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        Louis Emil Keene was born in Philadelphia on February 22, 1849. Having lost his father at an early age he was enrolled at Gerard College since a boy without a father was considered an orphan under the will of Stephen Gerard. Having "gone over the wall" he enlisted in the United States Navy on July 22, 1864 as an Apprentice 3rd class. He served as a powder monkey, one of the "boys" who because of their size and agility took the powder in leather bags from the ships' magazine to the cannons. This was an important role on the ship as a spark from mishandling could cause a catastrophic explosion. Louis reported to the USS Princeton, a receiving ship on July 23, 1864. He was assigned to the USS Sabine on August 9th for training during blockading duty. On Oct. 29th he was transferred to the USS Wabash. This frigate was one of the navies largest ships and a sister ship to the USS Merrimack which became the CSS Virginia of the famous battle of the ironclads with the USS Monitor. The Wabash had served as Adm. Samual F. DuPonts' flagship and his "heart of oak" when he commanded the Southern Blockading Squadron. While aboard the Wabash Louis participated in the failed attack on Fort Fisher in December, 1864 and its capture in January, 1865 which he called his "major battle". Sent back to the USS Sabine on February 3, 1865 now Apprentice 2nd Class Keene was discharged at Hampton Roads Va. on April 4, 1865 the same day that President Abraham Lincoln and son Tad visited the recently evacuated Richmond Va. Gen. Lee surrendered ending the Civil War five days later.

        Sixteen year old Naval veteran Louis Keene returned to Philadelphia and was refused readmission to Gerard College as he had "ran away" to the war. Apprenticing himself to a baker, he was always proud he had not been a bound boy, he opened his own shop and became a baker and confectioner. He later joined the Philadelphia police force retiring after 22 years. Based on his Naval service he was very active in several veteran groups. He was the Lieutenant of the Pennsylvania Naval Veterans Association and a member of the Veteran Guard of the Grant Post #5, Grand Army of the Republic. He was politically involved and served on the Darby Borough Council. Taps for Louis Emil Keene "a well known Civil War veteran" was on July 29, 1929. His funeral was conducted by the Major M. A. Gherst Camp, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War of which he was a member. Burial was in the Mt. Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia, PA.

George McDowell, former Camp Commander

        Abraham Bowman, my 2nd Great Grandfather, was born 24 May 1831 in West Hanover Twp., Lebanon Co, PA.  His parents were Benedict Bowman (22 Dec 1809- 25 Oct 1867) and Mary Magdalena Bross (11 Jul 1810-30 Nov 1878). He Lived in Paxton Twp., Dauphin Co., PA. Abraham was a miller by trade.

        Abraham married 1st Eliza Bomgardner on 14 Dec 1854, who was born 3 Nov 1836.  They had the following children: Mary Ann, Emma Elizabeth and Sarah Catherine. Eliza died 18 Feb 1862.  He married 2nd Catharine Bomgardner, 18 Oct 1862, Catharine was born 9 Jun 1822. They had one child, George Henry.  Catharine 16 Jun 1889.

        Abraham enlisted 6 Feb 1865 and was mustered in 9 Feb 1865 for 1 year service in Cap’t Hummel’s Co. He is listed in two Regt’s, 192 nd & 195 th Reg’t PA Infantry At Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, PA, 18 Feb 1865.  He also served in the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Div. Army of the Shenandoah to April 1865, at Harpers Ferry where he became ill. He died of chronic diarrhea at the General Hospital in Clarysville, Cumberland, MD on 5 Aug 1865.  He died less than a month before the unit was mustered out.  His widow’s pension index showed his service with Co C, 192nd PA Infantry.

        Abraham died 5 Aug 1865 at the military hospital in Clarysville, MD (pictured above left). The hospital was an old tavern which was built in 1807. On the hill above the tavern was a railroad line which was used to transport the sick and wounded to the hospital. When I visited the Tavern in the late 1990s, I met several of the townspeople and was told several stories. One older gentleman mentioned to me that he, at one time had a picture of the wounded being carried down the hill to the hospital.  He could not find the picture.  On Thursday 11 Mar 1999 the building burned to the ground.  

Wayne D. Mower, Senior Vice Commander, Appomattox Camp 2, SUVCW

             Robert Cochran, Pvt., Company I 124th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers

       My name is Bob Cochran, Camp Commander of Appomattox Camp # 2 of the SUVCW. My Civil War ancestor was my 2ndGreat-Grandfather, Robert Cochran. He was descended from two Revolutionary War Patriots: his paternal grandfather Robert Cochran (1749 – 1835) and his maternal great-grandfather John Hindman (1720 – 1796).

       He was born August 1, 1821, near Millersville, PA, passed on November 15, 1898, in Millville, NJ, and is buried in Longwood Cemetery in Kennett Square. Growing up, he learned harness and saddle making from a man named Eli Fredd of Ercildoun, PA. 

       In 1846, at the age of 25, he enlisted as a private in the 3rd U.S. Regiment of Dragoons which was a raised for one year of service in the Mexican–American War. During his enlistment he fought at the Battles of Churubusco (August 20, 1847), and Molina Del-Rey (September 8, 1847). 

       After returning home, Robert married Anna Marie Walton in 1855 and became the father of 4 sons, the oldest of which, Charles Emerson Emmett Cochran, is my 1stGreat-Grandfather.

       At the age of 41, Robert answered Lincoln’s call for 9-month volunteers by enlisting as a private in the 124th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. He was mustered into service at Harrisburg on August 13, 1862, and barely four weeks later fought at the Battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862, as part of the 3rd Brigade, 1stDivision, of the 12th Army Corps. The positive result of the Battle of Antietam for the Union allowed Lincoln to announce the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862.

       On April 30, 1863, Robert also fought at the Battle of Chancellorsville. It is at the Battle of Chancellorsville that Confederate General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson (to whom I am also distantly related by marriage) was killed by his own troops.

       He mustered out of the service in Harrisburg, PA on May 16, 1863, in Harrisburg, just 6 weeks prior to the Battle of Gettysburg. 

       He passed on November 15, 1898 “…helpless and much of a sufferer during the close of his life…. He was not a member of any church, but died an example of Christian meekness, patience, and fortitude, his uncomplaining and peaceful spirit amid discomfort and suffering being a subject of wonder to those who were about him.”

If you have an ancestry account, you can see more details about his life at https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/56494026/person/42011079837/facts.    

Pictured at left is the headstone for Robert Cochran in Logwood Cemetery, Kennett Square, PA

        Josiah P. Beckett, my Great Grandfather, was born 12 Jan 1846 in Camden, NJ. His parents were John Freman Beckett (1823-1911) and Sarah Ann McGlothen (1823-1884). He descended from a line of ship builders and seamen. His 2nd GGF Archibald (1768-1843) was listed in the 1840 Census of Atlantic Co., NJ, Egg Harbor Twp, as employed in “navigation of the ocean”.

        Josiah married Ann Jane Miller, daughter of John G. and Martha Talbot Miller, 12 Jul 1868, in Camden, NJ. They had the following children Sarah, William, Josiah, Clarence, Charlotte. His daughter Charlotte was my Grandmother who was married to Joseph Harrison Strang.

        Prowell's History of Camden, NJ says that Josiah was "among the extensive builders and contractors of Camden".

        Josiah Beckett was a Shipwright when he enlisted in the US Navy on 27 Aug 1864, aged 18, and served as Landsman on the Princeton to 10 Sep 1864, on the Wabash to 15 Sep 1864, and on the John Adams to 14 Sep 1865, when he discharged.  

        Josiah served on the U.S.S. John Adams II, a ship sloop, which replaced the original John Adams (pictured above left courtesy of Wikipedia), a frigate which rotted away at anchor in Norfolk Navy Yard. In a bit of irony, the original John Adams was built at Charleston, SC, and the John Adams II was flagship in the blockade of the Charleston Inner Harbor during the Civil War.  

        The USS John Adams was sent to Newport, R.I., the wartime location of the Naval Academy to act as training ship for midshipmen.  In the summer of 1863,  she joined the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron and took station off Morris Island inside the Charleston Bar, where she served as flagship of the inner blockade until she sailed into the harbor after the evacuation of Charleston in February 1865.  
       Late in the summer of 1865 she sailed to Boston where she was decommissioned in September. She was one of the oldest vessels in the US Navy at the time of her decommissioning. The John Adams  was sold 5 October 1867 for $1500 to the British government.  She was taken then taken to Hong Kong where she was commissioned in 1868 for use as Water Police Headquarters. In February 1884 the hulk John Adams caught fire and was lost. She was afterward towed to sea where she was torpedoed and sunk.

        I have a ledger sheet that belonged to Josiah that shows he was employed by Gen. Milton S. Littlefield, at Edisto Mills, South Carolina.  This is located in Aiken County, in western South Carolina. The time period was just after the Civil War, dated 6 Aug 1867, to 30 Nov 1867.  It also mentions that he had mess with Beckett and Co.  Gen. M.S. Littlefield was a railroad magnate and "Carpet Bagger".  He was involved with the Western North Carolina Railroad. Brevet Brig. General Littlefield was from the state of Maine. Col. M. S. Littlefield, was one of the officers in charge of the 54th Mass.  The 54th Mass. was mustered out on the 1st of September 1865.  Josiah was discharged with the Crew of the USS John Adams in Boston, MA. The USS John Adams transported members of the 54th to Boston and Littlefield was on the ship, where he might have recruited Josiah for his railroad project in South Carolina.

        Josiah died 21 Sep 1905, in Camden, NJ of “organic heart disease” and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Camden, NJ.

Wayne D. Mower, Senior Vice Commander, Appomattox Camp 2, SUVCW.