Andrew J. Courtney
Residence was not listed;
Enlisted on 5/29/1861 at Green Bank, WV as a Private.
On 5/29/1861 he mustered into "G" Co. VA 31st Infantry
He died of disease on 11/20/1862 at Winchester, VA
(Died of fever)
He was listed as:
* On rolls 7/15/1861 (place not stated)
* Absent, sick 8/10/1861 (place not stated)
* Returned 8/15/1861 (place not stated) (Estimated day)
* POW 4/4/1862 Pocahontas County, WV (Captured by Thompson's Federal scouts)
* Confined 4/13/1862 Atheneum Prison, Wheeling, WV
* Confined 4/14/1862 Camp Chase, OH
* Transferred 9/11/1862 Steamer "Done", Vicksburg, VA
* Exchanged 11/10/1862 Aiken's Landing, VA
He was described at enlistment as:
5' 8", light complexion, blue eyes, light hair
Other Information:
Buried: Winchester Confederate Cem, VA
Gravesite: 778
Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.:
- The Virginia Regimental Histories Series
(c) Historical Data Systems, Inc.
We know from prior history that the prisoners that were exchanged in the Dix-Hill Cartel at Vicksburg from Camp Chase were taken onboard the vessel "John E. Done" And we also know that they were exchanged around August 25, 1862. In fact nearly all the prisons were vacant due to the Dix-Hill Cartel agreement at this time period. By all rights Private Andrew J. Courtney should have been exchanged unless he was sick and held back at the hospital which no records seem to indicate. Furthermore Private Andrew J. Courtney does not show up on the Confederate dead list at Camp Chase nor is he listed as being buried in the Southeast City Cemetery which we would expect to find him if he died at Camp Chase during that time frame. The Camp Chase Records do agree he died of a fever but only in Columbus, Ohio and on November 4, 1862. Based upon the evidence thus far it would appear that the Camp Chase Records are wrong and the Virginia Regimental History Series are correct. Furthermore on page #2 of Andrew J. Courtney's CMSR's it has him listed as A.S. Courtney of Company G 51st Virginia Infantry (not the 31st Va. Inf.) and have him as dying on October 27, 1862 and buried in grave #788 at the Winchester Confederate Cemetery. The Winchester Confederate Cemetery is also known as the Mount Hebron Cemetery. And we do find a A.S. Courtney buried in grave #248 however with no notation of his unit only being from a Virginia Regiment. Both the National Park Service and the Compiled Military Service Records have no listing for a A.S. Courtney unless you count page #2 of Andrew J. Coatney's Service Records. In many places on Andrew J. Courtney's CMSR's it has his last name being spelled Coatney. There was only one CMSR for a Courtney of the 51st Virginia Infantry and he was Columbus Courtney and he died on August 10, 1862. Columbus Courtney died at Giles Court House which was close to Pocahontas County (West) Virginia. Genealogy records do not show a A.S. Courtney or A. Courtney in the 1850 or 1860 census that would fit the profile for this soldier. From looking at all available information it is my opinion that the soldier buried at Mount Hebron Cemetery in Winchester, Virginia is not A.S. Courtney but rather Private Andrew J. Courtney of Company G of the 31st Virginia Infantry. The difference in grave numbers at the Winchester Confederate Cemetery could be explained in this manner. This is only speculation on my part. Courtney could have been the 788th Confederate buried at the time. However, now the graves are in numerical order according to their respective states.
ANDREW J. COURTNEY IS INCONCLUSIVE AS TO OWNING OR NOT OWNING SLAVES according to the census of 1860 slave schedule since we don't know exactly who he was.