He was 39 years old when he was enlisted (3).
He was enlisted and mustered into service on 29 October 1861 (1, 3) or 16 September 1861 (4). He was enlisted at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (3). He was mustered in as a private, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (3). He served as a private in company D (1).
While in Philadelphia, he refused to run after a soldier who ran away from Corporal Patterson (probably James/Samuel Patterson, since Thomas Patterson was in company B), who then cut him in the head with a saber (4).
He was treated at various times in the regimental hospital for intmittent fever and debility between 13 May and 11 August 1862 (4). He was present with his company until 6 August 1862 (4).
On 21 August 1862, he was transferred to a hospital in Alexandria, Virginia, with chronic bronchitis (4). In July 1862, he fell down stairs while on duty in Alexandria, Virginia (4). He fell while on a detail looking for contraband goods in the engine-house on the corner of Fairfax and Queen Streets, in Alexandria, Virginia (4). This fall injured his left hip (4). He was off duty beginning 25 July 1862 (4).
On 1 September 1862, he was transferred to Portsmouth Grove Hospital, Rhode Island (4).
He was discharged at Providence, Rhode Island, on 8 December 1863 or on 8 December 1862 on surgeon's certificate of disability, because of ascites and chronic nephritis (1, 2 [medical board], 3, 4 [8 Dec 1862]).
On 20 October 1879, he applied for a pension, based on two saber cuts in his head (4, 5). On 21 March 1883, he applied again for a pension, based on an injury to his left hip (4).
A medical exam did find that his hip was injured, and he could not bear the weight of his body on his left leg (4). Further, the special examiner recommended allowing the claim based on his hip injury, but apparently not the claim based on the saber cuts, since they resulted only in slight disability (4). However, the Pension Office rejected his application, because he could not prove that he injured his hip in the line of duty (4).
In May 1890, the Senate Committee on Pensions recommended approving a bill granting him a pension (4).
He died on 10 June 1899, at Saint George, Maine (5).
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) (Sam'l Wilson 2nd)
2 company D, register of men discharged, entry 2 (Samuel Wilson)
3 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 10 August 2004 (Samuel Wilson 2nd)
4 Senate report 1163, 27 May 1890, Serial Set 2709, 51st Congress 1st session, session volume 7 (Samuel Wilson)
5 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company D (Samuel Wilson)
The Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 1564) granting a pension to Samuel Wilson, have examined the same and report:
The report of the House committee hereto appended is adopted and the passage of the bill recommended.
The Committee on Invalid Pensions, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 1564) granting a pension to Samuel Wilson, submit the following report:
Mr. Samuel Wilson is shown by the records of the War Department to have enlisted in Company D, Ninety-first Pennsylvania Volunteers, on September 16, 1861; to have been present with his command to August 6, 1862; that he was treated in regimental hospital at various times between May 13 and August 11, 1862, for intermittent fever and debility; that he entered hospital at Alexandria, Va., August 21, 1862, with chronic bronchitis, transferred to Portsmouth Grove Hospital September 1, 1862, and discharged from said hospital December 8, 1862, on a surgeon's certificate of disability by reason of "ascites and chronic nephritis. Was on guard at Alexandria, Va., guard-house, second division, and fell down stairs in July 1862, from which time he dates his complaint. Disability, one-half. Off duty since July 25, 1862."
He filed a claim in the Pension Office October 29, 1879, based upon two saber cuts on his head, causing pain and dizziness; one of these cuts inflicted by Corporal Patterson, of his regiment, while at Philadelphia, Pa., because Mr. Wilson would not run after a soldier who had run away from the corporal; the other cut received while in a charge at Fair Oaks, Va.
On March 21, 1883, he filed another claim on account of injury of left hip received while on a detail to look for contraband goods in the engine-house, corner Fairfax and Queen streets, Alexandria, Va., by falling down in the dark, and that this occurred some four weeks before being sent to the Portsmouth Grove Hospital from the field hospital, at Alexandria, thereby fully corroborating the record which showed him transferred to Portsmouth Grove Hospital as early as September 1, 1862.
The claim was specially examined by the Pension Office in 1888. Mr. Wilson, having declared his inability to show incurrence of the hip injury, in line of duty, by any members of his company and being informed by the Pension Office that the men, with the exception of two who were with him on that detail, are dead.
The testimony of Mr. Wilson's wife, his daughter, and that of eleven neighbors and employers was taken by a special examiner of the Pension Office showing that since the fall of 1864 (and the wife dates her testimony back to date of discharge) Mr. Wilson has been a sufferer from lameness and affection of left hip, and greatly disabled thereby, and Mrs. Wilson also testified to the existence of the two saber cuts.
The evidence obtained also shows that about 1862 Mr. Wilson fractured a rib, but that same in no wise affected or aggravated the injury to the left hip.
[page 2]A medical examination of soldier found a cicatrix to the right of the median line of the right parietal and injury to left hip, unable to sustain weight of body on left leg, but finds no sign of injury to ribs.
The claim was rejected in the Pension Office on the ground of no record of the saber cuts or evidence showing incurrence in service, and that on account of injury of hip on the ground of failure to show line of duty and the alleged detail on which the injury was received.
This was the action of the Pension Office notwithstanding the record heretofore referred to and the recommendation of the special examiner to admit the claim for injury to hip, the disability from alleged saber cuts being slight.
The claimant is shown to be an object of charity, and in the opinion of your committee entitled to relief asked for. The bill is therefore returned with the recommendation that it do pass.