CIVIL WAR DOCUMENTS OF STEPHEN CASEY, CONFEDERATE SOLDIER

I am participating in 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, a writing challenge encouraging genealogy researchers to write about their ancestors. The challenge is hosted by genealogist, blogger and podcaster Amy Johnson Crow.

Here's my post for Amy's Week 21 prompt: In the Military

By Nancy Gilbride Casey

Stephen Casey, Confederate Soldier, farmer, and 3x great grandfather to my husband. (Photo courtesy of T. Crow.)

Stephen Casey, the severe-looking fellow in this photo 1, is my husband's 3x great grandfather. He was a Confederate solider with the 14th Arkansas Infantry, Company B during the Civil War, enlisting on 16 July 1861 in Yellville, Marion, Arkansas, and discharged for disability on 20 Dec 1861 at Camp Madison. 2

Several fascinating documents found on online genealogy websites chronicle events in his military service.

A certified copy of Stephen's discharge papers (found in his Confederate pension application filed in 1896), give a terrific account of Stephen's appearance: "5' 10-3/4" tall" with "dark complexion, dark eyes and black hair." 3

The discharge detailed Stephen's rank as a corporal, noted he had not been paid since August 1861, that he was owed $7.20 for travel from Camp Madison to Yellville, a distance of "72 miles," and for clothing, in the amount of "$.71 cents." 4

The papers do not detail what disability forced Stephen to leave the 14th Arkansas, but it was fortunate that he did; just three months later on 7-8 March 1862, the 14th Arkansas was engaged in the Battle of Pea Ridge, and there, Stephen would lose one of his brothers, Levi Casey. 5 (Interestingly, several other relations also fought, but for the Union Army.)

At the conclusion of the war, Confederate soldiers were required to sign an Amnesty Oath, promising to defend the constitution of the United States and to follow any "acts of Congress passed during the existing rebellion with reference to slaves," among other provisions. In the oath, Stephen declares he intends to "follow the avocation of farming."6

Stephen Casey's Amnesty Oath cover.

Stephen Casey's Amnesty Oath, page 3.

Another document, part of his pension application, sheds light on his reasons for applying: a physician's letter attests to Stephen's physical infirmities at the time of application in 1896, when he was in his mid-late 70s. Dr. R.J. Pierce noted that in addition to being "nearly blind," Stephen also suffered from "angina pectorus" and "nervous prostration." He apparently also needed to support several "orphan" grandchildren, and his small farm was in a sad state: "the soil is sandy, and ruined from washes." 7

Dr. Pierce, stating that he had known Stephen for 20 years, painted a portrait of him as a "industrious, sober, honest, high-minded citizen," a "temperate man" and "not guilty of any vices," a "fit subject for benefits." 8

In spite of these reasons, Stephen's application was first approved by the Marion County Board for a pension of $75, and then rejected by the State Pension Board, with the reason "not allowed." 9 What happened?

One plausible explanation is that he simply filed the application too late that year, on July 6th, when they were due on July 1st. Pension funds may have been dwindling by that time in Arkansas and perhaps only the most solid cases, submitted within the deadline, may have been approved. 10

It is unclear exactly what happened to Stephen after this rejection, although it appears he did not reapply for a pension the following year. He is noted in two brief newspaper items in fall of 1896. 11

One of the two newspaper items mentioning Stephen Casey towards the end of his life. This one appeared in the Mountain Echo, 16 Oct 1896.

 

Stephen died sometime before 1900, as his second wife, Mary Jane Casey, appears in the 1900 Census for Marion County, Arkansas, listed as a widow. 12 Stephen is buried in Pyatt Cemetery in Patton, Marion, Arkansas.

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Note:   Stephen's service record is notable absent. Research into the 14th Arkansas have uncovered the possible reason: the regimental records were lost at Pea Ridge, and duplicate copies of the muster-in rolls were never sent to Confederate headquarters in Richmond. 13 Given that Stephen served less than one year, and he discharged before Pea Ridge, it seems plausible that his records were lost along with others created prior to 1862.

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CITATIONS

1 Stephen Casey photograph, ca. 1870; photocopy of original, privately held by [NAME & ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE]. Photo was passed down to Stephen Casey's grandson Samuel Stephen Casey, and then to Samuel's sister, and subsequently her grandson. Photocopy obtained by a cousin of this grandson, who shared with author. The location, condition and characteristics of the original are not known.

2 "Arkansas Confederate Pensions, 1901-1929," database with images, FamilySearch (http://bit.ly/2wHWoJG : accessed 6 June 2019), entry for Stephen Casey, (Pvt., Co. B, 14th Arkansas Infantry, Civil War), application number 2541, image 685; Citing Arkansas State Auditor, History Commission, Little Rock.

3 “Arkansas Confederate Pensions, 1901-1929,” digital images, Confederate Pension Application, 6 July 1896, Stephen Casey, “14th Regt, Infantry.,” application 2541.”

4 “Arkansas Confederate Pensions, 1901-1929,” digital images, Confederate Pension Application, 6 July 1896, Stephen Casey, “14th Regt, Infantry.,” application 2541.”

5 V. Dihm [(E-ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE),] to Nancy Gilbride Casey, email, 20 May 2019, "More Info on

Stephen Casey"; Stephen Casey Research File; privately held by Casey [(E-ADDRESS)] AND STREET ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Tioga, TX.

6 "Unfiled Papers and Slips Belonging in Confederate Compiled Service Records," database with images, Fold3.com (https://www.fold3.com/image/266098470 : accessed 27 May 2019) : Amnesty Oath of Stephen Casey, Pvt., Co. B, 14th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry, Civil War; citing National Archives and Records Administration publication Papers of and Relating to Military and Civilian Personnel, compiled 1874 - 1899, documenting the period 1861 - 1865, 1962, Washington, D.C.

7 “Arkansas Confederate Pensions, 1901-1929,” digital images, Confederate Pension Application, 6 July 1896, Stephen Casey, “14th Regt, Infantry.,” application 2541.”

8 “Arkansas Confederate Pensions, 1901-1929,” digital images, Confederate Pension Application, 6 July 1896, Stephen Casey, “14th Regt, Infantry.,” application 2541.”

9 "Arkansas Ex-Confederate Pension Records, 1891-1939," database with images, FamilySearch (http://bit.ly/2EVFPhX : accessed 6 June 2019), Pension Board Minutes 1893-1905, entry for Stephen Casey (Pvt., Co. B, 14th Arkansas Infantry, Civil War), image 49; citing State Auditor's Office, Little Rock.

10 R. Pennington, Arkansas Civil War Roundtable Face Book Group [(E-ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE),] to Nancy Gilbride Casey, email, 20 Jan 2019, "Stephen Casey Civil War Info"; Stephen Casey Research File; privately held by Casey [(E-ADDRESS)] AND STREET ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Tioga, TX.
11 Author unknown, "Lee's Mountain, North America," The Mountain Echoo, 16 Oct 1896, Newspapers.com (http://bit.ly/2WmVZH9 : accessed 7 June 2019), col. 3, para. 4; citing print edition.

12 1900 United States Census, Marion County, Arkansas, population schedule, supervisor district 3, enumeration district (ED) 79, sheet 5 (penned), page 31 A (stamped), Mary Angel household; digital image, Ancestry.com (https://ancstry.me/2Z9Lj0b : accessed 6 June 2019), citing NARA microfilm publication roll: T623.
13 Wikipedia (http://bit.ly/2Mzq86y), "14th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Powers')," rev. 13:19, 18 Feb 2018.