David Shaw (1837 - 1863)

Born 5 Nov 1837 in Lockport, Niagara, New York, United States

Ancestors

Died 3 Nov 1863 at age 25 in Brandy Station, Culpeper, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Pvt. David Shaw served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: Jul 28, 1863
Mustered out: Nov 3, 1863
Side: USA
Regiment(s): 97th New York Volunteer Infantry

David Shaw was born 5 November 1837 in Lockport, Niagara County, New York. He was the son of Robert Shaw and Sarah (Harper) Shaw.

David worked with his father as an apprentice stone mason prior to the Civil War. In September 1859 he enlisted with the United States Navy and served with the Pacific Coast fleet. He was discharged from the Navy on 26 June 1862 and returned home.

On 28 July 1863 he enlisted with the 97th New York Volunteer Infantry, Co. F, at Lockport, New York. It appears David participated in the Battle of Bristoe Station (14 October 1863), a series of short but sharp exchanges with Confederate forces that took place in northern Virginia as Lee's Army withdrew from Gettysburg.

On the third of November, just two days before his 26th birthday, while encamped at Brandy Station, Culpeper County, Virginia, Pvt. David Shaw was accidentally shot by a revolver in the hands of a Union comrade. He died "almost immediately" of his wounds.

In memory of David, and his brother, Pvt. John Shaw, who also died while serving the Union, the Shaw family erected a monument at Cold Springs Cemetery in Lockport, New York.

His membership in the 97th New York Volunteer Infantry Co. F is proudly displayed on the base of the monument.

Sources

• Birth date from handwritten records of his brother, Robert Harper Shaw, recorded ca. 1916 and preserved by Robert's granddaughter, Mildred B. Shaw, who gave it to her grandchildren.
• Shaw, David - Civil War - U.S. Soldiers and Sailors Database - National Park Service
• The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States, 1861-65 (Madison, Wisc.: Federal Publishing Co., 1908) Vol. 2. See New York Ninety-Seventh Infantry, p. 119.
• 97th New York Infantry Regiment, Civil War - New York State Military Museum
• Roster of the 97th New York Infantry (PDF) - New York State Military Museum
• Battle of Bristoe Station - Wikipedia
• Brandy Station, Virginia - Wikipedia
• Monument to the 97th New York Infantry at Gettysburg - StoneSentinels.com

1850 U.S. Census [Lockport, Niagara County, New York]

David Shaw in the 1850 United States Federal Census

• Name: David Shaw
• Age: 12
• Birth Year: abt 1838
• Birthplace: New York
• Home in 1850: Lockport, Niagara, New York, USA
• Gender: Male
• Family Number: 931

Household Members:

• Robert Shaw 38
• Sarah Shaw 23
• David Shaw 12
• Margret Shaw 10
• John Shaw 7
• Robert Shaw 3
• Sarah Shaw 1

Source Citation

Year: 1850; Census Place: Lockport, Niagara, New York; Roll: M432_560; Page: 64A; Image: 135 Source Information

Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

Original data: Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

1855 New York State Census [Lockport, Niagara County]

David Shaw in the New York, State Census, 1855

• Name: David Shaw
• Birth Year: abt 1838
• Age: 17
• Gender: Male
• Relation to Head: Child
• Residence: Lockport, Niagara, New York, USA
• District: E.D. 1
• Household number: 227
• Line Number: 34

Household Members:

• Robert Shaw 44
• Sarah Shaw 36
• David Shaw 17
• Margarett Shaw 15
• John Shaw 12
• Robert Shaw 8
• Elizabeth Shaw 5

Source Information

Ancestry.com. New York, State Census, 1855 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

Original data: Census of the state of New York, for 1855. Microfilm. New York State Archives, Albany, New York. New York State Archives Description

1859 to 1862 Service in Navy on Pacific Coast

According to the Civil War muster roll attached and cited below, David Shaw "Served in Navy, Pacific Coast, for 3 years. Discharged June 26, '62."

David Shaw in the U.S., Naval Enlistment Rendezvous, 1855-1891

• Name: David Shaw
• Enlistment Date: Sep 1859
• Enlistment Place: New York
• Age: 22
• Birth Year: 1837
• Birth Place: Lockport, New York
• Complexion: Light
• Volume: 10

NARA Publication Title: Weekly return of enlistments at Naval Rendezvous ("Enlistment Rendezvous"), Jan. 6, 1855-Aug. 8, 1891 NARA Publication Number: M1953 NARA Roll: 10 FHL Film Number: 2367949

Source Information

Ancestry.com. U.S., Naval Enlistment Rendezvous, 1855-1891 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

Original data: United States, Naval Enlistment Rendezvous, 1855-1891. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013. Description

This collection includes enlistment records for the United States Navy.

28 July 1863 Enlisted in 97th New York Infantry

David Shaw in the U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865 U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865

• Name: David Shaw
• Residence: Lockport, New York
• Age at Enlistment: 24
• Enlistment Date: 28 Jul 1863
• Rank at enlistment: Private
• Enlistment Place: Lockport, New York
• State Served: New York
• Survived the War?: No
• Service Record: Enlisted in Company F, New York 97th Infantry Regiment on 28 Jul 1863. Mustered out on 03 Nov 1863.
• Birth Date: abt 1839
• Sources: New York: Report of the Adjutant-General

Drafted just weeks after the 97th participated in the Battle of Gettysburg, David Shaw apparently participated in the Battle of Bristoe Station shortly before he was accidentally killed by friendly fire.

David Shaw's enlistment for a three-year term is recorded in the Civil War Muster Roll register cited below. See image attached.

For a history of the 97th New York Infantry, see the New York State Military Museum webpage titled "97th Infantry Regiment - Civil War - Third Oneida; Boonville Regiment; Conkling Rifles" [1]

The following is taken from The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States, 1861-65 -- Records of the regiments in the Union army -- Cyclopedia of Battles -- Memoirs of commanders and soldiers. (Madison, WI: Federal Pub. Co., 1908) Volume II.

Ninety-seventh Infantry.—Cols., Charles Wheelock, John P. Spofford; Lieut.-Cols., John P. Spofford, Rouse S. Eggleston; Majs., Charles Northrup, Rouse S. Eggleston, Delos E. Hall.

"The 97th, called the Conkling Rifles, was recruited in Oneida and Herkimer counties and mustered into the U. S. service at Boonville, Feb. 19, 1862, for a three years' term. It left for Washington on March 12; was quartered at Fort Corcoran as part of Gen. Wadsworth's command until May, when it was assigned to the 2nd brigade, 2nd division, Department of the Rappahannock and moved into Virginia, where it occupied various posts in the neighborhood of the Rappahannock river; was engaged at Cedar mountain, and lost 111 in killed, wounded and missing in the Manassas campaign.

"On Sept. 12, the regiment, which had served with the 3d corps, was assigned to the 1st corps and fought in the 1st brigade, 2nd division at South mountain and Antietam, suffering in the latter battle the most severe loss of any battle of its service—24 killed, 74 wounded and 9 missing.

"At Fredericksburg the regiment was prominently engaged, but not at Chancellorsville in the following May. It marched with the corps to Gettysburg [July 1 - 3, 1863] and distinguished itself by the brilliantly executed capture of the colors of the 20th N. C. and 382 prisoners'.

"On the southward march it was present at Bristoe Station [Battle of Bristoe Station, October 4, 1863] and was in the Mine Run movement." See Wikipedia article "Battle of Bristoe Station" [2] and "Battle of Mine Run" (November 27 - December 2, 1863) [3]. See also "Mine Run Campaign Order of Battle" [4].

While in camp at Brandy station, a sufficient number reenlisted to secure the continuance of the 97th in the field as a veteran regiment. In June, 1864, it was joined by the veterans and recruits of the 83d N. Y. infantry and in August, by the 94th, the 26th N. Y. having already been added to it in May, 1863.

"During Grant's famous campaign the 97th served in the 3d and 2nd divisions, 5th corps. Its heaviest losses during this campaign and subsequent operations were in the Wilderness, at Spottsylvania and near the Weldon railroad, but it shared in other engagements Of the brigade at the North Anna river, Totopotomy, Cold Harbor, White Oak Swamp, before Petersburg, in the Hicks-ford raid and the Appomattox campaign.

"It was mustered out near Washington, July 18, 1865, having lost during service 182 by death from wounds and 157 by death from accident, imprisonment or dis-ease, of whom 54 died in captivity."

Roster of the 97th New York Infantry [PDF]

A PDF copy of the Civil War Roster of the 97th New York Infantry may be found online at the New York State Military Museum site here.

3 November 1863 Civil War Muster Roll

David Shaw in the New York, Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts, 1861-1900

• Name: David Shaw
• Age: 24
• Birth Year: abt 1839
• Birth Place: Lockport, New York
• Enlistment Year: 1863
• Enlistment Location: Lockport, New York
• Muster Year: 1863
• Separation Details: Killed
• Separation Date: 3 Nov 1863

Source Citation

New York State Archives, Cultural Education Center, Albany, New York; New York Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts, 1861-1900; Archive Collection #: 13775-83; Box #: 419; Roll #: 64-65 Source Information

Ancestry.com. New York, Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts, 1861-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Original data: Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts of New York State Volunteers, United States Sharpshooters, and United States Colored Troops [ca. 1861-1900]. Microfilm, 1185 rolls. New York State Archives, Albany, New York. New York State Archives Description

This collection contains muster roll abstracts of New York State Infantry units that served in the Civil War.

3 November 1863 Death by Accident

According to muster roll cited above, David Shaw was "shot by accidental discharge of a revolver in the hands of a comrade Nov. 3 '63 and died almost immediately."

Find A Grave Memorial

Private David Shaw is buried at Cold Springs Cemetery, in Lockport, New York, Section L, Lot 4. His gravestone reads:

DAVID SHAW DIED AT ? BRANDY STATION ? NOV. 3, 1863 ? AE. 25 Y'RS 11 MO. & 28 S. MEMBER OF CO F. 97TH REG'T N.Y.V.

Go to website: Find A Grave Memorial No. 178191975 Pvt. David Shaw

Note that the monument also mentions David's brother John, his father, Robert, and his little brother Joseph.

Many thanks to Mike Niethe, a Find A Grave contributor from Lockport, for posting the photo of David Shaw and his gravestone.