George W Murphy
(Thanks to Denny Carroll for providing this picture!) |
(Thanks to Joe Fulginiti for this image) |
Name
The Official Army Register spells his name 'Murphey' (4).
Before the war
He was a native of County Antrim, Ireland (7). He was 19 years old when he was enlisted (9, 21 [26 at death in 1862]). He was born to William and Lattatia [?] Murphy (21).
His brother Adam Murphy also served in company I (6). They may be related to Daniel Murphy (F/D) (6). They also had a sister, Mary Murphy (7).
He was living at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when he was enlisted (9).
During the war
At some point, he recruited for company I of Colonel Gregory's regiment (8).
He was enlisted and mustered into service on 17 September 1861 (1, 9, 11). He was enlisted at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (9). He was mustered in as first lieutenant, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (9). On 15 October 1861, he was appointed first lieutenant, company I (1, 5).
On 29 June 1862, he, along with the other commissioned officers in the regiment (except Colonel Gregory), signed a statement denying accusations that they were on the verge of open mutiny, that the regiment had been reduced to 400 men, and that Colonel Gregory was too lenient to Confederates and too harsh to men in the regiment (10).
He was killed on 13 December 1862 at Fredericksburg, Virginia (1, 4, 5, 9, 21 [14 Dec]). He was killed before the charge, while the 91st was in line on the Fredericksburg Road (1, page 187). He was probably the lieutenant Gregory refers to as severely wounded by Confederate enfilading fire, and dying after that (3).
He is buried in a grave in Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (7, 21). The grave was unmarked for a hundred and forty years, but now has a marker provided by the VA (12). He was buried from 449 North 2nd Street, on 19 December 1862 (21).
Sources
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, and on page 187)
2 Joseph Welch. '91st Regiment PA Infantry'. In Pennsylvania at Gettysburg, volume 1 (1914). Pages 500-507, at page 501.
3 report, by Edgar Gregory, 18 December 1862, in Official Records series 1, volume 21, pages 438-440, at page 439.
6 e-mail, Denny Carroll (George Murphy)
7 e-mail, Denny Carroll, 28 November 2003
8 recruiting poster, Colonel Gregory's regiment, company I (Geo Murphy)
9 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 14 March 2005 (George Murphy)
10 'Ninety-first Pennsylvania Regiment'. Philadelphia Inquirer, 11 July 1862, page 2 (George Murphy)
11 'Camp Chase at Gray's Ferry' Philadelphia Inquirer 19 October 1861 page 8 (- Murphy)
12 e-mail, Denny Carroll, November 2006
13 grave marker (thanks to Denny Carroll for the picture!)
19 'Camp Chase', Philadelphia Inquirer 30 November 1861 (Geo Murphy)
20 'Departure of Col. Gregory's regiment', Philadelphia Inquirer 22 January 1862 page 2 (Geo Murphy)
21 death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 14 December 1862 (George Murphy)
[I did not find him in the Ancestry index to pension index cards (searched 29 March 2006)]
[I did not find an entry for him in Ancestry index to the 1890 veterans' census (searched 29 March 2006)]
death certificate
[death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 14 December 1862, George Murphy][thanks to Ed McLaughlin for finding this!]
[this consists of a form laying over the top half of the Philadelphia death certificate; the Philadelphia death certificate is almost illegibly light]
Washington DC Dec 16th 1862.
This Certifies, That George Murphy Lieut of Co I Reg't 91 State Penna died on the 14" day of December 1862, aged 26 years.
Cause of Death, Direct, Gun shot wound[.] Indirect, --
Chas D Brown [?] M.D. Surgeon.
[illegible] Reg't 91th State Pa
10. When a Minor, Name of Mather, Wm Murphy
Name of Mother, Lattatie [?] Murphy
11. Ward, 11th [?]
12. Street and Number, 449 North 2 S
13. Date of Burial Dec 19th 1862
14. Place of Burial, Laurel Hill Cemetery
[illegible] [UNDERTAKER]
Residence, 221 Coates
Date of Certificate, Dec 17th 1862
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revised 25 Apr 09
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