Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - Thomas Sullivan

18^th NEW YORK VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized: Spring, 1861 Albany, NY
Mustered In: 5/17/1861 Albany, NY
Mustered Out: 5/28/1863 Albany, NY
 

13^th NEW YORK VOLUNTEER CAVALRY
Organized: June, 1863
Mustered In By Companies: 
"A" through "I" 2/29 - 11/23/1863 Staten Island, NY
"K" & "L" March, 1864 Riker's Island, NY
"M" March, 1864 Hart's Island, NY
Consolidated/Mustered Out: 8/17/1865
 

3^rd NEW YORK PROVISIONAL VOLUNTEER CAVALRY
Created: 8/17/1865 by consolidation of 13^th NY and 16^th NY cavalry regiments.
Mustered Out: Inf. Not Avail. 
 

17^th UNITED STATES REGULAR INFANTRY
Organized: 5/3/1861 Ft. Preble, Portland, ME
Mustered In: 7/29/1861 Ft. Preble, Portland, ME

REGIMENTAL HISTORY: (18^th)
 

The 18^th New York, also known as the "New York State Rifles" was a two year infantry regiment. During the American Civil War (ACW) it saw service in that conflict's eastern theater.
 

As initially structured, the 18^th was composed of two companies from Schenectady, four companies from Albany, one from Dutchess County, one from Orange County, one from Ontario County and one from St. Lawrence County. It was mustered into Federal service on 5/17/1861.
 

Leaving the state on 6/18/1861 the unit travelled to Washington, D.C. From there it was ordered across the Potomac River to Alexandria, VA. That July it moved with the Federal army to Manassas, VA where, during the battle of 1^st Bull Run (7/16), it provided support for artillery.
 

Returning to Alexandria in August, the 18^th went into camp near Fairfax Seminary. While there it was involved in the construction of Fort Ward, one of the many defensive works surrounding and protecting Washington City.
 

During the spring of 1862 the 18^th participated in Union Gen. McClellan's Virginia Peninsula Campaign. Its losses were heaviest during the battle of Gaines' Mill (6/27). 
 

Late summer ‘[62 found the regiment in action at Antietam, MD (9/17). It closed the combat year at Fredericksburg, VA (12/11 - 15).
 

During May, 1863 the 18^th was embroiled in the actions at Chancellorsville, VA 4/30 - 5/6). It then lost heavily *at Marie’s Heights (5/3) and Salem Church (5/3 - 5/4) before being called home for final muster.
 

REGIMENTAL LOSSES:
Officers Killed Or Mortally Wounded: 4; Officers Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.: 1; Enlisted Men Killed Or Mortally Wounded: 34*; Enlisted Men Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.:32.

* The 18^th was one of a scant few units that actually lost more enlisted men in combat than it did to disease, etc.

REGIMENTAL HISTORY: (13^th)
 

The 13^th New York was a three year cavalry regiment. Its term of service was within the eastern theater of the American Civil War (ACW).
 

The unit was formed in June, 1863 by bringing together a number of incomplete cavalry organizations recruited from the counties of New York, Albany, St. Lawrence, Franklin and Erie.
 

Six companies of the unit left New York State in June, 1863. Two others followed in August with the balance of the regiment departing during the winter of 1862/'63.
 

During hard fighting at Aldie, VA (6/17/1863), the 13^th lost twenty four killed, wounded and missing. The unit then saw action during the Gettysburg, PA campaign.
 

After Gettysburg, the 13^th was assigned to the defenses of Washington, D.C. It completed its tenure, there.
 

The War ended, in August, 1865 the 13^th was combined with the 16th New York Cavalry. The new organization was dubbed the 3rd Provisional Regiment, New York Volunteer Cavalry. Not long thereafter it was mustered out of Federal service and into the history books.

REGIMENTAL LOSSES:
Officers Killed Or Mortally Wounded:   0; Officers Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.:  1; Enlisted Men Killed Or Mortally Wounded:  31; Enlisted Men Died of Disease, Accidents, Etc.: 97.

REGIMENTAL HISTORY: (3rd)

See paragraph # five, 13^th New York Cavalry above.
 

REGIMENTAL LOSSES:
Loss Numbers Not Available

REGIMENTAL HISTORY: (17^th)
 

The 17^th United State Regular Army Infantry Regiment of the American Civil War (ACW) era was created and mustered into Federal service in Portland, ME during the spring and summer of 1861. Its entire period of service was spent with the Army of the Potomac in the ACW's eastern theater.
 

In March, 1862 the regiment moved to Washington, D.C. Shortly thereafter it marched southward into Virginia.
 

 During the Peninsula Campaign of ‘62 it saw action before Richmond during the Seven Days Battles (6/25 - 7/1, at Mechanicsville (6/26), Gaines' Mill (6/27) and Malvern Hill (7/1).
 

The unit then moved to the Second Battle of Bull Run/Manassas (8/30) and Antietam, MD (9/17). It concluded the calendar and combat year at Fredericksburg, VA (12.12 - 15).
 

1863. Some of the regiment's significant actions early that year included Chancellorsville, VA (4/27 - 5/6) and the campaign around Gettysburg, PA (6/11 - 7/24). Late in the year it participated in the Bristoe, VA (10/9 - 22) and the Mine Run, VA campaigns.
 

May, 1864 saw the 17^th moving south into Virginia on Union Gen. U.S. Grant's Overland Campaign. Actions during '64 included all of the bloody encounters that campaign entailed as Federal forces moved upon and laid siege to Petersburg and Richmond.
 

The final months of The War in 1865 found the regiment (look up 1865 on Civil War in the east site).
 

REGIMENTAL LOSSES:
Officers Killed Or Mortally Wounded: 9; Officers Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.2; Enlisted Men Killed Or Mortally Wounded: 92; Enlisted Men Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc. 100.

SOLDIER: (13^th)
Residence: Inf. Not Avail.   Age: 19.6 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 6/19/1863 Albany, NY   Rank: Pvt.
Mustered In: 7/10/1863
Transferred Out: 8/17/1865
Highest Rank: 4/9/1865 Sgt. 
Rank At Transfer: Sgt.

SOLDIER: (3^rd)
Residence: Inf. Not Avail.   Age: 21.8 yrs.
Transferred In: 8/17/1865   Rank: Sgt. 
Mustered Out: 9/21/1865 Camp Berry Washington, D.C.
Highest Rank: Sgt.
Rank At Discharge: Pvt. (8/1/1865 est. reduced to ranks.)

SOLDIER:  (17^th)
Residence:  Age: 36
Transferred In: 12/9/1879 St. Paul, MN   Rank:
Mustered Out: 12/1884 Ft. Snelling
Highest Rank:
Rank At discharge:

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:
 

NOTE: The birth - to - death biographical profile of Thomas Sullivan was created in January, 2022 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.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________Thomas Sullivan was born 12/15/1843. His place of birth was County Cork, Ireland.
 

David Sullivan (b. Ireland) was Thomas' father. Mary (nee Daley b. Ireland) was his mother. There is no documental information regarding possible siblings.
 

Thomas reportedly came to America from Ireland during 1860. That having been said, the first information pertaining to him in The States comes from his 1861 enlistment in the U.S. Volunteer Army's 18^th New York Infantry. This was the first of his several army enlistments.
 

When Private Sullivan joined the 18^th we catch a glimpse of Thomas Sullivan the physical man. He was 5'7" tall, had grey eyes, fair hair and a fair complexion.
 

 Soldier Sullivan moved through several volunteer military organizations during the American Civil War (ACW) rising to the rank of sergeant before being reduced back to the rank of private once again. The War ended, he then enlisted in a regular army regiment.
 

Post ACW, during most of his employment years, Thomas appears to have been a professional, non-commissioned soldier or at least a civilian military employee in the U.S. Government's General Services Administration and/or as a regimental clerk. Military service records will have to be obtained to chronical his career.
 

In the year 1877 Thomas wed. His bride was Mary Theresa Costello. Mary had been born 3/17/1852 in County Clare, Ireland. When she had come to American and how, when and where the two met are unknowns.

During their years together Thomas and Mary produced ten children. At the dawn of the twentieth century eight of the ten were living. Those eight Sullivan children as identified in available documentation were: 1) Thomas H. Sullivan (b. 11/1879 MN), 2.) David Jerome Sullivan (b. 10/30/1882 St. Paul, MN), 3.) Francis "Frank" Walter Sullivan (b. 2/12/1884 St. Paul MN), 4.) Katherine Sullivan (b. 9/11/1885 Ft. Snelling St. Paul, MN), 5.) Mary T. Sullivan (8/10/1887 St. Paul, MN), 6.) Joseph Jerome Sullivan (b. 8/22/1889 St. Paul Ramsey County, MN), 7.) Helen Sullivan (b. 12/31/1890) and Alfred Jerome Sullivan (b. 5/16/1892 MN).
 

As noted by the birthplaces of the Sullivan children, all were born in Minnesota. To be more specific, likely, all were born in St. Paul Ramsey County, MN. This information, coupled with other documented tidbits leads one to believe that Thomas’ post -ACW period of US Army/U.S. Government employment was at Ft. Snelling St. Paul Ramsey County, MN.
 

1905. Thomas and family were in Minnesota. Five years later, however, in 1910 they were in Seattle King County, WA. What had drawn them to the Puget Sound region of the Pacific Northwest and exactly when they had arrived here are unknowns. It can be surmised, however, that it was not employment that drew Thomas here as in the 1910 U.S. Census he listed his occupation as "gardener."
 

Thomas lived out the remainder of his years in Seattle. He died there on 1/15/1920. Cause of death was noted as "arteriosclerosis" (hardening of the arteries) for which he had been treated by a physician beginning in early October of 1919. Burial was/is in Seattle's Roman Catholic Calvary Cemetery.
 

Following Thomas' death Mary applied to the U.S. Government for a widow's pension based on Thomas' days of Civil War soldiering and his other governmental service. The pension request was granted, but without accessing her pension files the details of her monthly financial stipend remain unknown.
 

Mary Theresa Costello Sullivan died in Seattle King County, WA 10/29/1927. She was/is buried at Calvary with Thomas. 

Buried at Calvary Catholic Cemetery