Bedford County PA Archives Biographies.....Amos, John Border April 13, 1833 - February 20, 1901
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Ann Sinton asinton@verizon.net January 28, 2009, 8:13 am
Author: Ann Sinton
The Biography of John B. Amos, Civil War Veteran
By
Ann M. Sinton
Biography of John B. Amos (1833 1901, Civil War Veteran
The Amos family dates back to at least 1800 in Bedford County,
Pennsylvania, with a John Amos being listed in every census up until John B.
Amos, the subject of this biography and thereafter. Bedford, Pennsylvania was
first settled about 1750 and was known as Raystown. Two years later the name
was officially changed to Bedford and in 1766 the town was surveyed and laid
out. The county of Bedford was organized in 1771. 15
John B. Amos was born on April 13, 1833 in Bedford Township, Bedford
County, Pennsylvania. He was the fourth child of ten and eldest son of John
Amos, an arms maker of Bedford County, and Rebecca Border, sister of Daniel
Border, a well known arms maker and partner in the company Amos and
Border. The Amos & Border Company was well known for their model of the
Pennsylvania Long Rifle, shown below, in the early 1800's. 16
Not many details are known of John's early life, but he begins to show up in
records with his christening at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Bedford,
Pennsylvania on March 14, 1834.14 In the 1840 census he is listed as a male
between 5 and 10 years of age in his father's household and again in the 1850
census he is listed with his father. 2, 3 By this time he is 17 years old
and his occupation is recorded as that of a farmer.13 It is not known what
crops John grew, but rye was the major crop grown in Bedford County up until
1860. It was used often for whiskey making. After 1860, general farming was
the prevalent description of farming in Bedford county. 27 At the age of 22,
John was married to Sarah Mowry of Bedford Township, on May 3, 1855 by the
Rev. B.F. Benedict in Bedford, Pennsylvania. 8 In 1858, a John Amos is listed
as a Director of the Poor in Bedford County. 1 It is not clear, however, if
this is John B. Amos, his father John, or one of several other John Amos'
living in Bedford County at that time. By the 1860 Census John and Sarah's
family is recorded in Bedford Township. John is 27 years old, Sarah is 24,
Franklin is 2 and Ellen(Elnorah) is 9 months old. One short year later,
John's life follows the path of thousands of other young men with the start of
the American Civil War. Leaving behind his young wife, Sarah, 3year old
Franklin, 2year old Elnorah and new addition 3 month old Jennie, John musters
into his regiment on October 12, 1861 as a private.5 According to Pennsylvania
State Archives records, at the time of John's enlistment he is described as
5'11 with a light complexion, light hair, and grey eyes.19 His initial
enlistment into Company D of the 55th Pennsylvania Infantry will last 3
years.
At the start of the Civil War, the call for recruits went answered by men of
all walks of life, patriotism being the main motivator for enlistment.
Regiments were formed by state and enlistment periods ran anywhere from 3
months to 3 years. When attempting to form local units, public gatherings
were scheduled complete with speeches, flag waving, bands, and veterans of
previous wars. Some states were able to provide some of the uniforms for the
men but women's sewing groups were counted upon to clothe their soldiers as
well. Gray was a favorite color in the early part of the war, causing much
confusion during some battles as both North and South used the color.
Equipment ran the gamut from obsolete muskets to the modern Sharps rifle. The
initial encampment of the company was usually located in their home community
which would allow family visits. The first activity would be the election of
officers for the company. Captains and Leuitenants were chosen by the men.
Training while the company was still in the home area varied. When the time
came for the company to depart, the men were granted a furlough to say their
goodbyes to family and friends. The actual departure of the unit was a public
affair usually marked by a parade thru town. The men would then board a train
or boat that would carry them to their final training destination.
A Bedford Inquirer newspaper article dated October 11, 1861 telling
of this regiment's departure was found and states as follows:
BEDFORD RIFLEMAN
The Bedford Riflemen under the command of Capt. Thos. J. Lyons and
Lieut. Sol. S. Metzger, left our place yesterday for Harrisburg. They
numbered about 60 men. Capt. Lyons' company is composed of as steady, orderly
and good looking men as have yet left our County, and every man looks every
inch a soldier. The company before leaving were addressed at the Court House
by Dr. O. N. Hickok, and Gen.(?) G.W. Bowman in quite eloquent and patriotic
addresses. At the conclusion of (cash appeals?) they were loudly and
enthusiastically cheered. The company was followed out of the borough by an
immense crowd from the town and surrounding country. The Bedford Riflemen
leave our place with the unanimous wish of our citizens for their welfare and
safe return to their homes and friends. God bless them!
John's regiment was formally organized at Camp Curtin in Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania.9 The regiment was made up of 10 companies from the following
counties: Bedford(D,H, & K), Cambria(A & C), Berks(B), Schuylkill(E), Indiana
(F), Dauphin(G), and Blair(I).11 Camp Curtin was named for Pennsylvania's
then Governor, Andrew Curtin. It was located between Reel's Lane, the
Pennsylvania Railroad tracks to the east, Maclay Street, and Fifth Street.
Camp Curtin became the Federal's largest camp and it's proximity to major
railroads made it the perfect location for shipping men and supplies to the
armies. It's strategic location also made it a target of the Confederates in
both the Antietam and Gettysburg campaigns. 12
At Camp Curtin, drill and discipline were beginning to be taught to the new
recruits. The day began with reveille at about 5 or 6 a.m. There was roll
call, breakfast call, sick call, call for guard duty, then drill call and
dinner call - all before noon. The men had a short period of free time
after their meal then came more drilling. Companies were dismissed in late
afternoon, but their work was not over. The men had to brush their uniforms,
polish shoes and brass in preparation for the nightly retreat exercises which
included another roll call, inspection of the troops and a dress parade.
Supper call followed this and then yet another roll call after which the men
were ordered to their quarters. Taps was the final call of the day. The
drills for new recruits were made up of mostly handling arms and practicing
maneuvers. Often mock skirmishes were held. The men's main shelter was the
tent. There were several types, some held 12 men and some as little as 4
men. The men were also issued a haversack. This held his cartridge box,
bayonet, blankets, canteen, and knapsack. The knapsack held clothing,
stationery, photos, personal hygiene items, books, and other personal items.
There were also food implements either packed on the knapsack or hooked to the
soldier's belt. On top of everything was the winter overcoat, an extra
burden, often discarded to lighten the weight of the pack which could weigh as
much as 40 or 50 pounds. Once the initial wave of emotion wore off, the day
to day routines quickly became the source of complaints over everything from
camp conditions to missing family. Many desertions took place as the war
continued. Privates in the Union Army were paid $13 per month, by the end of
the war it was only up to $16. Regulations called for soldiers to be paid
every two months, but they were lucky to receive their pay at four month
intervals. Leuitenants made $105 per month, so John's promotion to Lt. at the
end of the war made quite a difference in his pocket on payday.
This newspaper article from the November 22, 1861 Bedford Inquirer tells of
the regiment's departure from Camp Curtin in Harrisburg.
Col. Richard White's regiment left Harrisburg on Wednesday last. Col.
Power's regiment left on Monday last. Destination South Carolina. In White's
regiment are the following Companies: Capts. Filler's, Lyons, Geo. S.
Mullin's and Madera's. In Power's regiment is Capt. H. L. Ryce's Company
from Bedford.
So on November 22, 1861, about a month after John's enlistment, the regiment,
nearly 800 strong, left for Fortress Monroe, Virginia where their training
continued. While at Fort Monroe, John spent 12 days confined to the General
Hospital there with a case of German Measles, recovering in time to make the
voyage to Port Royal, South Carolina. The regiment was attached to Brig. Gen.
Thomas Sherman's Expedition to South Carolina, which had begun sailing from
Hampton Roads on October 29, 1861. 10 On Dec. 8, 1861, John's regiment set
sail on the 4 day voyage to Port Royal, South Carolina, near Hilton Head.
Upon their arrival they were immediately put on duty guarding the small
islands in the area. 11
During this more than 2 year tour in South Carolina, the 55th participated in
various actions under the command of Col. Richard White of Indiana Co.,
Pennsylvania.11 In February of 1862, the regiment was transferred to Edisto
Island, where it met it's first opposition. On March 29, 1862, several of the
companies were attacked by Confederate troops numbering approximately two
thousand. The rebels were repulsed, but about 20 Union soldiers were killed
or wounded. During this action, John's service record shows that he was sick
in quarters for the months of March and April 1862. His records do not
specifically detail the reason for his sick in quarters status, but some
common ailments were diarrhea, dysentery, malaria, typhoid, yellow fever,
rheumatism, pneumonia, scurvy, and tuberculosis. Outbreaks of smallpox and
measles were common as well. Many more deaths during the civil war were
attributed to disease than to battle
wounds.18
In May of 1862, John was promoted to Corporal. The 55th continued duty
through the sizzling South Carolina summer and in October of that year was
part of a four thousand troop expedition up the Broad River., northwest of
Beaufort. The mission was to destroy the Savananah & Charleston Railroad at
the Pocotaligo Bridge. On October 22, 1862, the 55th engaged the enemy at
both the Caston and Frampton Plantations, but were driven into retreating back
over the Pocotaligo River burning the bridge as they went. The battle at the
bridge lasted for 6 hours, but the Union army was forced to retreat again
overnight due to the fact that they were running low on ammunition and they
were unable to overcome the enemy. This engagement was counted as a loss with
the 55th's casualties: 1 officer killed, 3 enlisted killed, and 25 enlisted
wounded.10
In a report from Col. Richard White of the 55th Regiment in reference to
actions taken at these battles, he commends the companies that participated.
John's Company D among them.
From Col White's report:
Near Frampton the command was ordered to double-quick which was promptly
obeyed. At this point it came under a very heavy and destructive fire from
shell and canister from the enemy's batteries. The order was received to form
in column and advance; and, although the most of the command had never been
exposed to a cannonade so severe and so sustained and men were falling rapidly
from it's effects yet the order was executed with admirable promptitude and
precision, the officers, with one exception, setting a noble example, which
was imitated by the rank and file. The order was then received to get under
cover for a time, while our artillery operated against the enemy's guns. Then
the order was sent to charge. Together with the 47th PA Volunteers and 6th CT
my command rushed, in and although the ground was exceedingly difficult,
covered with a dense thicket, with a swamp in front, our men, with remarkable
energy, at once overcame these obstacles, swept over the hostile position, and
rapidly pursued the fleeing enemy. The pursuit was continued to Pocotoligo
where the enemy had again taken up a strong position, broken the bridge over
the creek in his front and while re-enforcements were arriving to his support
opened a heavy fire of cannon and musketry. My command, having come up at the
double-quick was ordered into position on our left. In obedience to an order
for two companies of sharpshooters to operate against the enemy's batteries,
Companies A and B, were thrown forward. These companies well armed with good
weapons, went in with the greatest enthusiasm and their deadly fire soon
caused the enemy's cannonade to slacken, and more than held their own in the
contest with the enemies sharpshooters. This, being carried on at short
range, was quite bloody. Companies D and E, were also sent forward to support
our battery, but being armed with altered smooth-bore muskets their fire could
not compete with that of the enemy's splendidly armed sharpshooters. They
were brought off. These gallant men fulfilled every duty practicable to men
in their situation. Company D fired as long as they could load their muskets,
which after a few rounds became so foul that a cartridge could hardly be
rammed down, and even then many of the cones were blown out of the seats. The
experience of Company E in the matter of arms is the same as that of Company
D. In the latter company the captain received a ball through his sleeve and
four of his men were wounded. Captain Bennett of Company E, was killed on the
spot. I trust I am within the line of duty in respectfully claiming the
attention of the general commanding to the fact that the usefulness of my
command was limited by its armament. So far as it was equipped with rifles and
Springfield muskets so far was it of account. I was compelled to withdraw
gallant men and capital marksmen because the weapons they carried were worse
than useless. True our bayonets might have counted for something, but that
was the fault of the enemy, not ours. He did not wait to give us an
opportunity to handle them. Late in the evening I was ordered to withdraw my
command beyond the second line of defense and from there to Mackey's Landing.
This was accomplished in the best of order. My command remained there until
all the troops had embarked, being the last to quit the spot.10
Shortly after these engagements, John found himself admitted to the regimental
hospital with an intermittent fever, most likely malaria, common to the South
Carolina coastal area. This fever occurred a total of three times, each stay
at the hospital lasting from 2 days up to as many as 11 days. 20
After the expedition up the Broad River, the regiment was quartered at Port
Royal Ferry, near Beaufort, SC, for more than a year. They were assigned to
picket duty there. Picket duty was the most hazardous duty work that
infantrymen would perform in the field. They were the advanced outpost who
were the first to encounter major movements made by the enemy. They were a
favorite target of snipers and were often the first to be killed, wounded, or
captured. This duty was rotated among the various companies in the regiment.
22
According to John's pension records, he reenlisted along with the rest of his
regiment as a Veteran Volunteer and John was promoted to !st Sergeant on Jan.
1, 1864. On Jan. 22 1864, the regiment left for Harrisburg to be dismissed on
furlough, which lasted until Mar. 23, 1864. John is personally listed in his
service record as absent on furlough during January and February and present
with the regiment in March, April and May. He must have visited home and
family in Bedford during this furlough because later in the year, in October
1864, he would become a father to his fourth child, a son, Charles. On Mar.
23, 1864, the 55th Pa. returned to South Carolina, but only for a short time.
Now with nearly 1500 men, the 55th Pa. was transferred to the Army of the
James and embarked for Virginia and a more active arena of the war. At
Gloucester Point, Virginia, on April 12, 1864, the 55th was transferred to the
Dept. of Va & NC, 10th Army Corps, 3rd Division, 1st Brigade under the command
of Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler.10 From May 5 28, 1864, Gen. Butler conducted
operations along the south side of the James River and against Petersburg,
Virginia. Upon arriving at the General's lines at Bermuda Hundred, the
regiment was armed with axes and was tasked with chopping timber. They
performed this duty under fire from artillery and rebel sharpshooters. 11
The Battles of Swift Creek & Chester Station were fought on May 9-10, 1864 in
Chesterfield Co., Virginia. The 55th participated in these battles which had
neither Union nor Confederates being able to claim victory. At 5 am on May
9th, the brigade began it's duty of tearing up and burning several hundred
yards of the Richmond & Petersburg Railroad track, disabling a roadway that
served as a line of communication and transportation, and destroying telegraph
lines. During this operation no enemy troops were sighted. About 10:30 am
the brigade began marching toward Swift Creek and came upon another Union
brigade who was engaged with the enemy. !st brigade was ordered to support
these troops and as a result were exposed to artillery fire. The 55th took
some casualties in this action. The firing ended about dark and the brigade
was able to camp close to a small church near Swift Creek. The next morning,
about 10 am, the brigade was ordered to the support of another division who
was engaged with the enemy near where the railroad had been torn up. By the
time they arrived the enemy had already retired. The men of this brigade were
praised for their performance of these two days under the excessive heat of
the sun without much apparent suffering.10 After being repulsed at Swift
Creek, General Butler returned to his entrenchments at Bermuda Hundred,
Virginia. On the 12th of May 1864, he moved his troops north to engage the
Confederates at Drewry's Bluff, still in Chesterfield Co, Virginia. In stiff
fighting, Butler was successful but still cautious which gave Beauregard time
to fortify his troops. At dawn on May 16th, the Confederates attacked. The
55th, feeling the full force of the enemy attack, held their ground in a
position on the extreme left of the line, until they were almost completely
surrounded, when three companies (C,D, and E) led by Col. White attempted a
charge, they found that the enemy was too strong for them. The Colonel's
horse was shot from under him and he was taken prisoner along with some other
of his men. The fog ultimately created disorganization on the Federals part
and Butler again withdrew to his Bermuda Hundred lines and became bottled up
there.10 The loss of men to the regiment in those 8 days was 15 officers and
300 men. It was during this action on May 16th that John Amos received his
first injury. The incident is described by Josiah Hissong, of his Company.
Josiah says that I was present when Amos was struck with a piece of iron, a
joint bar for joining rails together. It was fired from a cannon on a truck
car, I helped Amos out of the ditch where he was knocked by the blow. The
joint bar first struck the track several times before striking Amos, therefore
it was partly spent but came with force enough to knock him down into the
ditch. 5 John's injury was to his hip. And the Battle at Drewry's Bluff was
another Confederate victory.
The Army continued operations on the Bermuda Hundred front from May 17 28,
1864. On the 28th, the 55th PA began moving via transport vessels up the
James River and down the York River to White House, Virginia and were
transferred to the 18th Army Corps in the Army of the Potomac, becoming the
1st Brigade(General Stannard) in the 2nd Division(General Martingale). By
June 1st, they had arrived at Cold Harbor, Virginia. The 55th participated in
the Battle of Cold Harbor immediately upon it's arrival at that location.
John must have been well enough to continue on with his regiment, because he
would again be injured in the coming days. The Battle of Cold Harbor would go
on from June 1 12, 1864. At dawn, on June 3rd, the 55th PA regiment, under
the command of Capt. John Shearer initially, would charge on the enemy works,
taking the first line and almost the second line, when they were ordered to
fall back, but the order was mistaken as an order to lie down. Some of the
regiment lay down, but the rest did fall back and rallied under fire. In
this charge, Shearer fell wounded as well as his replacement, Capt. Nesbitt.
Command fell to Capt. Hill, who restored order to the regiment in the face of
severe fire from the enemy. During the withdrawal from the front, the 55th
was deployed in the front line, as a rear guard while other regiments
withdrew. This is the only charge ordered by General U.S. Grant that he ever
regretted . Thousands of Union soldiers were lost on that day. The battle
raged on until June 12 and became yet another Confederate victory. 11
John was wounded at Cold Harbor on June 3rd. His injuries were a gunshot
wound to the jaw and an injured wrist as described in his pension file. He
was wounded by a piece of shell which fractured the right jaw, cutting off the
arteries, lacerating the neck causing stiffness in the neck and also the left
wrist was knocked out of place. Wounds of the neck and head area were often
tended to after those of the extremities because they were usually considered
mortal, so John can be counted as extremely fortunate to have survived ,not
only the wound, but the treatment as well. The wound would have first been
dressed by the regimental surgeon before John's being sent north to Mt.
Pleasant General Hospital on June 8th, 1864. Most of the thousands of soldiers
wounded or killed at Cold Harbor were left on the battlefield for 4 days
before an order was issued by General Grant to retrieve them. John may very
well have been one of these. His wounds were serious enough this time to keep
him hospitalized as his service records show that he was in hospital during
July and August of 1864. Medical care during the Civil War was of a varied
state, depending upon the medical officer in charge, availability of supplies,
and the cleanliness of the camp. Field hospitals were one of the first places
a sick or wounded soldier would be treated. Dependent upon the severity of
your wound or sickness, you would be evacuated to a Regimental or General
Hospital as our John was after the wounds he received at Cold Harbor. Some
hospitals were showpieces, but many more were makeshift, utilizing warehouses,
schools, churches, etc. Poor ventilation and sanitation allowed many
diseases to run rampant and it wasn't long before even the newest recruit
would come down with one malady or another. On Sept. 8, 1864 John's records
show that he was committed to Old Capitol Prison, in Washington D.C., for
suspicion of being implicated with counterfeiters of US Treasury notes.
Furthermore, it is not clear whether he was in hospital there as well.
However, he is listed as in hospital until February 28, 1865. The Secret
Service was organized to conduct investigations into the counterfeiting
problem arising during the Civil War. Many individuals were detained with no
charges pressed. Conditions in jails and prisons were sparse at best. One
description tells of a cell in Detroit with only an iron bedstead with a
mattress full of seaweed or straw and a tub for nature's necessities. Some
cells were only furnished with a bench for a bed, no blanket for warmth. Some
prisoners were left in irons overnight with no food as well. Conditions at
Old Capital Prison may have been a little more hospitable as they hosted
many high profile prisoners. Military Justice was not much better, as
officers were given lesser punishments or none at all for the same offenses
committed by an enlisted soldier. 18 10Punishments also varied from regiment
to regiment depending upon the commander's wishes.
Old Capitol Prison was located on the present site of the U.S. Supreme Court
building at First St. and A' St NE in Washington DC. The original building
was erected about 1800 as a tavern and boarding house. It remained as such
until the British burned the U.S. Capitol building in 1814, during the War of
1812. On 8 December 1815 the U.S. Congress leased this building for their use.
In 1817 President James Monroe was inaugurated on a platform outside the Brick
Capitol, as this building became known. By 1825 the new U.S. Capitol building
was built and this temporary structure became, among other things, a boarding
house, a school, and a hotel at times. It also became known as the Old
Capitol. In 1853, Senator Isaac P Walker (Wisconsin), Representatives Orlando
B Ficklin (Illinois), and Representative Sampson W Harris (Alabama) resided in
Mrs. Hill's Old Capitol. By the time of the American Civil War in 1861 it was
a vacant building again. During the civil war this building again was
inhabited, this time as the Old Capitol Prison. It housed both Confederate and
Union prisoners as well as prisoners of state. Some famous prisoners were
Belle Boyd and Rose O'Neal, confederate spies, Captain Henry Wirz, commander
of the infamous confederate Andersonville prison in Georgia, and the April
14,1864 Lincoln assasination conspirators. Captain Henry Wirz was hanged 10
November 1865 in the Old Capitol Prison yard, and was the only Confederate
tried and hanged for war crimes. Four of the Lincoln conspirators, Lewis
Paine, George Atzerodt, David Herold, and Mary Surratt were hanged in the yard
of the Old Capitol Prison on 7 July 1865. 28
During the period of time that John was hospitalized and in custody his son
Charles was born in October 1864. His regiment continued to see action during
this time as well, participating in the siege of Petersburg and Richmond from
June 1864 until April 1865, as well as the pursuit of Gen. Lee in April 1865.
Gen. Lee surrendered at Appomattox on April 9, 1865 and on April 14, 1865
President Lincoln was assassinated. John's Regiment was present at Appomattox
for the surrender and thereafter sent to Richmond, Virginia, where they stayed
until July 1865. Confusingly, John's records show that he was discharged on
June 8, 1865 for promotion to 2nd Lieut. in his same company and regiment.
On June 12, 1865, he was commissioned to 1st Lieut. This is curious
especially following his imprisonment. On August 30, 1865, John mustered
out of his regiment in Petersburg, Virginia as a 2nd Lieut. and the regiment
returned to Harrisburg to receive their final pay and return to their
homes. About a year after his return home, his daughter Annie was born in
September 1866. Annie was followed by Ralph in1869, Ross in 1871, Rena in
1873, Sallie in 1875, and Mary in 1877. John's father would also survive to
see his son come home from war only to pass on two years later.
John and family show up in three more census reports. In 1870, the
first one after the war, the family is living in Bedford Township. John is
36; Sarah, 30; Elenora, 9: Jennie, 8; Chrles, 4; Ann Rebecca, 3; and Ralph,
1. John's occupation is farm worker and Elenora and Jennie attended school
that year. In 1880, John and Sarah have increased their family again and are
still living in Bedford Township. John, 46, is now listed as a laborer.
Sarah, 42, is keeping house. The children living with them are: Jennie, 19;
Charles, 16; Annie, 14; Ralph, 11; Ross, 8; Irene, 6; Sallie, 5; and May, 3.
All of the children, except Sallie and May, attended school that year.
Interestingly, the census taker that year was John's brother, Josiah Amos, age
32. The 1890 census was lost in a fire, so we do not know John's family
circumstances that year, but the 1890 Veteran's Schedule did survive. It
shows John as a veteran of the civil war living in Bedford Township with the
ailment of rheumatism. John and Sarah are still living in Bedford Township in
1900. John is now 67 years old but still working as a laborer, even though he
reports that he was unemployed for 6 months that year. . Additionally, he is
able to read and write as well. Three daughters, Anna, Sallie, and May are
still living with them. A granddaughter, Virginia Arnold, age 10, daughter of
Elnora and William Arnold, also lives with them at this time. A stairbuilder,
George Householder, and his wife and son are listed as boarders in John's
household. George turns out to be the husband of one of John's daughters,
Irene.
While John was in the hospital and prison, his son Charles was born in October
of 1864. John's regiment continued to see action, participating in the siege
of Petersburg and Richmond from June 1864 until April 1865, as well as the
pursuit of Gen. Lee in April 1865. In March and April of 1865, John is shown
as in custody of Col. Baker, Chief of Detectives Washington, DC and was then
delivered to civil authorities for trial on May 30, 1865. While John was in
custody of Col Baker, on April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered at
Appomattox and on April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated
by John Wilkes Booth. John's regiment, the 55th PA, was present at Appomattox
for the surrender and thereafter sent to Richmond, Virginia, where they stayed
until July 1865. The results of John's trial, if there was one, are not known
at this time, so one can only surmise that either charges against him were
dropped or that he was found innocent, since his service records show him
being discharged on June 8, 1865 for promotion to 2nd Lt. in his same company
and regiment. In newly organized units, the initial officers were elected by
the men. Thereafter, promotions came down from the regiment's Colonel.
Generally, Sergeants were promoted to Leuitenant because of a vacancy.
Promotions to recognize valor occurred occasionally, but that would have been
the exception. On June 12th , John was commissioned to 1st Lt. And on Aug
30, 1865 John mustered out of his regiment in Petersburg, Virginia as a 2nd
Lt.1 and proceeded to Harrisburg, where he received his final pay. There the
regiment was disbanded and they returned home. About one year later, his
daughter, Annie was born in September 1866. Annie was followed by Ralph in
1869, Ross in 1871, Rena in 1873, Sallie in 1875, and Mary in 1877. John's
father, John Amos the gunsmith, would survive to see his son come home from
war only to pass on 2 years later. His mother, Rebecca, lived until 1888.
John & Sarah Amos, as well as, John & Rebecca Amos are buried near each other
in the Bedford Cemetary on Rt. 220 .
John and family show up in four more census reports. In 1870, the first one
after the war, the family is living in Bedford Township. John is 36; Sarah,
30; Elenora, 9; Jennie, 8; Charles, 4; Ann Rebecca, 3; and Ralph, 1. John's
occupation is farm worker and Elenora and Jennie attended school that year.
In 1880, John and Sarah have increased their family again and are still living
in Bedford Township. John, 46, is now listed as a laborer. Sarah, 42, is
keeping house. The children living with them are: Jennie, 19; Charles, 16;
Annie, 14; Ralph, 11; Ross, 8; Irene, 6; Sallie, 5; and May, 3. All of the
children, except Sallie and May, attended school that year. Interestingly,
the census taker that year was John's brother, Josiah Amos, age 32. The 1890
census was lost in a fire so we do not know John's family's circumstances that
year, however the 1890 Veteran's Schedule does survive for that census year.
It shows that John was living in Bedford Township at the time and was a civil
war veteran. A disability of rheumatism is listed. The family shows up again
in Bedford Township in 1900, which would also be the last one for John and
Sarah. John is now 67 years old but still working as a laborer.
Additionally, he is able to read and write. John does not own his home, but
is listed as renting. John and Sarah have been married for 48 years by this
time. Sarah is 65 and has 9 of her 12 children still living. She is listed
as being able to read and write as well. Three daughters, Anna, Sally, and
May are still living with them. A granddaughter, Virginia Arnold, age 10,
probably daughter of Elnorah Amos Arnold and William Henry Arnold, also lives
with them at this time. A stairbuilder, George Householder, and his wife and
son are listed as boarders in John's household, but are actually John's
daughter and family. John's veterans pension was only about $ 17 a month and
even tho he lists an occupation, he also states that he was unemployed for 6
months that year. John Amos is also listed as a member of the local GAR post
for Civil War veterans. This would be Post #332, the Maj. William Watkins
Post. This Post met on the 4th Tuesday of each month according to the
book, History of Bedford, Somerset and Fulton Cos. of PA. The GAR was
founded in 1866. Membership was limited to honorable discharged veterans of
the Union Army, Navy, Marine Corps or the Revenue Cutter Service who had
served between April 12, 1861 and April 9, 1865.
John first applied for his veteran's pension in 1876. It took two years for
the pension to be granted. He received $4 per month. The award was, however,
retroactive to 1865, therefore John received an initial payment of $515.27.
In 1879, John applied for an increase in his pension. None was granted until
1885, when he was awarded $6 per month. Another increase was granted in 1886
and brought his payment up to $8 per month. By 1894 John was receiving $12
per month. Each time he applied for an increase of pension rate, he had to go
thru a medical exam to find out if his disability had gotten worse or not.
There was red tape to be waded thru, with affidavits needed to attest to his
disability and proof of service and marriage required as well. Over the years,
some were rejected and then approved when his disability was proven. John
must have lived a life of pain and disability after the war. From the
documents in his pension file, it can be seen that his disabilities grew worse
over time, until he was unable to do much work at all and had much trouble
sleeping and dealing with the pain of his injuries. He was described as
having one leg 2 shorter than the other and his muscles had atrophied so that
the shorter leg also measured smaller than the other. He walked with a
definite limp and used a cane. Also noted in documents are complaints of neck
cramping, scarce vision in his right eye, hearing loss, a cut in his tongue,
continuous twitching and jerking of the muscles in his right leg, and constant
pain of the lower jaw and right hip. At the time of his death at age 67, on
February 20, 1901, he was collecting $17 a month. The maximum veteran pension
payment at that time would have been $18 a month. His wife, Sarah, also made
a claim to collect the pension as his widow. At her death in 1905, she was
collecting $8 a month. 5
John's obituary from the Bedford Gazette, February 22, 1901 (Page 1) reads:
Lieut. John Border Amos
The subject of this sketch was born on April 13, 1833, on the old Amos farm
near Bedford now owned by Adam Sellers and died on February 20, 1901, at his
home in Bedford township. He was aged sixty-seven years, ten months and seven
days. The deceased was a son of John and Rebecca Amos. He served his country
during the civil war as a member of Company D, 55th regiment, and Pennsylvania
volunteers, enlisting as a private on October 12, 1861. He was promoted
successively to corporal, sergeant, 1st sergeant and to second lieutenant,
June 8, 1865, and was mustered out on August 30, 1865. At the battle of Cold
Harbor Lieutenant Amos was severely wounded. He married Miss Sarah Mower,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Mower, of Rainsburg. Twelve children were born
to them, three of whomWilliam, Frank and an infant daughterpreceded him to
the spirit world. His wife and the following children survive him: Mrs.
William Arnold, of Bedford township; Jennie and May, of Philadelphia: Charles,
of San Jose, Central America: Annie and Sallie, at home: Ralph, of Bedford
township: Ross, of Altoona, and Mrs. George Household, of Pittsburg. He is
also survived by four brothers and two sistersDaniel W., of Saxton; Samuel
B., of Bedford township; Frank M. of Hendricks, W. Va.; Josiah, of Bedford
borough; Mrs. Rebecca Akers, of Altoona, and Mrs. Elizabeth McMullin, of
Missouri. Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at two o'clock at
the home of decedent and will be conducted by Rev. M. L. Culler, of the
Lutheran church. Interment in the Bedford cemetery.
Lieutenant Amos was an enthusiastic hunter and an ardent disciple of Izak
Walton. He knew the haunts of the big bass and timid trout and frequently
acted as guide for fishing parties composed of guests at our summer resorts.
He was an honest, kind-hearted man and had many friends who will sincerely
mourn his death.
By now you are probably wondering how I am related to this farmer-soldier,
John Amos. He is my great, great, great grandfather. It is hoped that you
found this biography interesting and informative. As always these things are
a work in progress and I hope to find out even more about our soldier, Lt John
Border Amos. I would love to hear from any other descendents of John B.
Amos.
Sources for John Amos Biography
1. "History of Bedford, Somerset, and Fulton Counties, Pa." 1884, Waterman,
Watkins & Co.
2. 1840 Census Bedford Twp, Bedford Co, PA - www.ancestry.com
3. 1850 Census Bedford Twp, Bedford Co PA - www.ancestry.com
4. 1880 Census Bedford Twp, Bedford Co PA - www.ancestry.com
5. Civil War Pension Records of John B. Amos obtained from the National
Archives, Washington, D.C.
6. Battle Descriptions of some of the 55th PA Infantry's Actions in the Civil
War
http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/battles.htm
7. Information on Old Capitol Prison - Source:
http://www.mgl.ca/~sroberts/oldcapitolprison.html
8. Bedford Co. Marriage Records Board - www.pa-roots.com
9. Civil War Soldier database www.ancestry.com
10. Official Records Civil War www.ehistory.com - including battle
descriptions and correspondence
11. Bates, Samuel P. History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-65,
Harrisburg, 1868-1871.
12. History of Camp Curtin - http://www.campcurtin.org/campcurtin/about.html
14. International Genealogical Index (IGI) at www.familysearch.org
15. History of Bedford manuscript penned by Helen Heacock Davidson for an
English class in 1926.
16. Arms Makers of Pennsylvania, James B. Whisker, Selinsgrove: Susquehanna
University Press, 1990.
17. 55th Regiment Pennsylvanis Volunteers www.pa-roots.com
18. The Life of Billy Yank The Common Soldier of the Union, Bell Irwin
Wiley, Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge, 1952.
19. Pennsylvania State Archives
http://www.digitalarchives.state.pa.us/archive
20. Carded Medical Records for Civil War Veterans, John B. Amos; National
Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.
21. Battle Flag -
http://cpc.leg.state.pa.us/main/cpcweb/history/flags/showflag.html?
accession=1985.081
copyright: Capitol Preservation Committee
22. www.civilwarhome.com
23. www.sonofthesouth.net
24. www.civilwarclipart.com
25. Matthew Brady Photo
26. Historical Maps of Civil War Battlefields, Michael Sharpe, PRC
Publishing, London, 2000.
27. www.mypennsylvaniagenealogy.com/pa_county/bed.htm
28. http://www.mgl.ca/~sroberts/oldcapitolprison.html
29. http://suvcw.org/garinc.htm - GAR medal
30. http://www.memberbbb.com/bedford.htm - newspaper clipping
31. Bedford Cemetary Rt. 220, Bedford, Pennsylvania tombstone information
32. Bedford Inquirer microfilmed newspaper, Pioneer Library, Bedford,
Pennsylvania
Copyright, 2005
Additional Comments:
Photo uploaded is John Border Amos' gravestone.
Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/bedford/photos/bios/amos604gbs.jpg
This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/
File size: 41.1 Kb