Dear WRG web addicts: I just received two envelopes from the National Archives last night and I couldn't wait to tell someone the gene-goodies that were in the Civil War files. Just to refresh your memory where we were last time we talked. I discovered that the younger brother George Whitney had enlisted in the 30th Regiment New York State Vol. and had served in the First Brigade. His brother was killed in the Battle of South Mountain on Sept. 14,1862 while in the 22 Regiment NYSV. The records I just received show that George left Albany Depot, New York on his way as a raw recruit to join his brothers brigade on Oct.8, 1862. He enlisted for 3 years and was paid a bounty of $254. His height was 5 feet 5 inches,dark hair, dark complexion, and dark eyes. He enlisted at Watervliet,NY and was born in Saratoga Co. His occupation is shown as Carder. I assume this is an operator of the Card in a textile mill. George was assigned to Company D in the 30th Regiment until May 24, 1863. There were so few men left at that point the Regiment was ineffective. The remnants were passed to the 76th Regiment under Gen. Doubleday. On July 1, 1863 his Regiment fired the first shots of Gettysburg. He was listed as missing in action on July 1, 1863. On the muster roll for July and August 1863 he is shown as absent sick. Was he wounded? Was he sent to the hospitals in Philadelphia? He was "found" by the Provost Marshal Lt. Col. Frink and on Sept. 18 shipped back to his regiment as a "straggler". Now the question is why did the Army charge the Pvt. the sum of $2.76 on account of transportation from Philadelphia to join his regiment back in Washington if he was wounded? He was carried on the rolls until the next year and on July 1, 1864 by special order of Hdqts.General Warren-5th Corps. he was placed on duty as a nurse at City Point Hospital in Virginia. The last entry on the muster is stamped-"Transferred to the 147th New York". My next move will be to request George's records while in the 147th. Regiment until the end of the war in 1865. I also will attempt to find a record of the hospital at City Point, Va. if these are not as supposed contained in the pension file I am expecting soon. The next surprise was a letter from the Archives wishing confirmation on George N. Whitney's pension file. It showed a widows request from a Jennie G. Whitney in 1908. I also found in a microfilm file in Ancestry.com another pension request from George Whitney as a invalid years earlier. So this is the file that should have lots of medical information on George if he was wounded. I have requested this file from Washington also. I have also discovered some records on a Jennie Whitney. I see a 1915 New York State Census from Albany, New York -Election District# 2, Ward#12. This I think is the Old Ladies Home in Albany. So I have many new leads to pursue. I wait anxiously for new packages from the Archives. I'm on the trail. Please comment on any of this data or add any ideas to mine. I need help as I am learning as I go. Respectively yours, James E. Whitney, II