John Smith History - Fact Check & Questions

rnmikes

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Jul 30, 2019
Thanks to your help, I was able to create this history of my 3rd great grandfather. I felt so much joy because of your help. Can you do me a favor? Can you please read this? Can you give me feedback? I’m looking more for fact-checking. Did I get overall regiment movements correct? Also, I have a question...what happened to John after he was found again? He was missing, and it appears that he was a paroled prisoner. What did he end up doing from his return on July 3, 1864, and his discharge?





The History of John Smith
Father, Union Soldier, Mariner, Civil War Survivor
Born About 1826, Died 1885
Married to Susan Heath, 23 June, 1848

Written By Michael Joseph Smith, August 1, 2019


EARLY LIFE

John Smith was born in Guysborough, Nova Scotia, Canada, about 1827 (though his Maine Veterans Cemetery Record states 1826). At the time of his birth, Guysborough was a township. In 1838, Guysborough County was created and got its name from the township that’s in it. Not much is known about how he came to the United States. However, in 1848, Castine, Maine, he married Susan Heath at the young age of 22. John was a mariner, and that may explain a few things, seeing as though Castine is on the ocean, and was well known for their harbor, shipbuilding and maritime contributions. Soon after their marriage, Susan and John began having children. Edna Jane in ‘51, Merrill ‘56, Emma ‘59, John W ‘63, and Joseph Lewis ‘64 (my ancestor). He lived in Castine, Maine from at least 1848, but could have been there earlier - this is not clear.


UNION SOLDIER

The Civil War broke out when the kids were very young, and with Edna just 12 years old, John enlisted at age 32, and served several times. He came back and then served again through the end of the war in 1865. He was missing in action, and a prisoner of war. For a time, he was a paroled prisoner.

John enlisted as a Private on September 10, 1862 at age 32 to Company E of the 26th Maine Infantry, D.C 1st Cavalry. He mustered on October 11, 1862, when his unit was raised.

Of John’s Regiment in his first enlistment:
“Maine Twenty-sixth Infantry. (9 Months)--Col., Nathaniel H. Hubbard; Lieut.-Col., Philo Hersey; Maj., James N. Fowler. This regiment was raised in the counties of Knox, Hancock and Waldo, and was rendezvoused at Camp John Pope, Bangor, where it was mustered into the U. S. service Oct 11, 1862, to serve for three years. It left the state Oct. 23, and arrived in Washington on the 27th. On Nov. 9 it embarked for Fortress Monroe, and on Dec. 1 reembarked at Newport News on the steamers Pocahontas and Matanzas for Ship island, where it arrived on the 12th, and at New Orleans on the 16th. It proceeded at once to Baton Rouge, where it was assigned to the 3d brigade, Grover's division, remaining here until March 12, 1863, when it joined in the reconnaissance to Port Hudson, returning on the 16th, and on the 28th embarked on the river steamer St. Maurice for Donaldsonville, 60 miles below. Thence, with the other forces from Baton Rouge, it proceeded to Thibodeaux, thence by rail to Brashear City, and on April 11, together with Grover's division, it proceeded to Irish bend, near Franklin, La., where on the 14th it engaged the enemy and met with a loss of 68 men out of 300 engaged. On May 30 it arrived at Port Hudson and engaged in supporting a battery until June 14, when it participated in the assault of that day, afterward returning to its former position. On the surrender of Port Hudson, it remained on duty inside the fortifications until July 26, when it embarked for Maine, and was mustered out of the U. S. service at Bangor on Aug. 9. The mortality of the regiment from all causes was about 200.”
[Source: Unknown Author. The Union Army, vol. 1. Federal Publishing Company, 2018.]

John Smith was Honorably discharged from his first tour on August 17, 1863. It is assumed at the time of this writing, that he returned to Castine, because he re-enlisted on January 14, 1864 in Castine. It’s also assumed that Joseph L Smith was conceived during his time back home to Castine, because he was born about 1864.

John re-enlisted to the 1st DC Cavalry (Led by Colonel Lafayette C. Baker), and mustered in Belfast, Maine, January 15, 1864. On February 5, 1864, he was on the Muster and Descriptive Roll of Detatchment of US Vols forwarded for the 9th Regiment of the DC Cavalry in Portland, Maine. On February 8, 1864, John was listed on Captain Sanford’s Company, 1st Regiment DC Vols, Company Muster-in and Descriptive Roll, in Augusta, Maine, when the company was mustered into service. Two days later, they left Augusta for Washington.

The following are excerpts from, “The Campaigns of the First Maine and First District of Columbia Cavalry.” Written by Merrill, Samuel Hill, and published by Bailey & Noyes, 1866. Beginning on pages 227. Also excerpts from, “History of the First Maine Cavalry.” Written by Tobie, Edward P, and published by Emery & Hughes, 1887. The excerpts are abridged to highlight John Smith’s second enlistment.

“Reaching Camp Baker, a short distance east of Capitol Hill, on the fourteenth, they found comfortable barracks. Two days later, they were mounted, and from this time till the seventh of April, a part of each day was spent in drilling...
This regiment was the only regiment in the army of the Potomac, armed with Henry’s Repeating Rifle. The peculiarity of this gun, is that it will fire sixteen shots without reloading...fifteen shots in ten seconds. Thus, a regiment of one thousand men, would fire fifteen thousand shots in ten seconds. On the sixteenth of February, Company F [and John] was mounted, and remained at Camp Baker, engaged in daily drilling until the seventh of April. At that date it left for Norfolk, and the next day, joined a squadron of the old battalion, on picket at Great Bridge. [Then on to Deep Creek] on picket duty. On the fifth of May, they marched with the cavalry division on a raid. The object of these raids was two-fold, viz: to weaken the enemy by destroying public property, and by drawing off detachments in pursuit. In this movement he had passed through Suffolk and crossed the Black Water. Seventy miles later and they struck Weldon Railroad just in time to intercept a body of rebel troops on their way to Petersburg. Instantly, the Union regiment was attacked, but they beat the rebels. They made quick work of flaming the public buildings and cut the railroad.
Turing southward, the march was continued to the point where the railroad crosses the Notaway River. Here they engaged the enemy. Here, an obstinately contested fight took place, in which the gallant Lieutenant Jackson, of company E fell mortally wounded. Here, too, fell a brave private, Samuel DeLaite. In this engagement, as in others, the bravery of the men, and the efficiency of their sixteen shooters, were put to the proof....The result of the affair was that the bridge was burned and Kautz was again on the march with 40 rebel prisoners added to his train. [They] marched to City Point, [crossed the Appomattox on May 10th, then encamped for a day near General Butler’s headquarters. They moved on within 24 hours to another raid], which proved to be one of the most hazardous and effective of the war. [They dashed into the heart of Dixie. Passed through Chesterfield County, on to Coalfield Station on the Danville Railroad, thirteen miles west from Richmond.] Instantly, guards were posted on all the roads leading to and from Petersburg and Richmond, and the work of the hour was hardly begun before it was ended. No harm was done to persons, or to private property, but the railroad was destroyed, the telegraph came down, and trains of cars, depot buildings, and large quantities of government stores went up in smoke. On the 12th, the history of the affair repeated itself at Black’s and White’s Station, on the South Side Railroad, thirty miles west from Petersburg, and forty from Coalfield Station...Wellsville Station, five miles east on the same railroad, a few hours later, shared a similar fate. The column now moved in the direction of Bellefield, on the Weldon Railroad. When within two miles of that place, [they] learned that the enemy was in force to receive [them]. [They decided to avoid a fight and turned] to the left from Bellefield, and marching via Jarratt’s Station, to the Notaway River. [When they reached Freeman’s Bridge at 10pm, they discovered that they were in a trap. The bridge was disabled, the river was unfordable and the enemy gathered all around. But they devised a way to cross the river quickly, with the “Maine Boys” who were so used to felling trees and being so resourceful. They escaped battle. They reached City Point on May 19th. In the prior 9 days, they marched an average of 20 of 24 hours, with only 4 hours rest, daily. They were exhausted, but on the 20th, they crossed again to Bermuda Hundred and went into camp about a mile from the river. A large number of remaining companies joined with them, and there was a particularly difficult battle at Fort Pride on June 4th. We learn in this text that], usually on the Sabbath, “all was quiet along the lines.” [The regiments attended a United Service on June 5th.] At one o’clock on the morning on the tenth [of June], the six mounted companies of the First District of Columbia (John Smith in Company F), moved with the division under General Kautz, as it afterwards appeared to capture Petersburg. The cavalry was to attack the city on the south, while the Tenth Corps of infantry under General Gilmore, was to attack on the north side. [Although John’s company was heavily attacked, there was but one casualty. On June 13th, they were relieved and on the 14th, they mounted.]”


Several engagements ensued along General Wilson’s Raid (Of which, General Kautz’s division participated). By the morning of June 28th, they were at Iron Bridge of Stoney Creek and an immense battle ensued. Then, by the 29th, they reached Ream’s Station. John’s captain (Sanford) was badly wounded, and marked on the 1st DC Cavalry, Company F’s muster roll, John was, “missing in action June 29, 1864.” General Wilson and his boys abandoned the operations. It’s not really clear where the Captain was wounded, and where John went missing...Stoney Creek or Ream’s Station. Some data suggests that he was taken prisoner at the time of that Wilson’s command abandoned at Stoney Creek, and some data suggests this happens when the regiments were at Ream’s station. Either way, John was missing on July 29th.

John has a “Company F, 1st Regiment DC Cavalry Returns,” form, noting that he was, “Returned from missing in action near Sherman’s Landing,” on July 3rd, 1864. From thence, until February 14th, there is nothing known to this writer, which explains what John did, or what happened. No injuries were noted. However, on the fourteenth, it is noted that he was a prisoner at the time his unit was transferred to the 1st Maine Cavalry, Company D. It appears that “pris. at tr,” (found in the book, History of 1st Maine Cavalry, p. 522), meant that he was a paroled prisoner. Additionally, we find more supporting information that John was a paroled prisoner, in the same book, page 450, list of abbreviations. When John was transferred to the 1st Maine Cavalry, it was done by General Order 77, dated April 28, 1865 (mustering out paroled prisoners and convalescents in hospital).

It is unclear what happened from that point until he was honorably discharged on June 20th, 1865, in Bangor, Maine. It is not known if the Union Army exchanged a prisoner for John...or if the Army (or John) honored the oath not to fight against the Rebels while paroled. But his actions likely are the actions that are the history of the 1st DC, Co. F and 1st Maine Co. D Cavalries.

In sum, John participated in some of the most decisive and effective operations in the civil war. His company, in coordination with others, directly cut Petersburg off from the Rebel army, thus disabling Lee and Richmond, capital of the Confederate States of America. Soon after, John’s regimental actions directly led to General Lee surrendering his Army, which effectively ended the American Civil War.


MARINER

War wasn’t the only battle he fought. He fought the seas. Mariner, Seaman and Sea Captain were listed as his occupation in Census documents, enlistment papers, and vital records. Although, he was listed as a laborer in the 1880 Census.


END OF DAYS

He lived in Castine, Maine from at least 1848 until 1870, but then after that, it’s not clear what moved their family to Westbrook, Maine. His family lived on Brackett Street, the village of Saccarappa, Westbrook from 1880 until his death in 1885. He is buried with a Civil War headstone in the Saccarappa Cemetery.
 
I'm afraid I don't know enough about the 26th Maine or the 1st DC Cavalry to offer any specifics or additional information. I just wanted to say that I think it's fantastic that you've created such a fine tribute to you ancestor! :thumbsup:
 
Thanks to your help, I was able to create this history of my 3rd great grandfather. I felt so much joy because of your help. Can you do me a favor? Can you please read this? Can you give me feedback? I’m looking more for fact-checking. Did I get overall regiment movements correct? Also, I have a question...what happened to John after he was found again? He was missing, and it appears that he was a paroled prisoner. What did he end up doing from his return on July 3, 1864, and his discharge?





The History of John Smith
Father, Union Soldier, Mariner, Civil War Survivor
Born About 1826, Died 1885
Married to Susan Heath, 23 June, 1848

Written By Michael Joseph Smith, August 1, 2019


EARLY LIFE

John Smith was born in Guysborough, Nova Scotia, Canada, about 1827 (though his Maine Veterans Cemetery Record states 1826). At the time of his birth, Guysborough was a township. In 1838, Guysborough County was created and got its name from the township that’s in it. Not much is known about how he came to the United States. However, in 1848, Castine, Maine, he married Susan Heath at the young age of 22. John was a mariner, and that may explain a few things, seeing as though Castine is on the ocean, and was well known for their harbor, shipbuilding and maritime contributions. Soon after their marriage, Susan and John began having children. Edna Jane in ‘51, Merrill ‘56, Emma ‘59, John W ‘63, and Joseph Lewis ‘64 (my ancestor). He lived in Castine, Maine from at least 1848, but could have been there earlier - this is not clear.


UNION SOLDIER

The Civil War broke out when the kids were very young, and with Edna just 12 years old, John enlisted at age 32, and served several times. He came back and then served again through the end of the war in 1865. He was missing in action, and a prisoner of war. For a time, he was a paroled prisoner.

John enlisted as a Private on September 10, 1862 at age 32 to Company E of the 26th Maine Infantry, D.C 1st Cavalry. He mustered on October 11, 1862, when his unit was raised.

Of John’s Regiment in his first enlistment:
“Maine Twenty-sixth Infantry. (9 Months)--Col., Nathaniel H. Hubbard; Lieut.-Col., Philo Hersey; Maj., James N. Fowler. This regiment was raised in the counties of Knox, Hancock and Waldo, and was rendezvoused at Camp John Pope, Bangor, where it was mustered into the U. S. service Oct 11, 1862, to serve for three years. It left the state Oct. 23, and arrived in Washington on the 27th. On Nov. 9 it embarked for Fortress Monroe, and on Dec. 1 reembarked at Newport News on the steamers Pocahontas and Matanzas for Ship island, where it arrived on the 12th, and at New Orleans on the 16th. It proceeded at once to Baton Rouge, where it was assigned to the 3d brigade, Grover's division, remaining here until March 12, 1863, when it joined in the reconnaissance to Port Hudson, returning on the 16th, and on the 28th embarked on the river steamer St. Maurice for Donaldsonville, 60 miles below. Thence, with the other forces from Baton Rouge, it proceeded to Thibodeaux, thence by rail to Brashear City, and on April 11, together with Grover's division, it proceeded to Irish bend, near Franklin, La., where on the 14th it engaged the enemy and met with a loss of 68 men out of 300 engaged. On May 30 it arrived at Port Hudson and engaged in supporting a battery until June 14, when it participated in the assault of that day, afterward returning to its former position. On the surrender of Port Hudson, it remained on duty inside the fortifications until July 26, when it embarked for Maine, and was mustered out of the U. S. service at Bangor on Aug. 9. The mortality of the regiment from all causes was about 200.”
[Source: Unknown Author. The Union Army, vol. 1. Federal Publishing Company, 2018.]

John Smith was Honorably discharged from his first tour on August 17, 1863. It is assumed at the time of this writing, that he returned to Castine, because he re-enlisted on January 14, 1864 in Castine. It’s also assumed that Joseph L Smith was conceived during his time back home to Castine, because he was born about 1864.

John re-enlisted to the 1st DC Cavalry (Led by Colonel Lafayette C. Baker), and mustered in Belfast, Maine, January 15, 1864. On February 5, 1864, he was on the Muster and Descriptive Roll of Detatchment of US Vols forwarded for the 9th Regiment of the DC Cavalry in Portland, Maine. On February 8, 1864, John was listed on Captain Sanford’s Company, 1st Regiment DC Vols, Company Muster-in and Descriptive Roll, in Augusta, Maine, when the company was mustered into service. Two days later, they left Augusta for Washington.

The following are excerpts from, “The Campaigns of the First Maine and First District of Columbia Cavalry.” Written by Merrill, Samuel Hill, and published by Bailey & Noyes, 1866. Beginning on pages 227. Also excerpts from, “History of the First Maine Cavalry.” Written by Tobie, Edward P, and published by Emery & Hughes, 1887. The excerpts are abridged to highlight John Smith’s second enlistment.

“Reaching Camp Baker, a short distance east of Capitol Hill, on the fourteenth, they found comfortable barracks. Two days later, they were mounted, and from this time till the seventh of April, a part of each day was spent in drilling...
This regiment was the only regiment in the army of the Potomac, armed with Henry’s Repeating Rifle. The peculiarity of this gun, is that it will fire sixteen shots without reloading...fifteen shots in ten seconds. Thus, a regiment of one thousand men, would fire fifteen thousand shots in ten seconds. On the sixteenth of February, Company F [and John] was mounted, and remained at Camp Baker, engaged in daily drilling until the seventh of April. At that date it left for Norfolk, and the next day, joined a squadron of the old battalion, on picket at Great Bridge. [Then on to Deep Creek] on picket duty. On the fifth of May, they marched with the cavalry division on a raid. The object of these raids was two-fold, viz: to weaken the enemy by destroying public property, and by drawing off detachments in pursuit. In this movement he had passed through Suffolk and crossed the Black Water. Seventy miles later and they struck Weldon Railroad just in time to intercept a body of rebel troops on their way to Petersburg. Instantly, the Union regiment was attacked, but they beat the rebels. They made quick work of flaming the public buildings and cut the railroad.
Turing southward, the march was continued to the point where the railroad crosses the Notaway River. Here they engaged the enemy. Here, an obstinately contested fight took place, in which the gallant Lieutenant Jackson, of company E fell mortally wounded. Here, too, fell a brave private, Samuel DeLaite. In this engagement, as in others, the bravery of the men, and the efficiency of their sixteen shooters, were put to the proof....The result of the affair was that the bridge was burned and Kautz was again on the march with 40 rebel prisoners added to his train. [They] marched to City Point, [crossed the Appomattox on May 10th, then encamped for a day near General Butler’s headquarters. They moved on within 24 hours to another raid], which proved to be one of the most hazardous and effective of the war. [They dashed into the heart of Dixie. Passed through Chesterfield County, on to Coalfield Station on the Danville Railroad, thirteen miles west from Richmond.] Instantly, guards were posted on all the roads leading to and from Petersburg and Richmond, and the work of the hour was hardly begun before it was ended. No harm was done to persons, or to private property, but the railroad was destroyed, the telegraph came down, and trains of cars, depot buildings, and large quantities of government stores went up in smoke. On the 12th, the history of the affair repeated itself at Black’s and White’s Station, on the South Side Railroad, thirty miles west from Petersburg, and forty from Coalfield Station...Wellsville Station, five miles east on the same railroad, a few hours later, shared a similar fate. The column now moved in the direction of Bellefield, on the Weldon Railroad. When within two miles of that place, [they] learned that the enemy was in force to receive [them]. [They decided to avoid a fight and turned] to the left from Bellefield, and marching via Jarratt’s Station, to the Notaway River. [When they reached Freeman’s Bridge at 10pm, they discovered that they were in a trap. The bridge was disabled, the river was unfordable and the enemy gathered all around. But they devised a way to cross the river quickly, with the “Maine Boys” who were so used to felling trees and being so resourceful. They escaped battle. They reached City Point on May 19th. In the prior 9 days, they marched an average of 20 of 24 hours, with only 4 hours rest, daily. They were exhausted, but on the 20th, they crossed again to Bermuda Hundred and went into camp about a mile from the river. A large number of remaining companies joined with them, and there was a particularly difficult battle at Fort Pride on June 4th. We learn in this text that], usually on the Sabbath, “all was quiet along the lines.” [The regiments attended a United Service on June 5th.] At one o’clock on the morning on the tenth [of June], the six mounted companies of the First District of Columbia (John Smith in Company F), moved with the division under General Kautz, as it afterwards appeared to capture Petersburg. The cavalry was to attack the city on the south, while the Tenth Corps of infantry under General Gilmore, was to attack on the north side. [Although John’s company was heavily attacked, there was but one casualty. On June 13th, they were relieved and on the 14th, they mounted.]”


Several engagements ensued along General Wilson’s Raid (Of which, General Kautz’s division participated). By the morning of June 28th, they were at Iron Bridge of Stoney Creek and an immense battle ensued. Then, by the 29th, they reached Ream’s Station. John’s captain (Sanford) was badly wounded, and marked on the 1st DC Cavalry, Company F’s muster roll, John was, “missing in action June 29, 1864.” General Wilson and his boys abandoned the operations. It’s not really clear where the Captain was wounded, and where John went missing...Stoney Creek or Ream’s Station. Some data suggests that he was taken prisoner at the time of that Wilson’s command abandoned at Stoney Creek, and some data suggests this happens when the regiments were at Ream’s station. Either way, John was missing on July 29th.

John has a “Company F, 1st Regiment DC Cavalry Returns,” form, noting that he was, “Returned from missing in action near Sherman’s Landing,” on July 3rd, 1864. From thence, until February 14th, there is nothing known to this writer, which explains what John did, or what happened. No injuries were noted. However, on the fourteenth, it is noted that he was a prisoner at the time his unit was transferred to the 1st Maine Cavalry, Company D. It appears that “pris. at tr,” (found in the book, History of 1st Maine Cavalry, p. 522), meant that he was a paroled prisoner. Additionally, we find more supporting information that John was a paroled prisoner, in the same book, page 450, list of abbreviations. When John was transferred to the 1st Maine Cavalry, it was done by General Order 77, dated April 28, 1865 (mustering out paroled prisoners and convalescents in hospital).

It is unclear what happened from that point until he was honorably discharged on June 20th, 1865, in Bangor, Maine. It is not known if the Union Army exchanged a prisoner for John...or if the Army (or John) honored the oath not to fight against the Rebels while paroled. But his actions likely are the actions that are the history of the 1st DC, Co. F and 1st Maine Co. D Cavalries.

In sum, John participated in some of the most decisive and effective operations in the civil war. His company, in coordination with others, directly cut Petersburg off from the Rebel army, thus disabling Lee and Richmond, capital of the Confederate States of America. Soon after, John’s regimental actions directly led to General Lee surrendering his Army, which effectively ended the American Civil War.


MARINER

War wasn’t the only battle he fought. He fought the seas. Mariner, Seaman and Sea Captain were listed as his occupation in Census documents, enlistment papers, and vital records. Although, he was listed as a laborer in the 1880 Census.


END OF DAYS

He lived in Castine, Maine from at least 1848 until 1870, but then after that, it’s not clear what moved their family to Westbrook, Maine. His family lived on Brackett Street, the village of Saccarappa, Westbrook from 1880 until his death in 1885. He is buried with a Civil War headstone in the Saccarappa Cemetery.

Outstanding! John would be proud!
 
I had cousins who lived the next town over from Westbrook, Maine, and I know that it was a big mill town, particularly the paper mill. The paper mill could be smelled all over the place, even in the 1970s. At one point there was a canal connecting it with Portland. He may well have moved to Westbrook because that's where the work was.
 
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