The American Civil War is full of interesting stories. This image of 1st Lieutenant Thomas J. Roberts contains one such tail. He was born in England around 1834[1], and immigrated to The United States in 1848[2]. Roberts Would settle in Brooklyn New York. He would meet Mary E. Spencer there.
They would marry on January 20th, 1859 at Seventh Presbyterian Church, in New York.[3] Mary and Roberts would have six children. Shortly after the outbreak of the American Civil War Roberts would heed the call. He enlisted on December 21st, 1861. At the time of his enlistment Roberts was listed as being a printer, and was described as five feet six inches, with grey eyes, black hair, and a fair complexion.[4]
He would be commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into “G” Co. 6th New York Infantry that same day. The 6th New York known also as Billy Wilson’s Zouaves had a rough reputation. They were described in a New York paper of the era as..
“the regiment of New York firemen, with a pretty good mixture of the “roughs” of that city, of whom Col. “Billy” Wilson was himself one. They are a hard set to keep in subordination, but have generally proved better soldiers than would be expected. They were a long time stationed at Fort Pickens, and did some pretty good fighting there.”[5]
2nd Lieutenant Roberts was with the 6th in all its engagements including the bombardment of Santa Rosa Island, FL, the Battle of Irish Bend, and the Battle of Vermillion Bayou. Roberts would be promoted to 1st Lieutenant. He would made quartermaster of the regiment upon the retirement of Quartermaster Bradley on July 21st, 1862.[6] Roberts would be mustered out with the regiment on the 25th of June 1863.[7]
After the war Roberts would continue to be a printer and live in Brooklyn. He would become a member of G.A.R Post 435. Roberts would die on October 1st 1912[8] at the approximate age of 78. He is interred at Cyprus Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn.
[1] “New York Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts 6th Infantry Roberts, Thomas J ,” Fold3, accessed March 8, 2021, https://www.fold3.com/image/315527651.
[2] Nicolai, Jill. “Thomas J Roberts Family Tree.” Ancestry. Accessed March 8, 2021. https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/106032054/person/380048037984/facts?_phsrc=ZhY276&_phstart=successSource.
[3] Ibid
[4] “New York Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts 6th Infantry Roberts, Thomas J ,” Fold3, accessed March 8, 2021, https://www.fold3.com/image/315527651
[5] 6th NY Infantry Regiments Civil War Newspaper Clippings – NY Military Museum and Veterans Research Center. Accessed March 8, 2021. https://dmna.ny.gov/historic/reghist/civil/infantry/6thInf/6thInfCWN.htm.
[6] “New York Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts 6th Infantry Roberts, Thomas J.” Fold3. Accessed March 8, 2021. https://www.fold3.com/image/315527663.
[7] Ibid
[8] “New York, U.S., Grand Army of the Republic Records, 1866-1931 Post 435 Descriptive Book.” Ancestry. Accessed March 8, 2021. https://tinyurl.com/hju4aaks.
The Military History Traveler 