Uniform

[moswalt]

Anyone have any comments on this uniform? The star insignia on the kepi got my attention. The text looks like the soldier name is Wm Francis Greaves. The seller thought that the image was Francis A. Greaves of the 2nd Arkansas Cavalry but it appears there is a Wm in front of the name to me. I searched for the name in multiple permutations and found the following:
W.F. Greaves
1) 24th Mississippi Cavalry (filed with W.F. Graves, formed in 1864)
2) 6th Tennessee Infantry, Company A (his service record says to also see the 24th MS Cavalry as it appears this might be the same soldier, he was from Jackson, TN)
W.F. Graves
1) 1st (King's) Mississippi Infantry (State Troops), Company E (from Hinds Co)
2) 24th MS Cavalry (as above)
3) 6th TN Infantry (as above)
4) Capt. Ezell's Co, Virginia Local Defense
William F. Greaves
1) Co A, 52nd Virginia Militia
2) 97th Ohio (obviously Union but was worried star might be a corps badge, he was not in a corps with that insignia)
W. Greaves
1) Co. G, 1st and 4th Consolidated Missouri Infantry (doubt this uniform was used)
William Greaves
1) 10th Tennessee (older soldier)

 

[AndyHall]

There was a William Francis Greaves, born about 1843 in Tennessee and died August 17, 1929 in Brownsville, Haywood County, Tennessee, and buried in Trinity Cemetery there. In 1860 he was living with his parents, Andrew and Sepphonia [?], who were somewhat wealthy planters in Haywood County. Maybe that's your guy.

 

[AndyHall]

The William Francis Greaves in Haywood County, Tennessee, appears to have been a soldier in the 6th Tennessee Infantry, and applied for a state pension in 1926. He claimed to be a veteran of Shiloh, Perryville, Stone's River and Chickamauga.

Download Pension File

His compiled service record shows nothing unusual until early 1864, when he is listed first as being absent without leave, then later as "deserted furloughed the 2nd day January 1864 and has joined a cavalry company." That fits with options 1 and 2 above. He enlisted at Jackson, but was actually from Haywood County, next one over.

Still cannot be sure this is the same dude as the picture, though.

 

[unionblue]

The William Francis Greaves in Haywood County, Tennessee, appears to have been a soldier in the 6th Tennessee Infantry, and applied for a state pension in 1926. He claimed to be a veteran of Shiloh, Perryville, Stone's River and Chickamauga.

Download Pension File

His compiled service record shows nothing unusual until early 1864, when he is listed first as being absent without leave, then later as "deserted furloughed the 2nd day January 1864 and has joined a cavalry company." That fits with options 1 and 2 above. He enlisted at Jackson, but was actually from Haywood County, next one over.

Still cannot be sure this is the same dude as the picture, though.

Andy,

Always appreciate it when you do the heavy lifting when it comes to researching such questions.

Thanks for doing it.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

 

[moswalt]

Thank you for the information. I was leaning toward the W.F. Greaves in the 6th TN and 24th MS as well. I think this is the same individual. Mississippi troops wore stars early in the war but I would wonder if this would have been added in 1864.

 

[AndyHall]

Andy,

Always appreciate it when you do the heavy lifting when it comes to researching such questions.

Thanks for doing it.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

Thanks, UB.

 

[101combatvet]

I would say the chances are good that he may have been a Mississippian, just never conclusive.
I would try to find records for the names that you have identified, they often have brief descriptions
that may narrow it down a bit.