Originally Published in the Cecil Whig
“George Douglass. Company ‘E’, 24th Regiment, USCT.” That’s what’s chiseled into a tomb stone that stands sentinel in the cemetery of Union Bethel AME Church in Cecilton, Maryland. Over the decades it has been worn by the elements: turned a gray color and acquired some green moss, still it stands in memory of a nearly forgotten soldier. But what’s wrong with this picture? As firm believers in the maxim that all of our nation’s war heroes should be remembered and honored, we, as beneficiaries of their bravery, have an obligation to do just that, regardless of when that honor and recognition was earned. So, last month, when the Historical Society of Cecil County historian, Mike Dixon, discovered or re-discovered the grave marker of Private George Douglass, it became our mission to learn more about this Private Douglass: what he did, where he dd it, if he married, had any children, and when he died. While it is a daunting task, it’s not impossible. Here’s what’s in the official record.
The 1860 Census tells us that at that time, George was a young lad of about ten years old, living on the Snethea farm, a rather well to do white family in the Cecilton area. By the time he enlisted in the Union Army, five years later, he told the recruiter that he was 19 years old, which means he was born around 1846. Birth dates of African Americans in Maryland are moving targets since their birth records were not kept as meticulously as those for their white brothers and sisters. Assuming Private Douglass was born in 1848, there should be a Census record for him in 1850. There is none. Those enlistment papers also state that Douglass was born in Cecil County, but it doesn’t say where.
Douglass enlisted on February 23rd, 1865 in Philadelphia, less than a week after the regiment was formed. He went through basic training at Fort William Penn, one of several training camps specifically established to train black troops. Most Black Cecil County recruits joined the army in either Elkton or Easton. A few enlisted in Baltimore. Most of them were trained at camps in the Baltimore/Washington area. Very few African Americas from Cecil County enlisted in Philadelphia.
By the time his basic training finished in May of 1865, the war was over, President Lincoln was dead, and Private Douglass and his unit were shipped off to guard Rebel prisoners. According to Samuel Bates in A History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865, a few weeks later the 24th was moved to Nottoway County, Virginia, south and west of Richmond, probably not the most exciting place to be stationed. There the men kept order and distributed supplies to those in need in the county. In the fall, Douglass was in Richmond where the 24th was decommissioned and the men mustered out to return to civilian life. At that time, Douglass was due a $100 bounty. That bounty was reduced to $33.33 as his Muster Out report indicates, to pay “for clothing in kind or money advanced, arms, equipment, etc.”
Civilian life may not have been any more exciting than his military career. After his discharge, Douglass returned to what he knew, farming. He went to work for another white farmer named McCoy, also in the Cecilton area. He was one of 6 black hired hands working and living on the McCoy farm.
Sometime between 1870 and 1880, George Douglass married and moved on to the farm of his in-laws, the Price family, still in the Cecilton area. George and Pricilla Douglass had a son named Irwin.
By the fall of 1892, all of that back breaking farm work may have taken its toll on Douglass as his wife applied for a veteran’s pension, claiming her husband was an invalid. Not sure why, but the pension application was filed in Pennsylvania, possibly because Douglass was recruited and enlisted in Pennsylvania, however, that is pure speculation.
By the turn of the century, the Douglass family has grown considerably. There are now 8 living children. George and Pricilla moved out of Pricilla’s parents’ house and are renting a house in Cecilton. They and their four children are joined by George’s mother, Susan. The oldest child, 11 year old Irwin, is attending school. While George Douglass can neither read nor write, both his wife, and now his son, can.
Douglass was retired by 1910 having attained the age of 65. His 50 year old wife, Pricilla, is still a servant for a “private family” while 6 of the 7 children now living in the Douglass household are also working. George’s mother is nearly 80 years old, not working outside of the home, and living out the last years of her life with her son and his family.
The 1920 U.S. Census saw many more changes for the Douglass family. Both George’s wife, Pricilla, and his mother, Susan, no longer appear. All but two of their 8 children left the nest and there is now a grandchild, Albert. His parents’ names are not noted. It appears as though the oldest son, Irwin, is supporting the family as a farm laborer.
At 3 in the afternoon, on Saturday, March 13th, 1926, Private George Douglass breathed his last and died. He was about 84 years old. Not many former USCTs left behind a Last Will and Testament. George Douglass did. In it he named Elkton Banking and Trust Company the executor of his estate. According to the Will, George was worth just over $490. Of that amount, nearly $260 was paid for burial, taxes, probation of the Will, payment to the executor, and publication of a notice to creditors. That left just over $231 for division among 7 children who he listed. The result was an inheritance of $33 to each child who were scattered between Cecilton, Wilmington, Delaware, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Douglass was laid to rest in the Union Bethel AME Church cemetery in 1926. However, his tomb was left unmarked until his son, Linwood, requested a government issued Civil War grave marker in 1940. The stone was made in Vermont and shipped to Middletown, Delaware which was the closest railroad depot to Linwood. He traveled from Cecilton, in early October of 1940, to pick it up and finally recognize and honor the life and service of his father, Private George Douglass, Company “E”, the 24th Regiment, USCT.