We are currently undertaking research for our third book about the London Branch of American Civil War veterans. Some interesting discoveries sometimes emerge from the pension files of the old Civil War Veteran who lived in London. Many had no idea other veterans lived in the City.
We thought I would share an insight on how some of the men who later joined the London Branch first met. The topic forms one of the chapters in our book about the organisation. Against the odds, in a city with 6.5 million folk, the old veterans occasionally met others who had served too.
Edward Munroe and Benjamin Aldermain were two “old salts” who answered the call of the sea when just teenagers. When Edward was a centenarian had the accolade of being the oldest living Civil War veteran, having been born in Nova Scotia in 1809. Ben Aldermain was born in Limehouse in 1839, although when he joined the Union Navy in 1864 he claimed he was born in Australia.
Edward Munroe.
Benjamin Aldermain
During the Civil War they both served on the steamer USS Augusta, then went on the receiving ship Allegheny at Baltimore. In January 1865 both transferred to the USS Cambridge. (images are the muster rolls of the USS Cambridge in March 1865).
Many years after the Civil War both men were in London. One day they both happened to meet each other by chance at the Consul in Westminster. From that chance meeting they maintained a lifelong friendship, acting as witnesses for each other in their pension claims.
Edward died in 1915 and Benjamin died in Philadelphia in 1919. John Davis, (USS Tulip), founder of the London Branch of American Civil War veterans, will always, in our opinion, deserve credit for being the man who all connected them. However it seems the Consulate in London also played a part in allowing some veterans to find others, and also reuniting old friends too!
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