Who were your Civil War ancestor what is their story?

Sounds interesting, Clayfeeter. Is this the book? http://books.wwnorton.com/books/Marching-Home/
That's it Jay! It's very GAR/Union veterans oriented, and man it really drove home to me that MAYBE 1/2 of all CW survivors we able to fully move on with their lives.. so many could not move on after the friends they lost and trauma they endured..

This book is an easy read about the day's I'd always been curious about how my own kin dealt with it..

...not great in my case: One gr gr gramps from upstate NY certainly had some sort of PTSD/drinking problem (he choked to death Christmas Day 1881 while visiting friends and drinking whiskey at NINE am)...

This is the same guy who was captured by Mosby in Sept 1864 south of Harpers Ferry and survived imprisonment in Richmond
 
More soldiers were executed during the Civil War than in all other American wars combined. Approximately 500 men, representing both North and South, were shot or hanged during the four-year conflict, two-thirds of them for desertion.

Falling asleep while on guard duty was a capital offense. I have never hear of a case where the execution was carried out. Usually some excuse was made to commute the sentence. That way the point was made without doing the dastardly deed.
Just off the top of my head I clearly recall at least two incidences of Union soldiers being executed for falling asleep on duty


...one of them I learned of most recently was I believe a regimental history I was reading about my cousins 8th Michigan infantry, but I will have to double check that

.. another one actually was a cousin of mine named Tom Jewett in, I will have to check but I think it was the 5th Connecticut infantry just off the top of my head

Most of these guys lucked out but some did not
 
I've had several relatives in the War. But now I'm focusing on my direct paternal lineage: William Milo Ferguson. Family tradition states 32-year-old William was impressed into service and served as a blacksmith for the Confederacy. Janet B. Hewett's The Roster of Confederate Soldiers 1861-1865 listed many William Ferguson(s) with various surname spellings. I knew William was born in East Tennessee and lived there most of his life, so logic 'told' me to start in the Volunteer State.

First, I found, using fold3.com, a William M. Furgerson, but his discharge paper indicated he was too young. Next I searched for other William(s) from neighboring states with no luck. I was finally led to a Private William Furguson that was enlisted on August 10, 1861 at Cleveland, Tennessee. I checked maps and discovered that the East Tennessee & Georgia RR and East Tennessee & Virginia RR services led directly to his home county--Greene; the distance from Cleveland to Greenville is only about one hundred and fifty miles. Finally I was on to something.

Private William Ferguson's war records stated nothing about being a blacksmith. "Maybe the family tradition was wrong" I said to myself. A few weeks later I got curious about other members of his company--Co. A "The Lancers." I decided to download all members from his company--including all officers up to the battalion commander. Eventually I came across the company blacksmith--a William Mills. How curious!

Clerical error is a matter of fact. It seems even more so with these confederate records. In a matter of time I noticed several members of Company A were the same person. The error did not occur once or twice, but TEN times--depending how you count the errors. The errors were usually a few letters off, but the names apparently are the same person.

However, in William's case it is different. Blacksmith William Mills enlisted the same day as Private William Ferguson. The spelling of William Mills is remarkable similar to the spelling of William Milo. So I have toyed with the idea that this is the same William Milo Ferguson that I have been searching for. Why he would be listed twice on the muster rolls I cannot explain away just yet. I have read on this forum that blacksmiths would be drilled as the other soldiers for a time; maybe this is a case of that.

Also, the farrier seems to be listed as a private in 3 other separate records on the same Company A muster rolls.

Well, that is how far I have come. Any opinions on this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for the great detail this really gives me new hope!

My great great grandfather was also from Tennessee ...moved to Kentucky and changed his name slightly because of a family rift between north and south & was a union blacksmith but I have no idea for what regiment or how to find information on him, I will check fold3
 
William A. Conner GG-Grandfather
Co. E 11th PA Vols.(40th PA)
Mustered in Sep. 1862
Major battles: Fredericksburg and Gettysburg
Defended lower Little Round Top late Day 2 Gettysburg
Rumored to be shot in foot at Gettysburg?

Welcome and great stories about your ancestors everyone, love the individual stories. You don't know where your going till you know where your ancestors have been.
 
My great great grandfather was in the Pennsylvania calorie and my uncle was a doctor.
 
Did what you read give any more detail than that?

Its my impression from what I have read that he got and held his job becuase Lincoln thought he was qualified to be a general.
"Rebel Yell" by Gwynne.
511HI8T1BFL._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg


I would be wary of his opinion of the foes of Jackson, since it's a Jackson book. But, I thought the author gave some pretty fair judgements of Banks later in the book.

When I get home, I'll give a few excerpts.
 

Attachments

  • 511HI8T1BFL._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
    511HI8T1BFL._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
    45.8 KB · Views: 30
Old thread but i'm gonna bump it since i'm full of pride for my ancestors.




1. 3rd great grandfather Pvt. Joshua Hudson, Company I, 43rd NC Infantry Regiment. Served in the eastern theater from May 1862-January 1865.

He is listed as being on sick leave in January of 1865 and there are no more records for him so I presume he just took a "French Leave" and never came back. He'd been listed as sick and in the hospital several times so I can hardly blame him seeing the war was almost over by that point.
He was at Gettysburg and countless other battles and engagements with his younger brother Evan in the same company.




2. Another interesting one is my 4th great grandfather Cpl. James Kelso of Company E, (Russell's) 4th Alabama Cavalry Regiment.

He joined up in (Russell's) Partisan Ranger Battalion in September 1862 as a Private and when it became the 4th Alabama Cavalry Regiment through consolidation he continued to serve and was promoted to 4th Corporal. He was captured at Shelbyville on June 27th, 1863 serving with Fightin' Joe Wheeler. He survived 6 POW camps and came home in 1865, took the oath of allegiance and went home to his family.




3. Finally the last one would be another 3rd great grandfather Pvt. Thomas Shelton Gamble of Company C, 49th Alabama Infantry Regiment.

He enlisted in August of 1861 in Captain Coffey's "Jackson Lions" infantry company. They were thrown into (Hale's) 31st Alabama Infantry Regiment and served with the Kentucky Orphan Brigade at Shiloh and many other engagements. They were eventually redesignated the 49th Alabama Infantry Regiment and Shelton survived the Siege of Port Hudson in Louisiana where he was captured. His records stop there so either he didn't come back for reorganization or they were lost.




These are only 3 of the 37 confirmed ancestors I have that served on either side.
 
Last edited:
Old thread but i'm gonna bump it since i'm full of pride for my ancestors.




1. 3rd great grandfather Pvt. Joshua Hudson, Company I, 43rd NC Infantry Regiment. Served in the eastern theater from May 1862-January 1865.

He is listed as being on sick leave in January of 1865 and there are no more records for him so I presume he just took a "French Leave" and never came back. He'd been listed as sick and in the hospital several times so I can hardly blame him seeing the war was almost over by that point.
He was at Gettysburg and countless other battles and engagements with his younger brother Evan in the same company.




2. Another interesting one is my 4th great grandfather Cpl. James Kelso of Company E, (Russell's) 4th Alabama Cavalry Regiment.

He joined up in (Russell's) Partisan Ranger Battalion in September 1862 as a Private and when it became the 4th Alabama Cavalry Regiment through consolidation he continued to serve and was promoted to 4th Corporal . He was captured at Shelbyville on June 27th, 1863 serving with Fightin' Joe Wheeler. He survived 6 POW camps and came home in 1865, took the oath of allegiance and went home to his family.




3. Finally the last one would be another 3rd great grandfather Pvt. Thomas Shelton Gamble of Company C, 49th Alabama Infantry Regiment.

He enlisted in August of 1861 in Captain Coffey's "Jackson Lions" infantry company. They were thrown into (Hale's) 31st Alabama Infantry Regiment and served with the Kentucky Orphan Brigade at Shiloh and many other engagements. They were eventually redesignated the 49th Alabama Infantry Regiment and Shelton survived the Siege of Port Hudson in Louisiana where he was captured. His records stop there so either he didn't come back for reorganization or they were lost.




These are only 3 of the 37 confirmed ancestors I have that served on either side.

That's really great that you have all those ancestors to research. I only had two who served but I found their lives interesting. My great grandfather (my avatar image) was like your Joshua: he was in the hospital in Richmond until March 28, 1865 when he is reported returned to service but didn't surrender with his unit at Appomattox so I think he had just had enough and walked off (he had relatives in Richmond). I don't blame him.
 
Did what you read give any more detail than that?

Its my impression from what I have read that he got and held his job becuase Lincoln thought he was qualified to be a general.
From 'Rebel Yell' by S. C. Gwynne:
Page 199
"His entry into politics in 1830 began a stunning rise to power and influence. He was elected to the US Congress in 1853, and became Speaker of the House in 1856 ( amazing in itself). As a nationally prominent antislavery Republican, he played a key role in getting John Fremont that party's nomination for President in 1856. He was elected Governor of Massachusetts in 1858, and ran for the 1860 Republican presidential nomination against Lincoln, whom he later supported, and who seriously considered him for a cabinet post. Just prior to the war, Banks had succeeded George B. McClellan as director of the Illinois Central Railroad, whose principal attorney, before his 1860 election to the presidency, had been Abraham Lincoln. With his sparkling connections and his booming oratorical voice, Nathaniel Banks was a potent force for the North, and Lincoln many political debts. It was partly for that reason that he appointed Banks, with no military experience, one of the first Union Major Generals of the war, an exalted rank that left many West Pointers and regular army men over whom he'd been promoted seething with anger and jealousy. He was the 4th ranking generals in the Union, and it's most prominent 'political'
general."
 
Last edited:
From 'Rebel Yell' by S. C. Gwynne:
Page 199
"His entry into politics in 1830 began a stunning rise to power and influence. He was elected to the US Congress in 1853, and became Speaker of the House in 1856 ( amazing in itself). As a nationally prominent antislavery Republican, he played a key role in getting John Fremont that party's nomination against Lincoln, whom he later supported, and who seriously considered him for a cabinet post. Just prior to the war, Banks had succeeded George B. McClellan as director of the Illinois Central Railroad, whose principal attorney, before his 1860 election to the presidency, had been Abraham Lincoln. With his sparkling connections and his booming oratorical voice, Nathaniel Banks was a potent force for the North, and Lincoln many political debts. It was partly for that reason that he appointed Banks, with no military experience, one of the first Union Major Generals of the war, an exalted rank that left many West Pointers and regular army men over whom he'd been promoted seething with anger and jealousy. He was the 4th ranking generals in the Union, and it's most prominent 'political'
general."

Thank you. I appreciate it. Much of that paragraph seems factually ok to me, but...

"John Fremont that party's nomination against Lincoln" implies that Lincoln was considered a candidate in 1856, which is a new one to me. I know he got some votes for vice president at the convention but I dont think he was ever considered for the top spot in 1856.

Gwynne claims Lincoln owed Banks political debts yet he doesnt given any more than that; this is first time I have ever read that. I am skeptical about this claim because I cant think of what these political debts would be or why it hasnt been written about elsewhere.

I have argued that the claims that Banks had "no military experience" are untrue or at least he was not perceived that way in 1860 becuase of his experience with the Massachusetts Militia. In his autobiography, Butler referred to the 1858 encampment of the Mass. militia as "for discipline, instruction, and military movement, a larger body of troops than even General Scott had seen together". Now I would agree that this is quite limited experience in duration and depth, but it is still more than zero.
 
Thank you. I appreciate it. Much of that paragraph seems factually ok to me, but...

"John Fremont that party's nomination against Lincoln" implies that Lincoln was considered a candidate in 1856, which is a new one to me. I know he got some votes for vice president at the convention but I dont think he was ever considered for the top spot in 1856.

Gwynne claims Lincoln owed Banks political debts yet he doesnt given any more than that; this is first time I have ever read that. I am skeptical about this claim because I cant think of what these political debts would be or why it hasnt been written about elsewhere.

I have argued that the claims that Banks had "no military experience" are untrue or at least he was not perceived that way in 1860 becuase of his experience with the Massachusetts Militia. In his autobiography, Butler referred to the 1858 encampment of the Mass. militia as "for discipline, instruction, and military movement, a larger body of troops than even General Scott had seen together". Now I would agree that this is quite limited experience in duration and depth, but it is still more than zero.
quite right, sir. I missed a couple of lines. I'll blame that on my phone. I corrected it. Reread it, and see if it makes better sense....
 
My father was nine years old in 1928 she was at a funeral for his grandfather when he told me this story he said it felt like yesterday. While sitting next to his grandmother is great uncle Charles was pushed up to him and a wicker wheelchair next to him was a 12-year-old girl. My father always said the girl looked beautiful in a dark blue dress in the old man's hand was his brothers sward. My father was named after his three uncles James Charles Francis and the uncle wanted him to have his brothers sword I still have it on the wall as a family keepsake I hope someday to give it to my son.
 
Here is a letter by one of my ancestors written after he was wounded at Pea Ridge . His name is Andrew Jackson and I believe he fought for the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles. I posted this previously, but thought others who missed it might like reading it. Great thread!

Brownsville Prairie Cty. [county] Arkansas, May 29, 1862

Dear relatives,

It has been some time since I have written to you or heard from any of you. The reason I did not write was that I was wounded at the battle of Elk Horn Tavern and could get no paper. I just got to Mr. Ford’s last Friday from Fayetvill in thirty miles of the battle grounds. I was shot through the thigh about four inches below the hip which has parallised my foot so that I have no use of my foot at all. I cannot work my foot a [particle or part of??] it hangs down perfectly ---[unreadable] . I got the surgeon of the Little Rock Hospital to examine and see the cause he says that a part of the nerve that supplies the upper part of my foot was cut by the ball. The ensiphilas broke ---[unreadable] on the foot of the same leg that I was wounded and has not got well yet so you see that I have had a time of it. I did not get any shifting clothes for 2 weeks after I was wounded my clothes all bloody [and] matted up which made me feel disagreeable. I was wounded Friday morning about one hour by sun and would have laid on the ground all night if it had not been for the Federals. They took me to a hospital and treated me very kindly which was more than I expected. They gave water and cold coffee to drink which they had in their canteens which revived me very much for I had got very cold and felt very bad from the loss of blood. I layed at a hospital on the battle ground for two weeks and they started to move us to [Van Buren] and I found after the first days travel that it would kill me to make the trip so I told them I would not go another step further and they got a [house?] for me to stay at in [3?] miles of Fayetvill where I lay six weeks a man by the name of Robert Macklin[??] senator of Washington in Ark where I was just as well treated as if I had been at home which I never can forget. The next thing is about the fight. Well we had the Federals completely surrounded before they knew it. Price’s division on the east side of them McCullochs division the west side of them they was between us and Price. The battle commenced about 12 oclock Prices forces and McCullochs were fighting towards each other with the Feds between them when about three Gen’s McCulloch and McIntosh were both killed which caused confusion in McCullochs ---[unreadable] Division not more than half his was supposed to be in the fight. it is believed by every person that was in the fight that if McCulloch had lived until friday night that him and Price would [have] met at Curtis’ headquarters and captured the whole Federal army. Gen. Price [fought?] next day until about one or two oclock [unreadable] Fought them with his forces and those of McCullochs men that had not got cut off and wanted to fight longer but Gen. Vandorn ordered a retreat. from what I saw myself and what others told me we killed [and] wounded two or three to one. The Federals themselves acknowledged to me that we got the best of the fight if they had been whipping us they would have followed when a retreat was ordered on our part and tried to cut our army to pieces but they never followed one inch perfectly satisfied to [gaze?] on at the retreat of our army that shows me that they had their hands full although the awkward position our army was in by the death of McCulloch and McIntosh. I always will believe that if it had not been for the death of these generals we would have achieved amost brilliant victory. I also believe that if General Vandorn had [a let?] Price alone on Saturday we would have whipped them any way Price wanted to fight them longer and begged Gen. Vandorn to let him fight a little longer [but no he must?] order a retreat so these are all the facts of the case as near as I can relate them. I want you all to write me as soon as you [read?] this. I would like very much to see you all indeed. I drempt of seeing ma not long since which makes me more anxious to hear. Give my respects to all endearing friends an [unreadable] the same to yourself.

Andrew Jackson

[?] I have to go on crutches and I suspect it will be a long time before I can walk to do any good. Write 2 letters for fear one will not come as I am anxious to hear from you.
 
This is a fun thread. I wonder if anyone here will be connected? :thumbsup:

That would be very cool to see. With that in mind, here are mine, by state and regiment: 5 are direct grandfathers, 21 uncles, 10 cousins. Oddly, I have found no ancestors who fought in either WWI or WWII.

3rd Alabama Inf - Watters, Larkin (also 51st AL Cav)
18th Alabama Inf, Co. F - Watters, 'William' Grissom, died in battle of Jonesboro, GA 1864
51st Alabama Cav (Partisan Rangers), Co. F - Watters, Larkin (also, 3rd AL inf)

3rd Georgia Cav, Co. E - Sinclair, John L, prisoner Cripple Creek, TN

1st Louisiana Hvy Artillery, Co. F - Rachal, Clement 'Clabe' - captured Vicksburg
8th Louisiana Hvy Artillery, Co. B - Forrest, Francis Marion - captured Vicksburg (also 3rd LA Cav Partisan Rangers)
2nd Louisiana Inf, Co. C - Buckley, John O, wounded Malvern Hill, VA, captured Gettysburg
2nd Louisiana Inf, Co. C - Buckley, Albert T, wounded Payne's Farm, VA
12th Louisiana Inf, Co. C - Buckley, Joseph S 'Joe', died Columbus, KY 1861
16th Louisiana Inf, Co. B & D - Schilling, Peter Amady
16th Louisiana Inf, Co. B - Forrest, Richard
16th Louisiana Inf, Co. B - Schilling, James Jeffrey
16th Louisiana Inf, Co. B - Forrest, James M, died of disease Tunnel Hill, Ga 1863
25th Louisiana Inf, Co. E - Edwards, John, died disease Oxford, MS 1862
25th Louisiana Inf, Co. E - Watters, Henry Britain
25th Louisiana Inf, Co. E - Edwards, Thomas Larkin, died of wounds Murfreesboro,TN 1863
26th Louisiana Inf, Co. A - Basco, Lorant Noel
26th Louisiana Inf, Co. A - Basco, Thomas
26th Louisiana Inf, Co. A - Basco, Dionysium 'Denny', flesh wound battle of Mansfield
31st Louisiana Inf, Co. I - Barron, Ebenezer Jackson
Louisiana Consolidated Crescent Reg. Inf, Co. G - Basco, Jean Baptiste, died diahrrea Pineville, LA hospital 1864
Louisiana Consolidated Crescent Reg. Inf, Co. G - Basco, Michel Adajot, died dysentery Alexandria, LA hospital 1864
2nd Louisiana Cav (Partisan Rangers), Co. D - Coutee, Severin
2nd Louisiana Cav (Partisan Rangers), Co. D - Coutee, Sepherin, died of varialoid 1864
9th Batt. 3rd Louisiana Cav (Wingfield's Partisan Rangers), Co. B - Forrest, Francis Marion (also 8th LA Hvy Art)
9th Batt. 3rd Louisiana Cav (Wingfield's Partisan Rangers), Co. C - Schilling, Francis Marion
9th Batt. 3rd Louisiana Cav (Wingfield's Partisan Rangers), Co. C - Schilling, Dennis
9th Batt. 3rd Louisiana Cav (Wingfield's Partisan Rangers), Co. C - Schilling, Esco 'Martin'
9th Batt. 3rd Louisiana Cav (Wingfield's Partisan Rangers), Co. C - Schilling, Valzain
13th Louisiana Cav (Partisan Rangers), Co. C - Hollis, Darrell Wolf
Louisiana Red River Sharpshooters Cav, Co. C - Rachal (Monette), Narcisse
Louisiana Reserve Corps Cav - Edwards, 'James' Henry
Louisiana Claiborne Reg (Militia), Co. A - Edwards, 'Miller' Bledsoe

16th Mississippi Inf, Co. E - Forrest, Thomas Jefferson, wounded Petersburg, VA
16th Mississippi Inf, Co. E - Forrest, Benjamin Franklin, (also 33rd MS Inf, Co E)
33rd Mississippi Inf, Co. B - Forrest, Matthew Bishop, died chronic bronchitis 1865
33rd Mississippi Inf, Co. B - Forrest, Benjamin Franklin (also 16th MS Inf, Co. E)

7th Texas Inf, Co. A - Watters, John William, wounded Franklin, TN, captured and died Nashville, TN

Stories...So far I have only thoroughly researched the surnames Forrest, Edwards and Watters. H.B. Watters wrote an amazing biography that described finding his dying brother after the battle of Franklin. Watters lived with my g-g-g-grandfather, Miller Edwards (his father-in-law), for a while. He went to war with Edwards' brother John and son Larkin, both who died during the war. Miller apparently tried to locate his son after the battle of Murfreesboro, but arrived after he had already died. This was my mother's side.

M.B. Forrest was Francis Marion Forrest's father and my g-g-g-grandfather (Marion was my g-g-grandfather). The other Forrests I mention were M.B.'s nephews. The families all lived on the Louisiana/Mississippi border within a few miles of each other. I have written a short biography of Francis Marion, which also includes some conjecture that makes sense. Marion's 10" Columbiad helped defend Vicksburg's waterfront and he later fought with Wingfield's Partisan Rangers. Marion Forrest grew up with the Schilling boys who joined up with Wingfield before him. His aunt Elizabeth had married the Schilling boys' father Henry and Marion was sent to live with them when he was very young. He was living with his father again when war broke out and apparently found his way home to be with his father when his father died of bronchitis just before the end of the war. This was my father's side.

My next project is the Bascos and Rachals, most of who fought at the Siege of Vicksburg. I have documentation positively linking them to the Civil War, but very little detail as to their involvement. They were a very private group of relations on my father's side, and I never really got to know their descendants very well, other than my Grandmother and her siblings, who were all Rachals.

My g-grandmother was a Buckley - another group that we know little about.
 
Last edited:
My GGgranddad, Edmund W. Ferris, was a member of the 41st. MS Infantry, Company D. He was from Macon, MS. where his family ran a news paper, The Macon Beacon. He was killed in the battle of Perryville, KY. where he is buried. He is named on the Confederate monument that is placed there. One of his sons, Fergus Ferris also served as a CS soldier as part of Morgan's Raiders. He served the war.
 
"Rebel Yell" by Gwynne.
511HI8T1BFL._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg


I would be wary of his opinion of the foes of Jackson, since it's a Jackson book. But, I thought the author gave some pretty fair judgements of Banks later in the book.

When I get home, I'll give a few excerpts.
No but what it is I am blind and I use Dragon to help me sometimes it puts up the wrong word and I miss the spelling.
 

Attachments

  • 511HI8T1BFL._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
    511HI8T1BFL._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
    45.8 KB · Views: 29
My Civil War ancestor (this information is in my welcome thread too) was in the 28th Massachusetts of the Irish Brigade. He joined up when the regiment was constituted, in December 1861. He survived Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville only to die on the Wheatfield on the second day of fighting at Gettysburg. He participated in Father William Corby's absolution. I know he was a corporal, and I think he might even have made it up to sergeant before his death.

To honor him, my avatar is the 28th's regimental flag.
 
Back
Top