Interesting story... one of my ancestors was a soldier in the Revolutionary War himself. Unfortunately, for the wrong side. He was an officer in Tarleton’s unit! I call that discovery ‘my Darth Vader moment’ in genealogy research.
On the flip side my wife has an ancestor who served in the civil war along with two brothers, all for Wisconsin regiments. One brother died in the fighting for Atlanta. The other brother had a list of escapades that would make for a good Civil War novel.
I hardly believed it all myself, but everything I’ve researched in the units’ roster and regimental history matches up perfectly with the family record. He enlisted as ‘John Smith’ in the 1st WI Cavalry (I guess ‘Johann Balthasar Messerschmidt’ was a bit much for the recruiting officer). Wounded, captured and left for dead in early fighting in Arkansas; recovered by his unit; fought in a long series of campaigns moving eastwards the next few years, culminating in his saving a detachment of troops at Resaca, GA for which he was made a brevet Captain.
Then at the Georgia battle where his brother died he was captured in a cavalry charge and sent to Andersonville. Tunneled out and got captured. Tunneled out again, got as far as Charleston, recaptured and put in the city jail. Escaped again and reached another town whose name I forget, just in front of an advancing Union army, and hid in a cellar until they arrived. Was then furloughed home, understandably, for the final months of the war.
Oops...I replied to the wrong post with that comment...pleasee above.