Dear Nicholas McDonald,
You are driving me crazy, and here's why. I know you were born in Montgomery County New York in 1820. You came to Michigan sometime before 1853 and you were short. But that's it Nicholas, that's all I know. And I know this only because it says so in your enlistment papers. And seriously Nicholas, about enlisting in the Army, what the what? You were 44, with a pregnant wife and 5 kids! Really?
You arrive in this world and leave no record of who your parents are, if you had brothers or sisters, where in Montgomery County New York you were born, or even when you moved to Michigan. It all conjecture and guessing now. Maybe you would fit in this family, or that family, maybe this is your brother or that was your hometown. Montgomery Country, NY in 1820 is a rather large area, couldn't you have narrowed it down some? Maybe you were hatched. What ever the case, it seems so odd that a man whose final 5 months of life was so well recorded could have so little information written about his previous 43 years.
The Civil War was raging in 1864. On that August day in Pontiac, MI it must have felt good to make your mark on the enlistment papers. That's what it says next to the X you made, His Mark, right above the perfect penmanship of the man filling out the form. Your name is pretty in cursive. But hey, congratulations on becoming an official private of the 30th Regiment of the Michigan Volunteer Infantry Company G. It says you enlisted for 3 years. You were off to fight for the Union Army, right? Off to gallantly defeat the Confederates. Please don't say you were just in it for the 100.00 dollars they paid you for joining. Your papers also say your hair was brown, your eyes were brown, your complexion was light and you were 5'3.
Your company was stationed in Nashville, TN before moving to Decatur, AL. Did you enjoy the train ride? I hope they didn't make you walk. I've never been to AL, was it nice? It wasn't long before your company returned to Tennessee, but this time they returned to Murfreesboro.
You died a horrible death. The records are clear on that. They say on January 9th, 1865 in Murfreesboro, TN, Private Nicholas McDonald died of chronic diarrhea. Terribly ironic isn't it, enlisting in an army to die in battle heroically fighting the foe, only to die of a disease that could have easily killed you back in Michigan. I'm sorry you died alone, far from your family. I hope you weren't cold and that maybe you had made a friend or two who were there by your side. You are buried in TN on site 4982 in the Union Cemetery. The U.S. Veteran Cemetery lists it as your last known address. Funny huh?
I'm still looking for you. Grandad and I hired a researcher from the Montgomery County Department of History and Archives to look for you too. We paid her 100 dollars for her to find nothing and write a letter regretting to inform us that she was unable to find any reference to you, your birth, or your parents. Can you believe that? Nothing. But her name was Mildred, and I'm not sure if I can trust a Mildred.
Today is the 146th anniversary of your death. I promise not to eat any cake. Help me out if you can, open some doors, let people know I'm looking for you. It sure would be nice to reunite you with your parents, if you have any.
Love,
Your great, great, great, great grandaughter,
Amy
