Was Patrick Murphy a Union Army drummer boy?

Dear Mr. MacPherson,

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

We searched the National Archives Catalog and located the series Indexes to the Carded Records of Soldiers Who Served in Volunteer Organizations During the Civil War in the Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1917 (Record Group 94) that includes a digitized index card for a Patrick D. Murphy. There may be additional index cards that have not yet been digitized and made available online through the Catalog. This series is an index to Carded Records Showing Military Service of Soldiers Who Fought in Volunteer Organizations During the American Civil War in Record Group 94. Some of these records have been digitized and are available using the Catalog. Unfortunately, not all of the records for Massachusetts have been microfilmed or digitized. We also located the series Enlistment Papers, 1798 - October 31, 1912 and Registers of Enlistments in the United States Army, 1798 - 1914 (M233) in the Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1762 - 1917 (Record Group 94) that include military service files of the Regular Army.  For more information about the non-digitized records in these records series, please email the National Archives at Washington, DC - Textual Reference (RDT1) at archives1reference@nara.gov.

You may experience a delay in receiving an initial acknowledgment as well as a substantive response to your reference request from RDT1. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience as we balance mission-critical work and the safety of our staff during the pandemic.  Please check NARA’s web page about COVID-19 updates for the latest information.

M233 has been digitized and is available on Fold3 as Army Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914; on Ancestry as U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914; and on FamilySearch as United States Registers of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914. There may be a fee for using Ancestry and Fold3. Instead, please check for access at your local library as many library systems subscribe to these sites, making them free for their patrons. FamilySearch may be accessed with a free account.

We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your family research!

I knowmy grandfather Patrick Dennis Murphy was born September 30th 1852 in Boston. His father was Timothy Murphy. I saw a reference that he may have spent time in an Old Soldier’s Home in Boston. How could I find out if there is any record of him in such a place.

Thanks

Dear Mr. MacPherson,

Thank you for posting your follow-up request on History Hub!

The Discharged Soldiers’ Home in Boston, Massachusetts  (Operating 1862-1869) was operated by a private charity. The Soldiers’ Home in Chelsea, Massachusetts (Established 1882) is operated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. We suggest contacting the Massachusetts Archives Division to inquire about records of the Soldiers’ Home in Chelsea. Also, the Massachusetts Archives may have additional records concerning his service, particularly if he served in the Massachusetts Volunteer unit raised by the state. See also the Massachusetts State Library research guide Researching Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors for additional resources.

We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your family research!

Richard,

Given the birthdate of Sept 1852, Patrick would only have been 8 yrs. old in spring 1861 when the War started & 12 yrs. old in spring 1865 when the War ended.  It would have been hard for him to pass as an 18yr. old & would have needed someone to sign to allow him to enlist if underage.  With that said, there were some instances of underage boys serving but it was not common.  I looked at the Patrick D Murphy that Jason mentions above - he is listed in the 62nd Mass Inf. which was in the process of recruiting in 1865 when the War ended & the recruits were mustered out in early May 1865.  You can see he is listed as a 21yr. old laborer - hard to believe they would mistake a 12 or 13 yr. old as being 21yrs. - especially at the end of the War.

He could have been enlisted under just Patrick or because he was underage, under an assumed name.  Another consideration is, could his father have served?  There are multiple men named Patrick Murphy & Timothy Murphy that served from Mass. in both the Army & Navy.

It may be easier to trace him backwards.  Find him on later census records - note his address & working backwards see if he is listed in the 1890 Veteran Schedules?  These usually identify where they served.  Can you trace him in city directories?  This may help when looking at where he was living in 1890 & identify him on other. census records.  Trying to identify which of the MANY Patrick Murphy's in Boston is your GGF is key.  Did he marry?  If his wife outlived him she may have applied for a pension & you could trace him by that.  Do you have an obit for him that may have mentioned if he was a veteran or cemetery records my mention it.  I can search newspapers if that would help.

- Perhaps post a picture of the sword - is it a CW period sword?  is it an officer's sword? an NCO sword? a musician's sword?   I do a lot of CW research so will help if I can.

Aloha!

Thanks for your detailed responses. My great grandfather Dennis Patrick Murph father’s name was Timothy Murphy. Patrick’s wife’s maiden name was Joanna Hennessy. I found an address from a census #2 Gilson Court, Suffolk , Boston. The family also owned a bar in Revere Beach called Murphy’s By the Sea.

l have photo of the civil war sword but I’m no sure how to send it.

Thanks again for all your hard work.

Richard MacPherson

Aloha,

Still hoping you can reply to my last question.

Thanks,

Ricahrd MacPherson

Dear Mr. MacPherson,

Please try How To: Add a Photo or Image to your Post or Comment to attach your image or How To: Contact Another User to send an email.

We hope this helps!

Richard

Just want to clarify some things.  GGF name was Dennis Patrick or Patrick Dennis Murphy - as you have given both names?  You said his father was Timothy but what was his mother's name?  Do you have birthdates or birthplace for either of them?  Did GGF have siblings?  I'm trying to find them on census records around 1860 to try & trace him through the census records & see if he served or maybe his father served.  I found an 1870 Census for a Timothy Murphy & family in Boston - wife is Joanna & kids are Patrick, Thomas, Dennis, Nellie & Annie.  The son Patrick is listed as 15yrs old so would have been born c.1855. - You gave a 1852 birthdate for your GGF - are you sure of that? 

- You mentioned GGF Patrick's wife was Joanna Hennessy - do you know when they married?

- you brought up the family owned a bar Murphy's By The Sea - I found a mention of this bar in 1940 papers but unsure how this connects to Patrick Murphy. Did your GGF live into 1940's?  Do you have his death date or obit?

- Thanks to Rebecca Collier's reply, I have followed you & if you follow me we should be able to see each other's email & can communicate easier that way. 

Let me know!

E.

Sending picture of sword today.

Richard MacPherson