James S. Maury

James S. Maury was born in 1843.

In 1860 there was one James “Molly,” age 16 and born in Ireland who was an inmate of the Reform School in Lansing, Ingham County.

In any case, James was 18 years old and probably living in Ingham County when he enlisted with his parents’ consent in Company G on May 10, 1861. (Company G, formerly the “Williams’ Rifles,” was made up predominantly of men from the Lansing area.) By early September he was convalescing from an attack of fever in the general hospital at Annapolis, Maryland. He eventually rejoined the Regiment.

On March 7, 1862, James was tried by a general court martial ‘Johnson's House’ opposite General Heintzelman's headquarters near Fort Lyon, Virginia for: (1) Conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline. Specifically, in that Maury did take, and carry to his quarters, one white flannel shirt and one pair of woolen stockings, said shirt and stockings being the lawful property of Private Webster Kniffin of company A, Third infantry, at Camp Michigan, on February 8, 1862; and (2) for violation of the 46th Article of War. Specifically, in that Maury, being duly posted as a sentinel around the camp of the Regiment without leave and before he was regularly relieved, quit his post remaining absent a considerable length of time, at Camp Michigan on February 8, 1862.

He pled guilty to the first charge and not guilty to the second, was convicted on the first charge and acquitted of the second, and sentenced to be dismissed from the service and to be confined to the penitentiary at Washington, DC for one year.

There is no further record.

Interestingly, however, Frank Siverd of Company G wrote that as of April 13, 1862 “Manry” of Company G was in the hospital at Yorktown, Virginia.

There was a James S. Maury, age 21, who enlisted at Washington, DC, as a Private in Company A, Eleventh New York cavalry, and was mustered on September 9. He was promoted to full bugler on July 25, 1864 and was mustered out with the regiment at Memphis, Tennessee, on June 12, 1865. He also went under the alias Charles H. Moore.

The James who served in the Third Michigan was married to Louisa.

In July of 1865 he applied for a pension (no. 50024).

He may have been living in Indiana and may have died around 1898.

In any case, it seems that his widow was living in Indiana in 1898 when she applied for and received a pension (no. 611184).