Please Help Me Identify this Ancestor?

[lupaglupa]

Fold3 is showing a Lyman Ward from Glens Falls NY, died 1861 of smallpox at Upton Hall VA

 

[Discipulus]

Then you both LOSE - there is NO way this guy is a cavalryman! In addition to the (likely) New York or New York-style infantry jacket he's wearing, his accouterments are all infantry, as is the rifle he's holding.

I am really ignorant on this stuff, that is why I am here, to learn and make discoveries. I don't know if it is relevant, but while Charles Chesley was a member of the cavalry, his appointed duty was guard service in Washington, D.C.

 

[Discipulus]

@Discipulus can you tell us where you got this photo? Any info on who owned it, why you link it to your family etc. could help narrow down the options.

Family heirloom, passed down through the generations. I have possession. Most of my family heirlooms came from Chesleys, and then the Needhams second.

 

[Discipulus]

Fold3 is showing a Lyman Ward from Glens Falls NY, died 1861 of smallpox at Upton Hall VA

Luman was from Clinton county, died in 1896 in Franklin county.

 

[lupaglupa]

Okay - found him. Luman F Ward enlisted as 3rd Sgt. October 10, 1861 at Bangor, NY (that's in Franklin County). Mustered in November 22, 1861. Served in the 98th New York Volunteers, Co. D (Captain James Doty's company). He was 43 years old.

His pension card has him filing Oct. 2, 1863 as an invalid.

 

[lupaglupa]

OK since @mofederal @major bill James N. have confirmed that its a New York infantry jacket, do you know when Sgt Luman F. Ward 98th New York D was promoted to Sgt?

So @lelliott19 he came in as sergeant.

 

[lupaglupa]

1890 Veterans Census lists his disability as "paralysis of lower extremities." That would be hard for a farmer.

 

[Fairfield]

He is one of the following. This is a list of my grandfathers and granduncles on my father's side of the family tree who fought in the ACW --

(the names of gg-grandfathers have been bolded; the names of those who died in service have been italicized) --

RANK NAME REGIMENT STATE COMPANY
Henry M. Walker, Sr. 33rd Illinois A
Capt Harvey J. Dutton 33rd Illinois A
Horace S. Dutton 108th Illinois E
Charles H. Chesley 8th Cavalry Illinois K
John P. Chesley 13th Illinois G
Leonard Chesley 13th Illinois G
Sgt Luman F. Ward 98th New York D
David Ward 2nd Artillery Ohio C
Corp Arthur H. Needham 2nd Cavalry Iowa E
John H. Needham 155th Ohio A
Horatio E. Needham 29th Iowa E
Sgt George E. Needham 177th Ohio A
Benjamin E. Needham 41st Ohio D
Samuel R. Porter 17th Illinois I
Lt Col Dr. Frank G. Porter -- Surgeon --
Alexander W. Porter 39th Pennsylvania B
Sgt John W. Porter 39th Pennsylvania B

-- The two most likely candidates are Arthur Needham and Charles Chesley, based on the bulk of family heirlooms being passed down from them.

I wish the piping on the uniform told us something?

Not being especially up military uniforms, etc. I am going by age. The man in the photo is a youngster. Of the 4 gg-grandfathers, this narrows it down to Samuel R. Porter (who registered for the draft at 19 years). If the g+uncles were brothers of the above, it may be one of the Porters if they were of similar ages to their siblings. But that needn't be the case so I'd best go through all names. I'll get back--unless someone else has the answer!

 

[Kurt G]

On the Facebook page for the 17th Illinois there is a photo of Abraham Van Auker of the 17th . He is wearing a jacket similar to the one in your photo though I can't make out any piping .

 

[Fairfield]

Revising my first thought: I looked at the wrong CWT picture. The correct man is older, possibly in his 30's. Arthur Needham was 29 (close enough?). His brother Horatio was was 37 and brother George was 34. Below is a photo of soldiers from Iowa (note the uniform of the 3rd man in the first row). I couldn't find images of any Ohio soldier with that cross chest-sash. If I had to bet the family fortune, I bet on Arthur (29)

The state of Maine has a very large collection of photographs of Maine soldiers; it is posted on the state's web page. It seems quite possible to me that other states have done something similar. Doing research on the post-ACW lives of local soldiers, I was always delighted when I found one who had gone to Iowa because Iowa online veteran records were terrific (if veteran records were good, it follows that soldiers' record were probably also good).

 

[major bill]

I would have to research it, but I believe that the Federal government purchased some New York jacket and issued them to soldiers from other states. This was not common, but it can not be completely ruled out.

 

[Discipulus]

The Chesley's migrated to Illinois from New York and were only a couple years removed. Is there any chance one of them could have had a relative send him a NY uniform?

 

[mofederal]

From some research I found, the following states issued or made shell jackets. Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, New York, Illinois, Missouri, Michigan and Pennsylvania. The author seemed to think that these states actually made them: Ohio, New York, Illinois and maybe Indiana. The rest may have made or issued Schuylkill Depot issue (fatigue jackets) roundabout jackets, The state issue (made) mostly are seen from troops in New York, Ohio, and Illinois, although there is an example of one made by Indiana. Images of the jackets being worn appear mostly frequently Ohio, New York and Illinois. The author believes many of the jackets became common from around 1862-1864. The New York jacket appeared in 1861. Some have piping on them, and others do not.

Forgotten Federal "Generic" Garments by KC MacDonald

 

[James N.]

-- The two most likely candidates are Arthur Needham and Charles Chesley, based on the bulk of family heirlooms being passed down from them.

I wish the piping on the uniform told us something?

As I've already said, the New York-style INFANTRY uniform jacket itself tells you plenty; since both Needham and Chesley were cavalrymen, you can pretty well rule them out. I don't know whether or not Illinois or Pennsylvania soldiers were issued this style jacket, but as @lelliott19 told you, of the candidates on this list, Luman Ward is the most likely candidate. Many if not most NCO's were promoted after enlisting, so this could be a photo taken - as many were - upon his enlistment to send to "the folks at home."

Edit: From the additional information provided above, it appears at least possible that this soldier *may* be from another and western state, and is likely NOT Ward since he enlisted as a sergeant. (Side note: when regiments were first being organized from the mass of enlistees - or later draftees - older and/or better-educated men or those of backgrounds of known responsibility were often posted directly as NCO's. I have the photo of one such volunteer corporal who was around thirty at time of his enlistment, wearing the chevrons of his rank.)

 

[James N.]

The Chesley's migrated to Illinois from New York and were only a couple years removed. Is there any chance one of them could have had a relative send him a NY uniform?

In a word, NO.

 

[James N.]

I am really ignorant on this stuff, that is why I am here, to learn and make discoveries. I don't know if it is relevant, but while Charles Chesley was a member of the cavalry, his appointed duty was guard service in Washington, D.C.

For mounted troops, "guard duty" could include: the escort provided to President Lincoln daily in the summer as he traveled by horseback from his residence at the Soldiers' Home back and forth to his office in the White House; guarding the Chain Bridge and the other bridges across the Potomac; courier duty to the various outlying forts in the ring surrounding Washington; and chasing guerrillas and raiders operating like Mosby sometimes did within sight of the Capitol dome..

 

[Mike Serpa]

Arthur H. Needham's name appears in "History of Davenport and Scott County Iowa" 1910

History of Davenport and Scott County Iowa : Illustrated : Downer, Harry E : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Includes index

archive.org

And in "History of Scott County, Iowa" 1882

History of Scott County, Iowa; together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships ... and biographies of representative citizens. History of Iowa .. : Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : I

4 p. l., 17-1265 p. 25 cm

archive.org

His Find A Grave page

Corp Arthur Herrick Needham (1831-1921) - Find a...

Arthur H. Needham Residence Princeton IA; 29 years old. Enlisted on 8/16/1861 as a 2nd Corpl. On 9/4/1861 he mustered into E Co. IA 2nd Cavalry He Re-enlisted on 3/28/1864 He was Mustered Out on 9/19/1865 at Selma, AL Promotions: Hospl Steward 6/26/1862 (1st Battn Hospl Steward) Regtl Hospl...

www.findagrave.com

 

[Fairfield]

As I've already said, the New York-style INFANTRY uniform jacket itself tells you plenty; since both Needham and Chesley were cavalrymen, you can pretty well rule them out. I don't know whether or not Illinois or Pennsylvania soldiers were issued this style jacket, but as @lelliott19 told you, of the candidates on this list, Luman Ward is the most likely candidate. Many if not most NCO's were promoted after enlisting, so this could be a photo taken - as many were - upon his enlistment to send to "the folks at home."

But Arthur Needham spent most of the war as a hospital steward. According to a description that I found online, by regulation the Union stewards wore the red-piped jacket of an artilleryman. However, most of the photos that I could find showed chevrons on the sleeves.

 

[James N.]

But Arthur Needham spent most of the war as a hospital steward. According to a description that I found online, by regulation the Union stewards wore the red-piped jacket of an artilleryman. However, most of the photos that I could find showed chevrons on the sleeves.

I'd be suspicious about any "special uniform" for stewards, unless *maybe* in extreme rear-area general hospitals in metropolises like Philadelphia, etc. The green brassard edged in yellow or gold and bearing a caduceus was the usual designation for stewards and since it was a separate piece like chevrons could reasonably be applied to any uniform.

 

[Fairfield]

I'd be suspicious about any "special uniform" for stewards, unless *maybe* in extreme rear-area general hospitals in metropolises like Philadelphia, etc. The green brassard edged in yellow or gold and bearing a caduceus was the usual designation for stewards and since it was a separate piece like chevrons could reasonably be applied to any uniform.

I don't know how good the source is--although I think that it should be of interest because of its extensiveness on Civil War medicine. http://www.wtv-zone.com/civilwar/index.html On uniforms for hospital stewards, it reads:

Regulations called for Union hospital stewards to wear the red trimmed uniform of artillerymen. Their uniform insignia consisted of an emerald green, yellow edged, half-chevron that bore a two-inch-long yellow caduceus (staff with two entwined snakes and two wings at top). Hospital stewards of volunteer regiments, however, were known to wear a variety of different uniforms and insignia. Confederate hospital stewards' uniforms and insignia were not officially regulated, but one surgeon recalled that on the uniform many wore, the chevrons on the coat sleeves and the stripe down the trousers very similar to those worn by an orderly or first sergeant, but were black in color.