Charles B. Anderson

Charles B. Anderson was born 1840 in Rochester, Monroe County, New York, possibly the son of James (b. 1796) and Eliza B. (b. 1805).

New Jersey native James married New York-born Eliza, and they eventually settled in New York where they resided for some years. Sometime after Charles was born the family settled in western Michigan and by 1850 Charles was attending school with his older sister Nancy and they were living with their family on a farm in Otisco, Ionia County. Charles was still attending school and living with his family in Otisco in 1860.

He stood 5’10” tall, with black eyes, sandy hair and a light complexion, and was 21 years old and working as a teacher possibly living in Ionia County when he enlisted as Fourth Sergeant in Company K on May 13, 1861. In September of 1862 he was reportedly “commanding the company”, and the following month was transferred to the non-commissioned staff as Commissary Sergeant. He was absent sick in a hospital in Washington, DC in November of 1863. Although he was listed as hospitalized through February of 1864, he was well enough to reenlist on December 21, 1863, at Brandy Station, Virginia. He was presumably absent on veteran’s furlough in January of 1864 and if so he probably returned to the Regiment on or about the first of February.

At some point Charles was detached from the company to the commissary department and he was transferred as Commissary Sergeant to Company F, Fifth Michigan infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan Regiments on June 10, 1864. He was still listed on detached service, probably with the commissary department, in May and June. He was mustered out of service on July 5, 1865, at Jeffersonville, Indiana.

In 1870 James Anderson was still living in Otisco, and by 1880 Eliza was living as a widow with her daughter Nancy in Otisco. (Nancy is also reported to be buried in Otisco cemetery.)

According to SUVCW Graves’ Registration Project Charles B. is buried in Ionia County, but this cannot be presently confirmed.