Charles Flower

Rank:	Corporal
Street:	13 Abeel Street
Townland:
Town/Village:	New Brunswick, New Jersey
Civil Parish:
Catholic Parish:
Country:	U.S.A.
Alternative Address:	Barry, Co. Longford; 7 Abeel Street, New Brunswick
Census 1901:	Appears in the 1900 US Federal Census with wife & daughter at 13 Abeel St, New Brunswick
Census 1911:	Appears in the 1910 US Federal Census with daughter Margaret & son-in-law James Tomney at 13 Abeel S
Regiment/Unit:	9th New Jersey Infantry, A Company/ [M Company]
Regiment Number:
Date of Death:	10-02-1915
Cause:	Natural causes.
Memorial:
Information:	Charles Flower is believed to have been born in Barry, c.1835, and emigrated to the US c.1860. He married Mary Morris, also believed to have been from Barry, likely on the 11 January 1866* in New Brunswick. Charles and Mary had two daughters, Maria (born New Jersey c.1867) and Margaret, who was born in New Jersey 1869-73***). Charles enlisted with the Union Army in the US Civil War initially on the 17 September 1861 and reenlisted on the 25 November 1863, and served with 9th New Jersey Infantry, initially with M Company and later transferring to A company. They were primarily a sharpshooter regiment, that spent much of the war in North Carolina. Charles was wounded on May 14, 1862 at the Battle of Drury’s Bluff in Richmond, Virginia - he was promoted to Corporal later that year. He was discharged just over a year later on the 12 July 1865. After the war, Charles returned to New Brunswick and worked as a labourer, and by 1900 he was a teamster. Charles died in New Jersey in 1915.
Parents Names:	Son of William Flower and Susanna/ Susan (née Oats)
Notes:	'Sharpshooters' by Edward Longacre details his wartime experiences, and M Company is often portrayed. Charles gave his year of immigration as 1863 on a later census,but this must be inaccurate if he enlisted in September 1861, it is possible that this was his year of naturalisation instead. His name appears to have been transcribed and indexed as Flouse **This family seems to appear on the 1870 Federal Census in New Brunswick, living with the then 60 year old Margaret Flowers, likely the mother or aunt of Charles, 3 year old Maria and 1 year old Margaret; the 1880 census has the daughters as 13 and 11 respectively - Margaret Snr is not mentioned. Later census entries have Margaret's DOB as about 1872/73. Charles's own age changes during the years, so it is likely that like many working-class Irish people of the time, he wasn't entirely sure of his age). Many thanks to Paul Christian for the information on Charles Flower.
Links:	Entry in US National Park Service - Soldiers & Sailors Database; Overview of the 9th Infantry in the US Civil War; further information on the Battle of Drewry's Bluff;