#494 ID Tag 56th Pennsylvania Co. F GETTYSBURG Nurse, FIFER & POW Ralph M. Musser

#494  ID Tag 56^th Pennsylvania Co. F  GETTYSBURG Nurse, FIFER & POW Ralph M. Musser - dug

Disc marked FIFER pewter 31 mm in dug condition. Copies of records included.

Dug about 1988 at Ely’s Ford Road Spotsylvania Co. VA by Frank Galansky of Baltimore, MD  

Private/ Principal Musician FIFER

Ralph M. Musser’s name is listed on the Gettysburg Battlefield Pennsylvania State Monument located on Cemetery Ridge.

GETTYSBURG – muster roll states “….July & Aug 1863 absent hospl nurse at Gettysburg Pa…..”

Born April 12, 1844 Millheim Pennsylvania, dark complexion stood 5’ 7”, black hair, black eyes, occupation laborer, died September 1919 Williamsport and buried Lewisburg PA

Enlisted November 17, 1861 Aaronburg, PA

Mustered in February 8, 1862

POW Bull Run August 29, 1862

Paroled and reported at Camp Parole, MD November 1862

Re-enlisted January 2, 1864 at Culpeper VA

US Army General Hospital, Fairfax VA

Mustered out July 1, 1865

September – October 1863 promoted to Principal Musician at Bristoe Station VA

 

Ralph M. Musser was present for duty during the following battles:

·         2^nd Manassas/Bull Run POW

·         Fredericksburg

·         Chancellorsville

·         Brandy Station

·         Gettysburg

·         Bristoe Station

·         Wilderness

·         Spotsylvania

·         Cold Harbor

·         Peterburg

·         Five Forks

·         Lee’s surrender at Appomattox

The 56^th Pennsylvania was a Fighting Regiment ….as seen by Ralph M. Musser’s testimony 

$1850 shipped

#492 ID Tag 1st Regiment NY Light Artillery & 1st Independent Battery NY Light Artillery Benjamin Franklin Smead

 

#492  ID Tag 1^st Regiment NY Light Artillery  & 1^st Independent Battery NY Light Artillery Benjamin Franklin Smead – non-dug. Copies of records included. 

Brass 28mm disc in nice non-dug condition.

Served 3 years 9 months, 1 year of this in hospital

Born Bath NY, printer by occupation, stood 5’ 7 ½”, light complexion, brown hair, grey eyes

Mustered in September 1861 Battery E 1^st REG New York Light Artillery

Early 1862 while on march to Williamsburg injured both ankles on Corduroy Rd. moving cannon

Transferred August 5, 1862 to Cowan’s 1^st Independent Battery NYLA

Re-enlisted February 11, 1864

Mustered out June 23 1865

Died November 12, 1917

Private Smead present as member of Battery E 1^st REG NY Light Artillery at battles of:

·         Williamsburg

·         Seven Days Before Richmond

Also present as member of 1^st Independent Battery NY Light Artillery at the battles of:

·         Bristoe

·         Rappahannock Station

·         Wilderness

·         Spotsylvania

·         Cold Harbor

·         Winchester

·         Fisher’s Hill

·         Cedar Creek

·         Petersburg

·         Sailor’s Creek

·         Lee’s surrender at Appomattox

Private Benjamin Franklin Smead was certainly there ……

 

$1375 shipped

Seven Days Before Richmond began on Wednesday, June 25, 1862, with a Union attack in the minor Battle of Oak Grove, but McClellan quickly lost the initiative as Lee began a series of attacks at Beaver Dam Creek (Mechanicsville) on June 26, Gaines's Mill on June 27, the minor actions at Garnett's and Golding's Farm on June 27 and 28, and the attack on the Union rear guard at Savage's Station on June 29. McClellan's Army of the Potomac continued its retreat toward the safety of Harrison's Landing on the James River. Lee's final opportunity to intercept the Union Army was at the Battle of Glendale on June 30, but poorly executed orders and the delay of Stonewall Jackson's troops allowed his enemy to escape to a strong defensive position on Malvern Hill. At the Battle of Malvern Hill on July 1, Lee launched futile frontal assaults and suffered heavy casualties in the face of strong infantry and artillery defenses.