for Memorial Day - A Civil War soldier hero who Skedaddled and survived Andersonville

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This entry began because of a word but fits in wonderfully with Memorial Day. There are some words that always make me smile, and "Skedaddled" is one of them. I found "Skedaddled" while processing a small collection of  Civil War letters, 1861-1862, from Charles Nelson to his uncle, Sam French. "Skedaddled" is an informal way of saying "ran away." You can see "Skedaddled" in the top image, 2 lines of penmanship above the pencil. Charley wrote letters typical for a Civil War soldier, about battles, marching, camp life, fighting and killing rebs or rebels (Confederates), the weather, and he missed and that he wanted news of family. He was literate and had legible penmanship. Half of his letters are partial, pages are now missing. It is clear he was fond of his uncle. Battles Charly describes in his letters include 1st Bull Run, Williamsburg, and Fredericksburg. Below is a transcription of the letter in which he wrote about how he and his unit "Skedaddled."

Charly, as he sometimes signed his name, from Ottawa County, enlisted in the Michigan 3rd Infantry Regiment, Company I on May 13, 1861 age 20 in Grand Rapids. He was mustered June 10 for 3 years. He re-enlisted and was again mustered on Dec. 24, 1863 at Brandy Station, Va. Wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, he was hospitalized in Summit House Hospital, Philadelphia. On May 9, 1864 Charley was taken prisoner and his military record ends. That is not unheard of, but it is rare. So, of course, I did  more research.

Called "Lonn" by his family, Charly was taken prisoner at the Battle of Wilderness, Virginia, on May 9, 1864, and sent to the infamous Andersonville Prison. He was released from it at the end of the war, but died shortly after he arrived in Lamont, Michigan. He is buried with relatives in Maplewood Cemetery in Lamont.  I also learned that he was born in Ontario, Canada, so by birth he was Canadian, but by his sacrifice, an American hero. I thought this is perfect for Memorial Day weekend, when we remember our fallen heroes. I send a sincere thank you and respect to all those we remember on Memorial Day. Here is a link to Charly's grave information with an image of his Civil War veteran's tombstone. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/92782588/charles-nelson 

 The Michigan 3rd fought in major battles and received a special commendation for their courage and  losses. After three years of war, of the original 1,432 men enrolled in the 3rd, only 757 survived until Oct. 1864 when the unit was reorganized, meaning men from other decimated units were added to it to fill in its depleted ranks. In the reorganized 3rd of 1,191 men, only 2 died of wounds, 78 of disease, and 32 were discharged for wounds and disease. The unit stats are from the published regimental histories created by the State of MI based on surviving service records and the 1890 Michigan  census of Civil War soldiers alive in 1890. The regimental histories are a wonderful source of information about all the men, and a few women, who served and many of whom died, in the Civil War. 



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