Civil War Dog Tag (Re-post)

[foreverRich]

Hope you don't mind me showing some of the newer members my prized possession. I first posted this in 2008 and we have a lot of new members since then. Every time I get it out and look at it I appreciate it's importance. If you recall, I found it in a field in Suffolk. I kept it for years, before cleaning it up and realizing what I had. A lot of the members helped me find information on the previous owner. He was stationed in Suffolk at the time of it's loss.

Here is what we found out about the owner:

Edward McEvoy (also listed as Edward McAvoy)

Residence: Not listed

Age at Enlistment: 35

Enlisted on 11/14/1861 at Ft. Edward, NY as a Private

On 11/19/1861 he mustered into "E" Co. NY 96th Infantry

Re-enlisted on 1/8/1864

Mustered out on 2/6/1866 at City Point, VA

Promotions: Corpl 7/7/1865

Sergt 10/1/1865


The info on the back of the Dog Tag was:

E. McEvoy
Co. E
96 Regt.
NY I.V.

Edward McEvoy was born in Ireland in c1826. I don't know where he was before the war, because there are 3 Edward McEvoys in NY all born about the same time.
After the war he married Mary, the widow of Thomas Cahill, and they settled in Fort Edward, Washington Co. NY. They had 1 child David born 1869 and died before 1880. Mary had 3 children by her first husband, William, Mary and Catherine Cahill.
Edward received an invalid pension Nov. 19, 1878, and died sometime before Nov. 2, 1887 when Mary began receiving a widow's pension.

Sorry for being so long, but all of this is what makes it so special to me. I am sure I will never find a more meaningful item in my lifetime.

[DIGGER27]

How great for you!
I posted this thread awhile ago for this very reason.

I only hope I could find something like this in my lifetime.

http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=45934

[emdees]

Wow... fantastic find and great research!

emdees

[aridice53]

That was a fun project.

Thanks for reposting it. I still find it exciting.

Char

[RIdetector]

WOW great find!!!!!

[Beefcake]

That is truly a one in a million find there! Very cool!

[treasurebum]

Not certain what the policy of the forum is on re-posting, but having recently joined, I would have never seen it am glad you thought to include us Newbies. Thanks and you should be very proud of your valuable treasure.

[CCartist]

thats cool, I didn't even know they had tags then...and I thought I knew everything...I live near Ft. Ticonderoga about an hr north of where your tag came from...I'm glad you reposted, now I'll be looking for one of those!

[xxnshcxx]

Nice find. Thanks for reposting for us newbs

[Poker Nut]

Awsome. Congrats!!!

[karel]

great find and research, congratulation

[Clayton]

Great find, thanks for taking time to repost...I hadn't seen the original. That research is great...have you thought about tracking the family to see if there are any living relatives (through Mary's side)?

[Test4echo]

Originally Posted by Clayton

Great find, thanks for taking time to repost...I hadn't seen the original. That research is great...have you thought about tracking the family to see if there are any living relatives (through Mary's side)?

Yup, thats what I was thinking as well. This find has the potential to be a super story.

Test,

[blklion]

Originally Posted by CCartist

thats cool, I didn't even know they had tags then...and I thought I knew everything...I live near Ft. Ticonderoga about an hr north of where your tag came from...I'm glad you reposted, now I'll be looking for one of those!

They didn't really have "dog tags" back then. Those ID tags were made and sold by several manufacturers looking to make a buck. They weren't government issue and had to be purchased by the individual.