Lt. George W Seaman

Head Quarters 45th Ky. Mounted Infantry
Vanceburg, KY.
Nov. 28, 1864

 

Lt. Vance
Prov. Marshal Gen
Lexington, Ky.

 

            Lt.

            I take the liberty of Sending directly to you, a prisoner instead of Sending him through to Col Gallup at Louisa Ky. A notorious Guerilla Geo. W. Seaman, 1st Lt. Co. (C) 2nd Ky Mt. Rif Conderate Army.  He came in with a small party he has been consealed [sic] by Some Sympathisers for the last (10) ten days.  He was captured after a long Search on the Ohio Side of the River by Capt. A. B. Coggeshall (Comdg. Detch at this point) of the 114th U. S. C. I.  We have been Searching the Country for him ever Since he came in the Country.

            Lt. Seaman has been in here three times Recruiting.  He has taken a great many horses from this Country we have arrested him as a Spy.  He can not be looked upon as any thing else.  I would recommend that [sentence  incomplete]   accordingly. We don’t want him Sent back to this County unless it is to be Shot.  The Grand Jury has found true Bills against him three times for treason. 

            I am, Lt. Very Respectfully your obedient Servt,

                                                                                                L. M. Clark

                                                                                                Lt. Col.  45th Ky

 

[The indictments can be read on pages 673, 710, and 757 of Civil Order  Book N in the Kentucky Archives, Frankfort.]

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 Head Quarters Detachment 114th USCI
 
Vanceburg Ky 
 
December 5, 1864

                               

 

Sir:

 

               I have the honor to make the following statement with regard to George W. Seaman.

 

        The said George W. Seaman came into this county in the last of August or first of September 1862.  He had 16 or 17 men with him and made a raid of angular rout through the county of about 50 miles, he took out with him at that time about 20 men (recruits) and stole 4 or 5 horses 1 from Robert Bedford 1 from Henry Bruce 1 from William Kissick some from John Lovel, The other men that went with him either furnished their own horses or went on foot.

 

          George W Seaman was here the second time in February 1863, so far as I know he came alone.  He was in the County about 10 days concealed by his friends, after concocting his plans left the county at night took 15 or 16 men with him, and stole horses from the following named persons, 2 from W. Seth Parker 2 from F. M. Carr 2 from Samuel Stephenson 1 from John Voires and 1 from John Thomas.  He was in this county divers other times but this could not be proven to a demonstration. 

 

            At the time the said George W. Seaman was arrested he was in the County 4 or 5 days concealed from sight of the union citizens.  Crossed the Ohio river and was in the State of Ohio 2 or 3 days to the best of our information.  He was arrested about 12 miles from the Ohio river in Ohio and about 20 miles from his Father's residence the place where he formerly lived.   

 

            The said George W. Seaman took (or stole) saddles and arms at the same time he was in here, wherever he could find, or could carry them. 

 

                                                                                A. B. Coggeshall
                                                                               
Capt. Comdg Detachment
                                                                     
          114th USCI Vanceburg, Ky

 

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            These two letters are in the National Trust Archives file of Lt. George W. Seaman, who was born 16 February 1837 in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and came with his parents and siblings to Clarksburg in Lewis County Kentucky in 1858. Prior to that, the family lived in Jackson County, WV. 

 

            George  was bondman when  his sister, Margaret Seaman  married  William I. Willim of Lewis County in February 1859 and when his sister Susan Seaman married  A. O. Harding in December 1859.  He was appointed Constable of District 3in Clarksburg  in 1860. 

 

            In 1861 he joined the 5th Kentucky “Ragamuffin Regiment” as a 12 month man.  September 1862 he was enlisted by Col. John May [sic]  into the 2nd Kentucky Rifles, Company C, in Piketon and was elected Lieutenant 24 October 1862.  The Company Muster Roll of September 1 to November 30 reads that he was in Capt. N. P. Leforgee’s Company, Johnson’s Battalion, Kentucky Mounted Rifles.  October of  ’62 he appears on a Roster of 2nd Battalion Kentucky Mounted Rifles, Gen. Geo. B. Cosby’s Brigade, Maj. Gen. J. C. Breckinridge’s Division, Army of West Virginia and East Tennessee; organized Oct. 22. 1862 and mustered into Confederate service Oct. 22, 1862 for 3years.   

 

            In July of 1863 Seaman submitted a requisition  for three days’ forage for eleven horses used in escorting General W. Preston to Abingdon.  On 25 July 1863 he submitted another form to reimburse him for providing ration for eight recruits and three of his men, Sergeants Henry Atchison,  Daniel (or David?)   Eckman, and M. M. Teager  [Michael Moore Teager of Lewis County]  under orders of General Humphrey Marshall.

 

            George Seaman was sent to prison at Camp Chase, Ohio  and the next record in Lewis County was the  County  Court May term of 1865.   He was “in Custody” in the case of the Commonwealth against him “et als” for Grand Larceny,  and the case of Commonwealth against Thomas  Bevan  and George Seaman for stealing the Voirs horse.    Next case was against him and Charles Bevans for stealing Seth Parker’s horse.  Another case was against him and David Stout, T. Stout, Charles Bevan and Thomas Carr for horse stealing.

 

            George Seaman’s brother, David G. Seaman, posted bond  of $200 per case and guaranteed his appearance at the November 1865 term.  When the  November Circuit Court convened, George was there.  One by one, the cases were dismissed.    [Civil Order Book O.]  

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            Mary Jane Seaman Sparks was the Great-grandmother of this author.  Mary Jane’s daughter, Ella Leota Sparks, married in June 1900 at the Vanceburg Christian Church, and she asked Mary Jane to write down the names of her (Ella’s) three aunts and two uncles with their birth dates and  places so that she could put them in her Bible.  Next to each name she wrote “Now Alive” when appropriate.  All but Margaret and Susan were now alive.  They had been buried in the Woodland Cemetery near Vanceburg.  David Seaman was living [in Hancock County, Indiana with his daughter, Cora Seaman Eakes. Elizabeth Seaman Carter was in the same county with her husband Powhattan Carter.]   David died in 1904 and is buried in the Pioneers Cemetery in Hancock County.  Mary Jane died of Breast cancer in 1908, but the fate of George W. Seaman after 1900 is a mystery. 

 

Marilyn P. Steber
4464 Castelar Street #104
San Diego, CA.

 

 

 

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