JohnPP

[JohnPP]

Hello Everyone,
It's nice to be part of the forum. I have a growing interest in genealogy, and as an SAR member, I have mainly focused on ancestors who have taken up arms in the American Revolutionary War. Having said that, I just recently discovered that a 3rd G-Grandfather of mine was a Civil War soldier of the 52nd Massachusetts Regiment, and that he died of disease in Baton Rouge, LA shortly after the surrender of Port Hudson. So now I'm off in a different direction.

I'm trying to uncover more about him and his service with the 52nd. Any suggestions you can offer in this area would be greatly appreciated!
Regards,
John

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

Good luck and welcome to the group!

 

[scooter748driver]

Welcome from the Fort Sumter and the Fredericksburg forums.

 

[Fairfield]

Welcome! Your ancestor came from a pretty area! Since you are becoming interested in genealogy, consider the New England Historical and Genealogical Society (online as "American Ancestors") because it has volumes of Massachusetts vital records

 

[delta rifles]

Here are some links to some of the primary sources that I have uncovered about the 52nd Massachusetts so far. This is off of an older file on my old computer. I do believe I may have some more on another computer, but at least this is a start. I will look into the 52nd and your ancestor as soon as I am able.

Edward N Marsh Letter https://louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/lsu-sc-sce%3A15

William A Smith Letters- https://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/islandora/object/tulane%3Asmith

Hosmer, James Kendall.
The Color-Guard, Being a Corporal's Notes of Military Service in the Nineteenth Army Corps. Walker, Wise, & Company, Boston, 1864. 244pp. D. 386. https://archive.org/details/colorguard00unkngoog


Hosmer, James Kendall.The Thinking Bayonet. Walker, Fuller & Company, Boston, 1865. 326pp.
Moors, John Farwell. https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=3r8uAQAAIAAJ&hl=en
https://archive.org/details/thinkingbayonet00hosmgoog

History of the Fifty-Second Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers. Press of George H. Ellis, Boston, 1893. 220pp. [Plus a 58-page appendix containing regimental roster and notes.] Roster in appendix pages lll-XLIX. D. 388. MHR. https://archive.org/details/historyoffiftyse00moors/page/n7/mode/2up
Martin L Williston Letters. https://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/islandora/object/tulane%3A77161

 

[JOHN42768]

Welcome, enjoy

 

[Bob Velke]

His widow, Lydia, successfully applied for a pension on 20 Nov 1863. That pension file has been digitized by Fold3. It is a subscription site but there are a variety of legal ways to access it for free as itemized on my blog.

 

[lupaglupa]

Welcome from the Researching Civil War Records and Ancestry forum. It looks like you are already getting some great advice!

 

[JohnPP]

Welcome! Your ancestor came from a pretty area! Since you are becoming interested in genealogy, consider the New England Historical and Genealogical Society (online as "American Ancestors") because it has volumes of Massachusetts vital records

Thanks for the info, Fairfield, I'll check it out!

 

[JohnPP]

Here are some links to some of the primary sources that I have uncovered about the 52nd Massachusetts so far. This is off of an older file on my old computer. I do believe I may have some more on another computer, but at least this is a start. I will look into the 52nd and your ancestor as soon as I am able.

Edward N Marsh Letter https://louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/lsu-sc-sce%3A15

William A Smith Letters- https://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/islandora/object/tulane%3Asmith

Hosmer, James Kendall.
The Color-Guard, Being a Corporal's Notes of Military Service in the Nineteenth Army Corps. Walker, Wise, & Company, Boston, 1864. 244pp. D. 386. https://archive.org/details/colorguard00unkngoog


Hosmer, James Kendall.The Thinking Bayonet. Walker, Fuller & Company, Boston, 1865. 326pp.
Moors, John Farwell. https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=3r8uAQAAIAAJ&hl=en
https://archive.org/details/thinkingbayonet00hosmgoog

History of the Fifty-Second Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers. Press of George H. Ellis, Boston, 1893. 220pp. [Plus a 58-page appendix containing regimental roster and notes.] Roster in appendix pages lll-XLIX. D. 388. MHR. https://archive.org/details/historyoffiftyse00moors/page/n7/mode/2up
Martin L Williston Letters. https://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/islandora/object/tulane%3A77161

Thanks for the resources, delta rifles, I'll follow up on them. I just finished reading the History of the Fifty-Second Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers and found it fascinating. It shed much light on the role of the 52nd MA in securing the surrender of Port Hudson. Several men of the 52nd were mentioned by name, unfortunately, my ancestor wasn't one of them. But the search continues...

 

[bankerpapaw]

Hello Everyone,
It's nice to be part of the forum. I have a growing interest in genealogy, and as an SAR member, I have mainly focused on ancestors who have taken up arms in the American Revolutionary War. Having said that, I just recently discovered that a 3rd G-Grandfather of mine was a Civil War soldier of the 52nd Massachusetts Regiment, and that he died of disease in Baton Rouge, LA shortly after the surrender of Port Hudson. So now I'm off in a different direction.

I'm trying to uncover more about him and his service with the 52nd. Any suggestions you can offer in this area would be greatly appreciated!
Regards,
John

View attachment 523271

Welcome from NW Georgia!!

 

[JohnPP]

His widow, Lydia, successfully applied for a pension on 20 Nov 1863. That pension file has been digitized by Fold3. It is a subscription site but there are a variety of legal ways to access it for free as itemized on my blog.

Thank you for the lead on this, Bob; I'll check out your blog.

 

[ErnieMac]

Welcome from the Antietam / Sharpsburg Form. Fold3 has a number of files including CSMR records, widow's pension application, etc. Attached is a copy of the Surgeon General's record of his death.

 

[delta rifles]

Thanks for the resources, delta rifles, I'll follow up on them. I just finished reading the History of the Fifty-Second Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers and found it fascinating. It shed much light on the role of the 52nd MA in securing the surrender of Port Hudson. Several men of the 52nd were mentioned by name, unfortunately, my ancestor wasn't one of them. But the search continues...

There was a Lt Asa Spear in the 52nd Massachusetts mentioned in the regimental history. George (wounded at Port Hudson on June 14, 1863) and Charles Spear also served in the 52nd Massachusetts as well. Are they extended relations to Joseph Spear?

Charles Spear was from Shutesbury and Asa was from Amherst. I am not from Massachusetts but Amherst is four miles away and Shutesbury is fifteen miles away for Joseph's hometown (I'm from Louisiana and am less that well-versed in Massachusetts geography but thats at least what Google Maps tells me). I'd be interested to know if theres a connection.

 

[steamboater]

DELTA RIFLES
Your chosen handle for this blog, plus mentioning you are from Louisiana, somehow moved some cobwebs in my old cranium. I own several hundred original hard images of WBTS soldiers, and your details had to be checked. I found the LA Delta Rifles were Company F of the LA 4th Infantry. Perusing my image records, I find I have an unpublished ambrotype of an officer of the LA 4th Infantry, Company E. Dang, just missed a direct connection!

My officer was from Thiboudeaux, and I also own an original "wallpaper newspaper", printed in that town. It does give mention of activity of the local military in both english and french in parallel columns. Can't remember the date of publication, and the rag is presently in storage. I will check it when I am in the area after Thanksgiving. Have you an ancestor in the 4th?

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

Hello Everyone,
It's nice to be part of the forum. I have a growing interest in genealogy, and as an SAR member, I have mainly focused on ancestors who have taken up arms in the American Revolutionary War. Having said that, I just recently discovered that a 3rd G-Grandfather of mine was a Civil War soldier of the 52nd Massachusetts Regiment, and that he died of disease in Baton Rouge, LA shortly after the surrender of Port Hudson. So now I'm off in a different direction.

I'm trying to uncover more about him and his service with the 52nd. Any suggestions you can offer in this area would be greatly appreciated!
Regards,
John

View attachment 523271

Welcome, John. I am also a family history researcher, and also a SAR member. The first family member who I researched, though, was a Civil War ancestor, Thomas J. Rich, Corporal, 13th Illinois Cavalry.

 

[JohnPP]

Welcome from the Antietam / Sharpsburg Form. Fold3 has a number of files including CSMR records, widow's pension application, etc. Attached is a copy of the Surgeon General's record of his death.
View attachment 523426

Wow...thank you, ErnieMac! This speaks volumes for me. I'll be sure to share it with my family.

 

[DixieRifles]

It's nice to be part of the forum. I have a growing interest in genealogy, and as an SAR member, I have mainly focused on ancestors who have taken up arms in the American Revolutionary War.

Welcome!!
I met two 3d cousins from a whole branch of my family who lived in Texas. One was a great Genie but she sion learned the benefit of using Military Records for source of family records.
Since my 3d cousin was a member of Sons of Am Revolution, it was easy to add 3 generations of my family to tie into his line.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Hello Everyone,
It's nice to be part of the forum. I have a growing interest in genealogy, and as an SAR member, I have mainly focused on ancestors who have taken up arms in the American Revolutionary War. Having said that, I just recently discovered that a 3rd G-Grandfather of mine was a Civil War soldier of the 52nd Massachusetts Regiment, and that he died of disease in Baton Rouge, LA shortly after the surrender of Port Hudson. So now I'm off in a different direction.

I'm trying to uncover more about him and his service with the 52nd. Any suggestions you can offer in this area would be greatly appreciated!
Regards,
John

View attachment 523271

Welcome to the forums. Did Joseph have a brother named Asa? He enlisted on 8/24/1862 as a Sergeant in Co.G 52nd MA. He was promoted to 2nd Lieut on 10/28/1862. He mustered out on 8/14/1863.

 

[JohnPP]

There was a Lt Asa Spear in the 52nd Massachusetts mentioned in the regimental history. George (wounded at Port Hudson on June 14, 1863) and Charles Spear also served in the 52nd Massachusetts as well. Are they extended relations to Joseph Spear?

Charles Spear was from Shutesbury and Asa was from Amherst. I am not from Massachusetts but Amherst is four miles away and Shutesbury is fifteen miles away for Joseph's hometown (I'm from Louisiana and am less that well-versed in Massachusetts geography but thats at least what Google Maps tells me). I'd be interested to know if theres a connection.

Thanks again, delta rifles, for the info. Interestingly enough, my 3rd GG Joseph O. Spear had a son George who was born in 1847--so not the same George you mentioned who was born in 1844. I haven't found a connection yet to Asa, Charles, and the other George, but my family tree has some dead ends in this ancestral line. I'll do some digging and if I turn up some info, I'll let you know.