists July 1, 1863 during the Gettysburg crisis in yet another regiment as a lieutenant in Co. A of the 44th Pa. until July 27, 1863 when he is promoted to captain commanding Co. I. This is yet again another short-term unit raised for repelling Lee's invasion of the state, and when the crisis is over it too is disbanded in August, 1863.
if the war had dragged on for two more years he'd end up a brigadier?
 
Is this him also? Many CW veterans are buried in this Philly cemetery...this is the ONLY William H Hood listed in FAG with dates of age of a person who might have been in the CW.

34C1EA93-77B7-483E-8F8E-541F319C1A1C.jpeg
 
if the war had dragged on for two more years he'd end up a brigadier?
I presume you're being facetious, but this allows me to comment on what appears to have been Hood's situation: at first glance he looks like a proverbial "sunshine soldier" - one who enlists but doesn't really DO anything and leaves the real soldiering to others. Although I think that's basically true, it may more likely be that he was a businessman or someone with some civic or family responsibility. When in 1861 it appeared the war would be short, over in two or three months, he like so many other civic-minded individuals enlisted. Once following Bull Run it became obvious that wasn't going to be the case, and those ninety-day regiments went out of existence and many of their members simply didn't reenlist. Because he had likely been prominent in his community and had had military experience in the 17th Pa. he was elected or appointed 1st Sergeant - the senior NCO in a company - in the 21st Pa. He must've either done a briefly outstanding job (or else he knew somebody!) and was quickly moved to the 44th Pa. as an officer. Whether or not he could've gone higher had he remained in service, who knows? But it would've been in the Pennsylvania volunteers and not in the regular army.
 
Back
Top