Civil War casualty list

Not long ago in this space, I brought readers information about G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) posts established in Cape Girardeau County by veterans of the Civil War. The article from 1938 included an impressive number of names of G.A.R. members. I challenged my readers to find the names of relatives among the veterans.

This week, I bring you a much shorter list, but it's interesting nonetheless.

In 1942, The Missourian published a list of the names of Civil War dead from Scott and Cape Girardeau counties. Now, I'll tell you right up front, the list IS NOT COMPLETE. Just from its length, I knew that it couldn't contain all the local casualties from that war. This was verified when I examined the names more closely. Several men who I know gave their lives in that great conflict are absent from the list, including my own great grand uncle, whose tombstone heads this blog.

But reading the story explains those absences. The list was compiled by a a man named Jacob Tobler who, in the years following the war, helped widows and orphans make claims against the pensions due the fallen heroes. The names noted here are from Tobler's list of families aided.

You'll notice the last name on the list is for Christopher Columbus, an African-American.

Tobler notes that Columbus served in Co. A, 68th Regiment, U.S. Colored Infantry, and that he died at Memphis in July 1864. A list of African-American recruits from this area includes Columbus' enlistment information. Dated Feb. 2, 1864, Columbus volunteered for military service at Cape Girardeau. The form described him as standing 5 feet, 8 inches tall, with a "yellow" complexion. He had been born in Virginia and was employed as a farmer. At the time of his enlistment he "claimed to have been the slave of Dr. John Robb" of Cape Girardeau County.

Records found on Ancestry.com indicate he died in the regimental hospital on Sept. 3, 1864. Records also show his widow and at least one child filed to receive his pension.