Civil War Veteran Private Edwin H. Sheldon

Edwin H. Sheldon is a distant second or third cousin. His parents are most likely our first cousin Ephraim Sheldon (1783-1868) and his second wife Lydia Mills Sheldon (d. 1871). Alternatively, Edwin's parents are our second cousin Joseph D. Sheldon and his wife Harriet Jane Draper Sheldon (Joseph D. Sheldon is son of the aforementioned Ephraim Sheldon). In any case, Edwin H. Sheldon, who died at age 26 years in August 1867, is either the son or grandson of our first cousin Ephraim Sheldon (1783-1868). Regardless of the truth in this matter, it is a fact that nearly forty-percent of Edwin's young adult life was spent in wartime military uniformed service to his county. Our two year investigation thus far yields insufficient primary documents found to certify Edwin H. Sheldon's lineage.

Edwin H. Sheldon is the same Edwin H. Sheldon cited in National Park Service records as the Civil War Veteran of Company I, 2nd Regiment, U.S. Cavalry (Regular Army), who served three years as an enlisted cavalry trooper and private soldier in the many American Civil War union campaigns in and around Virginia and under the aggressive and gallant cavalry leader General Philip H. Sheridan. One-hundred percent confirmation is now unlikely since the U.S. Army did not create Compiled Military Service Records (CMSR) for Civil War Regular Army soldiers, as created for Civil War State Volunteers.  This fact discovered in a letter dated July 14, 2016 from National Archives Records Administration (NARA) in Washington, D.C.  Attempts to secure Edwin's military records from the NARA now seems impossible, since U.S. Army service records on Regular Soldiers were apparently and rather unbelievably never created. From official records “Register of Enlistments – U.S. Army – 1798-1914” – Private Edwin H. Sheldon enlisted for a three year stint on 5 September 1861 in the regular Army Cavalry and was Honorably Discharged at termination of enlistment 5 September 1864 at Summit Point, Virginia. In less than three years from military discharge Edwin was dead, aged 26 years. Unknown is if Edwin's untimely death was related to military service wounds or sickness.  He is interred in the Sheldon Family Plot at the presently inactive Betty Brook Road Cemetery, Town of Kortright, Delaware County, New York. Edwin's federal-furnished Military Veteran gravestone is inscribed as follows:

“EDWIN H. SHELDON,

Served 3 years in the late war

under Gen. Sheridan,

DIED AUG., 22, 1867

AGED

26 YEARS.”

Last year Edwin's monument was discovered dislodged from its base as indicated in the photo below:

  

It was resolved to reset the monument, but events prevented doing this work last year.  Necessary research proved there is an easement in the deed of the local surrounding landowner that sets aside the cemetery as public lands, and that the outer section of the property driveway is declared a public right-of-way for visitor access to the small cemetery.  Earlier this year verbal permission was granted by Kortright Town Supervisor Mr. George Haynes to do monument repairs. The reset task was completed in May 2016.  

Repair materials include: 2 bags of Quikrete ready cement, two new anchor bolts, a tube of construction adhesive, 2 landscape tiles, and a half cu. ft. bag of white marble landscape chips.  A new Grand Army of the Republic (GAR Veteran) grave marker and flag holder was added. A quantity of form and shoring lumber is also necessary providing sufficient monument stability for about 10 days concrete set and cure period.  

A final photo of the monument reset project appears below:

Thank you Private Edwin H. Sheldon for those gallant and courageous U.S. Army Cavalry services rendered in support of that great wartime effort to preserve the union.