2nd Massachusetts Cavalry

3rd great-grandfather Weymouth, Ma. to sanFransisco, back to Weymouth Name: James A. Hunt Company: A Unit: 2 Massachusetts Cavalry. Rank - Induction: Private Rank - Discharge: Private Allegiance: Union Civil war Service Records

In 1859 he came to California and began his business career as bookkeeper in the Agricultural Implement Foundry, San Francisco. From his home in New York, he took with him to California the first honey bees known to that state. Soon after his arrival, he enlisted in the First California Guard(Light Artillery) and soon made Corporal,First Sergeant and Second LT. He resigned his commission in 1862 to enlist as a private in the California Hundred, Company A, 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry. He participated in the first engagement of the command at South Anna Bridge, June 26, 1863, and in July following joined the balance of the regiment at Centreville, where Col. Lowell promoted him from First Sergeant of his company to Sergeant-Major of the regiment. Eleven months later, he was promoted 2nd LT. of Company A, and in January 1864, promoted to 1st LT and Adjutant of the regiment. The 2nd Mass was doing picket duty at the time in front of Washington. He took part in the fighting against Early's first advance on Washington, and was present in the subsequent operations in the Shenandoah Valley, including the battles of Winchester and Cedar Creek. He was wounded at Waynesboro, VA, Sept. 28, 1864. At the close of the Valley Campaign, he was commissioned by President Lincoln as Captain, and A.A.G. of Volunteers, being assigned to duty as Adjutant-General of the Regular Brigade of the First Cavalry Division under General Alfred Gibbs, and was with that command through to Five Forks, and Appomattox. He was mustered out as Captain in July, 1865. He returned to San Francisco in April, 1866 and entered into the fire insurance business, retiring in 1912. He was a charter member of the first Grand Army Post organized on the Pacific Coast and was Department Commander for two terms. He was a commander and treasurer of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of California; member of the California National Guard, in which he rose to the position of Colonel and Paymaster General on the staff of Governor Perkins. He was a founder of the Veterans Home in Yountville and became the first president of the Veterans Home Association. He died December 25, 1913

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BIRTH 05/17/1838 • Montgomery County, Kentucky DEATH 28 FEB 1884 • Pilot Grove, Cooper County, Missouri, USA California OR Massachusetts, USA 2nd MA Cavalry 1st Sgt Co. B and 2nd LT. Co. H & F From Gravestone Pilot Grove, MO My 3rd Great Grandfather

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David enlisted as a Private in 'C*' Company, 2d Massachusetts Cavalry, aka the 'California Battalion' on 6 February 1863 and was mustered in on 16 February 1863. *Upon arrival in Massachusetts Company C was redesignated as Company M. He participated in the following battles in Virginia as part of his Regiment: near King Queen Court House, 20 June 1863 South Anna Bridge, 26 June 1863 Ashby's Gap, 12 July 1863 Snicker's Gap, 13 July 1863 Warrenton, 22 July 1863 Aldie on 30 & 31 July 1863 Coyle's Tavern, 24 August 1863 Opequan, 19 September 1863 while on patrol, 13 November 1863 Langley, 10 December 1863 Hunter's Mills on 15 December 1863 Lewinsville, 15 December 1863 while on picket duty 23 December 1863 skirmish with Mosby at Indiana on 29 December 1863 Dranesville on 3 January 1864 Dranesville on 22 February 1864 He was captured at Dranesville, Virginia aka 'Ankers Shop' on 22 February 1864 during an engagement with Mosby's Partisans. Private David Knapp died at Andersonville Prison Camp, Georgia and is buried in grave #554. [Sources: 'List of Union Soldiers Buried at Andersonville', page 20, Dorence Atwater, 1865; 'Records of California Men in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1867', page 869, Richard H. Orton, 1890]