While doing some genealogy research on a cousin, I ran across this interesting document. My cousin was a former Union soldier and, after the war, a postmaster for the U.S. Postal Service. He was called upon to sign this affidavit about a minor child whose father had been killed during the war. What I found interesting were the circumstances of the father’s death:
“Fisher McKee died at Murfreesboro in the state of Tennessee on the 4th day of March A.D. 1863, by being thrown from the top of a car which was thrown off the track.”
According to the record, Fisher McKee was a private in Company G of the 19th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. I have, as yet, been unable to find a record of the train derailment in or near Murfreesboro at that time or details on the death of Fisher McKee. However, if I find more, I shall post it here.
[...] Fisher McKee, Private, 19th Ohio Infantry Killed in Train Derailment [...]
I have seen this accident, It was i think the worst train accident ever…Google that in fact…Hope this helps, n btw my great grandpa was in the 19th….