Private Hazelip, The Mystery Soldier: Bringing A Soldier Home

I was born in about 1837 in Brownsville, Edmonson County, Kentucky.  I was named after my Grandfather, who was probably named after his Grandfather.  I am the oldest child of my parents.  On each the 1850 and 1860 Census, my name is mistaken for a females name.  Even when I was Recruited, Enlisted and Mustered into Company G, 17 Regiment of the Kentucky Cavalry my name was incorrect.  I Enlisted on September 7, 1864 at Brownsville, Edmonson County, Kentucky at the age of 28; I was a Farmer.  I Enlisted for one year, my eyes were Blue, my hair was light, my complexion was light and I was five feet five inches tall.  I was Mustered in December 3, 1864 at Russellville, Kentucky.  On April 5, 1865 I died of Disease at a Hospital in Franklin, Kentucky.  However, there is a discrepancy about the exact date of my Death; another Union Report states that I died at Hopkinsville, Kentucky on May 20, 1865.  As stated above, you will find me under several different names.  On the 1850 Edmonson County, Kentucky Census I am enumerated as “Mary C” a 13 years young female born in Kentucky.  On the 1860 Edmonson County, Kentucky Census, I am enumerated as “Mary E” a 22 years young female born in Kentucky.  In my Military Records you will find my name as Martin C Hayslip, Martan C Hayselip and Marion C Hazlip.  One of the only times you may well see my name spelled, as it was meant to be, at my birth, is when on March 3, 1873, Congress passed an act that allowed for all honorably discharged veterans of the Civil War to be buried in National Military Cemeteries. In February of 1879 Congress passed another act which stated that the government would erect the same gravestones for Union soldiers buried in private cemeteries as those buried in National Cemeteries.  Thanks to the February 1879 Act of Congress, on November 29, 1879 a Contract was made to furnish a Headstone for me.  According to the “Card Records of Headstones Provided for Deceased Union Civil War Veterans, ca. 1879-ca. 1903; National Archives Microfilm Publication M1845; National Archives, Washington, D.C., 1996”; my Headstone was placed in the Brownsville Village Cemetery, Edmonson County, Kentucky.  The Death Date on this Card is the same Death Date as in my Compiled Service Records.  This Cemetery today is called Old Brownsville Cemetery and you will find me there under:

Hazelip, M. C. NO DATE NO DATE Co G. 17th KY Cal

Even today on many peoples Family Trees, I am a Female born in 1837 in Kentucky.

 However, I am Merry C Hazelip, the oldest child and the only son of Robert Hazelip and Malinda Watkins.

I would ask you to go back to the 1840 Census for Edmonson County, Kentucky for my Father Robert Hazelip; there you will find he had one male under 5 and one female under 5.  That is my sister Elizabeth and I; she was born in about 1839 in Kentucky.  We again are both on the 1850 Census 10 years later.    I am home