Jeffrey Groah

Dr Jeff Groah's Site

Historical Documents

This is a repository for historical documents used in the creation of the novel, South Bottom, Virginia During the Civil War.

CMSR stands for compiled military service record. The following were obtained from the National Archives and are labeled exactly as received from that institution.

The CMSR for Andrew Jackson Groah’s service in the 5th Virginia Volunteer Infantry. G11-254236186E

The CMSR for Samuel Kael Groah’s service in the 5th Virginia Volunteer Infantry. G11-254236566E

The CMSR for Andrew Jackson Groah’s service in the 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery/152nd Penn Volunteer Infantry. G11-254235996E 

(Military records for the 3rd Penn Heavy Arty Company K are incomplete since Jack’s captain during the summer of 1864 did not file the required reports. He was replaced with Jerome Titlow later in the year. This made tracking down Jack’s service during the war quite difficult.)

The CMSR for Samuel Kael Groah’s service in the 5th Virginia Volunteer Infantry. G11-254233676E

I have to say, I was deeply disappointed when I received these files since they are incomplete for both brothers. In particular, AJ’s record indicates a transfer to the 2nd US Volunteer Infantry. This was a little deceptive since the unit was renamed the 4th US Volunteer Infantry and the National Archives had a devil of a time locating these files. The reason for the difficulty is that these records are stored within the National Archives with the Confederate records, not Union records, even though the unit is a Union unit. It is stored with the Confederate records because the unit is largely comprised of Confederate prisoners of war who swore the oath of allegiance and joined the Union Army. Many received a bounty (money) for making this choice, recruited directly from prisoner of war camps. Jack was not a prisoner of war but rather an enlistee.

Also, Sam’s record is only from the 53rd Penn Vol Inf which was only for June of 1865 after the war had ended. This left me wondering about the rest of his service. His record indicates that he transferred from the 148th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. Both regiments were in the same brigade though the 148th has a wonderful book written by the soldiers themselves. There is a similar book for the 53rd Penn.

I had to travel to the National Archives in Washington, DC in order to obtain the rest of the records. They are in a different format since that is how they were received from that location. One of the men working there was a former marine sergeant. He asked me a question to which I answered, “Yes, sir.” He reprimanded me for that since you only call a commissioned officer, “sir”.

CMSR 4th US

CMSR 4th US Vol Inf

CMSR for Samuel Kael Groah’s service to the 148th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry

CMSR 148th Penn Inf

CMSR 148th Penn Inf

 

Andrew Jackson Groah served in the 4th US Vol Inf during 1865. This unit, consisting mostly of Galvanized Yankees, was sent to Fort Sully in the Dakota Territories. The US government was fighting native tribes, as well as protecting friendly tribes, during the Civil War. It was thought that former Confederate soldiers who had joined the US Army would serve better and find a more favorable return home if they did not fight against their fellow Confederate soldiers but went out west. A Ft. Sully post return from the period of Jack’s service is posted below, showing him as a loss to the post. On the right-hand-side of the page, line 5, we read:

5. Andrew J Groah, Private 4 US Vols, F, Discharged at Sioux, Iowa, Nov 27 per G.O. No. 77, AGO 1865.

Most of this is self-explanatory. G. O. No. 77 was general order number 77 and this instructed garrisons across the Dakota Territories to reduce their forces to a minimum over the winter months. A. G. O. is the adjutant general’s office and was the issuing authority for general order 77.

This page mentions that the fort was under the command of a Capt Philander Phinney starting on 21 Oct 1865. He took over from Lt. Col Charles C. G. Thornton and was succeeded by Lt. Col. John Pattee who arrived for a short stay at the fort in February of 1866. Lt. Col. Pattee had been at Ft. Sully in October of 1865 to negotiate peace with the Yanktons. He made the newspapers in 1862 when he fraudulently interfered in elections for the Dakota Territories. Pattee was also tried in 1862 for disrespecting President Lincoln, a severe offense during wartime for an officer of the army.

I have some CMSR records for John Pattee and Charles C. G. Thornton for anyone who requests them.

 

You might be interested in the CMSR for Junius Franklin “Frank” Crain. Why? Because Samuel Kael Groah named his first-born son after him. During the summer of 1864, Frank Crain was promoted to first lieutenant and that gave him the right to hire a servant. He hired Sam Groah. This did not remove Sam from the regular duty roster. It just gave him additional duties in exchange for a little extra pay.

Frank Crain’s CMSR shows that he was court martialed. He had been on detached service stationed at Carlisle Barracks organizing recruits away from the front when a soldier paid a guard $200 to let him desert. The guard informed his sergeant who informed 2nd Lt Crain. Lt Crain plotted with these other men, splitting the money, to let the man go just beyond the barricades and then arrest him. The deserter complained to the post captain who brought Lt Crain up on charges. Before the trial, the soldiers at the post were deployed to chase Confederate soldiers and upon return to Carlisle Barracks, Lt Crain’s service there was up and he returned to the front at Petersburg. The captain of Carlisle Barracks wrote to Lt Crain’s commanding officer, informing him of the charges and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.

What did the commander of the 148th Penn Vol Infantry do?

Think about this: Lt Crain could have had his military career ruined, his family put under duress, his future ruined, when his regiment desperately needed men. These men daily risked their lives. The matter of a few dollars, that he ultimately did not keep, concerning a deserter who he did not let escape, was minuscule by comparison. Why not let his future be determined by his fate on the battlefield? I imagine that his captain who then commanded the badly depleted regiment, was amused and perhaps angered at these trivial charges. Immediately upon 2nd Lt Crain’s return to his post on the front he was promoted to 1st Lt. I think this is an interesting lesson concerning leadership, morality and justice.