Butler County Pennsylvania

I did a search of the Indiana State Digital Archives and found a civil war record for Levi Thompson. His civil war records have been the most effective way to track him (as in the 1890 veteran's roll in Ohio). Unlike his other documents from the National Archives or his online indexes, this one listed some more interesting personal information. Including the thing that made me change the secondary title on this blog.

Eyes hazel; hair dark; height 5'10"; complexion dark; nativity Butler Co Pa. Not just a state or several states, but a COUNTY! So his wife was right. He's from Pennsylvania. Having spent more than a year trying to find such a minor piece of information...well it makes the smallest victory exciting.

Finally some concrete reason why he's not with the other Thompson families in the area and  a big bolster of support for those Pennsylvania genetic relatives.

I was also sent the information on other Thompsons in the area as well. At least two other Thompsons served in the vicinity. Both were 19 at the time, both born in Indiana, both named John and I've been able to find both in the 1850 census. None with Levi though. Without some further proof, it appears that he is unrelated to the other Thompsons serving with him, although the physical descriptions of the other Thompsons are very similar to him. 

For reasons I can't really defend logically, finding a place for Levi has been very important to me. I have a place. He does too.

Levi Thompson Civil War Vet.

Here are some collected Notes I've attached to Levi Thompson (b circa 1835) father of Albert, who served in the 34th Indiana Infantry Volunteers:

Name:      Levi Thompson
Residence:     Alexandria, Indiana
Enlistment Date:     21 Sep 1861
Side Served:     Union
State Served:     Indiana
Service Record:     Promoted to Full Corporal.
Enlisted as a Private on 21 September 1861.
Enlisted in Company D, 34th Infantry Regiment Indiana on 21 Sep 1861.
Mustered Out Company D, 34th Infantry Regiment Indiana on 3 Feb 1866.

Levi applied for his pension in 1869. I've read that early pension requests were the norm because soldiers often had terrible arthritis from being out in the elements for years.

Here is a general record of the movements of the 34th:

   
UNION INDIANA VOLUNTEERS

34th Regiment, Indiana Infantry

Organized at Anderson, Ind., and mustered in September 16, 1861. Moved to Jeffersonville, Ind., October 10, thence to New Haven, Ky., November 15, and duty there till December 14. Moved to Camp Wickliffe, Ky., December 14, and duty there till February 7, 1862. Attached to 10th Brigade, Army of the Ohio, November-December, 1861. 10th Brigade, 4th Division, Army of the Ohio, to February, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Army of Mississippi, to April, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3d Division, Army Mississippi. Garrison at New Madrid, Mo., to July, 1862. Helena, Ark., District of Eastern Arkansas, Dept. of Missouri, to November, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, District of Eastern Arkansas, Dept. of the Tennessee, to January, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 12th Division, 13th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to February, 1863. 1st Brigade, 12th Division, 13th Army Corps, to July, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 13th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee, to August, 1863, and Dept. of the Gulf to March, 1864. Defences of New Orleans, La., to December, 1864. Brazos, Santiago, Texas, U. S. Forces, Texas, to June, 1865. Dept. of Texas to February, 1866.

SERVICE.-Moved to Green River, Ky., February 7, 1862, thence to the Ohio River February 14, and to Cairo, Ill., with Nelson's Division, Army of the Ohio, February 17-20. Detached from Division and moved to Commerce, Mo., February 27-March 3. Siege of New Madrid, Mo., March 5-14. Siege and capture of Island No. 10, Mississippi River, March 15-April 8. Riddell's Point March 17. Garrison duty at New Madrid, Mo., April 7 to June 14. Expedition down Mississippi River to Fort Pillow, Tenn., May 19-23 (Detachment). Capture of Fort Pillow June 5 (Detachment). Moved to Memphis, Tenn., June 14-15. Expedition up White River, Ark. June 26-July 14. Action at Grand Prairie July 6-7. Near Duvall's Bluff July 7. Aberdeen July 9. Arrived at Helena July 14, and duty there till April, 1863. Expedition to Arkansas Post November 16-22, 1862. Ordered to Milliken's Bend, La., April 14. Movement on Bruinsburg and turning Grand Gulf April 25-30. Battle of Port Gibson May 1. Fourteen-Mile Creek May 12-13. Battle of Champion's Hill May 16. Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., May 18-July 4. Assaults on Vicksburg May 19 and 22. Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 4-10. Siege of Jackson July 10-17. Ordered to New Orleans, La., August 4, thence to Brashear City September 12. Western Louisiana Campaign October 3-November 30. Grand Coteau October 19. Carrion Crow Bayou November 3. At New Iberia till December 19. Regiment re-enlisted at New Iberia December 15. Moved to Pass Cavallo, Texas, December 23, 1863-January 8, 1864, and duty there till February 21. Moved to New Orleans, La., February 21, and duty there till March 20. Veterans on furlough till May. Garrison duty at New Orleans till December 18. Ordered to Brazos, Santiago, Texas, December 18, and duty there till June 16, 1865. Expedition from Brazos, Santiago, May 11-14, 1865. Action at Palmetto Ranch May 12-13, 1865 (last action of the war). White's Ranch May 13. March to Ringgold Barracks, 260 miles up the Rio Grande June 16-28. Duty at Ringgold Barracks till July 24, and at Brownsville till February, 1866. Mustered out February 3, 1866.

Regiment lost during service 2 Officers and 32 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 5 Officers and 204 Enlisted men by disease. Total, 243.

Here is a link to the Park Service Listing for their Marker in Vicksburg: http://www.nps.gov/vick/historyculture/34th-indiana-infantry.htm

Once I find Levi's grave site, I'll be able to add a record to the Database of the Sons of Union Veterans grave registry: http://www.suvcwdb.org/home/