Would You Believe the First Casualty of Gettysburg Occurred June 26, 1863?

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A young man named George Washington Sandoe would only live to be 20 years, 7 months and 22 days old cut down in the prime of life with everything going for him. Sandoe died on the Gettysburg battlefield on June 26, 1863. Prior to June 1863 George W. Sandoe managed to elude the raging war. The young man married his childhood sweetheart Dianna Caskey on February 19, 1863 in Mount Joy, PA. The young newlyweds were blessed and expecting their first child.

On June 18, 1863 young George for some unexplained reason decided to enlist in the Union army. George enlisted in "B" Company, 21st Pennsylvania Volunteer Calvary for 6 months service. George was mustered into service on June 23, 1863 leaving his new bride Dianna for the glory of war.

George's military career would be short lived not even long enough to get his first pay.
On his 3rd day of service Pvt. George W. Sandoe and Pvt. William Lightner were the advance scouts of their unit. The two were near the Baltimore Pike when they unknowingly rode into Confederate pickets of Colonel Elijah V. White's 35th Va. Cav. The young soldiers had not noticed the pickets due to bushes and undergrowth in the area. Confederate pickets ordered the surprised soldiers to "Halt"; they would turn their horses to jump a fence. Pvt. Lightner jumped and made his escape good to the Baltimore Pike. Pvt. Sandoe was not so fortunate, as he jumped the fence his horse fell. He managed to remount his horse when he was mortally wounded in the head as his horse raced on. Official records list his death as: "Killed at Gettysburg, 26-June-1863 by the Rebs, while in discharge of his duty."
He has the distinction of being the first Union soldier killed at Gettysburg. There is a monument in his honor. Nine days after his enlistment and just three short days of service Death found Pvt. George Washington Sandoe.

George Washington Sandoe First Casualty of Gettysburg June 25, 1863.jpg


George Washington Sandoe .jpg


Dianna (Anna) and George.
Sandoe and his Wife Dianna.jpg


Monument located near the Baltimore Pike Gettysburg National Battlefield.
George Washington Sandoe's Monument at Gettysburg.jpg


http://lew35.blogspot.com/2013/06/death-found-pvt-george-washington.html

https://www.google.com/search?q=Fin...=e4o7WNSGLMaU0gKorJL4Bw#imgrc=IOCE_lR5bymeTM:

http://www.gettysburgdaily.com/140-...ld-know-part-4-gettysburg-lbg-fred-hawthorne/
 
Sandoe's story is indeed a sad tale. The Lightner farmhouse is a short distance away from the 21st PA Cav marker on Baltimore Pike.

Here is a report that plays "Devil's Advocate"....

According to the 21st PA Cav. monument, Private George Washington Sandoe then became "the first Union soldier killed at Gettysburg". Private Sandoe emerged as one of over 20,000 Union casualties stemming from what would become the Battle of Gettysburg, the largest battle ever on the North American continent. However, 1st New York Cavalry Corporal William Rihl in reality had the sad distinction of becoming the first Union casualty to die on Pennsylvania soil during the 1863 campaign when, days earlier, he came into contact with some of Lee's advanced troopers. During a brief skirmish on June 22, 1863, a soldier from CSA Brigadier General Albert Jenkins' Cavalry shot Corporal Rihl just north of Greencastle Pennsylvania about 30 miles west of Gettysburg. The monument pictured here, dedicated to his memory, reads:


"To the Memory of
Corporal William H. Rihl
Co. O, 1st N.Y.
(Lincoln) Cavalry.
Who was Killed on This Spot
June 22, 1863

The First Union Soldier
Killed in Action
in Pennsylvania

A Humble but Brave
Defender of the Union"

Source: http://www.brotherswar.com/Gettysburg-1y.htm
 

What's fascinating is that this is a monument to a regiment that didn't exist at the time of the battle. The 21st PA Cavalry was not mustered in until August 1863. Bell's Adams County Cavalry Company--in which Sandoe served--was part of the 21st PA Cavalry. But this is a regimental monument to a unit that did not exist at the time of the battle. I believe that that makes it unique on the battlefield.
 
What's fascinating is that this is a monument to a regiment that didn't exist at the time of the battle. The 21st PA Cavalry was not mustered in until August 1863. Bell's Adams County Cavalry Company--in which Sandoe served--was part of the 21st PA Cavalry. But this is a regimental monument to a unit that did not exist at the time of the battle. I believe that that makes it unique on the battlefield.

Also they are two 21st PA Cavalry Regiments, this one the 6 month one, and the 1864 3-year one, which makes things extremely confusing :wink:
 
Isn't there a second 21st Pa Cavalry Monument nearby the monument shown above? It has a horseshoe outline with a horse head in the horseshoe with crossed sabers below. I searched these out a few years ago as I am attempting to have photos of every Gettysburg monument (still have many to get).

Fascinating!
 
Isn't there a second 21st Pa Cavalry Monument nearby the monument shown above? It has a horseshoe outline with a horse head in the horseshoe with crossed sabers below. I searched these out a few years ago as I am attempting to have photos of every Gettysburg monument (still have many to get).

Fascinating!

21PA-B.png
 
Isn't there a second 21st Pa Cavalry Monument nearby the monument shown above? It has a horseshoe outline with a horse head in the horseshoe with crossed sabers below. I searched these out a few years ago as I am attempting to have photos of every Gettysburg monument (still have many to get).

Fascinating!

There is. It's 15-20 yards away.
 
What's fascinating is that this is a monument to a regiment that didn't exist at the time of the battle. The 21st PA Cavalry was not mustered in until August 1863. Bell's Adams County Cavalry Company--in which Sandoe served--was part of the 21st PA Cavalry. But this is a regimental monument to a unit that did not exist at the time of the battle. I believe that that makes it unique on the battlefield.

I have a vivid recollection that we drove by this statue, and you pointed this out, Eric. I could be mistaken, but the knowledge popped into my head before I read your post...
 
A young man named George Washington Sandoe would only live to be 20 years, 7 months and 22 days old cut down in the prime of life with everything going for him. Sandoe died on the Gettysburg battlefield on June 26, 1863. Prior to June 1863 George W. Sandoe managed to elude the raging war. The young man married his childhood sweetheart Dianna Caskey on February 19, 1863 in Mount Joy, PA. The young newlyweds were blessed and expecting their first child.

On June 18, 1863 young George for some unexplained reason decided to enlist in the Union army. George enlisted in "B" Company, 21st Pennsylvania Volunteer Calvary for 6 months service. George was mustered into service on June 23, 1863 leaving his new bride Dianna for the glory of war.

George's military career would be short lived not even long enough to get his first pay.
On his 3rd day of service Pvt. George W. Sandoe and Pvt. William Lightner were the advance scouts of their unit. The two were near the Baltimore Pike when they unknowingly rode into Confederate pickets of Colonel Elijah V. White's 35th Va. Cav. The young soldiers had not noticed the pickets due to bushes and undergrowth in the area. Confederate pickets ordered the surprised soldiers to "Halt"; they would turn their horses to jump a fence. Pvt. Lightner jumped and made his escape good to the Baltimore Pike. Pvt. Sandoe was not so fortunate, as he jumped the fence his horse fell. He managed to remount his horse when he was mortally wounded in the head as his horse raced on. Official records list his death as: "Killed at Gettysburg, 26-June-1863 by the Rebs, while in discharge of his duty."
He has the distinction of being the first Union soldier killed at Gettysburg. There is a monument in his honor. Nine days after his enlistment and just three short days of service Death found Pvt. George Washington Sandoe.

View attachment 115811

View attachment 115812

Dianna (Anna) and George.
View attachment 115814

Monument located near the Baltimore Pike Gettysburg National Battlefield.
View attachment 115815

http://lew35.blogspot.com/2013/06/death-found-pvt-george-washington.html

https://www.google.com/search?q=Find+a+photo+of+George+Washington+Sandoe's+Monument+at+Gettysburg&safe=active&biw=1138&bih=543&tbm=isch&imgil=IOCE_lR5bymeTM%3A%3BU330zn7PPVnlJM%3Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.pinterest.com%252Fpin%252F241646336227156716%252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=IOCE_lR5bymeTM%3A%2CU330zn7PPVnlJM%2C_&usg=__FigHrJGxwNnI_9LDgc0dOP_IuHA=&ved=0ahUKEwiUsNmuqMrQAhVGilQKHSiWBH8QyjcIOg&ei=e4o7WNSGLMaU0gKorJL4Bw#imgrc=IOCE_lR5bymeTM:

http://www.gettysburgdaily.com/140-...ld-know-part-4-gettysburg-lbg-fred-hawthorne/
So sad!!!
 
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