Civil War ID Tag - Token?

prolab69

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Oct 8, 2007
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Well. . . i was going to ask for some info on this, but the one on the "banner" was staring me in the face. :tongue3: The reverse says. . Abram Compton, Monterey, NY ll Cavy.
-This was found at a cellar hole about 4 miles from the Town of Monterey. The only info i could find on him was his name and the fact that he was able to fight for the Union army.
Pro-
 

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Upvote 26
WOW! Great find man! Two in a month on here is nuts! Congrats!
 

Yours is a bit different. Maybe yours was made AFTER the war? Strange yours says 1861, 2, & 3 & 4. I have never seen an id tag that had all the years of the war on it. Well not all. The war went to 1865 which is a bit puzzling.

Somebody should have more information. A very unique find I think though.
 

Whatever it is, it's a keeper for sure. Congrats
 

Thanks, . . it feels good to finally find something different for a change, i haven`t been posting every IH cent or Merc. dime i find. I could only see the eagle on this when i dug it out of a very deep hole. I knew it was different, because what copper has a CW era Eagle on it ?? Im kicking myself for not bringing my camera with me, . This site was literally thru the jungle to find, and probably not hunted, need to go back when it`s not so overgrown. also found a sterling spoon bowl marked TE & CO, 2 charred IH`s, 2 crotal bells, 2 rosettes, a sterling thimble, Pro-
 

Yours is a bit different. Maybe yours was made AFTER the war? Strange yours says 1861, 2, & 3 & 4. I have never seen an id tag that had all the years of the war on it. Well not all. The war went to 1865 which is a bit puzzling.
Somebody should have more information. A very unique find I think though.

http://old.stacksbowers.com/BrowseAuctions/LotDetail.aspx?AuctionID=6039&Lot=3232&LotID=398155
The reference i found says he may have went in, in 1863, maybe he was issued his tag in 1863-4 ?? therefore only going to 1864? only able to predict one year ahead ? . . that would be my guess, . . good question, thanks.
 

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I really don't know. I have spent over an hour looking at CW tags. NONE have dates like that. I hope it isn't a fantasy piece that was buried. It sure looks authentic except for the strange dates which I have never seen on any tag. Hopefully you can find an expert that you can email pictures to. That would be my line of action at this time.

Good luck on your research and I hope you can come back with some exciting news and maybe find someone else with another one just like it. Had to be a lot more made I would think.
 

Alright so I was able to find a little bit of information that may help you out. First off I looked up the following information using the complete information from the ID disc "Abram Compton Co. (E or F). 11th PA CAVY Monterey NY." The 11th PA cavalry consisted of men from recruited from Iowa, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Ohio. Specifically Company E and F both recruited men from the state of New York. According to the recruitment records of both companies only one Abraham Compton was recorded and he served in Company E. Abram was an abbreviation for Abraham used commonly to fit the name on ID discs.

Abraham Compton mustered in as a Private and mustered out as a Private. According to the military records Abraham mustered in on September 14, 1861 and served for three years (most likely the reason for an ID disc that listed himself as fighting in 1861, 1862, 1863, and 1864) Abraham was wounded at Jarrett's Station, VA May 8, 1864. Jarrett's Station was a part of Sheridan's Cavalry raid in Virginia in May of 1863. Abraham was later discharged on surgeon's certificate May 31, 1865.

During Abraham's service the 11th PA Cavalry CO E saw the following action:
"Duty at Camp Hamilton, Va., till May, 1862. Reconnoissance to Big Bethel January 3. Moved to Portsmouth May 15. (Cos. "C" and "M" at Newport News March to May.) Action at Blackwater, near Zuni, May 30, 1862. Companies "A," "E," "G," "H" and "L" ordered. to Suffolk, Va., June, 1862, and picket and outpost duty there and toward the Blackwater till June, 1863. Company "M" to Portsmouth, Va., and duty there till March 20, 1863. Companies "B," "C," "D," "F," "I" and "K" ordered to join Army Potomac at White House, participating in operations against Stuart June 13-15, and picket duty at White House and in rear of army till July 2. Operations about New Kent C. H. June 23, and about White House June 26-July 2. Evacuation of White House July 2, and moved to Williamsburg, rejoining other Companies at Suffolk August 20, 1862. Action at Franklin August 31. Reconnoissance from Franklin to Blackwater October 3. Suffolk October 15. Reconnoissance from Suffolk December 1-3. Beaver Dam Creek December 1. Near Franklin and Blackwater December 2. Suffolk December 12. Expedition toward Blackwater January 8-10, 1863. Action at Deserted House January 30. Norfolk February 10 (Co. "M"). Franklin and Blackwater March 17. Siege of Suffolk April 12-May 4. Somerton Road April 15. Edenton Road April 24. Reconnoissance through Gates County, N. C., and down Chowan River June 5-7. Near Suffolk June 11 (Detachment). Expedition to South Anna Bridge June 23-28 (Detachment). Dix's Peninsula Campaign June 24-July 8. South Anna Bridge June 26. Hanover C. H. June 26. Capture of Gen. W. H. F. Lee. Expedition from White House to South Anna River July 1-7. South Anna Bridge July 4. Moved to Portsmouth, Va., and duty there till January, 1864. Expedition from Portsmouth to Jackson, N. C., July 25-August 3. 1864. Jackson July 28. Expedition to Camden and Currituck Counties, N. C., August 5-12. Expedition to Edenton, N. C., August 11-19 (Cos, "G," "I" and "K"). Near Pasquotank August 18. South Mills September 12. Reconnoissance to Blackwater River September 14-17. Expedition from Yorktown to Matthews County October 4-9 (Detachment). Expedition to South Mills and Camden, N. C., December 5-24. Moved to Williamsburg, Va., January 23, 1864, and duty there till April. Wistar's Expedition against Richmond February 6-8. Scout in Gloucester County February 28. Expedition in support of Kilpatrick March 1-4. Expedition into King and Queen County March 9-12. Carlton's Store March 10. Expedition into Matthews and Middlesex Counties March 17-21. Reconnoissance to Blackwater April 13-15. Butler's operations on south side of the James and against Petersburg and Richmond May 4-28. Kautz's Raid on Petersburg & Weldon Railroad and to City Point, Va., May 5-11. Birch Island Bridges May 5. Bird Island Bridges, Blackwater River, May 6. Stony Creek Station, Weldon Railroad, May 7. White's Bridge, Nottaway Creek, May 8. Jarrett's Station and White's Bridge May 9."

At this point in time Abraham would have been wounded. Congrats on one historical find!
 

It seems your Civil War service tag should properly be read as Abram Compton, Company E, 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry. He kept a house and family in Monterey, Steuben County, NY which changed names to Town of Orange, Schuyler County, NY in the late 1800's.

Company E of the 11th Pennsylvania (108th Volunteers) was made up of recruits from Philadelphia County, PA and those from the state of New York. This explains why he was from New York but riding in a Pennsylvania Cavalry.
https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/11th_Regiment,_Pennsylvania_Cavalry_(108th_Volunteers)

11th Pennsylvania Cavalry
Company E Roster
Compton, Abraham Private September 14, 1861
Wounded at Jarrett's Station. Va.. May 8, 1864; discharged on Surgeon's Certificate, May 31, 1865; Vet
11th Pennsylvania Cavalry/108th Regiment, Company E Muster Roll

His regiment fought in these engagements:
image.png

Just as a point of interest and to a powerful truth of the times, compare the ratio of men lost to disease as opposed to those lost in battle in his regiment:
"The regiment lost a total of 290 men during service; 3 officers and 67 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 220 enlisted men died of disease." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/11th_Pennsylvania_Cavalry

He is interred:
MONTEREY OLD METHODIST CHURCH CEMETERY
Town of Orange, Schuyler County, New York

Abram Compton, Co E, 11th Regt. PA Cavalry
May 22,1839-February 16,1907
Frances, wife of Abram Compton
December 29,1848-
Grandma's Cabin, Genealogy by Nancy Machuga
 

You guys did a lot of reading on this, thanks. My local township Genweb site has search engines for all that info, no pictures of the guy tho.
ill find what Cemetery he rests at and just print out a small pic of his headstone to keep with it. Maybe his stone will list some military info.
Thank you for all the help,
Pro-
 

You guys did a lot of reading on this, thanks. My local township Genweb site has search engines for all that info, no pictures of the guy tho.
ill find what Cemetery he rests at and just print out a small pic of his headstone to keep with it. Maybe his stone will list some military info.
Thank you for all the help,
Pro-

BullBat gave you that information:

MONTEREY OLD METHODIST CHURCH CEMETERY
Town of Orange, Schuyler County, New York

I think this was a very awesome thread. Your find and all the information that was presented. Great reading. Thanks for posting a great find!

Are you close to that cemetery? If not maybe someone else closer on here can get you a picture or you can take a road trip.
 

The Gen-Web site lists his location as the following :

[SIZE=+1]MONTEREY CEMETERY,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Town of ORANGE, Schuyler co., NY[/SIZE]

COMPTON Abram Co E 11th Reg Penn Cav 5-22-1839 - 2-16-1907
 

BullBat gave you that information:

MONTEREY OLD METHODIST CHURCH CEMETERY
Town of Orange, Schuyler County, New York

I think this was a very awesome thread. Your find and all the information that was presented. Great reading. Thanks for posting a great find!

Are you close to that cemetery? If not maybe someone else closer on here can get you a picture or you can take a road trip.

yeah, i know that church. a lot of stones there. Ill have the tune in my head as if looking for the grave marked Unknown next to Arch Stanton. . :tongue3:
 

Alright so I was able to find a little bit of information that may help you out. First off I looked up the following information using the complete information from the ID disc "Abram Compton Co. (E or F). 11th PA CAVY Monterey NY." The 11th PA cavalry consisted of men from recruited from Iowa, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Ohio. Specifically Company E and F both recruited men from the state of New York. According to the recruitment records of both companies only one Abraham Compton was recorded and he served in Company E. Abram was an abbreviation for Abraham used commonly to fit the name on ID discs.

Abraham Compton mustered in as a Private and mustered out as a Private. According to the military records Abraham mustered in on September 14, 1861 and served for three years (most likely the reason for an ID disc that listed himself as fighting in 1861, 1862, 1863, and 1864) Abraham was wounded at Jarrett's Station, VA May 8, 1864. Jarrett's Station was a part of Sheridan's Cavalry raid in Virginia in May of 1863. Abraham was later discharged on surgeon's certificate May 31, 1865.

During Abraham's service the 11th PA Cavalry CO E saw the following action:
"Duty at Camp Hamilton, Va., till May, 1862. Reconnoissance to Big Bethel January 3. Moved to Portsmouth May 15. (Cos. "C" and "M" at Newport News March to May.) Action at Blackwater, near Zuni, May 30, 1862. Companies "A," "E," "G," "H" and "L" ordered. to Suffolk, Va., June, 1862, and picket and outpost duty there and toward the Blackwater till June, 1863. Company "M" to Portsmouth, Va., and duty there till March 20, 1863. Companies "B," "C," "D," "F," "I" and "K" ordered to join Army Potomac at White House, participating in operations against Stuart June 13-15, and picket duty at White House and in rear of army till July 2. Operations about New Kent C. H. June 23, and about White House June 26-July 2. Evacuation of White House July 2, and moved to Williamsburg, rejoining other Companies at Suffolk August 20, 1862. Action at Franklin August 31. Reconnoissance from Franklin to Blackwater October 3. Suffolk October 15. Reconnoissance from Suffolk December 1-3. Beaver Dam Creek December 1. Near Franklin and Blackwater December 2. Suffolk December 12. Expedition toward Blackwater January 8-10, 1863. Action at Deserted House January 30. Norfolk February 10 (Co. "M"). Franklin and Blackwater March 17. Siege of Suffolk April 12-May 4. Somerton Road April 15. Edenton Road April 24. Reconnoissance through Gates County, N. C., and down Chowan River June 5-7. Near Suffolk June 11 (Detachment). Expedition to South Anna Bridge June 23-28 (Detachment). Dix's Peninsula Campaign June 24-July 8. South Anna Bridge June 26. Hanover C. H. June 26. Capture of Gen. W. H. F. Lee. Expedition from White House to South Anna River July 1-7. South Anna Bridge July 4. Moved to Portsmouth, Va., and duty there till January, 1864. Expedition from Portsmouth to Jackson, N. C., July 25-August 3. 1864. Jackson July 28. Expedition to Camden and Currituck Counties, N. C., August 5-12. Expedition to Edenton, N. C., August 11-19 (Cos, "G," "I" and "K"). Near Pasquotank August 18. South Mills September 12. Reconnoissance to Blackwater River September 14-17. Expedition from Yorktown to Matthews County October 4-9 (Detachment). Expedition to South Mills and Camden, N. C., December 5-24. Moved to Williamsburg, Va., January 23, 1864, and duty there till April. Wistar's Expedition against Richmond February 6-8. Scout in Gloucester County February 28. Expedition in support of Kilpatrick March 1-4. Expedition into King and Queen County March 9-12. Carlton's Store March 10. Expedition into Matthews and Middlesex Counties March 17-21. Reconnoissance to Blackwater April 13-15. Butler's operations on south side of the James and against Petersburg and Richmond May 4-28. Kautz's Raid on Petersburg & Weldon Railroad and to City Point, Va., May 5-11. Birch Island Bridges May 5. Bird Island Bridges, Blackwater River, May 6. Stony Creek Station, Weldon Railroad, May 7. White's Bridge, Nottaway Creek, May 8. Jarrett's Station and White's Bridge May 9."

At this point in time Abraham would have been wounded. Congrats on one historical find!

Wow-Awesome id and details of the soldier's service record, Irish! Thanks for the effort
 

Wow, such an amazing find. Rare to find a CW relic that can be traced to a specific owner - and then be able to find a detailed history on that owner. Congratulations, and thanks for sharing!
 

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