Sunday Search: Confederate Service

Following my records request that I filed with the National Archives a few weeks ago I decided to do a little more digging into the service of George William Clapsaddle during the Civil War. It seemed odd that he would have been discharged less than a year after enlisting in the 28^th Virginia Infantry. This was especially intriguing as there was little information on ancestry.com including the vague details found in his application for assistance from the Federal Government that he filed on 10 November 1902. 

While I am still waiting on the documents from the National Archives, the next logical step was to reach out to the local chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. With the few details that I had been able to record, I posted my query to their Facebook page and, through the assistance of a very helpful member of the group, I was able to learn about a few more details about my 3^rd great grandfather. Following our discussion, I turned my focus to fold3.com (I have a membership but, too often, I neglect to search this site) and was able to get a much more complete picture regarding his service in the Confederate Army.

George William Clapsaddle was born on August 29, 1834 to John Jacob Clapsaddle (who also served in the Confederacy even at his advanced age at the time) and Catherine Rinehart. One of four known children, he grew up on a farm in Botetourt County, Virginia. According to records, he enlisted in the 28^th Virginia Infantry (Company K) in Amsterdam, Virginia by Lieutenant Robertson on 20 July 1861 (one day before the regiment’s participation in the First Battle of Bull Run (Battle of First Manassas) and, despite originally enlisting for a period of one year and having not received any pay, he was “Discharged from military service… by Secretary of War” at Fairfax County Court House in Virginia on 30 September 1861. Later documents recording the receipt of back pay show that he was discharged on December 28, 1861.

While there is no supporting documents from 1862, it is likely that, after having received compensation for his previous service, he immediately reenlisted in the Confederate Army this time serving in the 12^th Virginia Calvary (Company E and D). It is possible that, during this time, George Clapsaddle participated in what would late be called Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign in the spring of 1862. However, it was while in service of this company that he was captured by Union forces at Charleston, Virginia on June 15, 1863, charged with assisting in the capture of cavalry officers and sent to Fort McHenry, Maryland and later Fort Delaware, Delaware.

After being included in a prisoner exchange on July 30, 1863, he returned to the 12^th Virginia Calvary where he was once again discharged. In early 1864, he enlisted for a third time this time serving as a private in Captain W. Hays Otey’s Company of Virginia Light Artillery in charge of local defense and assigned to the Confederate Arsenal Ordinance Depot in Danville, Virginia as a machinist where he served until the end of the war.

After the war, George Clapsaddle returned home, resumed farming, and married Margaret Ann Bowyer (daughter of Joseph Brown Bowyer and Elizabeth Betsy Stevers) on November 30, 1865 in Fincastle, Botetourt County, Virginia. They would go on to have eleven children including my 2^nd great grandmother, Sallie Betty Clapsaddle, who was born June 20, 1870 and married Roy H. Teaford on June 21, 1892.  

Late in life, while living with his oldest surviving son, Ray, he did apply for assistance from the Federal Government which he filed on 10 November 1902. While it is unknown whether he ever received assistance, what we do know is that he passed away on December 16, 1916 at the age of 82 not from old age but rather “epithelioma of upper lip, nose, and cheek”. While not specified, it is likely that it was a cancerous growth from which he has been living with for two years prior to his death. He was laid to rest, along with his story, in the cemetery at Galalia Church in Gala, Virginia.

Sunday Search: Requesting Records

Excuse me, have you seen my family? 

A recent conversation with a brother from the lodge got me thinking a little about some of the organizations that I could possibly join in recognition of my ancestors. Namely those who participated in the Civil War both in the Union and Confederate armies. I know that there are plenty who fought on both sides and I even have a few of the records, mostly pension papers, for a number of people who participated in the conflict. That conversation also had me wondering about the lives and service of a few others in the family tree.

Early this week I decided to take action on these thoughts while also taking a chance that there is more information out there that still exists by submitting service record requests with the National Archives and Records Administration. The first form I filled out is also the most obvious. While I have been able to piece together some of the detail surrounding the death of Jacob Worth (1836-1864) during the Battle of Mobile Bay while serving at a First Class Fireman aboard the USS Tecumseh (Union), that is pretty much the limit of my knowledge. Anything regarding his service before that fateful day is a mystery and hopefully there is a service record available to provide some answers.

The second ancestor I submitted was George William Clapsaddle (1834-1916) who served as a Private in the 28^th Regiment, Virginia Infantry, K Company (Confederate). The only details I have about this 3^rd great grandfather’s service is in the regimental history and in his application for assistance from the Federal Government that he filed on 10 November 1902. According to records, he enlisted on 20 July 1861 (one day before the regiment’s participation in the First Battle of Bull Run (Battle of First Manassas) and mustered out on 30 September 1861. I am particularly curious read about his time at part of the 28^th Virginia especially given his short length of service.

The request I made was for the service record of Jacob Teaford (1790-1877) who was part of Captain Joseph Larew’s Company of the 6^th Regiment Virginia Militia. While there is little I have been able to find regarding his service during the War of 1812 beyond his basic pension listing, I did find that the 6^th Regiment Virginia Militia did take part in the Battle of Baltimore in September of 1814 in support of Major George Armistead in defense of Fort McHenry. Obviously, I am curious to know whether my 4^th great grandfather was present when Francis Scott Key was inspired to write what would later become the Star Spangled Banner.

The final file that I hope to receive is that of John Redcross (1740-1800) about whom I already have a mountain of information but still have a few holes that need to be filled with regard to his service. He served in Captain William Long’s Company, 2^nd Virginia State Regiment, for nearly the entirety of the Revolutionary War including active participation under the command of Major General Lafayette and later as part of Colonel Charles Dabney’s band of regiments during the Siege of Yorktown. I am fascinated to see if any additional information is provided.

So those are the four requests that have been submitted. I am going to wait to see what is sent to me before submitting anymore but really any new information will be well worth the time, energy, and nominal fee. Of course, there are still other request that I have to make from other organizations but, being more recent records, there are a few more steps that I have to take. I guess I know what my next genealogy task will be. Stay tuned for results.