Civil War: 150th Anniversary

Today, the anniversary of the end of the Civil War,  makes me reflect on the many, many ancestors who fought in this conflict and the wives and children who were left to fend for themselves ... some for a lifetime if their soldier didn't return.

I have documented about 75 family members (some less directly related than others) who fought ... on both sides !  Some of my RI Watson groups and NY Comfort groups had splits within the family with some of the males moving south and fighting for the Confederacy. I can't really imagine how the family would feel with brothers and cousins pitted against one another.

All of my direct ancestors were in the north and those who fought were Union supporters. Today I am especially remembering 3rd great grandfather Charles Mansfield and two of my great great grandfathers, James McDole and Reuben Lake. All three were from Ulster County, New York. Charles died of disease in Louisiana at age 49 survived by his wife and 6 children (2 of whom joined his unit, Co D NY 156th). James McDole, a native of northern Ireland who immigrated in 1846, left his wife and 4 children. Luckily he returned unharmed, had 5 more children and lived to be 70. Reuben Lake joined as did his younger brother Francis. Reuben was shot in the neck and shoulder in South Carolina and was somewhat disabled for the rest of his life. However, he married Sarah Ann Mansfield (daughter of Charles) and produced a clan of 12 ! When he died in 1897 Sarah was left to raise her 7 minor children on a paltry widow's pension. Her pension files list her only asset as one milk cow.

I am trying to pass along some of this information to the next generation so they will have a better understanding of history as they learn about this in school ... I wish I'd had been told of the "Human" side of the war back when it seemed to be just a list of dates and places.