Civil War Medal Claimed

[garyb]

Here's one for someone serving in the military. I just recently claimed the civil war service medal for my great, great Grandfather Jacob (photo), who served with the Union, 1st Reg, Co E, Volunteer West VA Calvary (inscribed on the edge of his medal). See photo of the medal in the original box (top removed) issued 1865 after the war. Jacob never claimed his medal and I discovered his service records on Ancestry.com. I stumbled on a list of unclaimed medals and was able to prove direct family lineage. His medal was stored in a vault in WV and issued to me.

Jacob fought in the final battle of the war where Lee surrendered at Appomattox. He was present at Lee's surrender and marched in Washington for Grant following the war. He served under General Capehart who captured the Confederate supply train in Appomattox, then flanked the west side (1st WV marked in yellow on the map). Capehart led the 1st WV, 2nd WV, 3rd WV on the left. Pennington led the 1NY, 2nd NY, 3rd NY, and 2nd OH down the center, and General Custer flanked the right side with the 8th NY, 15th NY and 1st VT (see photo of map). I also secured a certified unfired and fired 58cal mini bullet from the battle - see photo. I have his military records and after the war Jacob elected to not purchase his horse for $3 when he mustered out 1865. He went home with his brother in law Levi, who served in the battle with him. Probably fought side by side.

They were paid $33.33 / month for their service.

(He also fought at the Battle of 5 Forks on 4/1/1865.
He fought at Sailors Creek on 4/6/1865, where 7,700 Confederates surrendered under Gen Ewell along with 8 other Con. Generals.
On 4/8/1865 his Company captured Lee's supply train when the battle began at Appomattox. Lee tried to break through the union calvary, but could not. 4/9/1865 Lee surrendered to Grant. Jacob also rode in the Grand Review in Washington, DC on 5/23/1865. He mustered out 7/8/1865 in Washington, DC.

What was really cool was visiting Appomattox with my oldest son Chad on our way home from FL. We also stopped at Gettysburg.

GGGF Jacob's medal is finally home. Levi's was never claimed. No known family members are existing. They probably never realized they had medals coming to them. Jacob was 26 yrs old at the time. His military records show his occupation as boilermaker for the engines of the railroad prior to his service. He was originally from Switzerland and lived in Hughestown, PA. He lived in the times of Jesse and Frank James of the James Gang.

Pretty Cool?

[Bawanna]

How very very cool is that?

Kind of brings it all home when you tie the people in as real people. Relatives. Not just names in books etc.

Thanks for posting that. I live for this kind of stuff.

I have a percussion cap and a ball that a friend got out of his great grandfathers stuff stored in an attic. He had some of his other civil war gear.

Just a simple cap and a lead ball but I cherish them and take special care of them.

[garyb]

Yes, I understand exactly how you feel about the cap and lead ball. I'd bet it has a white ceramic like coating on it from age. Some old items that represent a huge piece of our country's history are worth taking special care of. It is especially touching, like you said, when it hits home through the history of family. Our family never knew about Jacob's service in the Civil War. He got home and went back to work. From my Ancestry research, I also found lots of family who fought in the Revolutionary War from PA. Some lived, stories of some wounded (- one many times great grandfather was shot through both feet on his horse and lived). Some stories of whole families of men (fathers and their brothers and all their their sons, ), all died side by side against the Brits. Some officers of the militia, some enlisted militia. A lot of good men died to make this country what it is today....under Ovomit. Jeez, I just ruined our historical reminiscing. Sorry....haha...let me start over.

[Bawanna]

Yeah, your were doing so well until you did the Mr. Surv Dobie sculpture and brought up ovomit.

Crap, I just threw up a little bit in my mouth AGAIN!

[RevRay]

Thanks for the post. Probably nothing bugs me more than the fact that our current CinC doesn't know our history ... nor does he seem to care ... and truth be told ... it probably sickens him because it sickened his father.

[garyb]

Anyone know what the monetary value of a civil war service medal like this might be? Not that I'd ever sell my gggrandfathers medal. Just curious?

[Tinman507]

http://i.imgur.com/YP36u.jpg

[mluikey]

garyb, that's an awesome story and very cool that you were able to claim it for him. I lived in Newport News as a kid and our house was on a Civil War battle camp ground. My neighbor worked as a historian for the US Army and asked my dad if he could come over with his metal detector and see if there was anything in our yard. Man was it full of artifacts. He gave me musket balls and mini balls but turned the good stuff over to the Army for a museum. He found a complete Union Army uniform (deteriorated of course) with all of the buttons and shoulder epaulets still in tact as well as a sword and a 6" piece of a leather belt with a US belt buckle still attached. All of that was found in our front yard. :)

My family came to the US in the late 1800, its pretty cool for you to be able to say your family participated in building this country.

[garyb]

garyb, that's an awesome story and very cool that you were able to claim it for him. I lived in Newport News as a kid and our house was on a Civil War battle camp ground. My neighbor worked as a historian for the US Army and asked my dad if he could come over with his metal detector and see if there was anything in our yard. Man was it full of artifacts. He gave me musket balls and mini balls but turned the good stuff over to the Army for a museum. He found a complete Union Army uniform (deteriorated of course) with all of the buttons and shoulder epaulets still in tact as well as a sword and a 6" piece of a leather belt with a US belt buckle still attached. All of that was found in our front yard. :)

My family came to the US in the late 1800, its pretty cool for you to be able to say your family participated in building this country.

Thanks. Interesting family history of participating in most of the wars. Lots of ancestors fought and died in the Revolutionary War...whole families of men - fathers, their brothers and their sons. Sad to look at the records. Was just recently contacted from a distant cousin who visited my gggranfathers grave site in PA. He wanted the military history from me. I was glad someone else besides me was interested.

[Bawanna]

I'm reading a book about Custer and Crazy Horse, kind of compares the two. It mentions the surrender and how Custer actually got the white flag from Lee. General Grant gave the small table they used to sign the surrender terms to Custer to give to his wife Libbie, he rode off with the table balanced on his head.

Some good stuff, some obviously speculation but some good facts too.

[AIRret]

A lot of great people have sacrificed HUGELY to make this country great!!!!!!!!!!

What's going on now is a disgraced to those brave souls!

I got interested in the Civil War when Ken Burns documentary came out, and since then I've enjoyed reading many books on the subject including everything Shelby Foote wrote.
Shelby Foote sure makes the war come alive.
I've been lucky enough to visit some battle sites and hope to see many more before my time is up.

Thanks for sharing.

[garyb]

I was once told that Custer was in command of the entire Calvary, but my ggGrandfather's Calvary division flanked the left side under General Capehart. Custer's Calvary division was on the far right side. But I guess anything is possible. I guess Custer could have kept Lee's white flag...anything's possible. Interesting history of that time....and I used to HATE history back in grade school. They never seemed to make it real. Now I look at things much differently and really enjoy learning about this stuff.

[Bawanna]

I read he wasn't in charge of the whole deal, just one part of it. Apparently he was in Grants good graces along with his wife.

I think he just ended up being the one to actually receive the flag or he got it from Grant.

I did read where his wife got the little table used at signing. I'm sure it's in a museum someplace.

[garyb]

I read he wasn't in charge of the whole deal, just one part of it. Apparently he was in Grants good graces along with his wife.

I think he just ended up being the one to actually receive the flag or he got it from Grant.

I did read where his wife got the little table used at signing. I'm sure it's in a museum someplace.

You might be interested in these photos. The first is the McLean House where the actual surrender took place and was signed. Some think it took place in the court house which is the taller building (3rd photo). These buildings were destroyed in the war, but reconstructed. There is a simulated painting of the surrender and picture of the Lee surrender table attached also. This was in the original town of Appomattox which was basically a small stage coach town. The original stage coach road is still there too. Lawyer homes/offices, stables, general store, jail, etc... I will send the picture of Grant's signature table in the next post.

[garyb]

Grant's table at the surrender.

[Bawanna]

I'm thinking if Custer rode off with a table balanced on his head for his wife it had to be Grants table. Lee's table looks way too heavy.

The reference I read didn't indicate two separate tables and didn't say there was two tables.

[garyb]

Probably more concerned about the marble top table Lee used to sign the document. Pencil he used is also in the museum. Highly unlikely that they got Cozy up to one table. They never even got together on the same battlefield, so it is unlikely that sat together at the same table when the surrender was signed. Lee was an honorable man and Grant recognized and respected that. I'm confident that they got down to business about the terms in a respectful way and at arms distance. The home was owned by a wealthy businessman and was probably well furnished for its' time. Everything I read says they two sides were on opposite sides of the room. Thus, more likely there were two tables. The Appomattox site is worth seeing, but it is WAY off the interstates and out in the boonies. My son and I enjoyed seeing it and it turned out to be well worth the journey.

[Bawanna]

I'd love to see it but alas the chances of me being on that side of the continent in my time remaining are very slim.
Many of those places, Gettysburg etc I'd love to visit but most likely I'll have to stick to the books.

I visited Hannibal Missouri a few times, went through the Mark Twain caves and several historical landmarks, it was awe inspiring to me.

A friend visited Gettysburg last year and him talking about it really opened my eyes. I don't think we can comprehend what they went through. After these battles with 1000's of dead men and horses left for small towns to deal with. Not much infrastructure, none of the modern stuff we have today to deal with the dead.

[garyb]

Just to sustain one's family was tough enough. Picking coal in buckets to provide heat. Tough times indeed. This new generation of kids who don't want to work...they have no clue.

[AIRret]

Being at Gettysburg was a real spiritual experience for me. Those I was with also felt that the area felt sacred and the spirit of the fallen seem close at hand.
It's hard to explain!

[garyb]

Being at Gettysburg was a real spiritual experience for me. Those I was with also felt that the area felt sacred and the spirit of the fallen seem close at hand.
It's hard to explain!

Same here. Same feeling for me at Appomattox too...especially because I knew my ggGrandad rode and fought there.

[Llanos]

You sir walked Hallowed ground. My ancestors fought for the other side. It doesn't matter. The point is that every drop of blood spilled was American blood. I pray that we never see the likes of this again.



I get a big kick out of telling people what my Dad did during WWII. He worked with the Germans! Dad was 13 when the war started. They built a POW camp just down the road. They sent POW's to help my Dad cut and bale hay and help work the farm. (My apologies to the OP for piggy-backing)

[garyb]

No problem. It is hallowed ground and it is good they made a memorial of the grounds.

[southern thunder]

Good post.

[garyb]

Here are some pics. One is the original WV 1st Reg calv guidon flag that was flown at Appomattox. My wife and I copied it and miniaturized it so fit in the frame of the items I put together in honor of my GG Grandfather Jacob. We used tea and compost to stain antique it up. The 58 cal Union minie balls are from the Appomattox battle field. He was a carpenter and there is a period framing nail in the right lower corner that was made in Wheeling WV where he enlisted. He would have used this type of framing nail to build his church in his community in PA. There is an original union belt buckle and some hat pins. Also photos of the Appomattox court house held by the union troops the day of Lee's surrender and one of the WV 1st Reg Calv. Last but not least, is his medal next to his photo. Cool stuff in his memory. I posted this in another thread, but wanted it to be in this thread too.