Personal History critique

[G.W. Strong]

I decided that I needed to flesh out a personal story.
I started by working with a year 1888 and then worked backwards to a birthdate close to my own age. I then went to my genealogical records and figured out which family of Strongs was having children at that time. Once I selected my own Great, Great, Great Grandfather to be my persona's father I looked at names that were common in that generation and the next. My Great, Great grandfather (Charles H. Strong) named his son George Washington Strong and he had a brother Washington W Strong but there was no George Washington Strong in that generation so in inserted my fictitious person between two of the younger children in this family as a fictional brother of my own Great, Great Grandfather. (You can start singing the song I'm My Own Grandpa now if you would like). I left the place of birth alone and studied what was going in Girard, Pennsylvania at that time. All the events are real. I tried to paint a picture of someone who was restless and desired leaving the farm for something more interesting and challenging. A career as builder would appeal to someone who wanted a non-farming life but that could be cast aside when the drums of war sounded in their ears. The fictional George's brother Charles (from whom I am descended) became a Doctor in the Civil War for an Illinois unit and then went westward to found the town of Girard, Kansas. From this we can see that education and an adventureous spirit was well nurtured in this family.

I wanted to be an artilleryman and I wanted to have served in the Civil War. Chris "F-Trooper" Fisher provided me with a list of light artillery regiments that were around in the 1880s and I started studying them looking for a fit. I discovered that the 5th artillery regiment, Battery D, took heavy casualties at Bull Run in 1861 and recruited heavily in Pennsylvania to fill out its ranks. This was a perfect fit for my personal history.  All the events are real and the chronology is taken directly from the unit history of the 5th artillery. This unit had a pretty eventful run in the Civil War followed by a long period of less glamorous postings in the post war years.


My main areas of concern have to do with rank advancements. I know one of my ancestors entered the war as a private and was mustered out as a brevet 1st lieutenant. This seems like a likely path for a man who would end up as a first sergeant in the post war army. Is that accurate? I know rank advancement was slow. I am also unsure of when the battery was moved to Ft Douglas. I have chosen 1885 but it may be off by a year or two.

Also does anything about this persona history sound far-fetched or unrealistic?  Please feel free to add suggestions.




George Washington Strong was born September 4, 1841 in Girard, Pennsylvania. He was born to Leonard Rufus Strong and Jane Silverthorn. George was the 8th child of 12. His siblings are Charles H. Strong; Huldah J. Strong; Nancy E. Strong; Clarissa A. Strong; Loren B. Strong; Sarah Jeannette Strong; Lydia A. Strong; Mary C. Strong; Washington W. Strong; Harriet Adelle Strong.

The same year George was born, the United Methodist Church of West Springfield, where the family worshiped, got its first brass bell. George's baptism by pastor William Patterson was one of the first occasions upon which the new church bell was rung. In 1844, the first school was built on Liberty Street in Girard and George was among its first pupils. George excelled in school loving, mathematics, literature and history but he was always restless and wanted more than the life of a farmer. He always enjoyed building things and inventing new ways of accomplishing tasks around the Strong farm. This love of creating and building things was, in part, inspired when in 1854 his church underwent the construction of a brick building on land donated by Zachariah Thomas in West Springfield. George spent every moment he could at the site watching and running small errands for the men building the first brick structure in the region. When, four year later, the congregation decided to build a better parsonage, George was old enough to lend a small hand in its construction.  Building trades were continually calling George from his work on the farm. In late 1860, the town of Girard decided it was time for its first brick structure. The town levied the funds and the plans for Union School on Jefferson Square were in full swing. George managed to secure a position working on this construction project. George's plans were put on hold when South Carolina seceded from the Union.  Military fever swept the citizens of Girard and George was not immune to its call.   

On January 17, 1861 a Union meeting in Girard was held and well attended. All the elders of the church and the pillars of the community spoke in favor or sustaining the Union. The Girard Guard, commanded by D. W. Hutchinson, Esq., paraded during the day, ready to obey any call in defense of their country. Most of the young men of Girard joined quickly but George wanted something more. He wanted to join the regular Army so he packed his gear and headed out to enlist in the regular army in the spring of 1861.
The battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861 was devastating for both sides in the conflict.  Following this battle, the 5th Artillery Regiment, which had suffered massive casualties, removed to Camp Greble, near Harrisburg, Pa., a depot of instruction was established in June under Lieutenant Colonel T. W. Sherman. Here recruits were received and drilled and batteries fitted out for the field, the State of Pennsylvania furnishing most of the recruits. George Washington Strong was one of these young men.  He was assigned to Battery D, second section of the 5th artillery which consisted of two M1841 Mountain Howitzers.

As a member of Battery D, 5th Artillery, George participated in numerous engagements throughout the war. Notable engagements include the siege of Yorktown, Hannover Courthouse, Gains Mill, Malvern Hill, The Battle of Antietam, Shepherdstown, The Battle of Fredericksburg, Battle of Chancellorsville, Battle of Gettysburg, Rappahannock Station, Mine Run Campaign, Battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, North Anna River, Cold Harbor, Siege of Petersburg, and the Appomattox Campaign. George was present on April 9th, 1865 when Lee formally surrendered at Appomattox courthouse.

George is sometimes called "Hoppy" or "Hopalong" in reference to his persistent limp due to a right knee injury caused by a horse falling on him at Gettysburg. By the end of the war George had been promoted to the rank of Brevet Lieutenant of light-artillery under Captain J. B. Rawls. He was in charge of the second section, two M1841 12-pound howitzers.

At the close of the war Battery D participated in the Grand Review at Washington DC. George's brevet rank terminated at the end of the war and he was granted the permanent rank of First Sergeant. The 5th Artillery regiment moved its headquarters to Fort Monroe, Virginia where it remained through June of 1867. In 1867 and 1868 the unit was stationed in variously at Columbia, South Carolina, Richmond, Virginia, and Fort Jefferson, Florida.  In 1869 the regiment vacated its quarters in the South and moved North to New England, first at Fort Trumbull, Connecticut, and then Fort Sullivan, Maine. In 1870 the Feinians attempted an invasion of Canada and most of the 5th Artillery Regiment was sent into the field to defend the northern border. However, George and Battery D remained encamped at Ft. Sullivan where they remained garrisoned through the fall of 1875. At that point the battery again moved southward proceeding from Charleston, South Carolina, to St. Augustine, Key West and Barrancas, Florida, finally taking up garrison duty at Savannah, Georgia where they remained until 1877. The railroad and coal strikes of 1877 took Battery D to various towns in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland to aid in suppressing violence and protecting property. The battery returned to Savannah and remained there until November, 1881 when the regiment turned northward again and garrisoned the forts in New York Harbor. On August 15, 1882, Battery D, under Captain J. B. Rawles, became a light-battery was stationed at Fort Omaha, Nebraska where they arrived on September 11. Finally in 1885 the battery moved to Fort Douglas, Utah Territory.

Today in 1888, George Washington Strong is First Sergeant, Battery D of the 5th US Artillery Regiment. He is presently stationed at Fort Douglas, Utah Territory serving under Captain J. B. Rawls.




If this all pans out I can develop uniforms for myself (G.W. Strong) at various points along my timeline.

Please share your thoughts.

[FTrooper]

Nice.
5th Artillery was formed for the War, so if you enlisted as part of the new unit if is very fitting to say you were still in in 1888 and advanced to 1st Sgt. (note, the farbiest thing ever is when you see light artillery Sgt Majors and QM Sgt's...light batteries, except during the war, were only one or two per regiment).

Talk to me about service stripes and Civil War Veteran's medals for those "dress" occasions!

Chris Fischer
F-Troop

[FTrooper]

and to be nit-picky, the piped blouse was pretty much gone by 1886.   

Chris Fischer
F-Troop

[G.W. Strong]

and to be nit-picky, the piped blouse was pretty much gone by 1886.   

Chris Fischer
F-Troop

I have ordered the later, non-piped variety as well.

[FTrooper]

Works for me...no we just need to get you a GAR medal and a Army of the Potomac Veteran's Medal!  :-D

Chris Fischer
F-Troop

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I don't know ANY of the history that you mention, but what you have done "sounds" great!  I'd love to see pictures of your "Impression" including any gear you wish to show. 

I wish I could FIND more history about my own family.  My knowledge pretty much stops with my grandfather Frederick Raymond Bailey.  There are VERY few Baileys (of our family) left.  I have 2 younger cousins; one of whom MAY live in Texas and the other MAY be in Florida or Virginia.  Our Fathers were close, but neither cousin (or Uncle Jim's 2nd wife) saw fit to even notify me when my Uncle Jim died.  We (Mom & I) only found out about it more than 2 months after his passing.  I'm STILL pi$$ed.  A lot.