So often
when we are writing about our ancestors beyond our grandparents and no family stories
are passed down, we must rely on records to piece together their lives. Modern technology has helped with so much
information being put on line and to easily access records. These records are only part of the process
in creating the stories of ancestors.
I recently received
the pension records of my 2nd great grandfather, Andrew Jackson
Skinner and his service during the Civil War.
It provided me with some new information of the various places he lived
as well as his health issues later in his life.
The pension and other sources showed me details for almost a
year in his life.
Andrew Jackson Skinner was born on March 25, 1828 in Raymond, Maine, the son of Peter and Sarah (Meserve) Skinner. He remained at home until after 1850. He removed to Atkinson, Maine where he eventually would become acquainted with his wife, Mary Elizabeth Brown of Exeter, Maine. They married April 30, 1855 in Bradford, Maine and the birth of their first son, George Washington Skinner followed in 1857 in Stetson, Maine. By 1860, Andrew was living in Dexter, Maine with his family where he was listed as a carriage maker. Within a year the Civil War would begin and Andrew would join the cause for the Union.
Andrew
enlisted September 10, 1862 as a Corporal in the 22nd Maine Infantry,
Company K. The duties of
corporal were simple and depended on their successful performance mainly on their
capacity to control and direct soldiers in the performance of their duty. They
took charge of the smaller details for fatigue and police duty in camp and
garrison duty; their most important duty was that of "Corporal of the
Guard." They frequently succeeded in the responsibilities of sergeants in their
absence and should therefore be familiar with their duties. Andrew must had shown he was able to be a
leader before enlistment. His company
consisted of 134 soldiers of various ages; the majority were younger than
Andrew’s 34 years of age. Among these young soldiers was an 18-year-old private,
John Lawson Pease from Exeter, Maine who was probably familiar with Andrew’s
wife’s family, and would play a role in Andrew’s family later in his life. Andrew would leave his wife and 5 year old son in Exeter and go to War, not knowing if he would return home alive.
Andrew
was mustered in October 18, 1862 for service of 9 months at Camp John Pope in
Bangor, Maine under Colonel Simon G. Jerrard.
They left for Washington, D.C on October 21st and arrived on
the 24th. They
remained at Arlington Heights, Virginia until November 3, 1862. The 22nd was ordered to Fortress
Monroe in Hampton, Virginia to form part of the expedition to New Orleans. Andrew who probably never left Maine was now in a
part of the country different from New England and going to an area vastly different. His infantry embarked by boat from Newport
News, Virginia on December 4th to New Orleans. They arrived on the 15th at Ship Island and then occupied Baton Rouge, Louisiana by the 17th. Andrew
remained in Baton Rouge through Christmas on 1862 and well into the new year of
1863.
His infantry participated in the reconnaissance in
the rear of Port Hudson March 13th to 16th, and on March 26th formed a part of
the expedition up the Atchafalaya to attack the enemy's works in the rear where
they moved to Donaldsville, Louisiana, then moved on to Brashear City,
Louisiana (now Morgan City). His infantry took part in the
first Bayou Teche campaign to drive back the Confederate forces from Western
Louisiana.
Andrew’s
first fighting experience came on April 14th at the Battle of Irish Bend, Louisiana. The Union side had overwhelming numbers and
the Confederate side retreated, the result was 400 men on the Union side dead
or wounded. They defeated the enemy in a
sharp engagement at Irish bend and then were garrisoned at Franklin, Loiusiana until the 25th,
when they went on to New Iberia, Louisiana.
On May 6th, the infantry moved toward Port Hudson, where it arrived on June 1st, having marched over 500 miles during the campaign. Over the next month, Andrew would see the most fighting and loss of men. The Battle of Port Hudson began May 22nd and lasted until July 9th. His infantry arrived on May 28th and remained engaged until the surrender of the Port on July 8th. They participated in two assaults on the works at Port Hudson, June 9 and 14, and after the surrender of that place was quartered inside the works until July 24th. The Confederates began with 7500 men with 750 of them being killed during the siege and 250 dying of disease. The Union side with 30,000-40,000 men had 707 men killed, 3,336 men wounded, 319 men went missing and about 5000 men dying from disease. The 22nd lost 180 men with only 9 being killed and 171 dying from disease. If Andrew didn't witnesses soldiers being killed, he certainly was aware of the desease strking soldiers down.
Port Hudson Battery photo
Andrew’s Col. Simon G. Jerrard disobeyed a command during the attack on
Port Hudson when he would not order his men over a wall in battle. His letter of dishonorable discharge of June
22, 1863 stated they Col. Jerrard in the presence of officers and enlisted men had stated to the effect “rather than attempt to lead or put his command
over that parapet (wall), he would relinquish his command and go to the rear.” It is unclear if Andrew and his company felt the
Colonel was being brave to stand up and protect his men or cowardice in a time of battle.
The 22nd Infantry was ordered home on July 24, 1863. They took a boat from Louisiana to Cairo, Illinois. From Cairo they went by train to Bangor, Maine arriving on August 6th.
The Company was mustered out on August 15, 1863 at Camp John
Pope where they had began almost a year earlier. Andrew’s company lost 11 men in battle, 9
from disease and only 2 were wounded from 134 who started originally.
No stories
were passed down about Andrew’s service in the Civil War. We can only wonder what he thought about the
cause, the parts of the country he saw and was stationed at. The Battles and loss of life from fighting or
from disease he witnessed. How much did
it affect him? We will never know.
Andrew’s
pension does mention the many places he had lived from Casco, Biddeford, Saco,
Bangor, Dexter to Exeter, Maine. In 1870,
Andrew was living in Casco, Maine as a wheel maker, where his parents and
siblings were living. He had had one more son, Myron Leslie Skinner in 1868. By
1880, Andrew had finally settled in Exeter, Maine where he and his wife, Mary inherited
her parent’s farm.
Andrew Skinner and granddaughter Velma, 1905
His neighbor was John Lawson Pease, the teenager from Exeter, Maine who enlisted with him. John and his wife Mary adopted a girl, Edna Estelle Pease as a child. She would marry Andrew's son Myron Skinner in 1891 and have four granddaughters for Andrew.
Andrew belonged to the G.A.R. [Grand Army of the Republic] from his receipt of paying his dues to the J. Knowles Post in Corinna, Maine in 1889.
Andrew applied for a pension on November 14, 1890 claiming disability due to kidney trouble, rheumatism and heart disease. He was granted $12 a month pension. He applied again in March 1907 and was granted a pension of $20 a month. His wife Mary died August 15, 1907. Andrew died August 23, 1910 in Exeter, Maine and buried in Chamberlain Cemetery. [For more on his gravesite, see blog Who is buried in the family lot?]
No comments:
Post a Comment