There are days and nights where I would just be so happy to have had 1 family member in the Civil War. My mother's mother's side were the "Prouty's" around 178 served (it will say 1-203 on the National Archives website) but some joined early in the war and transferred to another regiment. There are some names that are actually the same man. At least 132 pensions were filed after the war, saw that on ancestry.com.

Now my mother's father's side were the "Pellerin's", tradition places them in southern France and they made their way to Canada in the 1600 and 1700's they were most fur trappers. A couple served in Union regiments and the bulk served in Louisiana regiments. Some must have came down the Mississippi river in the 1700-1800's.

Then we found out that my grandfather was given to his Aunt in 1917 when his mother (my g-grandmother) died from the 1917 flu. His original last name was "Whitmer". Ironically in the genealogy book this name appears alot. We didn't know at that time what the connection was but we do now. The Whitmer's were from northern New York and in 1748 due to the harsh winters and babies and little ones dying, they moved down to Virginia.

When I put the Whitmer's last name in the National Archives website, sure enough a few served in New York regiments and alot in Virginia regiments. There were alot more Whitmer's all over America. But until I see proof that they are from our blood line, I will not include all the other Whitmer's. Only New York and Virginia we are 110% sure of.

What is very odd, is some Prouty's and some Whitmer's were not only in the same regiment but the same companies...

My wife, mother and grandmother work on the genealogies. I work on the Civil War part. I search for all Union flags captured and also search my family members that fought in the war. I have all of their names, regiments they were in, battles, birthdays, deaths, how many kids they had and how many kids they had so on and so on.

For the Prouty genealogy it dates back to 1081. The Pellerin's and Whitmer's were from Normandy France and southern France, clearly some crossed over to England.

The Prouty's did not just fight in the Civil War. The first Prouty to leave Rodmarton, England was only 14 years old. His name was Richard William Prouty, he married Miss Elizabeth Guest and they had 21 kids. 190 years later when the Civil War started, there were at least 178 Prouty's that served. There are only 3 Union states we have never found a Prouty in, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Delaware. California, Oregon, Denver, Nebraska, Kansas and the rest of the Union states they were in a regiment or unit.

The Prouty's fought in the King Phillip war, French and Indian wars, American Revolution, 1812 and the Civil War.

The battle of Gettysburg had many of them there. Sidney T. Prouty was killed in the 2nd Massachusetts, one was mortally wounded in the 15th Massachusetts. One family member was in the 6th Wisconsin company K, had 2 Pellerin's in the 8th La. One Prouty was captured in the 13th Massachusetts on Day 1. One Whitmer was in the 80th New York. Had several in the 6th Corps that never saw action at Gettysburg. Had a Prouty in the 1st Mass Cav, 8th Illinois Cav, 9th Mass battery and many other batteries. Only Gettysburg seems to give me a stange feeling when I walk around the battle field.

So I am curious to put together all of them and see where their regiments were in battles.

Have a good night,

Shawn Prouty