***Fourth Cavalry Duty: John came from a very poor farm family. At the early age of 15 years old, his father "sold" him to go into war for a Jamison boy. John agreed to make this sacrifice for his family.
As one read about the duties and skirmishes of the 4th Cavalry Pennsylvania Volunteers, it is understood how and why he was wounded foraging for food for his regiment. John was shot in the leg. It is said, he was getting chickens when shot.
The Fourth Cavalry had 12 Companies that were recruited from many counties of Pennsylvania: Company C was recruited from Westmoreland County. They were outfitted in Harrisburg and sent to Washington as mounted military guards of Washington D.C. They moved in and around Virginia doing scouting, reconnaissance, rear guard duty and protecting railroad lines. They were nearly annihilated under General McClellan's orders early in the war.
General Hooker took command of the Cavalry; the cavalry won its first victories of the war. The 4th Cavalry moved from one skirmish to another for three years. John's three years of duty was over before the end of the war.
***Ninth US Duty: John reenlisted near the end of the war. The 9th Regiment Infantry were United States Veterans Volunteers. They were organized at Camp Stoneman, D.C. between March and June 1865. John was in service until July 25, 1865. During this time after John reenlisted: Lee surrendered, Lincoln was shot, Andrew Johnson became President after Lincoln's death, and a victory parade was held in Washington along Pennsylvania Avenue to help boost the nation's morale on May 23/24, 1865