Civil war headstone applications

Question

I have recently found the civil war record of my direct ancestor, James T. Shaw (Confederate) who died at the battle of the Spotslyvania Court House. His record indicates he was killed May 12, 1864 - yet I can't find any other records of him anywhere. Can I apply for a Civil War headstone for him, so he isn't lost to history? I have tried to google everything about this and haven't found anything.

Thanks for the help!
Jennifer

Comments

for John Randle Shaw

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/48323593

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John R Shaw

 in the 1860 United States Federal Census

Name:	John R Shaw [John Randall Shaw] [John R (Seale) Shaw]
Age:	6
Birth Year:	abt 1854
Gender:	Male
Birth Place:	Mississippi
Home in 1860:	Walker, Texas
Post Office:	Tuscaloosa
Dwelling Number:	245
Family Number:	240
Household Members:	Name Age James S Shaw 33 Rebeca Shaw 32 Martha F Shaw 8 John R Shaw 6 Jonah F Shaw 1

Source Citation

Year: 1860; Census Place: Walker, Texas; Page: 108; Family History Library Film: 805307

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Rebeca Shaw

 in the 1860 United States Federal Census

Name:	Rebeca Shaw [Rebecca Ann Shaw] [Rebecca Ann Watson] [Rebecca Shaw] [Rebeca (Seale) Shaw]
Age:	32
Birth Year:	abt 1828
Gender:	Female
Birth Place:	Mississippi
Home in 1860:	Walker, Texas
Post Office:	Tuscaloosa
Dwelling Number:	245
Family Number:	240
Household Members:	Name Age James S Shaw 33 Rebeca Shaw 32 Martha F Shaw 8 John R Shaw 6 Jonah F Shaw 1

Source Citation

Year: 1860; Census Place: Walker, Texas; Page: 108; Family History Library Film: 805307

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James S Shaw

 in the 1860 United States Federal Census

Name:	James S Shaw [James T Shaw] [James S (Seale) Shaw]
Age:	33
Birth Year:	abt 1827
Gender:	Male
Birth Place:	South Carolina
Home in 1860:	Walker, Texas
Post Office:	Tuscaloosa
Dwelling Number:	245
Family Number:	240
Occupation:	Farmer
Real Estate Value:	1000
Personal Estate Value:	800
Household Members:	Name Age James S Shaw 33 Rebeca Shaw 32 Martha F Shaw 8 John R Shaw 6 Jonah F Shaw 1

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James Shaw

 in the 1850 United States Federal Census

Name:	James Shaw [James T Shaw]
Gender:	Male
Age:	25
Birth Year:	abt 1825
Birthplace:	South Carolina
Home in 1850:	Western Division, Chickasaw, Mississippi, USA
Cannot Read, Write:	Y
Line Number:	22
Dwelling Number:	25
Family Number:	25
Household Members:	Name Age William Shaw 60 Sarah Shaw 62 Milly Shaw 25 James Shaw 25 Mary Shaw 19 Elizabeth Shaw 8 William Shaw 6

Source Citation

Year: 1850; Census Place: Western Division, Chickasaw, Mississippi; Roll: 369; Page: 353B

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Sarah Shaw

 in the 1850 United States Federal Census

Name:	Sarah Shaw [Sarah J. Mitchell] [Sarah J Shaw]
Gender:	Female
Age:	62
Birth Year:	abt 1788
Birthplace:	South Carolina
Home in 1850:	Western Division, Chickasaw, Mississippi, USA
Cannot Read, Write:	Y
Line Number:	20
Dwelling Number:	25
Family Number:	25
Household Members:	Name Age William Shaw 60 Sarah Shaw 62 Milly Shaw 25 James Shaw 25 Mary Shaw 19 Elizabeth Shaw 8 William Shaw 6

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Good job Eddie!!

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Hi Eddie! Yep! Got that census record as well....I have a lot of documentation on the Shaw family....but JT was always a mystery until I found his Civil War Record on file with Fold3.com a few days ago. He is the son of William and Sarah Shaw. His son, John R. (Jack) went to live with his uncle Elias in the 1870 census for Walker County, Texas. So, I put two and two together that his father, James T. Shaw, must have died in the civil war...which I found to be true. I think Rebecca must have died before 1870 as well, as she doesn't appear there, either.

Thanks for the help! Super nice of you to provide all of this!

On another note...I did start researching James W. Shaw with the 44th GA regiment...he shows up in the 1860 Henry County GA census with a wife (or sister, as she is 17 and he is 27) Nancy and a young child, Sarah. I can't find any trace of them in the 1870 census. I did find a Nancy Shaw that married a Harvey Toley Dec 14, 1870 - thought maybe she remarried, but her age doesn't seem to match up.

At any rate...I do believe that James W. Shaw was wounded in either the Spotsylvania CH battle, or the one right after, Cold Harbor...and died from his wounds, as he was still alive in August of 1864 - according to his civil war record....I am just wondering how the person who did the headstone application proved that he died May 10, 1864 and it not be recorded on his record?

Thanks!
Jen

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Georgia, Marriage Records From Select Counties, 1828-1978

Name:	James Shaw
Gender:	Male
Marriage Date:	14 Dec 1855
Marriage Place:	Henry, Georgia, USA
Spouse:	Nancy Watson
Spouse Gender:	Female
Household Members:	Name Age James Shaw Nancy Watson

Source Information:

Ancesrty.com. Georgia, Marriage Records From Select Counties, 1828-1978 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

Original Data: County Marriage Records, 1828–1978. The Georgia Archives, Morrow, Georgia.

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1870 United States Federal Census

Name:	Nancy J Shawe
Age in 1870:	30
Birth Year:	1840
Birthplace:	Georgia
Dwelling Number:	90
Home in 1870:	Subdivision 163, Newton, Georgia
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Post Office:	Conyers
Occupation:	Keeping House
Inferred Spouse:	James P Shawe
Household Members:	Name Age James P Shawe 35 Nancy J Shawe 30 Sarah Shawe 15

Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: Subdivision 163, Newton, Georgia; Roll: M593_168; Page: 108B; Family History Library Film: 545667

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N J Watson

 in the 1850 United States Federal Census

Name:	N J Watson [Nancy J. Watson]
Gender:	Female
Age:	10
Birth Year:	abt 1840
Birthplace:	Georgia
Home in 1850:	District 42, Henry, Georgia, USA
Line Number:	7
Dwelling Number:	1138
Family Number:	1138
Household Members:	Name Age Z Watson 56 E Watson 46 J Watson 18 J Watson 16 M A Watson 12 N J Watson 10 S Watson 7 W Watson 6

Source Citation

Year: 1850; Census Place: District 42, Henry, Georgia; Roll: 73; Page: 267A

Answer 1

Where was he born or enlisted?  There were several James Shaw's, one a James W Shaw, died May 1864, in that battle, buried at Spotsylvania Confederate Cemetery, he was from GA.

Comments

Hi Sandra,

Thanks for the help! I have James' civil war record - J T Shaw from Hunstville, TX enlisted on March 20, 1862 and mustered-in at Richmond, VA on May 4, 1862. I conclude this is my 4th ggrather, as census shows he is the only James Shaw at the age of 35 from Walker County, Texas. I also know his middle initial was "T". He was attached to Captain R.M. Powell's Company (D), 5th regiment Texas Vounteers.

His record shows that he was killed at the Spotsylvania Court House on May 12, 2864. I have seen the headstone application for "James W. Shaw", but the date on his app says May 10, 1864 and his regiment was GA, and it looks like the "W" was added to his name..not in the same handwriting as the rest.  So, this couldn't be the same person. This is why I am confused. It would see me to be if they identified him and recorded his death - there should be a gravesite, right?  Thanks for your help!

Jennifer

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Sandra,

I just found James W. Shaw's service record on Fold3.com and he has a muster roll and July/August of 1864 shows he was 'absent, wounded'. This could not be the same person on the headstone application, as it stated he was killed on May 10, 1864! I bet they have the wrong information on the headstone - thinking it was James from GA, when in fact it was J T Shaw from Texas!  I will need to see if I can find "W"s regiment at the battle in Spotsylvania.

Jen

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There may not be a burial location .  But I did find this for you , but without an unmarked grave location and more information about him, it may not help with headstone.: Historic headstones (Prior to World War I) - In addition to the headstone and markers pictured, two special styles of upright headstones are available for those who served with Union Forces during the Civil War or for those who served in the Spanish-American War. Another style headstone is available for those who served with the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. Requests for these special styles should be made in block 33 of the claim. It is necessary to submit detailed documentation that supports eligibility. Inscriptions on these headstone types are intentionally limited to assure historic accuracy. For example, only rank above 'Private' was historically authorized; emblems of belief and the words 'Civil War' are not authorized. Form to use at:

https://www.va.gov/vaforms/va/pdf/va40-1330.pdf

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Okay - just found this on the Henry County US Genweb site - 

Shaw, James W.- private March 4, 1862. Wounded in 1864.
Roll for August 31, 1864, last on file, shows him absent,
wounded. Cemetery records show one J. Shaw was buried in
Confederate Cemetery at Spotsylvania, Va.

This makes NO sense....if he was WOUNDED and states so on his muster roll in AUGUST - he couldn't have possibly been buried May 12, 1864! 

Thoughts?

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died from wounds, and they didn't all ways have updated information during the War. Some were listed as missing, when dead.

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Battle of Spotsylvania was in May.  A lot of Confederates were taken prisoner at Spotsylvania (over 5,000), he may have remained at that location in a field hospital or prison infirmary and then died there 2-3 months later.

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https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10481677/james-w-shaw

Pvt James W Shaw

BIRTH unknown

DEATH May 1864

Spotsylvania County, Virginia, USA

BURIAL

Spotsylvania Confederate Cemetery

Spotsylvania Courthouse, Spotsylvania County, Virginia, USA

PLOT Georgia State Section

MEMORIAL ID 10481677 · View Source

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That was really helpful! I didn't realize there was a hospital there and he could have been wounded and died there. Sigh.....I guess I will never find James T. Shaw.....

Thanks for all of your help!
Jennifer

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The cemetery lists that most of the men who are there are unknown and buried in mass graves.  If your ancestor went missing at that battle and never turned up again he was probably presumed dead and after the war ended, if he was not repatriated, he would have been considered killed at that battle.

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Thanks for your input. I guess I would have thought if the exact date he was killed at the battle was entered in on his service record, then I thought maybe that he was identified. But, I guess I will never know!

Thanks for the help! It is greatly appreciated!

Jen

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It’s good you posted in g2g you never know if more info becomes available sometimes a professional genealogist can help or the town historian

You could trying to retag this question adding his profile as attached so others can help James Shaw and add the tag civil war 

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For a Private J. T. Shaw See 5th Regiment, Texas Infantry, United States Civil War; see National Park Service Record

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Andrew - THIS is my guy!!! He was apart of the 5th Infantry in Texas.....it just makes me sad that he has been lost to history. I would love to be able to give him the recognition he deserves....but I don't even know where to start!

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yay!  Great news!

Answer 2

Possibly him? Interesting the date is smudged like a 10 or 12. The image is attached in record see also 44th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, United States Civil War company A; Rank: Private  see National Park Service Record; see Battle of Spotsylvania

Name: James W Shaw
Event Type: Burial
Event Place: Spotsylvania, , Virginia, United States
Death Date: 10 May 1864
Record Number: 2046

Affiliate Publication Number: M1916
Affiliate Publication Title: Applications for Headstones for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1941
Affiliate Film Number: 107
GS Film Number: 1878256
Digital Folder Number: 004832274
Image Number: 02046
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: B07800-1
 

Citing this Record
"United States Headstone Applications for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1949", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VHZX-KDY : 4 April 2020), James W Shaw, .

Comments

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for responding! No, sadly, this isn't my J T Shaw. I saw the headstone application for J Shaw - it seems that the 'ames' were added to the J and then the W was added as well....I think that James W. Shaw from the 44th GA regiment DID die from his wounds from the battle of the Spotsylvania CH even the next one, Cold Harbor battle- but died later than May 12, 1864. I wish I could upload the documents I have so everyone here helping me can see the weird discrepancies.

Answer 3

Hi everyone! I appreciate EVERYONE'S help in my quest to find my 4th Great-grandfather, James T. Shaw! I thought it was only fair to share so everyone will know. I just recently received the following information from a gentleman that is a *Trustee & Historian of Spotsylvania Confederate Cemetery.

He indicated the following for me:

About your 4xG-Grandpa James T. Shaw: he was KIA next to Spindle's Field @1030AM, may 12, 1864, when Field's Division (which Gregg's Texas' brigade was part of) repulsed Warrens' U.S. V Corps with heavy loss. While several (Law's Brigade) Alabamians and a handful of (Jenkins' Brigade) of South Carolinians, KIA in same fighting as your ancestor, are buried in the Spotsylvania Confederate Cemetery, they are only a very small percentage of those who perished at that time. None of the 4 known Texas burials died that day.

 

As it stands, the Southern Patriot J.T. Shaw, still rests within the battlefield.

Of the roughly 1500 CSA KIA in the battle of Spotsy C.H., only 300+ are interred in the Spotsylvania Confederate Cemetery.

I was able to find out what actually happened to him! So, now armed with this information, and of course, I asked for documentation, I might be able to apply for him a headstone so he isn't lost to history, nor family! Thank you ALL for the wonderful information you provided and your time...it is very much appreciated!

Thanks,
Jennifer

Comments

That is wonderful! These soldiers all who fought in that horrific war deserve proper recognition of their service. My 3rd great grandfather on my maternal side was wounded at the Battle of Monocacy in Maryland but survived. My great great grandfather paternal side also survived all New York boys. Also a 3rd on my paternal maternal side. So direct related to 3 civil war grandfathers.

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Thanks! I was excited to share with everyone on this thread. While he was a confederate soldier, which obviously isn't popular today....I can't help but think that no matter what side of the war you were on, if you believed in it and it was the right thing to do for your family and your country, how could that be so wrong? Things are obviously different today, but history shouldn't be erased or hidden because some find it 'offensive'. However, this is how the future is supposed to learn from not making the same decisions as before. I am proud of James T. Shaw and leaving his young family as a volunteer says to me he was a man of integrity and outstanding character...and that makes all the difference to know that I come from a line of individuals that stood up for what he believed and fought for it. Whether people agree to 'disagree' - that is what it means to me!

Jennifer :)