John W. Peer (abt. 1842 - 1863)

Born about 1842 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States

Died 6 Aug 1863 at about age 21 in Morris Island, Charleston, South Carolina, United States

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Biography

John Peer is a part of US Black heritage.

John W. Peer (also Pierre) was born about 1842^[1]-1845^[2] in Allentown^[3], Pennsylvania. He served with the famous 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry during the US Civil War.

He stood about 5 feet and 3 inches (1.6m) with a light complexion, black eyes, and black hair when he enlisted in 1863.^[3]

Occupations

• 1863^[1]: Barber

Residences

• 1863: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (military enlistment)^[1]
• 1850: Allentown, Pennsylvania with his parents, siblings, and 11-year-old Enrick Pierre^[2]

Military Service and Death

Private John Peer died of disease during the United States Civil War.

Private in Company B of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry regiment, the first regiment in the United States made up entirely of enlisted men of color. He was 21 years old, single and working as a barber when he enlisted on 18 February 1863 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He died 6 August 1863 on Morris Island from dysentery.^[1][4]

Three times yesterday the plaintive notes of Bonaparte crossing the Alps were played passing our camp, followed by some noble son of New England in each instance. Our own regiment, too, lost one yesterday. His name was John Pieere, of Philadelphia; his complaint was fever.^[5]

Company Remarks

See also Images.

6 August 1863

Private John Peer died in Hospital of Typhoid fever at [illegible]

Race

• 1850^[2]: Mulatto

Projects

• 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Emilio, McKay Roster p. 347
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} 1850 federal census
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} regimental descriptive
4. ↑ Find a Grave memorial
5. ↑ Gooding, p. 48

• 1850 United States Federal Census The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M432; Residence Date: 1850; Home in 1850: Allentown, Lehigh, Pennsylvania; Roll: 792; Page: 340b (as John W Pierre)
• Emilio, Luis Fenollosa. History of the Fifty-Fourth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, 1863-1865, Boston, Massachusetts: Boston Book Co., 1891 (1st ed.) and 1894 (2nd ed.)
• Find A Grave: Memorial #192202122
• Fold3.com. "Records of the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Infantry Regiment (Colored), 1863-1865." National Archives Catalog #577134. "Regimental and Company Books of Civil War Volunteer Union Organizations, compiled 1861 - 1865." Free Access Civil War Records 1-15 April 2018.
• Gooding, James Henry and Virginia M. Adams (ed.) On the Altar of Freedom: A Black Soldier's Civil War Letters from the Front. University of Massachusetts Press: April 1999.