Good Sam - Bad Sam
Samuel C. Barton (left)
Company I, 58th Pennsylvania Volunteers 1862 - 1863
Samuel T. Coleman (right)
Co.s E & A, 2nd Eastern Shore Maryland Infantry 1861 - 1864
Company I, 58th Pennsylvania Volunteers 1862 - 1863
At 18, Samuel T. Coleman, a laborer from Kent County, Maryland, enlisted for a three-year term at Chestertown, Maryland. On November 6, 1861 he joined Company E, 2nd Regiment Eastern Shore Maryland Home Guard (also known as the 2nd Eastern Shore Maryland Infantry Volunteers). His first three months, however, were unrewarding. A note in his records in February 1862 states that Coleman "Was not paid last pay day on account of inability from sickness to sign pay roll." In March 1862 the regiment moved by boat across the Chesapeake Bay to Baltimore. A few months later, on June 1, 1862 Coleman deserted from his post along the B&O Railroad at Parkton near Baltimore.
On July 18, 1862, barely one month after walking away from his regiment, Coleman enlisted again, at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. This time the by-now 19-year-old joined Company I, 58th Pennsylvania Volunteers. No mention was made of his previous desertion, but a note was written on his enlistment form stating that his "father lives in Maryland. Has done business for himself for the last year and has been in the 3 months service."
Also enlisting, a few days later on July 29, was a 21-year-old harness maker named Samuel C. Barton. Whether the two Sams became pals, or were simply thrown together by circumstances, is uncertain, but they both ended up in the same company. They soon joined their regiment already on duty along the Atlantic Coast near the boundary between Virginia and North Carolina.
In the spring of 1863 the rebels demonstrated against the Union forces at New Bern, North Carolina, threatening to cut off and capture the 58th Pennsylvania. But through skillful maneuvering of the troops, scouts and counter scouts, wholesale destruction was avoided. However, there was a minor price to pay. On April 14, 1863, two men, Barton and Coleman, were captured by a party of rebel scouts at Bachelor Creek near New Bern.
The two soldiers were sent immediately to Richmond and confined there for a few days before being paroled on April 23, 1863. After about one week in Confederate hands, Barton and Coleman arrived at Annapolis, Maryland on April 24, 1863 and reported to College Green Barracks where all former POWs were processed. Sometime after receiving an issue of clean clothing the two called at the Hopkins photography studio on Cornhill Street to have their pictures taken.
At Annapolis the stories of the two pals diverge. Rather than being sent out to Camp Parole, Coleman was admitted to the College Green Hospital on May 3 for an unknown reason, and on June 1 he was detailed to remain there as a nurse. Barton, however, went out to Camp Parole until November 1863 when he was declared exchanged. Barton then returned to his regiment and finished out the war with honor. He reenlisted as a veteran volunteer, was promoted to corporal on March 1, 1865 and sergeant on May 20, 1865. Samuel C. Barton Mustered out of the army after the war on June 12, 1865.
Coleman, on the other hand, who had enlisted in the 58th Pennsylvania after deserting from the 2nd Eastern Shore Maryland Infantry, deserted from the army again on July 3, 1863 when he left the hospital and did not return. Even though he, like Barton, had been declared exchanged, Coleman failed to report to his company. On December 31, 1863 he was officially listed as a deserter. Later, a note would be appended to his records with the 58th Pennsylvania stating that because he was "a deserter from Co. A 2nd East Shore Md. Vols., his enlistment in this company is declared void."
Coleman was arrested as a deserter by the Provost Marshal in Kent County, Maryland on April 21, 1864. Sent to Fort McHenry in Baltimore on April 30, Coleman was confined there for two weeks before being sent to Harpers Ferry. He rejoined Company A, 2nd Eastern Shore Maryland Infantry on May 26, 1864, then near Cedar Creek, Virginia.
When the regiment left to march up the Shenandoah Valley to Lynchburg in June, Coleman was left sick at Martinsburg. After rejoining his regiment when it returned, he was later captured by the enemy again, this time at Winchester, Virginia on July 25, 1864. His records as a POW this second time around are somewhat contradictory. One source says that Coleman was "confined at Andersonville, Ga., date not shown and sent to Millen, Ga., Oct 31, 1864." Another file says he was "Captured by the enemy at Winchester, Va July 25, 1864 and delivered at Varnia Va, Sept 12, 1864. Furloughed from Camp Parole to Oct 17, 1864. Failed to return either to that camp or his Regt." There is no record that Samuel T. Coleman ever was mustered out of the service.
Good Sam - Bad Sam
Samuel C. Barton (left)
Company I, 58th Pennsylvania Volunteers 1862 - 1863
Samuel T. Coleman (right)
Co.s E & A, 2nd Eastern Shore Maryland Infantry 1861 - 1864
Company I, 58th Pennsylvania Volunteers 1862 - 1863
At 18, Samuel T. Coleman, a laborer from Kent County, Maryland, enlisted for a three-year term at Chestertown, Maryland. On November 6, 1861 he joined Company E, 2nd Regiment Eastern Shore Maryland Home Guard (also known as the 2nd Eastern Shore Maryland Infantry Volunteers). His first three months, however, were unrewarding. A note in his records in February 1862 states that Coleman "Was not paid last pay day on account of inability from sickness to sign pay roll." In March 1862 the regiment moved by boat across the Chesapeake Bay to Baltimore. A few months later, on June 1, 1862 Coleman deserted from his post along the B&O Railroad at Parkton near Baltimore.
On July 18, 1862, barely one month after walking away from his regiment, Coleman enlisted again, at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. This time the by-now 19-year-old joined Company I, 58th Pennsylvania Volunteers. No mention was made of his previous desertion, but a note was written on his enlistment form stating that his "father lives in Maryland. Has done business for himself for the last year and has been in the 3 months service."
Also enlisting, a few days later on July 29, was a 21-year-old harness maker named Samuel C. Barton. Whether the two Sams became pals, or were simply thrown together by circumstances, is uncertain, but they both ended up in the same company. They soon joined their regiment already on duty along the Atlantic Coast near the boundary between Virginia and North Carolina.
In the spring of 1863 the rebels demonstrated against the Union forces at New Bern, North Carolina, threatening to cut off and capture the 58th Pennsylvania. But through skillful maneuvering of the troops, scouts and counter scouts, wholesale destruction was avoided. However, there was a minor price to pay. On April 14, 1863, two men, Barton and Coleman, were captured by a party of rebel scouts at Bachelor Creek near New Bern.
The two soldiers were sent immediately to Richmond and confined there for a few days before being paroled on April 23, 1863. After about one week in Confederate hands, Barton and Coleman arrived at Annapolis, Maryland on April 24, 1863 and reported to College Green Barracks where all former POWs were processed. Sometime after receiving an issue of clean clothing the two called at the Hopkins photography studio on Cornhill Street to have their pictures taken.
At Annapolis the stories of the two pals diverge. Rather than being sent out to Camp Parole, Coleman was admitted to the College Green Hospital on May 3 for an unknown reason, and on June 1 he was detailed to remain there as a nurse. Barton, however, went out to Camp Parole until November 1863 when he was declared exchanged. Barton then returned to his regiment and finished out the war with honor. He reenlisted as a veteran volunteer, was promoted to corporal on March 1, 1865 and sergeant on May 20, 1865. Samuel C. Barton Mustered out of the army after the war on June 12, 1865.
Coleman, on the other hand, who had enlisted in the 58th Pennsylvania after deserting from the 2nd Eastern Shore Maryland Infantry, deserted from the army again on July 3, 1863 when he left the hospital and did not return. Even though he, like Barton, had been declared exchanged, Coleman failed to report to his company. On December 31, 1863 he was officially listed as a deserter. Later, a note would be appended to his records with the 58th Pennsylvania stating that because he was "a deserter from Co. A 2nd East Shore Md. Vols., his enlistment in this company is declared void."
Coleman was arrested as a deserter by the Provost Marshal in Kent County, Maryland on April 21, 1864. Sent to Fort McHenry in Baltimore on April 30, Coleman was confined there for two weeks before being sent to Harpers Ferry. He rejoined Company A, 2nd Eastern Shore Maryland Infantry on May 26, 1864, then near Cedar Creek, Virginia.
When the regiment left to march up the Shenandoah Valley to Lynchburg in June, Coleman was left sick at Martinsburg. After rejoining his regiment when it returned, he was later captured by the enemy again, this time at Winchester, Virginia on July 25, 1864. His records as a POW this second time around are somewhat contradictory. One source says that Coleman was "confined at Andersonville, Ga., date not shown and sent to Millen, Ga., Oct 31, 1864." Another file says he was "Captured by the enemy at Winchester, Va July 25, 1864 and delivered at Varnia Va, Sept 12, 1864. Furloughed from Camp Parole to Oct 17, 1864. Failed to return either to that camp or his Regt." There is no record that Samuel T. Coleman ever was mustered out of the service.