American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Gentlemen,

How many of you have ancestors who fought in the Civil War? What units? Engagments?

In my family, I'm the eldest son dating back to John Berdanier who was a member of the 96th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, nicknamed "The National Light Infantry" a pre Civil War militia group. My Great-Great grandfather served with this unit from their call to the colors in 61 til they were disbanded in 64. He then joined the 95th PVI which he served with until the end of the war. As a result he was involved in most of the campaigns of the AoP.

Specifically, at a minimum he was at 2nd Manassass, 5-days battle, Chancellorsville, South Mountain, Antietem, Gettyburg, Wilderness and the Siege of Petersburg.

One day I will inherit the Enfield rifled musket he carried. It was issued to him during the penninsula campaign. My father, who's in his 70s, remembers him as an old and rather iritable old man as one of his earliest memories.

My wife has a great-great grandfather who served in the 10th Minnesota infantry.

Anyone else with similar stories?

Regards,
Chuck Berdanier
Maj, 2/1/IX, AoO

I had a great grandfather, Lt. James Whitehead, and a great great grandfater, Lt. Col. R. Martin (James married his daugther after the war). Both mustered in the Chatham Grays company of the 53rd Virginia. The regiment fought with Magruder and Huger during the Peninsula Campaign. Both were captured at Gettysburg. James Whitehead was wounded at the stone wall. Martin was reported to be with Gen. Armistead at the captured artillery. Martin later wrote a description of Armistead's death but got it second hand from one of Hancock's staff who spoke to him after the battle where the wounded had been moved. So you will occasionally see a reference to him in descriptions of Armistead's talk with Hancock.

BG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
III Corps, AoM (CSA)

My great-grandfather on my dad's side, N M Thayer, served with the 37th North Carolina from early 1864 until the surrender. N M's brother was with the 52nd and was killed sometime in 1862. On my mom's side her great-grandfather, Furney Prevatt, served in the 18th NC along with 3 of his brothers. Furney was wounded during the Seven Days, went home and then returned in the spring of 63 in time for Chancellorsville. He served with the 18th until he was captured at the Wilderness and he spent the rest of the war in Elmira Prison, NY.


Brgd General Jon Thayer
Old North State Divison
3/III
Army of Northern Virginia

jonathanthayer@bellsouth.net

My great Grandfather Daniel C. Weir served in a Construction Division in the Dept. of Mississippi, his brother Robert served 4 years in an Ohio (?) regiment and his other brother David served 3 years in Co. B 57th PVI.

D.C. Weir served under a Capt. William Gordon, where they became good friends. Capt. Gordon said he would marry D.C.'s first born daughter after the war, which he did, an age difference of 40 or so years. My Dad remembers widowed Aunt Lizzie as a young boy, she died in 1927.

On My Grandmother's side three brothers served, Robert Nyman Co. F 200th PVI, William D. Nyman Co. E 145th PVI and Milton Nyman Co. F 200th Pa. Cavalry

Now here I am a Reb...Must be from going up in Maryland.[;)]

<font color="blue"><b>Brig.Gen. R.A.Weir</b></font id="blue">
<font color="yellow">-- CALVERT LINE --</font id="yellow">

<b>First--III--AoA CSA</b>

My great grandfather, L C Nick, was a German immigrant who was appointed 1st Cpl in Capt Gomez' Co A (Orleans Guard), 21st and 23rd La Infantry. He was stationed at Ft Livingston on Barataria Bay until the fall of New Orleans, when he received orders to report to Vicksburg. He was
captured enroute and probably spent the rest of the war in New Orleans. His regiment served as heavy artillery at Vicksburg, where Capt Gomez was killed. My other great grandfather (both on my mother's side; my father didn't come over from the Ukraine until 1912) was reportedly killed in La by Yankee scavengers while trying to flee on the family horse, but that is just family legend. He would have been a Lasseigne.

MG Mike Mihalik
1/III/AoMiss/CSA

I have quite a few, but the details are scetchy as I don't have the family history for my father's side and only know scant details of some of my mother's side.

My father's side - the Lynn's - have been in NE Virginia for some time, and there are many Lynn's on the books as part of the 4th VA Cavalry that fought in all of the ANV's campaigns under Stuart and were largely responsible for slowing the Union move from the Wilderness to Spotsylvania, giving Anderson time to save that crossroad for Lee.

My mothers side I know more of, since they were from the same area we live in now. The Colston (or Colson), Goodbread's and Sikes all fought in a couple of units from SE Georgia/NE Florida - some were in the 4th FL infantry, which was with the relief column sent to relieve Vicksburg under Johnson (that failed to help) and fought under Breckinridge's division at Murfeesboro in the assualt on the final day at McFadden's ford, then at Chickamauga. Supposedely, Abraham Colson, a great-great-great grandfather, was captured at Missionary Ridge and spent the rest of the war at Rock Isand prison camp outside St. Louis.

Philip Goodbread, a great uncle down the line, was in the 2nd FL cavalry with some other cousins, and they would have stayed in FL conducting mostly geruilla opperations and minor skirmishes, except for their role in the Olustee campaign, where they delayed the Union advance from Jacksonville near my home for many years at Barber's Plantation (present day Macclenny / Glen St. Mary) and then protected the Confederate right flank during the battle of Olustee on Feb 20, 1864 with some distinction.

My mother's father's side were Carr's from Alabama, but I have not been able to delve into which regiments they might have been with, but they came from the Dothan area in SE Alabama if anyone knows any leads... [:)]

Regards,
Lt. Col. Alan Lynn
3rd Battery "Jacksonville Greys"
4th Div, II Corps, AoA
God bless <><