Robert J. Park, Jr.

(c. 1841 - 1862)
Home State: Pennsylvania
Command Billet: Company Officer
Branch of Service: Infantry
Unit: 72nd Pennsylvania Infantry

Before the Antietam Campaign:
From Philadelphia, he mustered into Federal Service in May 1861 in Company D, 19th Pennsylvania Infantry for 3 months. The 19th was composed almost entirely of members of the National Guards of Philadelphia, a pre-War State Militia unit. In August or September 1861 he enlisted in Company R, 72nd Pennsylvania Infantry as First Sergeant. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant (date unknown).

In the Antietam Campaign:
He was mortally wounded in action at Antietam on 17 September 1862.

The remainder of the War:
He died of his wounds in Philadelphia, PA on 18 October 1862. He was originally buried in the Monument Cecmetery there, but reinterred at Lawnview Cemetery - probably unmarked, in a mass grave - in 1956.

References, Sources, and other notes:
Service data for the 19th Pennsylvania Infantry and his wounding at Antietam from Bates1. Details of his death and burial from the Phildadelphia Inquirer of 18 October 1862, transcribed and augmented with fascinating details in a blog post by Jim Buchanan on Walking the West Woods - thanks to Jim for pointing us to Lt. Park. There are open questios about the existence of "Company R" of the 72nd, as it is not mentioned in the ususal literature.

Death Date: 10/18/1862 Death Place: Philadelphia, PA

Notes

1 Bates, Samuel Penniman, History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-65, Harrisburg: State of Pennsylvania, 1868-1871, Vol. 1, pg. 180; Vol. 2, pg. 831 [AotW citation 8647]

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