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Thursday, June 28, 2012

PVT George Glenn

PVT George Glenn was born 27 Sep 1822 in Augusta County, Virginia. He was the 2nd of 3 children born to John and Margaret Ann (Hartsook) Glenn. He followed in his father's footsteps and took up farming and started a family in 1851 by marrying Barbara Catherine Lowman. George's brother William would marry Barbara's older sister in 1860. The couple soon had children, daughter Elizabeth Margaret in 1852 and son John Abraham in 1855. George was farming near Staunton in 1860. His farm was valued at $900 and his personal estate was $661. 

With the responsibilities of a family and farm George did not enlist until 14 Mar 1862. He mustered with E Company 5th Virginia Infantry. It probably was not a long time until PVT Glenn was on the battlefield because GEN Jackson was conducting what would become known as the Valley Campaign at that time. His first battle may have been Kernstown on 23 Mar 1862 or perhaps McDowell or Front Royal (where the unit was not engaged) on 8 May and 23 May 1862 respectively. He may have been at Winchester on 25 May 1862 but we know he was with the unit at Port Republic on 9 Jun 1862 because it was there that he was wounded. It appears that he was then evacuated to Greenville, Virginia to receive further medical care and he died there on 28 Jun 1862. 

It is possible that being from the area his family was notified shortly after he was wounded and they were able to collect his body at the time of death or shortly after and he was buried with his parents in what is now the Saint John's Reformed Church of Christ Cemetery about 6½-miles from Greenville in Middlebrook, Virginia. Saint John's was a Lutheran church at the time and this is likely the church at which his family worshiped. 

George has several living descendants. 


Wednesday, June 13, 2012

1LT Arthur Jay Arnold

Alexandria Gazette, 23 Jul 1862
1LT Arthur Jay Arnold was born in Alexandria, Virginia on 29 Aug 1838. He was the oldest son and  2nd of 9 children born to John and Ann Elizabeth (Mitchell) Arnold. His father was a hatter and owned a successful hat and fur shop at the corner of King and Royal Streets in what is now "Old Town" Alexandria. Arthur was accepted at the University of Virginia in 1858 and attended for 2 years before becoming a teacher at Sangersville in Augusta County, Virginia. 

It was probably his association with neighbors in Sangersville that caused him to enlist as a SGT in I Company 5th Virginia Infantry. SGT Arnold was promoted to 2LT on 30 Jul 1861 in the aftermath of the 1st Battle of Manassas and was elected on 14 Apr 1862. He fought with the unit from the day he enlisted until wounded at the Battle of Port Republic on 9 Jun 1862. It is probable that he was evacuated with Jackson's soldiers when they crossed the Blue Ridge to rejoin General Lee's army and was sent to Port Royal, Virginia where he died of his wounds on 13 Jun 1862. It is unknown where 1LT Arnorld is buried. 

Only one brother seems to have served in the military during the Civil War and that was John Alexander Arnold who served as a PVT in H Company 17th Virginia Infantry (CSA) and was wounded at 2nd Manassas.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

PVT John Brubeck

courtesy of McCrea-Brady
PVT John Brubeck was born 15 May 1833 in Augusta County, Virginia. He was the 3rd of 8 children born to John and Elizabeth (Snyder) Brubeck.  His father farmed 132 acres valued at $1848 in 1850 with 4 horses, 5 cows and 11 hogs. Young John undoubtedly worked the farm with his father. He married Frances Rebecca Rusmiselle on 17 Dec 1857. The couple farmed on a small 60-acre farm on Smoke Run (now Smoky Row Creek), just west of Staunton, Virginia, and had their first child in March 1859 and a second in 1861.

John enlisted in the "Southern Guard" under the command of CPT H. J. Williams on 17 Apr 1861. He was with the unit when it was mustered into Confederate States service as D Company 5th Virginia Infantry on 1 Jun 1861 and at the battles of Falling Waters, First Manassas, First Kernstown, McDowell, Front Royal, First Winchester, and, finally, at Port Republic where PVT Brubeck was one of nine men killed in action on 9 Jun 1862.

PVT Brubeck was buried at Mount Tabor Luthern Church Cemetery at Middlebrook, Virginia. 

John's wife Frances died of diptheria less than one month after John's death and the two children were apparently raised by their maternal grandmother and other relatives. The couple have many descendants living today.

John's brothers David Franklin Brubeck and James Louis Brubeck also served as PVTs in D Company  and Adam Snyder Brubeck also served as a PVT in D Company 25th Virginia Infantry during the Civil War.

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CPL John F Doom

courtesy of JMB
CPL John F. Doom was born 7 Mar 1838 in Augusta County, Virginia. He was the 2nd of 10 children born to Madison and Margaret (McAleer) Doom. Madison would support his family in several ways over the years working as a shoemaker in 1850 and a gardener with John in 1860. Madison's total estate was reportedly worth $400 in 1860. By that date only 7 of Madison and Margaret's 10 children were still living. 

John enlisted on 17 Apr 1861 just the day before Virginia voted to succeed from the union. He was mustered into service with L Company 5th Virginia as a PVT on 18 May 1861. PVT Doom then fought at First Manassas and did a stint as an artilleryman before the unit was reconverted from an artillery battery to infantry in April 1862 at which time he was promoted to CPL. GEN Jackson's Valley Campaign wasn't over yet and CPL Doom was present for battles at McDowell, Front Royal, Winchester, and, on 9 Jun 1862 at Port Republic. CPL Doom was killed in action on 9 Jun 1862. 

Being so close to home when he was killed, CPL Doom was returned to Staunton and interred in Thornrose Cemetery there. 

John's younger brother, James M. Doom, also served in L Company 5th Virginia Infantry and was killed in action at The Wilderness in 1864.

PVT James Buchanan Berry

courtesy of Isabelle Chewning
PVT James Buchanan Berry was born 28 Sep 1834 in Augusta County, Virginia. He was the 3rd of the 7 children born to John Ralston and Nancy Hughart (Buchanan) Berry. The family farmed south of Staunton and in 1860 his father reported that his farm was worth $12,750 and that his personal estate was worth $3,840 or as much as $12-million in today's money, successful by any measure. 

James went to Lexington, Virginia and on 10 Mar 1862 he enlisted in the Rockbridge Light Artillery but left the unit on 29 Apr 1862 and mustered into D Company 5th Virginia Infantry on that same day. PVT Berry was then with his company at the Battles of McDowell, Front Royal, and First Winchester although the company apparently was not engaged except at Winchester. This was part of General Jackson's famous Valley Campaign and the next battle was at Port Republic in southeastern Rockingham County, Virginia and PVT James Berry was one of 9 men of the 5th Virginia killed in action there on 9 Jun 1862. 

PVT Berry was buried in what is now the New Providence Presbyterian Church Cemetery with many of his family at Steele's Tavern, Virginia just 38 highway miles from where he was killed.

Both of James' brothers also served during the war. Older brother Charles Gambol Berry served in H Company 27th Virginia Infantry before joining D Company 5th Virginia in October 1864. Younger brother, John Ralston Berry, served in I Company 62nd Virginia Infantry before joining D Company 5th Virginia Infantry. Brother-in-law, John Wilson Beard, also served in D Company 5th Virginia Infantry.