Update to Yesterday’s Mystery Posting
Thank you to all of you for the help you are giving me on this mystery. Today I did some more research today following the new insight I got from some of your comments yesterday. I started looking at Vandenburgh and Vanderburgh. I was able to find a link with the National Park Service that allows you to search for a soldier by name and side. So I searched both names on both sides. Here are my results:
For the Confederate side:
R.K.W. Vanderurgh – General and Staff Officers -Non-Regimental Enlisted Men, CSA
For the Union side:
Minard A. Vandenburgh – 2nd Regiment, Wisconsin Cavarly
Martin Vanderburgh – 168th Regiment New York Infantry
Martin Vanderburgh – 2nd Regiment New York Heavy Artillery
Martin Vanderburgh – 9th Regiment New York Heavy Artillery
William Vanderburgh – 20th Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps
William Vanderburgh- 22nd Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps
William C. Vanderburgh- 3rd Regiment California Infantry
William H. Vanderburgh – 177th Regiment New York Infantry
William J. Vanderburgh- 56th Regiment New York Infantry National Guard
William H. Vandenburgh – 5th Regiment New York Infantry
William H. Vandenburgh- 125th Regiment New York Infantry
William Vandenburgh- 22nd Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps
William Vandenburgh- 15th Regiment New York Cavalry
William Vandenburgh- 1st Regiment Engineers and Mechanics Michigan
William Vandenburgh- 91st Regiment New York Infantry
William C. Vandenburgh- 3rd Reigment California Infantry
Whew…..
The good thing about this link is that it lists the service duty stations of each of the Regiments. So I pulled all the information on the service duty station and I was able to narrow it down to just two that could have come close to the plantation and would have had a chance to meet Carrie.
1. William H. Vandenburgh – 125th Regiment New York Infantry – Served in Washington DC. Was ordered to join the Army of the Potomac in the field and joined 2nd Army Corps. Served on the lines of the Rappahannock and Rapidan. Served in Spotsylvania.
125th Regiment New York Infantry Soldier (not Vandenburgh)
2. William H. Vandenburgh – 5th Regiment New York Infantry – Was in Baltimore, Maryland. Served in Falmouth, Virginia. Was in the Battlefield of Fredericksburg December, 1862 Back to Falmouth. Was in the Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5, 1863. Mustered out on May 14, 1863, expiration of term.
5th Regiment New York Infantry (not Vandenburgh)
Of the two, I am thinking number 2. He had more time in the general area. He was never stationed at Port Royal or Port Conway from what I could see. But Fredericksburg is only 20 miles away. Could they have meet in Fredericksburg?
Also the first William was a private and the second William was a drummer. When I read that, my first thought was that the second couldn’t be it. My thought was that most drummers were between the ages of 13-15. But in doing some research into drummers during the war, the average age was 17-21. That would place him closer to her age during that time. Carrie would have been 14-15 between 1862 and 1863.
Cavalry at Rappahannock
But then could it be the first William who served on the lines at the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers? It doesn’t say just where they were on the Rappahannock. Could they have been at Port Conway?
So the question is….
Could it be the Private that served at the river’s edge or was it the little drummer boy?
Ha! I thought so! I read doctor’s writing all the time, so do pretty good at unclear lettering 🙂
Yes it was you that suggested it! Thanks for the great lead! Now can you tell me who he was and where he came from and what happened? It is driving me crazy! 😉
Would you believe you’ve got me on google researching now?
It is so addictive isn’t it!
Didn’t you say at one time that Belle Grove Plantation served as a Headquarters for a Union unit at one point? In that case it would more likely be the drummer, since they were assigned to headquarters units. The infantry soldier is also possible but less likely, possibly rotating in and out as a guard.
Whatever happened to Carrie? You also might have to track down the soldiers to their hometown and state and through genealogical research see if they both survived the war and if they had a wife named Carrie…
Unfortunately William seems an all too common name.
Carrie never left Port Conway. She was at Belle Grove until she married and then died shortly after. She was buried at the church on the plantation. It’s just going to take some more research. We haven’t confirmed the headquarters yet. When it’s right, it will reveal itself. I have learned that through all of the research.
You are one fabulous detective. Could it be the little drummer boy??? Virginia
I am not sure. A lot of people are saying the first letter looks like a “M” and matches the “M” in the month of May. I agree with that. But there were no “M” Vandenburgh or Vanderburgh near Port Conway or Port Royal… urgh!
How kind of you to share this mystery with us! I vote for suspect #2. Maybe a drummer boy, but old enough to grow a mustache. And doesn’t he look rakish to turn a girl’s head?
I think my vote is that one too. But the problem is that the first letter of the name looks more like an “M” than “W”… urgh!
What a fascinating story!! I hope you are able to find out more 🙂 Thanks for keeping us posted, I love your mysteries!
I just wish it would hurry up and reveal itself! It’s driving me crazy!
Oh I bet!! You’ve got us all curious too! 🙂
William # 1 is easy on the eyes….
Well the only problem is those two pictures aren’t either Williams. Just pictures of soldiers within the regiments. But yes he is nice looking.
Guess I failed “comprehension” on that reading test, huh??
No worries 😉
You might have to find out if one of them died prior to that date Carrie etched on the window…. the other thought that came to mind, considering Carrie’s age… there was no engagement outside of her wistful daydreams.
I am working on finding the personal information on each of them. But it is proving to be a little harder. But nothing good comes easy.
This seems like a good lead, hope you find out soon if one of them died prior to that date etched in the window. So good thing you narrowed it down to these two.
I’m leaning more to the first one, since they’d have had more time to meet. But my gosh there are so many questions…
Yes, there are so many question left unanswered. We are working on this mystery and hope some day to figure it out. But for the moment, it will just have to go unsolved.
well for me it is the looks, hehe, and that is definitely the first one, those eyes…………………..
terry you are too funny!
i try!!!
Wow, relentless in your pursuit, passionate with your purpose, diligent with your goals. I noticed you liked my post a few months ago and now I think about Virginia Plantation out of the blue. Can you get me a contact #/email? I have some suggestions, some ideas and some questions. And by the way, kudos for keeping the dream alive. What a very interesting journey you are all on. (And I just love that Harley is part of it.) Have a great day and hope to hear from you soon. http://www.FamilyMattersWithAmber.com or http://www.AJCCopywritingEditing.com. By the way, the cobalt ink bottle still up for auction??
Our email contact is virginiaplantation@gmail.com. I look forward to seeing more of your blog! And look forward to your comments and questions. We do love the journey and love the plantation. We also love that we can include friends and family and everyone here on this wonderful journey. Best of all, Hurley can come to work with us every day.
Yes the ink bottle is still up for auction. It runs until November 2nd. You can see the current bid on the Silent Auction Page. To bid just email me the information from the Silent Auction Page and your bid.
Michelle
You could make a mystery show on this or something 😀 Very interesting. I’m still not sure if it’s an “M” or not, but the 2nd one makes more sense. Time to go hunting for more leads 😉
It would be a great mystery show. But I think I may have to send it to History Detectives to help me. It is driving me crazy!
Again, when talking about this era and young ladies and gentlemen – in the south, especially, the term “Mister” or “Miss” was used instead of first names. Instead of “William,” young ladies would have called him “Mr. Vandenburgh.” It wasn’t all that uncommon for even married women to call their husbands “Mister” and husbands to call their wives “Mrs.” As a matter of fact, in some places in the south this is still a common practice. That goes back to the Celtic background of so many of the southerners. It wasn’t completely a southern thing, either. There are letters from John and Abigail Adams to each other where they address each other as “Mister” and “Mrs.” I think the south just held onto traditions a little longer than in the north.
Wow that is true. Now you are going to make me have to look even hard! Urgh!!
This is a great mystery…I am looking forward to reading what you find out. Well if we have to choose by looks I agree with Terry – she is such a hoot!! Good thought on the mister…I should have remembered that.
I just love all these suggestions! It’s like I am not in this research alone. But the more suggestions I get the more I have to return and do more research! But you know its better to have many heads than just one figuring it out!
Well, I was all for suitor number one until I realized that he wasn’t the real guy. What dreamy eyes! And oh those lips.
I don’t know who that is, but he is getting quite a fan club!
Michelle
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Thank you for the many likes and this probably will be a journey of many mysteries ! so cool
You are so welcome. I know and can’t wait to see if we can solve it.