First Bull Run Searching my wife's ancestor

Cedar Creek

Cadet
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Hello,

My wife has an ancestor Charles Baylie who was a private in the Union Army; enlisted Company B Regular Army 2nd Cavalry Regiment on Aug 22 1856 at age 21 Captain Harrison's Company.

Is there some source that could help me verify if he was at the First Battle of Bull Run as the family oral history suggests? I do know his widow many years later collected a pension certificate 588419 application 801.974 filed March 3 1904.

Regards,

Cedar Creek
 
http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-...ldierId=86396A80-DC7A-DF11-BF36-B8AC6F5D926AA


Baylie , Charles
BATTLE UNIT NAME:
2nd Regiment, US Cavalry (Regular Army)

SIDE: Union

COMPANY: B

SOLDIER'S RANK IN:
SOLDIER'S RANK OUT: Private

ALTERNATE NAME:

FILM NUMBER: M233 ROLL 25

PLAQUE NUMBER:

NOTES: General Note - See original register for additional information.



SERVICE: -Occupation of Arlington Heights, Va., May 24, 1861 (Detachment). Fairfax Court House June 1 (Co. "B"). Advance on Manassas, Va., July 16-21 (4 Cos.). Blackburn's Ford July 18. Battle of Bull Run July 21. Duty in the Defences of Washington, D.C., till March, 1862. Peninsula Campaign April to August; Siege of Yorktown, Va., April 5-May 4. Ellison's Mill near Mechanicsville May 23 (Detachment). New Bridge May 24 (Detachment). Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Reconnoissance to Charlestown, W. Va., October 16-17. Charlestown October 16. Expedition from Potomac Creek to Richards and Ellis Fords, Rappahannock River, December 29-30. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 8. Stoneman's Raid April 29-May 8.Brandy Station and Beverly Ford June 9. Expedition from Point Lookout, Md., to Pope's Creek June 11-21 (Detachment). Middleburg June 19. Upperville June 21. Battle of Gettysburg , Pa., July 1-3. Williamsport, Md., July 6. Boonsboro July town July 10-13. Falling Waters July 14. Manassas Gap July 21-22. Wapping Heights July 23. Kelly's Ford July 31-August 1. Brandy Station August 1-4. Advance from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan September 13-17. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Manassas Junction October 17. Bristoe Station October 18. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7, 1864. Barnett's Ford February 6-7. Custer's Raid in Albemarle County February 28-March 1. Near Charlottesville February 29. Stannardsville March 1. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12. Wilderness May 5-7. Todd's Tavern May 7-8. Sheridan's Raid to the James River May 9-24. Ground Squirrel Church and Yellow Tavern May 11. Mechanicsville May 12. Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Hanovertown Ferry and Hanovertown May 27. Haw's Shop May 28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Old Church and Mattadequin Creek May 30. Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor, May 31-June 1. Sheridan's Trevillian Raid June 7-24.Trevillian Station June 11-12. Mallory's Cross Roads June 12. Black Creek or Tunstall Station and White House or St. Peter's Church June 21. Jones' Bridge June 23. Siege of Petersburg till August. Deep Bottom July 27-28. Malvern Hill July 28. Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7-November 28. Tell Gate near White Post and near Newtown August 11. Near Strasburg August 14. Halltown and near Kearneysville August 25. Leetown and Smithville August 28. Smithfield Crossing, Opequan, August 28. Locke's Ford, Opequan Creek, September 13. Sevier's Ford, Opequan Creek, September 15. Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Fisher's Hill September 21. Milford September 22. Front Royal September 23. Luray Valley September 24. Front Royal September 25. Port Republic September 26-27. Rockfish Gap September 28. Mt. Crawford October 2. Tom's Brook, Woodstock Races, October 8-9. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Near Kernstown November 11. Expedition into Loudoun and Faquier Counties, November 28-December 3. Expedition from Winchester to near Gordonsville December 19-28. Liberty Mills December 22. Near Gordonsville December 23. Duty in the Shenandoah Valley till July, 1865.
 
Charles Baylie
Enlisted; Aug 22nd 1856; assigned to Co-B, 2nd US Cavalry. 21 years old, Listed as being born in London England abt. 1835

In early 1861 Company-B was on duty in Texas. Ordered East they were transported via Steamer to New York, arriving on April 11th. Sent to Carlisle Barracks Pa arriving on April 14th. May 10th sent to Washington DC..... May 11th- 23rd on duty guarding White House and Treasury Building. May and June spent guarding various critical cross roads and approaches around Washington DC. Co.B with a couple other companies of the 2nd US Cavalry were present and participated in the Battle of First Manassas.

Military record of the time did not "list", engagements or battles an individual may have participated in. Less the subject may have been wounded, captured or killed, and notation in the record regarding same, when and where, etc. Otherwise there is no 100 percent confirmation means existing via the file records themselves. If the subject was indicated as present for duty during the known time period of an engagement it can only be assumed. It would be a feasible assumption that Charles most likely was indeed present at the time.

Charles Baylie was discharged in August 1861 at expiration of his term of enlistment. Did not find any further or additional service record for him in a latter unit. This was likely his first and only major engagement of the war.
 
Thank you both for your replies. You have been very helpful and lend credence to the oral family history.

My wife's ancestor's life came to an unhappy end; he committed suicide Story is his wife was not the most agreeable person and that her demeanor had some bearing on his committing suicide. She made sure though that she collected a widow's pension.

Thankfully my wife is nothing like his.
 
Frederick14's advice is most excellent!

It is sad that the only way to be 100% sure your ancestor was on a certain battlefield was if he was killed captured or wounded but there is one other way and that is of course through regimental histories or better yet through letters or some of the books that might mention your ancestor during a battle which does occur in more cases than you might imagine...

...it just takes a lot of digging thru local archives etc.
 
Hello,

My wife has an ancestor Charles Baylie who was a private in the Union Army; enlisted Company B Regular Army 2nd Cavalry Regiment on Aug 22 1856 at age 21 Captain Harrison's Company.

Is there some source that could help me verify if he was at the First Battle of Bull Run as the family oral history suggests? I do know his widow many years later collected a pension certificate 588419 application 801.974 filed March 3 1904.

Regards,

Cedar Creek


Second U. S. Cavalry


Report of Maj. Innis N. Palmer, Second U.S. Cavalry, commanding
battalion.

CAVALRY CAMP, NEAR ARLINGTON, July 23, 1861.
SIR: In obedience to circular from brigade headquarters of this date, I have
the honor to submit the following report off the operations of my command
during the battle before Manassas on the 21st instant. (1st Bull Run)

My command consisted of one company of the Second Dragoons, Capt.
F.C. Armstrong commanding, two companies of the First Cavalry, under
Capt. A.V. Colburn, and four companies of Second Cavalry, under Capts.
A.G. Brackett, W.W. Lowe, J.E. Harrison, and First Lieut. Drummond.

At the commencement of the action the whole cavalry force was ordered to
the front, and it took a position on the extreme right of the line. From this
point portions were detached from time to time, to support the different
batteries and to examine the ground on the left of the enemy's line. While
they were thus engaged, a small body of the enemy's cavalry, which had
charged through the New York Zouave Regiment, came within short distance
of my commanded, and I directed a small party, under Sergeant Sachs, of
the Second Dragoons, to pursue them. He succeeded in capturing several
prisoners, among them Gen. George Steuart, of Maryland.

During the entire action the cavalry, sometimes together and sometimes in
detachments, moved by the direction of the commanding general to various
points in the field, where there was a prospect of their being able to act to
advantage. When the force on the right of our attacking line first gave way,
all of my officers, assisted by Governor Sprague, of Rhode Island,
endeavored to rally them, and I found it necessary to deploy the cavalry to
oppose the retreat of these men. They were, however, totally demoralized,
and a galling fire, opened suddenly from the woods in front of us, made all
our efforts unavailing.

When the retreat from the field became general, the whole of the cavalry,
excepting those killed, wounded, or dismounted by loss of horses, was
together, and in good condition. I was directed to cover the retreat, assisted
by a section of Arnold's battery. The enemy rapidly advanced upon the rear,
and at the crossing of Bull Run it was necessary to form my command to
receive their cavalry. Two shots from the guns of Arnold caused them to
retire, and soon after I received orders to push on as rapidly as possible in
order to save my command. I reached Centreville about 8.30 p.m., and this
place at 5.30 a.m. the next morning.

The conduct of officers and men throughout the day was in the highest
degree praiseworthy.*

* * * * *

All of which is respectfully submitted.

I.N. PALMER,
Maj., Second Cavalry, Commanding Cavalry.

Capt. W.W. AVERELL,
A.A.A.G. Col. Porter's Brigade.

INNIS N. PALMER
P397.gif


Palmer, Innis N., brigadier-general, was born in Buffalo,
N. Y. March 30, 1824. He was graduated at the United States
military academy in 1846 and served throughout the Mexican war,
where he was wounded at Chapultepec, won the brevets of 1st
lieutenant and captain for gallantry at Contreras, Churubusco
and Chapultepec, and took part in the assault on and capture of
the City of Mexico. He was afterwards on frontier and
recruiting duty, and was promoted major, April 5, I86I, having
attained the intervening grades. He served from April to July,
1861, in the defenses of Washington, and in the Manassas
campaign he commanded the battalion of United States cavalry at
the battle of Bull Run, winning promotion to brevet lieutenant-
colonel by gallantry there. He was transferred to the 5th
cavalry in Aug., 1861, was commissioned brigadier-general of
volunteers on Sept. 23, and commanded a brigade in the 4th army
corps of the Army of the Potomac during the Virginia Peninsular
campaign being engaged at Yorktown Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, and
in the Seven Days' battles. He was subsequently engaged in
organizing and forwarding to the field New Jersey and Delaware
troops and in superintending camps of drafted men at
Philadelphia, Pa., in 1862; commanded then the 1st division of
the 18th army corps in North Carolina from Jan. to July, 1863,
the Department of North Carolina, February to March, the
District of Pamlico, the 18th army corps and the defenses of New
Berne, N. C., March, 1863, to April, 1864, and then the
districts of North Carolina and Beaufort, N. C., successively
until June, 1865. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel and
transferred to the 2nd cavalry, Sept. 23, 1863, and on March 13,
1865, was brevetted brigadier-general in the regular army and
major-general of volunteers. He was promoted colonel in June,
1868, and commanded his regiment at various posts until retired
at his own request in March, 1879. He died in Chevy Chase, Md.,
Sept. 1O, 1900.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 8



Source: Official Records
CHAP. IX.] THE BULL RUN CAMPAIGN. PAGE 393-2
[Series I. Vol. 2. Serial No. 2.]

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Brigadier-General, William Woods Averell, (1832 - 1900) was born in
Cameron, Steuben county, N. Y., Nov. 5, 1832. Being graduated
at West Point in 1855 he was assigned to the mounted riflemen
and served in garrison and at the school for practice at
Carlisle Pa., until 1857, when he was ordered to frontier
duty, and saw a great deal of Indian fighting. He was
severely wounded in a night attack by the Navajos in 1859, and
was given sick leave until the outbreak of the Civil War in
Being promoted to first lieutenant of the mounted
riflemen, on May 14, 1861, he fought at Bull Run and in other
engagements until Aug. 23, 1861, when he was appointed colonel
of the 3rd Penn. cavalry, and given command of the cavalry
defenses in front of Washington. In March, 1863, he began the
series of cavalry raids in western Virginia that have made his
name famous. His raids did much to help the Union cause, and
he was rewarded by the government in frequent promotions. On
March 13, 1865, he was made brevet major-general, U. S. A.,
and on May 18 he resigned. From 1866 to 1869 Gen. Averell was
consul-general of the United States in the British possessions
of North America, and then became president of a large
manufacturing concern. He invented a process for making cast
steel from the ore in one operation, the American asphalt
pavement and several complicated machines.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 8
 

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