When I was first looking for information on the family after visiting the St. Clair Cemetery and finding DORRINGTONs in the GLENN family plot, I ran across this 1863 letter.
Francis, or Frank, was the son of Joseph DORRINGTON and Eliza LONG of Allegheny Co, PA.
Frank was recruited as a member of Company D, 149th PA Volunteers in August 22, 1862. Of interest is a note that his cousin James GLENN was elected as Captain and was active in recruiting of the local men. This has also been mentioned in the 1862 diary of my great great Aunt Hannah which was first published in 2004 by two of my cousins and myself.
Frank mustered in as a 3rd Corporal. The regiment arrived in Washington, DC in late August 1862 and stayed there until February 15, 1863.
This letter, written on February 11, 1863, details daily life in the camp and mentions several relatives who had moved to DC. It was submitted some 40 years ago to a historical society in CA, but I have yet to determine how the submitter was related to Frank.
For me, it was a great find. The salutation has me suspect it was written to his brother, Joseph.
Frank was severely wounded May 8, 1863, at the Battle of Laurel Hill. His story of survival is fascinating to read and can be found in the regimental history by Nesbit.
Frank married Nancy HEWITT and had a family. After the war, he was in the Temperanceville area of Allegheny Co, and ran a feed store. Frank is buried at Chartiers Cemetery in Carnegie, Allegheny, PA.
Source:
General History of Company D
149th Pennsylavania Volunteers
John W Nesbit
1908
http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=pitttext&cc=pitttext&idno=00hc08553m&q1=dorrington&frm=frameset&view=image&seq=1
Ahh, genealogy. Remembering the sacrifices of those who have gone before.
©2011 AS Eldredge
No comments:
Post a Comment