New to CWT and hoping for some more info on my GGG- PA 16th cavalry, 161 volunteers Co D

genishann

Cadet
Joined
Sep 27, 2021
Hi! I'm glad to be here! I have a GGG grandfather who was a union soldier and I am obsessed with finding out more about him and his life including his father's family from NY which I am hitting some roadblocks with but here's what I do know about him.
His name is James Walters. He was born in 1833 but I cant find any records for that, I have been using census reports. He is from Tioga County Pennsylvania. Mustered in at Harrisburg in October of 1862, 16th PA Cavalry, 161st Volunteers. He was under Cpt. Robison and Later Seth Kennedy in the army of the Potomac. The 16th was at Gettysburg 1-3 then to the Culpepper area in Virginia. I know he was engaged at the battle of Mine Run Nov 26-December 2 but was captured in the skirmish at Parker's Store by the confederates on November 29, 1863. I was hoping to find a record of where he was imprisoned. I checked Andersonville records but can't find him. I am thinking it was PROBABLY Belle Isle in Richmond but would like to know for sure. He was a pvt so he was most likely not at Libby. He was paroled on April 14, 1864 to City Point, VA where he died the same day, cause is listed as prison life and knowing what I do about Belle Isle, the poor man probably froze and starved to death. What a horrible way to die. He is buried at Hampton Nation Cemetery and is section C 1254 I believe, can't 100% remember with out looking. At some point, they transferred him from Co. D to B after his capture but not sure when or why. He was married to Amelia Wilson in 1858 by Reverend Amos Mansfield in Rutland, Tioga County PA in March of 1858. He and Milly are listed in the 1860 cansus in Rutland under the name Walton ( the hand writing was hard to read) He had one son, Orson. E Walters who was born in 1861 and the next census info, shows him living with his Maternal grandparents, Samuel and Betsy Wilson in Tioga County PA. I know that Amelia,(Milly) remarried a George Smith in the early to mid 1870s and had several more children. James's parents were John and Margaret (Argetsinger) Walters from Mohawk/Amsterdam, Montgomery County New York. The walters family has been REALLLLLY hard to trace especially in NY and finding where they hailed from. James had one brother John that I know of for sure who was born in 1825 and he married a Margaret Van Ness in the same church by the same reverend Amos Mansfield in 1855 I believe. John and James were both farmers. I have an original letter written by James to his brother dated October 18th, 1863, which is how I was able to research the info I have. Any help you can provide would be awesome! PS heading to Gettysburg today for a visit so hoping to dig up something there ~ :smile:
Cheers!
 
Welcome to NW Georgia. Someone will be along shortly that will tell you what you want to know. I'm astounded at the knowledge of our people.
 
Hi and welcome from Connecticut and the Longstreet forum. One of our members should be able to assist you in that arena. Hope you enjoy the forum.
 
Welcome from the Researching Civil War Records and Ancestry forum. You have a lot of information already, which is great. But I know how frustrating it can be to have some holes in the story. Let me take a look and see where we might can help
 
Welcome to the forum from middle Alabama and you have come to the right place for information.
 
I did some more digging and I'm sorry to report that I didn't come up with anything more than what you have here. Have you ever gotten a copy of the pension application James' widow, Amelia filed? That might have some information in it.
 
I did some more digging and I'm sorry to report that I didn't come up with anything more than what you have here. Have you ever gotten a copy of the pension application James' widow, Amelia filed? That might have some information in it.
Yes, I do have her pension file. It doesn't really say where he was in prison, just that he was captured. I am waiting for the National Archives to open up so I can get his full military record.
 
Back
Top