He was 19 years old when he enlisted in 1864 (4). He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (4, 9 [Tyrone Ireland]). His parents were Edward McDermot and Mary Jane (9).
When he was enlisted, he was a laborer (4).
He was 5 feet 5 inches tall, and had a fair complexion, blue eyes, and dark hair (4).
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 12 March 1864 (1, 4). He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Nichols [?] (4). He served as a private in company A (1).
He was reported gained on 21 April 1864 (5).
He was killed in action on 8 May 1864, at Laurel Hill, Virginia (1, 4, 6, 9, 10). According to Bates, he was buried at the burial grounds at Wilderness (1). He is probably the soldier Walter refers to as one of their youngest recruits, who died of a 'fearful wound in the stomach' (2).
After the war, his body was removed to a marked grave on Mary's Heights, Fredericksburg, Virginia (3).
On 6 March 1865, his mother, Mary J McDermott, successfully applied for a pension (7, 8).
1 Bates, Samuel Penniman. History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, state printer, 1869-71. 5 volumes. 'Ninety-first regiment', volume 3, pages 186-233. (In the roster)
2 Thomas Walter. 'Personal recollections and experiences of an obscure soldier.' Grand Army Scout and Soldiers' Mail volume 3 number 46 page 2.
3 e-mail, Frank Staiano, 6 November 2002 (James McDermitt)
4 company A descriptive roll, entry 147 (James McDermott)
5 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 21 April 1864 (McDermott)
6 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 9 June 1864 (Pri McDermott)
7 pension index, by regiment (James McDermott)
8 pension index, by name (James McDermott)
9 "13039", a GEDCOM, available on Rootsweb.Com WorldConnect, updated 16 July 2001 (searched 6 January 2006) (James McDermot)
10 'The Ninety-first Pennsylvania volunteers', Philadelphia Inquirer 8 June 1864 page 3 (James McDermont)
[I did not find him in the index on <www.ancestry.com> to the 1890 veterans census (searched October 2005)]