Joseph P. Johnson

Joseph P. Johnson was born in 1834.

Joseph was a 27-year-old teamster possibly living in Muskegon County, Michigan, when he enlisted as wagoner in Company H on May 13, 1861. (Company H, formerly the “Muskegon Rangers,” was made up largely of men from the vicinity of Muskegon and Newaygo counties.) By early July of 1862 he was reported as a patient “at the hospital on the York River, held by the rebels.” The Detroit Free Press quoted a New York Herald report “that the joy of the poor wounded soldiers at their anticipated release was very great, but when they were informed that they must return to the hospital again and be held there as prisoners, their grief was indescribable, especially among those who were sick. The scene was heartrending.”

Joseph was soon reported to have been released at Richmond, Virginia, on parole, and he arrived at Old Point, Virginia, near Fortress Monroe, on the John Tucker, on the afternoon of July 11. By late August he was at Camp Parole, Annapolis, Maryland, and on December 19, 1862, he returned from missing in action status to the Regiment at Camp Pitcher, Virginia.

In fact, however, Joseph had been detached as a wagoner and from January of 1863 through June was serving with the Brigade wagon train, probably as a teamster. In July he was with the supply train, in October was reported on detached service since October 29, and was on detached service as a teamster from November of 1863 through January of 1864, absent sick in February, returned to Brigade headquarters in March, was on duty with the Brigade wagon and ambulance trains in April, and in May was in the Brigade train. He was mustered out of service on June 20, 1864.

He may have been the same Joseph P. Johnson who had served as a teamster for the U.S. Army during the war, and who by 1919 (?) was living in Missouri, drawing a pension (no. 1223749).

According to the SUVCW, however, he died in 1888, presumably in Kent County and was buried in Courtland cemetery.