This Site and Pages are Dedicated to the families, and kinfolk of the brave Men and Women who Lived Through the Difficult Years of 1861 to 1865. Every American Family from the East, South, Midwest, and Western parts of this Great Country was touched by the American Civil War. Many many instances of "Brother against Brother", and In my Case actual "Cousin against Cousin" was a Fact. It occured every Day, every Week and all Throught the War Years. It is with These Thoughts in Mind that I Dedicate these to My Great Grandfather. Joseph Shedelbower, Private, 38th Illinois Infantry. Joseph was mustered in on September 1861, and Fought through Missouri, Missippi, and Tennesee Campaigns. Culminating his Army Career with the Army of the Cumberland at the Battle of Chickamagua. September 19, 20th 1863. His Unit, the 38th Illinois, along with 22nd Indiana, 81st Indiana, and the 101st Ohio were part of Gen William Carlin's XX Corps, who was left alone to Defend against Confederate Masses of Gen Longstreet's Johnson, Deas, and Hindmans Divisions, by Gen Rosecrans fatal mistake of "assuming" a Gap in the Federal Lines on the word of a Courier. He shifted all of Gen Woods and Gen Sheridans forces to the North, to fill a non-existant Gap in the lines. Carlins Federal Corps was overrun by the Confederate Army, thus pouring into the Federals Rear lines, and all of the XX Corps that were not killed, or ran from anything Grey, were captured. Joesph Shedelbower was a lucky one. (muster roles had him listed a Sheddlebaur). He was Captured, and spent the next 16 Months at the most Infamous location in all of the War, The Confederate POW Prison at Andersonville, GA. He was exchanged at Annapolis, MD in Dec 1864, sent to Baltimore, MD for medical attention and was mustered out on 30 January 1865, and put on a train back home to Illinois. All this occured between the age of 17 to 21. Joseph suffered from the effects of scurvy contracted at Andersonville, for the reminder of his life, drawing a $30 per month pension from the Union Army. He passed away at age 47. (1891), and was buried at the Assumption Catholic Church cemetary in Ste. Marie, Jasper County, Illinois.
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