BERDAN, WILLIAM (1841-1900). Private, 9th New York Infantry, Company F. A native New Yorker, he enlisted there on April 23, 1861, as a private. On May 4, he mustered into the 9th New York Infantry where he served until he mustered out at New York City on May 20, 1863. He applied for a pension … Read more
BOETTNER (or BATTNER, BOETNER), GUSTAVE (or GUSTAV) A. (1843-1907). Private, Captain Kowald’s Independent Illinois Volunteers; sergeant, 134th Illinois Infantry, Company I. A resident of Chicago, Boettner first served in a company of Captain Kowald’s Independent Illinois Volunteers for three months in 1861. Subsequently, he re-enlisted as a private on May 11, 1864, mustered into the … Read more
BROCK, THOMAS (1824-1885). Corporal, 173rd New York Infantry, Company A. Born in England, Brock enlisted at Brooklyn as a corporal on September 4, 1862, mustered into the 173rd New York on October 30, and mustered out on October 18, 1865, at Savannah, Georgia. Brock applied for and received an invalid pension in 1876, certificate 176,461, … Read more
CALHOUN, ALFRED ROCHEFORT (or A.R.) (1844-1912). Major, unknown Kentucky Union regiment. Calhoun, who was born in Kentucky, joined a Kentucky Union regiment at the onset of the Civil War and served until he end of the hostilities, despite sustaining two serious wounds, capture and imprisonment at Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia. While imprisoned, he took part … Read more
CHINNOCK, CHARLES EDWARD (1845-1915). Rank unknown, 47th Regiment, New York State Militia, Company A; second class fireman, United States Navy. Born in London, England, his family immigrated to the United States in 1848 and originally settled in Connecticut. Chinnock’s pension record indicates that he used the aliases Frank Watts and Charles E. Eaton and that … Read more
COLMAN (or COLEMAN), WILLIAM DEAN (1827-1862). Major, 6th Missouri Infantry. Colman, who was born in Massachusetts and served in the Mexican War, was commissioned into the 6th Missouri Infantry’s Field and Staff in 1862. On June 14, 1862, Brigadier General David S. Stanley, United States Army, commended Major Colman for his “cheerful and constant assistance” … Read more
COOK, GEORGE (1841-1897). Corporal, 103rd New York Infantry, Companies D and C. Originally from England, Cook enlisted on February 24, 1862, at New York City, as a private. He mustered into Company D of the 103rd New York Infantry on that same day. He re-enlisted into the same company as a private on February 27, … Read more
CORSON, BENJAMIN F. (1842-1905). Private, 139th New York Infantry, Company A. A New Yorker by birth, Corson enlisted at Brooklyn as a private on August 28, 1862, and mustered into the 139th New York on September 9. As per his obituary in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, he was wounded several times, the worst of which … Read more
Roy Smeck, (1900-1994) fondly referred to as the “Wizard of the Strings” was an American musician renowned for his skill on the banjo, guitar, steel guitar and ukulele. His talents earned him countless opportunities to perform on the radio, on television and in film. As an expert in his field, Smeck also designed variations on stringed instruments and wrote arrangements and instruction books. He was posthumously inducted into both the Ukulele Hall of Fame and the National Four-String Banjo Hall of Fame.
CULLEN, EDGAR MONTGOMERY (1843-1922). Colonel, 96th New York Infantry; first lieutenant, 1st Infantry, United States Army. Cullen was born in Brooklyn and attended the Kinderhook Academy. His father was a prominent physician and his mother was the sister of a Brooklyn judge, Alexander McCue. After graduating from Columbia College in 1860 and attending Rensselaer Polytechnic … Read more