This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: McGinnis Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/Jg.2ADI/1191.1.1.1.2.1 Message Board Post: In the early days of the Civil War, Joseph McGinnis enlisted as a private in Company B, 46th Illinois US Infantry. His unit was enrolled on 10 September 1861at Freeport Illinois. Joseph was mustered into Federal service on 14 September 1861 at Camp Butler, Illinois. This was an Army training camp in Sangamon County, near Springfield. Joseph died at Camp Butler during his training. I have not located a cause of death. He was probably buried in the Clay Cemetery, Jo Daviess Co., IL, as there is a marker there for him. The distance from Camp Butler is not great, so his body could have been shipped home. James McGinnis was living in Brunswick Township, Eau Claire Co., Wisconsin, when he enlisted in Company C, 8th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry on 1 August 1861 at Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He was mustered into Federal service at Camp Randall near Madison Wisconsin on 9 September 1861. He was listed as being 19, married, born in Indiana, grayish eyes, dark hair light complexion, 5 ft. 9 in., occupation of farmer. He was appointed the first bearer of Company C's mascot, a juvenile bald eagle, Old Abe. James was bearer of the eagle during actions in Fredrickstown MO, Point Pleasant MO, New Madrid and Island No. 10, TN, and Farmington MS. Although the 8th Wis. saw action in these, none were major all-out battles. James became ill, the major cause of casualties in the 8th Wis., in May 1862. He may have been in other military hospitals for which I have no record. He was in Seminary Hospital at Jackson Tennessee when he died on 19 September 1862. He was buried in the military cemetery at Corinth Mississippi. When he died, the first part of the battle around Corinth and Iuka Mississippi was over and the second had not begun as yet. So he was buried with casualties of Corinth-Iuka. I have just recently seen a letter from James to his father Francis, written from army camp in Sulfur Springs Missouri on 26 December 1861. His father had just notified him of his brother Joseph's death. "I regretted to hear of Josephs death yet I take consolation in knowing that he lost his life while serving in a great and good cause. If it is my fate to die in battle, I can cheerfully resign myself to that fate and will do so without a murmur."