"'My Confederate Veteran'" Topic

Perhaps one of the reasons why I am here today is that my direct ancestors mostly avoided the hazardous experiences of their day!

My father manned a desk at SHAEF HQ in WWII – apparently, working on the high school newspaper meant learning to type, and typing was a desirable skill by HQ units!

My grandfather was turned down by the draft in WWI, due to an arm injury.

My great-grandfather served in the Civil War. His family moved from Virginia to Ohio shortly before the war, so he ended up on the winning side! Sadly, he came down ill and was sent home, where he lived a long life and begat many children, but his health never recovered.

Well, looks like I've finally got a 'fighting' veteran in the family history! Robert Blain Conner is my 1st cousin 3x removed, or in other words, he shares the same grandfather as my great-grandfather. These are the Virginians in my family who stayed in Virginia!

There's some disagreement over what unit he served with.

One source claims he was with A. Graham's Company, Virginia Light Artillery (Rockbridge Artillery) – that's part of the Stonewall Brigade! This makes sense, since I know my ancestor is from Rockbridge. However, that might actually have been Robert P. Conner instead of Robert B. Conner, and if so, he left the war in 1861 due to lung disease.

Another source has Robert B. Conner enlisting in 1862 into the Letcher Light Artillery Battery. The Letcher Artillery was sort of the Dirty Dozen of artillery batteries, and they fought at Gettysburg!

So I feel inspired for some ACW action!

Very cool!

My direct ancestor, My G-G-Grandfather, George A. Washburn, served in the ACW and was wounded at Antietam. But on my mother's side, the situation is much the same as yours: her branch of the family had been Virginians for generations, but moved to Ohio before the war. But I'm distantly related to the ones who stayed behind and share a common ancestor with George Pickett. My mother had dim memories of some great aunt who spoke about her 'Uncle Pic', the Civil War general :)

Moms family fought for Missouri, Burned out during order number 11.
Dads were from Georgia but fought in the Union Navy. They had to move from Georgia because of it.
Lots of oral history about the war on my Moms side.

One Union soldier – 119th Pennsylvania Infantry which
fought through the whole war (they have 2 monuments
at Gettysburg, one claims the regiment [446 strong]
marched 36 miles to arrive at Gettysburg on July 2)

One Confederate soldier – 3rd NC Cavalry (company K,
from Martin and Washington counties 84 strong
at start). Company spent most of its time (as did
the majority of the 3rd) guarding railroad lines
in Eastern NC (particularly the Wilmington – Weldon
line). The 3rd NC Cavalry was also known as the
41st Regiment, NCT (North Carolina Troops).

In 1955 I was at the city of Pontiac, Michigan centennial celebration parade…. At one point my father reached down and picked me up, looking directly into my face, He said "you need to see this clearly and you need to remember it." What I saw was an old, old man in the back of a convertible looking straight at me.

WHAT?

Dad explained the fellow was a Civil War veteran, still alive and being honored for his service. I still remember that old, old face. Amazing! I've seen a living Civil War Vet!! How many can say that??

This is long – covering 3 direct ancestors in the ACW.
(copied from Facebook where I posted them two years ago)

First, the Confederate:

Great great grandfather Henry Thomas Cox 55th Virginia Infantry.
Henry enlisted in September of 1861, in Essex County, Virginia. Four of the 10 companies in the 55th were recruited in Essex county. Of those 100 men, 40 had the names Cox, Clark(e) or Dunn. Henry's wife was a Clarke (Martha Ann), and both had Dunn grandparents. It is likely that many of them were cousins or uncles. Henry and Martha each had two brothers in the regiment.
The 55th was part of AP Hill's Division, and served at Gaines Mill (with heavy casualties), Cedar Mountain, 2nd Manassas, Antietam (at the opposite end of the battle from the Taylors, below), Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. At Chancellorsville the 55th was the second regiment to the right of the North Carolina regiment that accidentally shot Stonewall Jackson.
When, after Chancellorsville, General Lee ordered his army to march into Pennsylvania, Henry chose to interpret the order as more of a suggestion.
The regiment went on to Gettysburg – Martha's brother Charles was shot in the mouth on McPherson's ridge (July 1), but survived. They fought again on the left flank of Pickett's charge (July 3) and many of them were captured at Falling Waters in a rear guard action during the return to Virginia. The remnants of the 55th surrendered to Grant at Appomattox.
Henry returned to the regiment in Virginia and was arrested for desertion. He spent the rest of the war under arrest and in hospital in Richmond. I suspect that if he had been well enough to serve in the line his "vacation" might have been forgiven.
He was captured in Richmond and was paroled a few weeks later."

Second, the Union volunteer:

3rd Great grandfather Henry W Taylor. Enlisted in Maryland 5th Infantry September 1861, age 53 (claimed he was the max allowable age of 44). His brother James GR Taylor (48) joined the same day. James was discharged the following May after 60 days unfit for duty due to preexisting dyspepsia. Henry's son George enlisted in the MD 5th a month later when he turned 18.
The MD 5th was pulled out of garrison duty at Baltimore to reinforce the field army to meet General Lee's invasion of Maryland. It was the center regiment of the first brigade to face the Rebels in the sunken road – "Bloody Lane." George was shot in the leg -- Henry was probably standing next to him.
George recovered and rejoined the regiment which was stationed at Winchester in the Shenandoah Valley. In June, on the way to Gettysburg, the Confederates overwhelmed the Winchester Garrison and captured most of the MD 5th, including the Taylors. They were exchanged in mid-July and Henry discharged in September. He died at home two months later.
George was wounded again outside Petersburg in August 1864. He spent the rest of the war in administrative service.
George's younger brother Otis enlisted in the 11th MD Infantry in June 1864. The 11th was one of several 100 day regiments raised to meet General Jubal Early's move on Washington. Otis and the 11th were in the Battle of Monocacy on July 9th.

Third, the Regular:

3rd Great grandfather Christian Pflaum, Battery K, 4th US Artillery
Christian Pflaum immigrated to Baltimore from Germany. He enlisted in the 8th US Infantry in December of 1852 at age 21. He served his 5 year term in west Texas. He reenlisted in April of 1858, this time in the artillery – maybe he was tired of walking. After the war started battery K moved east to face the Rebels in Virginia. It was attached to 2nd division and later moved with the 2nd division to 3rd corps as part corps reserve artillery.
They were in action at Malvern Hill (on the extreme right of the Union position), Chantilly (at the end of the 2nd Manassas campaign) and Fredericksburg (where they part of the bombardment of the town). Christian's term of service ended in April, so he was discharged.
Battery K went on to be heavily engaged at Chancellorsville and nearly annihilated on the 2nd day at Gettysburg.
Christian enlisted for the third time in December of 1863 -- in the 1st Connecticut Cavalry which was stationed in Baltimore. [Yes, that means that he served in all 3 combat branches of the army.] This enlistment was 2 days after he got married, so I suspect that this was motivated by the enlistment bounty and the expectation that he'd sit out the rest of the war near home. He was discharged 7 weeks later when the 1st CT was sent to reinforce Phil Sheridan's army in the Shenandoah valley. He claimed that the rheumatism that he had contracted at Fredericksburg made him unfit.

There are also two cousins from Baltimore who went south. One was killed at 1st Bull Run under Longstreet's command and the other was in the Edenton Bell Battery [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edenton_Bell_Battery]from North Carolina.

Duncan

PS: I'm probably also relayed to Scott Washburn's ancestors, too, since we're 12th cousins.

My great great grandfather was Charles Terrell Hardman, Lt in the Alabama Cavalry at Shiloh and Capt Co C 6th Alabama cavalry from 1863 to the end of the war.

On my father's side we had a member of the 3rd Missouri: Maj James K. McDowell commanding, who was captured at Vicksburg. Despite being a Welsh emigrant he became an ardent rebel. Refusing to take the oath of allegiance after the war or cut his buttons off his uniform, causing a prison sentence.

On my mother's side a sergeant in the 82nd Indiana. Started at Stone's River and was present at the biggies in the West till being struck by lightning in 1864. Discharged (no pun intended) he lived for a few years afterwards, always saying the lightning was killing him.

My father was in the Airborne, gliders, spent time at Fort Sill teaching artillery. Transferred back to home unit which was reequipped with *" guns and sent to the Pacific. Fought in New Guinea and The Philippines. Was at Leyte, and Manila. earned the Bronze Star.
A grand father served in WWI was still in the States when the war ended.
A G-G-G Grand father served in the Union Army in the Civil War. He was the commander (colonel) of the 97th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. The 97th was at Arkansas Post, Champion Hill, Big Black and Vicksburg. My ancestor was presiding judge at a courts martial of regiment that mutinied near New Orleans. He died in July 1864 a Brigadier General of illness after resigning from the service due to chronic illness.

My wife's father was in North Africa and Italy as combat photographer.
A grand father was discharged before the end of WWI from a camp in New Jersey because of the Flu epidemic.

Terry

Terry

Some ancestors on my dad's side of the family rode with John Hunt Morgan's Kentucky cavalry,and at least one on my mom's side who was with the 8th Ohio(another maternal relative was drafted,but sent home due to family hardship).

For anyone wanting to do any research on their ACW ancestors I would highly recommend trying the "Fold3" website. I found more info on several of my ancestors who served in the Civil War than my father who served during Vietnam! Apparently there was a lot of work done to collate as many documents as possible around the turn of the century when these guys started applying for veteran's benefits. I've found copies of enlistment papers, muster rolls, pay stubs and hospital records.

I am a direct descendant of Benjamin Lewis Baker who served as a surgeon for Gen. Braggs army. Apparently he went unpaid for over a year and it was pretty neat to see his signature on the request for back pay. There were even signed receipts for forage rations for his horse (big difference between what was allotted and what was given) Also found records on his two older brothers who enlisted in the 26th Georgia in 1861 and served until 1865. One killed, one wounded and captured at Monocracy.

My Confederate veteran: One of my great grandfather's was conscripted when Gen. Lyon's Rebels swept through western Kentucky while Hood was besieging (sort-of) Nashville in Dec. '64. The story in the family is that he complained so loudly and so often that they let him go home. (My guess is he snuck off one night.)

My Union veteran: Another great grandfather was a private in the 20th Kentucky; fought at Shiloh on the 2nd day (in Nelson's Div.). His entire regiment was captured by Morgan at Lebanon KY in '63. Later he was a 1st Lt. in the 48th Ky Mounted Infantry, which spent the rest of the war chasing guerillas in Kentucky. Apparently he was sent on a train to deliver a message, but the train didn't stop where he needed to get off, so he jumped, and broke a leg; he never got paid for the time he was recovering because he was listed by his unit as AWOL.

On my mother-in-law's side, a Union private in a Pennsylvania militia regiment called out during the Gettysburg campaign.

On my father-in-law's side, a Confederate private who fought under Johnston and Hood in 1864.

Non combatant on my mother's side, great-great-great grandmother was enslaved in Virginia, owned by great-great-great grandfather.