Robert Greenlee Bail (abt. 1821 - aft. 1864)

Born about 24 Oct 1821 in Ross County, Ohio, USA [uncertain]

Ancestors

Biography

Sergeant Robert Bail served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: 1861
Mustered out: 1864
Side: CSA
Regiment(s): Company F, 48th Tennessee infantry

Robert Greenlee Bail was born on October 24, 1821^[1] in probably Ross County, Ohio.^[2] He was the son of Emmor Bail and Mary Maitland Greenlee.^[3]

It is likely that Robert served Tennessee in the Mexican War.^[4][5]

In the 1850 census, Robert is found working as a clerk in Dickson County, Tennessee and living in the same household of Anthony VanLeer^[6] See Research Notes.

Robert joined the confederate forces as a volunteer in the War of Northern Aggression (Civil War) in Company F, Regiment 48 (Voorheis'). He rose to the rank of 1st Sergeant.^[7] He was taken prisoner (captured on February 15, 1862) at Fort Donelson in Tennessee.^[8] On June 15, 1864, Robert made an oath of allegiance to the United States, deserting the "rebel" side.^[9][10] He was 5'9" tall, had grey hair, a fair complexion, and blue eyes.^[11] Over 12,000 confederate soldiers were captured at Fort Donelson. In June 1864, he was still in military prison in Hickman County, Tennessee. ^[12]

No further sources are found on 5 April 2023.

Research Notes

Robert's employer, Anthony VanLeer^[13] who owned the Cumberland Furnace in Dickson County, Tennessee had strong Union ties (even though he owned slaves, but also paid them). It is unknown whether Robert and his employer were politically aligned. It is known that Robert first volunteered for the war of Northern Aggression, serving with the Confederacy and then renounced that cause while a prisoner.

The Civil War unit that Robert served with was primarily recruited from Maury County, Tennessee. No census or marriage records are found for that county on 5 April 2023.

Census Notes

1850 Census: The Middle District, Dickson County, Tennessee ^[6]

Anthony W Vanleer 60 M Pennsylvania Iron Manufacturer $60,000

Thomas Y Dickson 21 M Tennessee Manager

R G Bail 27 M Ohio Clerk

James H Hartigan 30 M Virginia Collier

Sources

1. ↑ Original information imported from gedcom without sources.
2. ↑ Birth location is where the family was in the 1820's and the other siblings are born there.
3. ↑ Family history and original information imported from gedcom in 2011.
4. ↑ Possible Mexican War Service in Tennessee. "United States Mexican War Pension Index, 1887-1926", database with images, FamilySearch USA Mexican War Pension index, Robert G Bail, 28 March 1887.
5. ↑ Possible Mexican War Service: "United States Mexican War Index and Service Records, 1846-1848", database with images, FamilySearch Mexican War Service, Robert G Bail, 1846-1848.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch 1850 Census, R G Bail in household of Anthony W Vanleer, Dickson, Dickson, Tennessee, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
7. ↑ Fold3 Sergeant image
8. ↑ Fold3 capture image
9. ↑ Fold3 oath image
10. ↑ Fold3 oath image 2
11. ↑ Fold3 Description image
12. ↑ Fold3 prisoner image
13. ↑ WikiPedia Anthony VanLeer

• Possible US Pension: "United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934", database with images, FamilySearch USA Pension Files, Robert Bales, 26 Jan 1909, Invalid, service in Tennessee.

Acknowledgments

• Bail-13 was created by Ethan Aronoff through the import of Ethan 500.ged on Jun 2, 2015.