John Thompson

A 19 year old apprentice brick-layer, he enlisted in New York City on 10 August 1861 and mustered as Private, Company B, 51st New York Infantry on 18 October 1861.

He was killed in action at the Lower Antietam bridge at Antietam on 17 September 1862.

He was reinterred from his original burial near the Burnside Bridge on the Antietam battlefield to the new National Cemetery in about 1867.

Basic information from the Antietam Cemetery History1. Service from the Adjutant General.2 His initial grave location and other details from Frassanito.3 His gravesite is on Findagrave.

His was one of the graves near Burnside's Bridge photographed by Alexander Gardner on 21 September 1862 (from the Library of Congress). His was one of at least 9 graves for men of the 51st NY; 4 identified. He is the one buried 6 graves to the right of the live soldier posing in that picture.

c. 1842

09/17/1862; Sharpsburg, MD; burial in Antietam National Cemetery, Sharpsburg, MD