David Lost a Finger (Tombstone Tuesday)

David Hamilton was born in Georgia 22 April 1832. On 18 January 1855, he married his wife Mildred V. (1839-1907). They both rest in Shadowlawn Cemetery at Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County, Georgia.

In May of 1862, David enlisted as a Private with Company I of the 16th Georgia Regiment. On 19 October 1864 in Virginia, likely during the Battle of Cedar Creek, David was wounded and as a result lost a finger. He received a pension for his service and loss: $5.00 a year.

"...served as a Private in Company I, of the 16th Regiment of Ga
Volunteers, Wofford's Brigade; that whilst engaged in such military
service in the State of Va, on the 19 day of Oct 1864, he was
wounded, injured or diseased as follows:
Gun Shot wound causing amputation of Index finger on left hand"

The American Battlefield Protection Program describes the Battle of Cedar Creek, VA (also known as Belle Grove): "At dawn, October 19, 1864, the Confederate Army of the Valley under Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early surprised the Federal army at Cedar Creek and routed the VIII and XIX Army Corps. Commander Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan arrived from Winchester to rally his troops, and, in the afternoon, launched a crushing counterattack, which recovered the battlefield. Sheridan’s victory at Cedar Creek broke the back of the Confederate army in the Shenandoah Valley. Lincoln rode the momentum of Sheridan’s victories in the Valley and Sherman’s successes in Georgia to re-election."

Census records suggest David Hamilton was engaged in farming the rest of his days. He died 13 November 1912.

[Gravestone image © 2010/1 S. Lincecum. Cropped pension image from Ancestry's Georgia Confederate Pension Applications, 1879-1960.]

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