Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - Andrew Bossert

4^th UNITED STATES REGULAR ARMY LIGHT ARTILLERY BATTERY "F"
Organized: 1861
Mustered In: Inf. Not Avail.
Mustered Out: August, 1865 Nashville, TN

REGIMENTAL HISTORY: 
 

NOTE:  During the American Civil War infantry and cavalry regiments most often fought as complete organizations. This was not the case with artillery regiments. Individual companies (batteries of six cannon) were assigned where ever needed, so the regiments seldom, if ever, came together as a whole. As such, herein we are highlighting only company/battery “F" of the 4^th U.S.
 

Company/battery "F" of the 4^th U.S. regular light artillery was a three year unit. It fought in both eastern and western theaters of The War.
 

"F" of the 4^th arrived in Washington, D.C. on 4/18/61. The unit experienced its first combat situation at the battle of Falling Waters, MD on 7/2/61. Next came operations about Dams 4 and 5 in December, '61.
 

In March, 1862 the company/battery moved into Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. There it saw much action in April and May. Away from the valley, in August it participated in the battle of 2^nd Bull Run/Manassas (8/29-30/1862). September 17^th found it fighting at Antietam, MD. It was then stationed on Maryland Heights across from Harpers’ Ferry, VA for a time. It concluded 1862 with a march to Fairfax Station, VA.
 

1863. January 20 - 24 found the company/battery mired down in Union Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside's "mud march." It then wintered at Stafford Court House, VA until May when it joined the Chancellorsville campaign (4/27 - 5/6).
 

July 1^st – 4^th found the company/battery at the battle of Gettysburg, PA. From there it moved into Alabama.
 

Guard duties along Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad occupied the unit until March, 1864. It then marched to Nashville, TN where it remained until final muster. 

REGIMENTAL LOSSES:
Loss Numbers Not Available

SOLDIER:
Residence: Reading, PA   Age: 22.5 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 2/8/61 Carlisle, PA   Rank: Pvt.
Mustered In: Inf. Not Avail.
Mistered Out: 2/8/64 Stevenson, AL
Highest Rank: Pvt.
Rank At Discharge: Pvt.

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:
 

NOTE: The birth - to - death biographical profile of Andrew Bossert was created in April, 2021 during the Covid-19 medical pandemic. It contains less depth of detail than many other biographies within this website because military service, pension and other veteran-related files housed in Washington, D.C.'s National Archives were not available. At a later time those documents may be obtained and the data contained therein added to the narrative which follows.
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Andrew Jackson Bossert was born 8/28/38. Although not documented the place of his birth may have been in or near the community of Turbett Juniata County, PA. That was where the Bosserts seemed to have spent their years and were censured in 1860.
 

Parents of Andrew were Samuel (b. 4/28/05 - d. 3/22/65 Juniata Co., PA) and Hannah (nee Richards b. 2/25/15 IL - d. 5/13/74 Juniata County, PA) Bossert. The Bosserts were a farming family.
 

As best as can be determined from available documentation Andrew was the second of at least five children born to Samuel and Hannah. Older than Andrew was David R. Bossert (b. 1827 PA *). Younger than Andrew were Jacob R. Bossert (b. 1841 PA **), Mary Bossert (b. 1847 PA) and Samuel S. Bossert (b. 1852 PA).
 

On 2/8/61 Andrew enlisted in the United States regular army. This was prior to civil war breaking out in April of that same year.
 

At enlistment we gain a glimpse of Andrew the physical being.  He was 5'8" tall, had hazel eyes, brown hair and a "sallow" complexion. Occupationally he noted himself to be a laborer.
 

Without accessing Private Bossert's military service records there is not much we can report on his period of enlistment. He did, however, survive and returned to life as a civilian.
 

Where Andrew settled after The War is not known. Post war we first learn of him in the U.S. Census of 1880. By that time he had made his way westward to the Puget Sound region of the Pacific Northwest and was farming in the eastern King County community of Duvall. What had drawn him here and exactly when he arrived are unknowns. It appears, too, that he was not alone on the westward journey.
 

Andrew had married in 1867. Where, we do not know. His bride was named Alice. Her surname has not been found. Evidence points to her having been born during April, 1849 in the state of Illinois.
 

During their years together Andrew and Alice produced no children. By 1900, however, they had adopted a daughter. That child was Ottilie "Birdie" Bossett (birth name unk.). Birdie had been born in Kansas during August of 1880. No additional details are known about her early life.
 

As of 1881 the Bosserts were still residing in King County, but may have moved from Duvall. Andrew was then a carpenter, not a farmer.
 

The Civil War Veterans' tally of June, 1890 found Andrew and Alice living in the Renton (Orillia/Sunnyside) region of south King County. No occupational listing is given.
 

On 3/26/92 Andrew applied for a U.S. Government disability pension base on his days of Civil War soldiering. We know the request was granted, but without access to his pension files early details of the stipend are unknown. By the time of his passing, however, the monthly payment had grown to seventy two dollars. More on this, later.
 

In 1900 carpenter Andrew, Alice, their adopted daughter and a "German farm laborer servant" were living in Renton King County, WA. A decade later, in 1920, they were residing in Bossert Precinct King County, WA. ***
 

April, 1924. Andrew's health began to fail. By the 18^th of that month he was under care of a physician. He died at home in Renton on 6/18/24. The cause of death was noted as heart disease with angina contributing. At passing he was aged 85 years, 9 months and 20 days old. Burial was/is in Renton's Mt. Olivet Cemetery.
 

After Andrew's death Alice petitioned the U.S. Government to continue receiving at least a portion of her late husband's Civil War pension. That petition was granted, so by August of that year she was receiving thirty dollars per month.
 

Alice died on 6/28/26. She was/is buried with Andrew in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery.
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 * During the American Civil War David served in the 49^th Pennsylvania Infantry. He survived the conflict.

** During the American Civil War Jacob served in the 110^th Pennsylvania Infantry. Although wounded, he survived the conflict.

***No contemporary location for Bossert, WA has been found except that it is a Voting Precinct in Seattle area.

Buried at Mt Olivet Cemetery