Please Help Me Identify this Ancestor?

[Story]

This is either a gg-grandfather or gg-uncle on my father's side of the family. He is almost certainly from an Illinois Regiment. But Iowa, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are possible long shots.

Answers that can help me solve the identity --

• Anything else!

Soldier in image has light eyes (in addition to being older - mid-20s to 30?)

Depending on the quality of Regimental records, physical descriptions were recorded.

The same for pension records.

"Light eyes" will be one confirming data point.

 

[Story]

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

You might find it easier to match the image to a name if you turn this problem around and do proper research (FOLD3, Ancestery, Regimental Records) on all the men above first.

If they're all related to you in some way, then you could just sketch out a family tree as a cover page and make a nice little paper out of it.

 

[John Hartwell]

The Hospital Steward's Manual, 1863, p. 25
Note that Hospital Steward is not the same as hospital attendant, or nurse. It is more of an administrative position, and a higher pay grade.

 

[John Hartwell]

You might find it easier to match the image to a name if you turn this problem around and do proper research (FOLD3, Ancestery, Regimental Records) on all the men above first.

If they're all related to you in some way, then you could just sketch out a family tree as a cover page and make a nice little paper out of it.

Sadly, the CSRs for neither Pennsylvania or Illinois are as yet online at fold3. And descriptive rolls are rarely quoted in regimental and ancestral sources.

 

[Story]

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!

PORTER, Samuel R

Recruit

Warrenton, Mo

Sep 18, 1861

Tr. to Co. I, 8th Ill. Inf.

Roster of Company I 17th Illinois Infantry

Possibly the same individual, pending DoB and DoD

Samuel R. Porter (1844-1901) - Find a Grave...

Find a Grave memorial for Samuel R. Porter born 5 Jul 1844 and died 30 Jan 1901. Buried at Riverside Cemetery, Moline, Rock Island County, Illinois, United States of America, North America

www.findagrave.com

I see the OP has already done research on this individual and failed to reference it for us.

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/2xg-grandfather-samuel-r-porter-a-union-spy.117900/

I also found OP's blogspot. He's done a fair amount of research on the individuals in question already.

 

[Story]

Sadly, the CSRs for neither Pennsylvania or Illinois are as yet online at fold3. And descriptive rolls are rarely quoted in regimental and ancestral sources.

Cast a wider net.

Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls Illinois State Archives

Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls Database

www.ilsos.gov

 

[Fairfield]

Sadly, the CSRs for neither Pennsylvania or Illinois are as yet online at fold3. And descriptive rolls are rarely quoted in regimental and ancestral sources.

You can get the rosters on HDS (nominal yearly fee). The states of PA and IL may have them on their web sites. Lastly, a note in this mornings newsletter by Eastman (a genealogical newsletter) mentioned that another batch of service records are going up on FamilySearch (I use the Maine records there frequently).