| In the Spring of 2000, we learned of the children of William H. and
Mary Wannall, and we believe the George profiled here is one of those offspring.
According to a document from the National Archives in Washington, DC, a
George Wannall of Maryland applied for a government pension for his service
as a Union soldier in the U.S. Civil War. Since then we found documents
from the Civil War Muster Rolls showing two entries for George Wannall.
In one he was listed as a Private in Company F, 6th Battalion, DC Military
Infantry fignting for the Union (National Archives Microfilm Box 00538,
Roll 0003, Record 00002278.) In the second he entered as a Corporal
into Company AD, 3rd Maryland Infantry, where he attained the rank of Sergeant.
Again he was listed as a Union soldier (National Archives Microfilm Box
000388, Roll 0013, Record 00000550.)
In the summer of 2001 a contributor to these pages, who has a "specific
interest ... in the members of the 3rd Maryland Infantry Regiment", sent
us more information he had uncovered while searching the National Archives
in Washington, DC. According to his email, there was a listing for
Wannall, George W., also shown as Warnell and Wannell. Before entering
the Civil war, George was shown as having served in Company F, 6th Battalion,
DC Infantry. This was probably a 3-month stint in 1861. He
was age 19 (we assume in 1861, making his date of birth circa 1842), 5'
5" tall, born in Baltimore, MD and had an occupation of Laborer.
He enlisted as a Private in Company A, September 12, 1861, and transferred
to Company D in February, 1862. The record on George is unclear for
the period between August 28, 1862, and December, 1862. One account
lists him as absent and sick in a hospital in Washington, DC during this
time, but another says he was possibly taken prisoner on September 16,
1862 at the Battle of Antietam in Sharpsburg, MD. (Even this acccount
is unclear; he may have been in Beverly Ford, VA, when taken prisoner.)
In any event, George was reported to be a "Veteran Volunteer" at the start
of 1863, and was promoted to Corporal in approximately April of that year.
On December 4, 1863, George received a stab wound from a John Locker while
breaking up a fight. For some reason he was reduced in rank to Private
in April, 1864. Between May, 1864, and April, 1865, he was on detached
service with an Ambulance Corps and a Brigade teamster. On July 1,
1865, George was promoted to Sergeant, a rank he held until his discharge
on July 31 of the same year. After the war, George resided in Baltimore,
MD, where he died on January 29, 1917. We do not yet know where he
is buried, but we are continuing our investigation.
Last updated: June 30, 2001 |
