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Henry Lebo – Killed at Five Forks, Virginia, 1865
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on September 29, 2016
Battle of Five Forks. Kurz and Alison. (LOC)
Henry Lebo was first identified as a Civil War veteran through a brief statement found on page 328 of the Gratz history: “Henry [Lebo] b 1841, killed while serving in the Civil War.”
Henry was the youngest son of George Lebo (1790-1844) and his second wife Lydia. Three Pennsylvania Veterans’ Index Cards were located at the Pennsylvania Archives which seem to fit this Henry Lebo, in that the service is not overlapping and that in each service the rank is above that of Private.
Henry Lebo enrolled in the 127th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company D, at Harrisburg, on 7 August 1862, and was mustered into service two days later as a Corporal. He was 23 years old and gave his occupation as clerk and his residence as Harrisburg. He was mustered out on 29 May 1863.
In the muster roll for the 127th Pennsylvania Infantry (above from Ancestry.com), Henry Lebo is again shown as a 23 year-old who enrolled at Harrisburg.
From the U.S. Civil War Draft Registration ledger for Harrisburg’s 2nd Ward (shown above from Ancestry.com), when Henry Lebo registered for the draft of July 1863, he reported prior service in the 127th Pennsylvania Infantry, beginning in August 1862.
Henry Lebo served in the 36th Pennsylvania Infantry (Emergency of 1863), the state militia unit called to defend Pennsylvania during the Gettysburg Campaign of Gen. Robert E. Lee. According to other sources, this company was mustered into service on 4 July 1863 and was discharged on 11 August 1863 at the end of the emergency. Henry Lebo served as a 1st Lieutenant in this regiment.
From the muster roll (shown above from Ancestry.com), Henry Lebo enrolled in this emergency militia in Lower Paxton Township (near Harrisburg) and he said he was 27 at the time.
Henry Lebo served in the 20th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company L. According to other sources, He was mustered into service on 22 February 1864 as a 1st Lieutenant and was killed at Five Forks, Virginia.
Click on document to enlarge.
From the ledger book, Registers of Deaths of Volunteers, 1861-1865 (shown above from Ancestry.com), the death of Henry Lebo was reported as “killed in action” on 1 April 1865.
Finally, a brief description of the Battle of Five Forks, Virginia, can be found on Wikipedia:
The Battle of Five Forks was fought on 1 April 1865, southwest of Petersburg, Virginia, around the road junction of Five Forks, Dinwiddie County, Virginia, during the end of the Richmond–Petersburg Campaign (sometimes called the Siege of Petersburg) and in the beginning stage of the Appomattox Campaign near the conclusion of the American Civil War. A mobile task force of combined infantry, artillery and cavalry from the Union Army commanded by Major General Philip Sheridan defeated a Confederate States Army combined task force from the Army of Northern Virginia commanded by Major General George E. Pickett. The Union force inflicted over 1,000 casualties on the Confederates and took between 2,400 and 4,000 prisoners while seizing Five Forks, the key to control of the South Side Railroad (sometimes shown as Southside Railroad), a vital Confederate supply line to, and retreat line from, Petersburg.
Much more information needs to be found about Henry Lebo. It seems that from the records examined above that he served for most of the Civil War and had the misfortune of dying only days before Appomattox. Some records indicate that Henry was born in Lykens Township, Dauphin County, while other records seem to suggest that the family lived in Mifflin Township, Dauphin County. Where Henry received his education and when he moved to Harrisburg is an open question. He has not yet been located in an 1860 census. A place of burial has also not been determined.
Anyone with additional information about Henry Lebo can either send it via e-mail or add comments to this post.
Norm, In reply to Henry Lebo burial queston, my expert Civil War friend told me that if Henry died at Five Forks, VA. (DInwiddie Co) he is more than likely buried at Poplar Grove, Petersburg, vA. I checked that cemetery on find a grave and came up with one of two different names/spellings and he is from co. I, 59th Infantry PA. it’s worth looking into and maybe you can go from there. His memorial #76051319 He is a lebo and may be you can investigate him in your records. Sue