The Michigan Cavalry

Our family has mostly been foot soldiers. Privates who have walked many miles, a couple were in Sherman’s march to the Sea. Today though, we will talk about our Michigan cavalryman who was his unit’s Veterinary Surgeon.

Ferdinand aka: Frederick L. Lewis was born December 19, 1817 in Middleton, County Cork, Ireland. I do not know his parents at this point in my research. In 1851 he is listed in the Simcoe, Norfolk, Canada (West) Ontario census. He is listed as a teamster, an Episcopalian and 29 years of age.

On September 20, 1854, he married Catherine Theresa Brady in Simcoe, Norfolk, Canada. Their marriage was certified by the Archdiocese of Toronto. Their son, George Alexander Lewis was born September 9, 1855 in Jewish Village, Alden, Upper Canada. I have not found exactly where this is. Somewhere close to Simcoe, perhaps between there and Michigan. From Simcoe, they moved to Paw Paw, Van Buren County, Michigan. This is where the next child, Ellen Theresa Lewis was born on August 12, 1858. Frederick John Lewis followed on June 7, 1860 and finally Sarah Jane Lewis was born January 11, 1862.

According to the records, Frederick Lewis enlisted in Company E, Michigan 9th Cavalry Regiment on 22 Jan 1863. He was mustered out on 12 Jun 1864 at Andersonville, GA. Promoted to Full Veterinary Surgeon, posthumously, on 12 Jun 1864. His family must have been quite proud of him. Just look at the fine figure he cuts in his uniform. (Special thanks to Jodi Jefson for this photo.)

For more information about the Michigan 9th Cavalry, please see http://www.migenweb.org/michiganinthewar/cavalry/9thcav.htm

Ferdinand or Frederick was captured at Bean Station, Tennessee and spent the remainder of his life at Andersonville Prison Camp in Georgia. He did not die of a minie ball, as is family legend. He died of disease caused by the horrific conditions and lack of decent food and especially decent water. His date of death is listed as June 12, 1864. During July and August of 1865, Clara Barton along with coffin makers, grave diggers and Dorence Atwater, dug up, identified and reburied the dead at Andersonville. Atwater was a prisoner of war who had been assigned the job of recording the names of all the Union dead. He made his own copy of this list and it was used during the reburial to identify these men. Robbin Alcorn Jones accompanied me to Andersonville and we were able to find Ferdinand’s grave and take pictures. Because he died in the war, his widow, Catherine, had to prove their marriage and the birth of each child, which was all contained in his Civil War Pension Record.

Ferdinand’s wife and children moved to Kickapoo, Vernon County, Wisconsin at some point during the Civil War. There is no record of Catherine remarrying after his death. She lived the remainder of her life in Vernon County, Wisconsin.