PVT. Thomas J. Ramsey, Co. E, 4th AL Cav.

Hello everyone, My name is Tyler Ramsey, I am a 22 year old Army veteran of Iraq and this is my first post on this forum. I have always been interested in history but after I came home I started doing a lot of research on my family history in the Civil War. I recently learned that my Great Great Great Great Grandfather was in the Confederate Army. I have pursued this as much as I could and I have hit a brick wall. Here is what I know about him:

His name was Thomas J. Ramsey (not sure what the J stands for), he was born sometime around 1817, I think in Franklin, Alabama, or Montgomery, Alabama but not sure. He served as a Private in Company E of the 4th Alabama Cavalry under General Roddey. He did not return from the war, as he is found in no further censuses after the war unlike the one he was listed in, in 1860, only his wife Sarah Weatherbee is listed post war, and she is listed as the head of the household. I also have copies of Widow Pension cards from the 1880's that she filled out using him as the soldier in which she was to receive pensions for. I was only able to come by this after requesting information from Montgomery, AL. As far as his war record that is all I know.

So to my main interest in this, I don't really know what happened to him, or where he is buried. Is there any way I could find this out? I know that the 4th AL Cav fought at Shiloh and I have been there so many times in my life. I often stopped for long periods of time at that battlefield and thought of all the brave men that died there. I am also always very moved by the Confederate burial trenches. It always gave me an ere feeling like I had a deep connection to it somehow, and it's silly to think but maybe this is why? Considering that was their first fight, and being under Roddey, in turn under Bragg, means he could have easily been in the fighting at the Hornets nest which I know produced many casulties. However I'm just speculating, and just really want to know what happend to my grandfather during the war. If you could point me in the direction or help me in any way it would be greatly appreciated by me as I would really like to know what happened to my grandfather so that I can pass a complete story down to my children so that he is not forgotten.

Thank you all for your time

Welcome from Pennsylvania! Not sure I can help with researching your ancestor, but there are a ton of people here who can. Best of luck.

I do not know if you seen this but his widow filed for a pension...In this paperwork, she might have list where his demise happened...

http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/colbert/military/civilwar/other/somecivi40nmt.txt

Hello, thanks for your replies.
Yes I have seen her several of her pensions she filled out, from the late 1880's into the 1890's.
I was reviewing them just now and I actually did find out a new piece of information. On one of the pensions someone (I'm assuming Sarah) crossed out a certain parts of the statement and it looks like this:
"That he was killed or died of disease or from wounds during the war, and while in the military or naval service of this state, or of the Confederate States, or that he died five years after the close of the war, and from wounds received therein."

So with this new information it looks as if he died during the war, while in service, of disease and not from combat, which is not surprising at all considering more soldiers died from disease than from battle wounds.

So I guess the only thing I'm looking for now is when did he die, and where might he be buried

Thank you!

Welcome from Mississippi. Good luck with your search.

Here is the roster of Company E , 4th Alabama Cavalry....There no Thomas Ramsey but other Ramsey's are listed I wonder if the one lister as J.J. Ramsey should be listed as T. J. Ramsey...

http://www.oocities.org/bourbonstreet/Delta/3843/4thalabama.htm

http://www.oocities.org/bourbonstreet/Delta/3843/alcompanye.htm

Thanks for you interest and effort! Yes I think it could have easily been mistaken since "T" and "J" look so similar especially cursive and capitalized, or someone could have just been typing too fast. I am not aware if Thomas had brothers, and I do not know who his father was, but I find it interesting that no other Ramsey's are in the other company rosters, so maybe the other "Ramsey"s were his brothers, and maybe one was possibly his father?

ALL of the pensions that Sarah filed out all stated "Co. E, 4th AL Cav." so it seems that it's the only possible unit he could have been in, especially since the regiment was raised in this area.

Welcome to the forum Ramsey, and, thank you so very much for your service.

Thanks for your appreciation Littlestown, I only wanted to serve my country like my forefathers before me.