Dawson Gordney, Company K

Dawson Gordney had an eventful life. He fell from his horse and was shot during a skirmish. He was married several times — as were his wives. One of his former wives was treated in the Central State Asylum for Colored Insane in Petersburg, Virginia. It appears that the Clerk of the County Court of Norfolk County committed perjury and forgery while handling Gordney’s pension application. The veteran died at the National Soldiers’ Home in Hampton, Virginia and was buried nearby at Hampton National Cemetery.

 

Invalid — 386,103 / 444,942
Widow —  994,469 / —-,  Louisa Gordney

War Department, Adjutant General’s Office, Washington, DC, 3 March 1883
“May 16/64 report shows him wounded by falling from horse. June 28/64 absent sick at Ft. Monroe. Hospital register not on file. The records of the office do not show nature nor location of wound.”

 

Deposition, Edward R. Pitt, 29 July 1889
50 years old; farmer; post-office address, Bowers Hill, Norfolk Co., Va. “It was about two months from the night of the skirmish before I saw him. … I remember that the claimant was in the company with us at the time of the skirmish but we had fallen back (Dawson Gordney) was missing.”

 

Deposition, Dawson Gordney, 29 July 1889
50 years old; farmer; post-office address c/o A.H. Martin, Box 203, Portsmouth, Va. I claim pension for a gunshot wound in the seven days fight between Petersburg and Richmond, at the skirmish on the turnpike, May 1864.

“I was the flag bearer when I was shot, and after being wounded, I fell from my horse and was trampled over by the rest of the company. None of the horses hurt me, the horses stepped over me.
“Captain Whiteman was the commandant when I was wounded. I was wounded in the nighttime. I was mounted and had hold of the bridle of my left hand. The flag was strapped on to the pommel of the saddle. We were sent to cut off a wagon train.
Q. What comrades were with you when you were wounded?
A. Ord. Sgt Thomas Pitt, Ed Pitt, Dick Colden, Albert Jones, James [?] Jones, Zachary Johnson, Bob Winburn, Fred Powell, that’s all I can think of. …
Q. When and where did you enlist?
A. At Norfolk, Va., Dec 13, 1863, I was not mustered out with my regiment on account of my wound.”

 

Deposition, Jacob Ashburn, 3 August 1889
6[illegible] years old; farmer; post-office address, Bowers Hill, Norfolk Co., Va. “I know that he was shot in the hand somewhere near Deep Bottom on the turnpike road, in a ‘scrimmage’ about May 1864, I have forgotten the date, but we were trying to cut off a rebel wagon train. …
Q. How do you know that he was wounded?
A. Because he hollered out.

 

Deposition, Richard Colden, 3 August 1889
60 years old; laborer; post-office address 818 Crabbe St., Portsmouth, Va.
Q. How do you know that Gwathmey was wounded?
A. I was right behind him when he fell off his horse. He said he was shot.
Q. How do you know which wrist was shot?
A. I saw it the next morning
in camp. I did not see the wound. I saw his hand wrapped up.
Q. Which hand or wrist was it?
A. I am positive it was the left….”

 

Deposition, Albert Jones, 3 August 1889
46 years old; laborer; post-office address 16 Clifford St., Portsmouth, Va. “I have known [Gwathmey] twenty-six years. I knew him before enlistment … He was treated by Dr. Gray in camp a day or two and then sent to Hampton Hospital. I did not see him anymore after he went to hospital at Hampton until I came home after discharge.

 

Deposition, Sias Washington, 3 August 1889
about 50 years old; farmer; post-office address, Portsmouth, Va.
“I was not there when he was shot. I was on duty at camp.”

 

Deposition, Wm. T. Pitt, 5 August 1889
50 years old; farmer; post-office address Churchland, Norfolk Co., Va. … [Gwathmey] was a Sergeant and flag bearer in my co. I did not know him before enlistment.
“He received a wound in the back of the hand. I do not know which hand. I was not present at the time, I was sick in camp … I saw the hand when he returned to the regiment. The back of the hand was raw and looked like a sabre wound. I never heard that he shot himself. I heard that he was wounded by the enemy and it was the general impression in the co. that he was so wounded at the time.  He did not go to Texas with us. He deserted.
“He came back to the regiment when he got better of his wound but he deserted and I did not see him again until two years after discharge. … He lives about five miles from me. When I was up and well I used to see him about twice a month but I have not seen him for nearly a year now. I have been down sick for fourteen months.”
[One of the witnesses in this deposition was Marnie or Mamie Pitt. Is she related to me through the Pitt brothers of Nansemond County? — Leslie]

 

Deposition, Squire Bright, 6 August 1889
48 years old; post-office address 313 Dinwiddie St., Portsmouth, Va.
“I remembered that [he] was shot in one of his hands in a skirmish on the turnpike between Bermuda Hundred and Petersburg in 1864. I don’t remember the month, but I remember that the wheat was high at the time and it must have been near warm weather. I remember we were down in a deep cut when the rebels fired down upon us from the edge of the hill above when Sergt. Gwathmey was shot.”
Q. How do you know that he was wounded in the hand?
A. I was there. I know that before that volley was fired his hand was allright [sic] and when he was struck by the ball he hollered out “Boys, I’m shot. I’m shot.”  I saw his hand after he came to camp. The wound was between the wrist and the knuckles.”

 

Letter from M.B. Bailey, Chief of the Law Division, Bureau of Pensions, to the Acting Chief of S.E. Div., 31 October 1889 
[This is my summary of a five-page typed letter in the folder:  It appeared that Alvah H. Martin, Clerk of the County Court of Norfolk County “unlawfully witheld $536.00 of the $636.00 due [Gordney].” Martin claimed that Gordney had paid him for a “piece of land near Scott’s Creek”  but Gordney denied Martin’s claim.  The Court Clerk then withheld Gordney’s pension papers. Bailey asked that a Special Examiner be directed to proceed to Norfolk, Va., and thoroughly investigate this matter in connection with the charges made by the soldier in his deposition, which, with the exception of the intimations of perjury and forgery against Martin, are substantially corroborated by the evidence …
“If, on the completion of his examination the Examiner should be of the opinon that forgery or perjury had been committed … he should report these facts at once to this Bureau, and await further instructions, –  unless, in his opinion there is danger of escape of the guilty party or parties, in which event he should consult at once the U.S. Attorney, and take his advice as to the propriety of  procuring warrants for the guilty party or parties.” — Leslie]

 

Affidavits for Neighbors and General Purpose, Tom Riddick & Cyrus Washington, 31 August 1891
[Riddick] 50 years old; residence King Street, Norfolk Co., Va. and [Washington] 60 years old; Godwin Street, Norfolk Co “that we were in the same company during the War of the Rebellion and was with him when wounded … we have known him and lived near him ever since the close of the war”

 

General Affidavit, Albert Jones, 17 October 1892
49 years old; post-office address 1114 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va…. “That he is intimately acquainted with the claimant from having served with him in the same co. and regt. during the war, and having lived in the same community that he has lived since the close of the said war, and at this time he lives within four blocks of him, that he is now in bad health and unable to work and he has often contributed to his relief.”

 

General Affidavit, Thomas Reddick, 19 October 1892
53 years old; residence Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va. “[T]hat he is living in the same neighborhood as the claimant … that he is well acquainted with the claimant from the fact of being his comrade-in-arms same Co. and Regt. during the late war.”

 

Marriage License [copy], Dawson Gordney & Louisa Johnson, 29 September 1896
[Marriage] Portsmouth, Va., 1 October 1896
[Ages] 55  years old and 31 years old, respectively
[Birthplaces] Southampton County, Va. and Nansemond County, Va., respectively
[Residence] Norfolk County, Va.
[Husband’s parents] Henry Gwathmey and Angelina Gwathmey
[Wife’s parents] Elias and Mary Gray
[Officiant] John C. Dennis

 

General Affidavit, Newell Jones & Edward Riddick 22 April 1897
[Jones] 57 years old, Portsmouth, Va. and [Riddick] 55 years old, Virginia; have known the claimant at least 25 years

 

Questionnaire, Dawson Gwathmey, 4 June 1898
[Married?] Yes, Louisa Gwathmey nee Louisa Gray; widow Louisa Johnson
[When, where, whom] about 1864, Norfolk, by Rev. J.C. Dennis
[Record?] Clerk’s Office, City of Norfolk
[Previous marriage] No
[Living children?] No

 

Deposition, Dawson Gwathmey alias Gordney, 20 March 1902
60 years old; laborer; 406 Cook St., Portsmouth, Va.
“I was born in Southampton, Va.; was a slave; was owned by Peter Olds. My father was Henry Gordney and it was from him I took my name. I worked on a farm before I enlisted.
“I never got a discharge when I left the army for the reason I was wounded and did not go to Texas, but during Cleveland’s first administration a discharge was sent me which I herewith hand you. … My correct name is Gordney, but not being able to read and write some people got the name mixed and called me Gwathmey.
“[After I was wounded] I returned to my company but was never able to resume duty. The regiment went to Texas after I rejoined them and was there some twelve months but I did not go.
“Jeptha Garrard was my Colonel.
“Jerry Whiteman was my first Lt. but I cannot recollect who was my Lt. Col.
“Seips was Major and Lt. Col.
“Whiteman always acted as Capt. of my Company. Hart was 2d Lt. He said he was from Syracuse.
“Thomas Pitt was my Ord. Sgt. Edward Pitt was Commissary Sgt. Genus Jones was Duty Sgt.
“A man named Elliott now of Portsmouth, Va. eat and slept with me still I have forgotten his first name. …
“James Allen Smith of Washington, DC was my attorney. So far I’ve paid him personally nothing.”
“The Pitt boys, Dick Colin, and Genie Gray were my witnesses. They charged me nothing. I was never a witness for any of my witnesses.

“Mr. Rutter executes my vouchers; charges me seventy-five cents; he always swears me; he never executes my vouchers before the 4th. I only pawned my pension papers once and that to Mr. Diesendorf; that was a number of  years ago.  I do not now owe Mrs. Diesendorf anything. …

“I had a slave wife named Jane Brinkley. She went to Richmond in time of war and has been married three times since she left me …

“I next married in 1863; married Bythy Falk. I had no ceremony with her; just took up and announced ourselves husband and wife. Lived with her eighteen years. I first had her at Suffolk but later on we came to Portsmouth and here my wife went insane and was sent to the asylum at Petersburg, Va. where she died about four years ago. The court considered me divorced though I never made an application for one.  I next married Louisa Johnson who was the widow of Harry Johnson who died in this city eight years ago. I married my last wife seven years ago in Portsmouth, Va. We were married by Reverend Denning. My wife was only married once before I married her and she and Harry Johnson separated and as I said he died eight years ago.

“I have no children under 16 years of age.”

 

General Affidavit, Jack Flemming & Jack Wilson, 7 November 1904
[Flemming] 48 years old, residence 1427 Green St., Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Va. …”well and personally acquainted with Dawson Gordney for 10 years and see him about three or four times a week…
[Wilson] 56 years old, residence 1110 London St., Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Va. … “well and personally acquainted with him for at least 40 years more or less as he was in the  same regiment as me. I have seen him nearly every week during that time … ”

 

General Affidavit, Albert Crump, 11 November 1904
about 75 years old; residence 1145 London St., Portsmouth, Va. “personally acquainted with Dawson Gordney for 45 years, knew him before the war, was in the same regiment with him & have been a neighbor to him for the past 30 or 35 years”

 

Claimant’s Affidavit, Louisa Gwathmey, 13 January 1913
50 years old; post-office address 1101 Glasgow Ave., Portsmouth, Va.  “Dawson Gwathmey alias Gordney died in Portsmouth, Va., January 8, 1907, at my house 1100 London St. and that his body was carried to National Soldiers Home for burial. That my first husband has been dead one year before I married the second and that my name before marriage to Dawson Gwathmey alias Gordney was Louisa Johnson

“That Gwathmey or Gordney’s wife whose name was Bithey died at the Central State Asylum some years ago. If date of death is required it is probable that it can be obtained from the Doctor at the above named institution, Petersburg, Va.

“On this 30th day of January 13, Minnie Brown and Annie E. Boush whose names appear in this affidavit dated 14 January 13 further swear that Dawson Gwathmey’s wife Bithey died some years ago in the Central State Asylum, Petersburg, Va. And that Dawson Gwathmey lived from his marriage to his death with Louisa Gwathmey.”