William Charles Richey

In 1860 he was a 19 year old day laborer, like his father, and lived with his parents and 6 younger siblings in Sewickley, Allegheny County, PA. He enlisted there on 1 July 1861 and mustered on 11 July in Philadelphia as a Private in Company G, 28th Pennsylvania Infantry.

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

He was removed from his original burial on the battlefield to the National Cemetery in about 1867.

His mother began receiving a pension based on his service in March 1882.

His service basics from Bates1 and the Card File.2 Burial detail from the History,3 though an article about the Sewickley Civil War Memorial in the Pittsburgh Commercial of 13 July 1866 suggests his remains were removed to Sewickley by that date. It is also possible he was not killed outright, but was mortally wounded and died later at the Smoketown Hospital, according to a list in the Philadelphia Inquirer of 29 September 1862. Personal details from the US Census of 1860 (as Ritchey). His gravesite is on Findagrave; he's listed on the Sewickley Civil War Memorial in Sewickley Cemetery, Sewickley, PA. Thanks to Claude Whalen for the nudge to look further into Private Richey.

c. 1841 in PA

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