Patterson’s first brush with death occurred at the Battle of Fair Oaks on May 31, 1862. A bullet wound to his chest collapsed his left lung. he wasn’t expected to live, but he did and returned to his regiment the day before it fought at the Battle of Antietam.

After surviving the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862, Patterson and many of his men were captured at the Battle of Salem Church in the Chancellorsville Campaign on May 4, 1863.

Following a stint at Libby Prison in Richmond, he was exchanged and was back behind Union lines before the end of the month.

A year and one day after Patterson was captured at Salem Church he was killed at the Wilderness. His last day alive was also his 29th birthday.

According to Pfanz, Col. Patterson was buried by the Sixth Corps hospital near Grant’s headquarters – a rear area of hospitals and quartermasters at what is now the intersection of Routes 3 and 20, on the southern side across from where a Wal-mart supercenter is proposed.

The loss of Col. Patterson devastated his family, Phillis said, leaving them in near-poverty. His wife, Almira, had a widow’s pension of about $360 per year.

Although Patterson had owned his house free and clear, the Allegheny County, Pa., Orphans’ Court compelled Almira to sell it in March 1865 to provide funds to support her and her three young children.

Almira never remarried and lived until 1908. Their youngest daughter, Mary, died of disease in 1869. Daughter Agnes, Phillis’ great-grandmother, lived until 1924. Son Frederick lived until 1945 and was a member of the Pennsylvania state legislature.

John W Patterson