|
October 19, 1861 |
Mustered in at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, PA. Assigned to C.D. Jameson’s Brigade, Heintzelman’s Division, Army of the Potomac—45th Regiment, Company D |
|
October
19-23 |
Taken by rail to Washington and encamped a mile and half from the Capitol, on the Bladensburg Road. |
|
November
3
|
Detailed to preserve the peace at an election in Prince Frederick, Maryland. |
|
November 7 |
Returned to camp, and subjected to constant drill. |
|
November
19-21
|
Took transportation to Baltimore. Marched through the city, and embarked on the steamer Pocahontas for Fortress Monroe. On the 21st moved to Camp Hamilton, three miles from Fort. Until December 6, they were thoroughly disciplined in company and battalion drill. They then returned to Fortress Monroe and embarked for Port Royal, South Carolina. |
|
December
7 |
Arrived at Hilton Head. In arriving grounded on Gaskin Bank, near the south channel. They had to fire a distress call, and a gunboat came to their assistance and succeeded in getting them off the bar. |
|
December
6-8 |
Sent to Bay Point. They took possession of Fort Walker, relieving the 79th New York. |
|
April
1862
|
Assigned to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Department of the South |
|
May
21-June 28 |
Operations
in James Island, SC |
|
June
10 |
Action
on James Island |
|
June
16 |
Battle
of Seccessionville |
|
June
28–July 1 |
Moved
to Hilton Head Island. Pay
was $26 for 2 months. Of this
amount, he sent $25 home to his parents. |
|
July |
Assigned
to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division IXth Army Corps, Army
of the Potomac |
|
July
18-21 |
Moved
to Newport News, VA |
|
July
28 |
Contracted
fever and while on a transport in transit to Alexander, VA, the vessel
sank, and he getting wet contracted disease of the lungs and heart
disease, |
|
August
4-5 |
Encampment
at Aquia Creek |
|
August
5 |
Admitted
to Newport News Hospital with fever. |
|
August
12 |
Returned
to duty |
|
September
2 |
Entered
Clifburne General Hospital, Washington DC, with intermittent fever. |
|
September
21 |
Returned
to duty. |
|
October
24 |
Admitted
to Branch of 1st Division General Hospital at Alexandria, VA ,
with intermittent fever and chronic bronchitis. |
|
November
26 |
Admitted
to Hammond General Hospital Point Lookout, Maryland, & then to Camp
Convalescent, Alexandria, VA. |
|
January
24, 1863 |
Medically discharged with ascites and disease of the heart |
In his government records, there are several
letters written over the years detailing his disabilities and substantiating his
inability to work. In one such
letter from Cornelius Leach, “John David is unable to even go to his barn
frequently for weeks at a time; his condition is such that he is unable at any
time to do manual labor.”
He
received disability payments until his death.
His last monthly pension payment was on October 4, 1908, for $30.
His
brother Nathan was also in the same unit. He
died May 22, 1862.
John
returned to Pennsylvania after his war experience via Carlisle.
There he met his future wife--Mary Jane Oyler (10/21/1837-6/13/1896).
John and
Mary Jane lived in Liberty Township, Howard RD.