He was 18 years old when he enlisted in 1861 (4, 5 [17 in 1860], 6 [19 at death in 1862]). He was born in Saxon, Germany (4, 5 [Prussia], 6 [Philadelphia]).
In 1860, he was living with his family, in the 20th ward of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (5). He was a coach apprentice, perhaps with his father, who was a coachmaker (5).
When he was enlisted, he was a coachma[ker] (4).
He was 5 feet 5 inches tall, and had a light complexion, grey eyes, and light hair (4).
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 9 September 1861 (1, 4). He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Captain McArthur [?] (4). He served as a private in company A (1).
He died, of typhoid fever, on 13 or 14 April 1862, in Indianna [sic] Hospital, Washington DC (1 [13], 3 [14], 4 [13], 6). He was then a private (1, 3).
He is probably the person Walter refers to as dying of a fever in a hospital, whose family was poor (2). Walter describes an attempt to start a club to send back the bodies of soldiers who died, which he effectively argued against; he is probably referring to Bernstein's death (2).
However, on 15 April 1862, he was buried in Monument Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (6). The funeral was held from 942 North 6th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (6).
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) (GJ Bernstein)
2 Thomas F Walter. 'Personal recollections and experiences of an obscure soldier'. Grand Army Scout and Soldiers' Mail volume 3 number 35 page 2. (not named)
3 company A register of deaths (Gustavis J Bernstine)
4 company A descriptive roll, entry 5 (Gustavus J Bernstine)
5 1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 20 division 1, page 4 = 4 handwritten (Gustavus Bernstein)
6 death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, buried 15 April 1862 (Gustavus Bernstein)
[I did not find an entry for him in Ancestry's index to the 1850 census (searched November 2005)]
[I did not find an entry for him in Ancestry's indices to the 1870 through 1930 censuses, or in the LDS pilot indices to the 1870, 1880, 1900, or 1920 censuses, or the HeritageQuest indices for the 1870-1880 or 1900-1920 censuses (searched 3 June 2009)]
[I did not find an entry for him in Ancestry's index to the 1890 veterans' census]
[I did not find an entry for him in Ancestry's index to the pension index by name (searched April 2006)]
| line | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Dwelling number | 34 | ||||||||
| Family number | 34 | ||||||||
| Name | Gustavus Bernstein [?] | Johanah " | Gustavus " | Lewis " | Wilamina " | Herman " | William Bernstein | Emma " | George " |
| Age | 42 | 40 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 11/12 |
| Sex | m | f | m | m | f | m | m | f | m |
| Color | |||||||||
| Occupation | Coach maker | Coach apprentice | |||||||
| Value of real estate owned | |||||||||
| Value of personal estate | |||||||||
| Place of birth | Prussia | Bavaria | Prussia | " | " | Penna | Penna | " | " |
| Married within year | |||||||||
| Attended school within year | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Cannot read & write | |||||||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |