Mustered Out

Have you ever discovered an obituary in a location that you never imagined? While searching for an obituary on a collateral line, I stumbled across a brief obit in a 'Mustered Out' column in the National Tribune (Washington, D.C.)

Since I had never encountered this type of obit before, I was curious to see if I could find an ancestor in a similar "Mustered Out" column. Thus, I searched for my great-great grandfather, Washington Marion Crawford who died in 1889. And - I found it!

Crawford -- At Dodge City, Kan., recently, of

heart failure, W. M. Crawford Co. H, 2d N. Y. Cav.,

aged 51 years. He was captured Sept. 22, 1863, and

for more than 14 months suffered all the cruelties

of Belle Isle, Andersonville and prisons of the 

South, returning to his home the last day of De-

cember, 1864, a mere wreck of his former self, from

the effect of which he never recovered. He was a

member and had been an officer of Lewis Post No.

294. He always had a kind word for his comrades

and was interested in their affairs. It was his re-

quest frequently expressed, that he be buried by

the Post and that ex-Andersonville prisoners act

as pallbearers which request was fully carried out.

His last act was to respond promptly and cheer-

fully to a call to take charge of old Fort Dodge

which is being refitted and beautified for a State

Soldiers' Home. He leaves a wife, two sons and

two daughters; also, one brother, two sisters and

many friends.

I don't know the extent of this 'Mustered Out' column, but I found an 1889 record and a 1910 record. Now, I need to search for all of my civil war veterans to see if I can find a mustered out entry for them!