;
Disability – 177th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company I – Part 2
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on October 8, 2011
In the post yesterday, the strange occurrence of the discharge of all thirteen Columbia County draftees in Company I of the 177th Pennsylvania Infantry on Surgeon’s Certificates of Disability was revealed. Today the other twelve draftees who were discharged for the same reason will be noted. Eleven were from Dauphin County and one was from Lancaster County. Therefore, of the total of 98 draftees who were assigned to Company I, 25 received discharges for disability. This represented slightly more than 25% of those assigned – better than one out of every four!
There was only one draftee listed from Lancaster County and he was rejected:
JOHN RYEN. Born about 1827. Also found as Ryan. Draftee from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Mustered in on 11 November 1862 by Lt. Fetterman. Discharged on Surgeon’s Certificate of Disability on 11 November 1862.
——————————
Eleven of the draftees from Dauphin County were rejected. They were:
CHARLES COLEMAN. Age given as 44 on rolls, but it is possible that he was born in 1844 rather than 44 years old, and the records are in error. Draftee from dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Mustered in on 2 November 1862 by Capt. Norton. Discharged on Surgeon’s Certificate of Disability on 2 November 1862. It is possible that this is the Charles A. Coleman who was born about 30 May 1844 and died 28 April 1915 , and who lived in Lykens, Halifax and Gratz Borough – a farmer and later a landlord, who married Lydia Mathilda Rine. More information is sought on this individual.
——————————
JOSEPH DEITZ. Born about 1839. Also found as Deeds. Draftee from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Mustered in on 2 November 1862 by Capt. Norton. Discharged on Surgeon’s Certificate of Disability on 2 November 1862. It is believed that this is the same Joseph Dietz whose brother Jacob Deitz was also drafted into the 177th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company I. Jacob served the full term of nine months.
——————————
JEREMIAH FISHER. Born about 1822. Also found as Fischer. Draftee from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Mustered in on 2 November 1862 by Capt. Norton. Discharged on Surgeon’s certificate of Disability on 2 November 1862.
——————————-
FREDERICK A. HAINES. Born about 1826. Draftee from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Mustered in on 2 November 1862 by Lt. Fetterman. Discharged on Surgeon’s Certificate of Disability on 2 November 1862. Frederick A. Haines (1826-1917) has been located in the pension records and his information will be given in a future post. A Veterans’ Index Card has not yet been located for him in the Pennsylvania Archives; it may have been misfiled in the on-line resources.
——————————
JOSEPH LEBO. Born about 1839. Draftee from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Mustered in on 2 November 1862 by Capt. Norton. Discharged on Surgeon’s Certificate of Disability on 2 November 1862. It is possible that this is the same Joseph Lebo who married Elizabeth (or Eliza), and is said to be buried at Zion (Klinger’s) Church Cemetery, Erdman, Lykens Township, Dauphin County. More information is needed on this individual.
——————————
MICHAEL METZ. Born about 1838. Draftee from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Mustered in on 2 November 1862 by Capt. Norton. Discharged on Surgeon’s certificate of Disability on 2 November 1862. Proabably the same Michael Metz (18339-1885) who is buried at St. John (Hill) Cemetery, Berrysburg.
——————————
JEREMIAH MILLER. Born about 1828. Draftee from dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Mustered in on 2 November 1862 by Capt. Norton. Discharged on Surgeon’s Certificate of Disability on 2 November 1862. There is a Jeremiah Miller who appears in the Civil War Draft of 1863, Upper Paxton Township, with a notation of “sent sick” following his entry, possibly a match with this person. More information is sought.
——————————
SAMUEL MILLER. Born about 1839. Draftee from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Mustered in on 2 November 1862 by Capt. Norton. Discharged on Surgeon’s Certificate of Disability on 2 November 1862. Since there are many persons named Samuel Miller in the records, more information is needed to discern which of these is the one who was discharged on the Surgeon’s Certificate.
——————————
OBEDIAH J. RIEGLE. Born about 1829. Also found as Obed and as Riegel, Reigle, and Reigel. Draftee from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Mustered in on 2 November 1862 by Capt. Norton. Discharged on Surgeon’s Certificate of Disability on 2 November 1862. Most likely the same person who served in the 103rd Pennsylvania Infantry, Company G as a Sergeant in 1865.
——————————
JOHN B. RUSHO. Born about 1816. Draftee from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Mustered in on 2 November 1862 by Capt. Norton. Discharged on Surgeon’s Certificate of Disability on 2 November 1862. Nothing further has been found on this individual.
——————————
ELI M. SCHAFFNER. Born about 1831. Also known as Shaffner. Draftee from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Mustered in on 2 November 1862 by Capt. Norton. Discharged on Surgeon’s Certificate of Disability on 2 November 1862. It is believed that this could be the same person who, in the Civil War Draft Registration of 1863, was living in Mifflin Township, was married and was working as a coach maker. Likewise, it is possible that a brother Daniel Schaffner served in the war. If this information matches the subject, then Eli Schaffner was a direct descendant of Johann Peter Hoffman, pioneer settler of the Lykens Valley (Eli’s mother was Christine Hoffman). For other posts on the Hoffman family, click here.
For direct links to Steve Maczuga’s Pennsylvania Civil War Project, click on the name of the person.
Pennsylvania Veterans’ Index Cards are from the Pennsylvania Archives. The roll of the 177th Pennsyvlania Infantry, Company I, is also available at the Pennsylvania Archives: page 1; Company I, page 2; Company I, page 3; and Company I, page 4. Benjamin J. Evitts of Lykens Township and Gratz Borough was Captain of Company I. Prior posts on Benjamin J. Evitts can be located by clicking on the tag, “Evitts Family.” For prior posts on the 177th Pennsylvania Infantry, click here.
The Civil War Research Project is seeking more information on the draftees who were sent home from Company I, 177th Pennsylvania Infantry on Surgeon’s Certificate’s of Disability, particularly those from Dauphin County. The men named above may not have previously been included in the Civil War Research Project, but if they have a geographic connection to the Lykens Valley area, they should be included – whether or not they served in other units during the war. The fact that they reported for duty is enough for them to be included in the Pennsylvania statistics and in most of the databases of Civil War soldiers.
Future posts will focus on other men who were drafted into the 177th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company I, including those who served the full term of nine months.
Comments