Chauncey’s Civil War continued......

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Peter W. Blakesley, a laborer from Jerusalem NY enlisted at Canandaigua NY April 12, 1865 in the

194th NYS Vol. Infantry, assigned to Company E. Description: age 18, 5’ - 7, light hair &,

complexion blue eyes. His regiment was mustered out May 3, 1865. Pete was paid $100 bounty for a

month of service. He was the luckiest boy in the family! Redneck rich with 100 bucks in his jeans &

never even left home. He died Aug. 12, 1908 in South Tacoma, Washington. He was the son of

Marvin & Margaret Dinehart Blakesley. Marvin was a son of William & brother of George [Sr].

SEE LINK  Children Wm/Maria

George H. Blakesley, a farmer from Milo NY enlisted at Penn Yan NY on Dec. 15, 1863 in the 14th NYS Heavy Artillery, assigned to company G. Description: age given 18 years -  2 months [ actual age 16 per cemetery records], 5’- 4 1/2” tall, light hair & complexion, blue eyes. The author knows very little about the regiments war history except they were deployed to the defense of Washington D. C. & later to Petersburg VA to serve as infantry with Gen. Grant. Whatever they did, George H. was not much involved. This poor boy spent most of his army service on leave, in hospital or both.

This was his career:

    1- Went with regiment to Washington DC. Listed as present, Jan. & Feb. 1864 

    2-Admitted to Post Hospital, Fort Richmond NY Harbor March 16, 1864-Measles-returned to duty

       March 18, 1864.

    3-Granted a 7 day leave March 30, 1864. Listed as absent sick April 26 to June 6 then listed as

        deserted in June. AWOL June 6 to Sept. 23. Returned to duty Sept. 24, 1864. He was probably at

         his parents home in Jerusalem NY during this time.

    4-Admitted to 12th Division Hospital Oct. 26, 1864, transferred to 3rd Division Slough Branch US

        General Alexandria VA Dec. 1, 1864 with Bronchitis & Endocarditis [inflammation of the heart

         cavity membrane lining]. While there he receives the following letter:

Translation:                                                      Dec 16th 1864

My dear son i now take my pen in hand to let you know how are are your father [Marvin] is very sick and is not expected [to] live ???? he was take the twelfth and and the doctter has about given him up and he wants if there is any possible way of your getting home he wants you to come for being as he sold the farm he wants you to come and sell off the personel property for he dont think he will live for there’s nobody here to tend to this and if you cant come now he wants you to come as soon as you can we recieved your letter yesterday and was glad to here from you  i cant think of any thing more at presence yours truly

                                      Marvin Blakesley [or is it Margaret ?]

Write as soon as you get this

From his hospital bed George H. wrote the following letter:

A leave of 15 days was granted on Dec. 30, 1864. He apparently never returned to duty because the company muster rolls show him absent for Jan. thru April 1865. He was discharged May 27, 1865.

Some notes about the letters:

1 - His mother’s [Margaret Dinehart Blakesley] letter was blunt & almost cruel in putting a burden

     on a  sickly 17 year old boy. His brother Peter, age 19, was still at home. Why could he not handle

     things there?  Why did she sign her letter “Yours truly, Marvin Blakesley” instead of “your loving

     mother.....” ? Maybe someone else wrote it. 2 - George’s letter was not written by him. His

     signature is different handwriting then the text.

3 - His father Marvin did not die until 1906, out living George H. who died in 1891. 

4 - Was this a ruse to get their sick young son home for good ? If so, it worked. Who could blame his

     parents. They had already seen 3 young nephews & a brother die in this war.               

     George H. Blakesley is buried in Lakeview Cemetery Penn Yan, Yates Co. NY