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Biography: We have spent many hours researching Samuel Magaha and his family, both at the Maryland State Archives, and
the National Archives in Washington D.C. Things we know: Sam was a shoemaker by trade. Sam was born we beleive in Lottesville
Va. in 1818. He was married three times, first to Julia Ann Sandbower in 1839 in Loudon County Va., Then in 1841 he married
Priscillia Cloud and had four children with her (Josiah, Elizabeth Jane, Sarah, and Charles Dallas. The 1850 U.S. Census showed
Sam and Priscilla living in Lovettsville, Loudon County, Va. Then in 1852 Samuel and three of his children( Josiah was not
with them ) showed up in Baltimore and married Agnes Ross. Sam and Agnes had nine children together. Sam enlisted
in the Union Army on August 17, 1863 as part of the 3rd Maryland Calvary. Sam enlisted as a private. He enlisted for a term
of three years. Sam went with the 3rd Md. Calvary to Louisiana and immediately entered on active field duty. They also served
in Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.Sam was sent to the General hospital in New Orleans Louisiana on July 3, 1864. He then
returned to his unit sometime in the fall of 1864. He was then taken back to the hospital in New Orleans in May of 1865. Both
times Sam was hospitalized he had chronic diarrhea, from which he never recovered.He was discharged from the military on July
18, 1865 from a hospital in Baltimore.Lieutenant William G. Brown of the 3rd Md Calvary wrote of Sam," That he was a good
and faithful solider always when able to do his duty.Some of the battles that the 3rd Md. Calvary fought in were: Battle at
Marksville, Louisiana on May 17, 1864; Battle at Yellow Bayou, Louisianaon May 18, 1864; they fought in a battle on May20,
1864; they fought in another battle on January 26, 1865; and lastly they fought in another battle on April 4, 1865. According
to the regimental history the 3rd Md. Calvary had 4 officers die of disease or accident, eleven men were mortally wounded,
and eighty men died of disease or accident. This amount were of those who died during the war, it does not take into account
of those whom died after the war due to injuries or diseases directly related to the war. According to his veterans records
from the National Archives at the time of his enlistment he was a man of 5' 10" tall and weighted 185 lbs., and
at the time of his death he was 5'10" tall and weighted 85 lbs. Sam never recovered from the disease he contracted while serving
in the military. Sam died in 1877 from chronic liver disease, leaving his family destitute. The cause of death listed
on Sam's death certificate was liver disease self indused by liquor. Secondary cause was dropsy.Sam's doctor also wrote
a letter dated September 14, 1877 that stated: " this is to certify that Mr. Samuel Magaha died on the nineteenth day of August,
1877 of Chronic dysentery leaving a family destitute. Signed C.C. Richardson M.D. attending physican located at 302 W. Lombard
St. Sam was receiving a Veteran's pension of $4.00 a month, but upon his death his widow received a pension of $8.00 a month.
According to Sam's death certificate he was buried in St. Peter's cemetery in Southwest Baltimore (Bentlou and Winchester
Sts.) We have visited the cemetery and it was in such disrepair that we could not find his grave. The records of the cemetery
are sketchy at best, but we found an Agnes Magahan who bought grave lot #112 in sec. G on May1, 1865. Looking at Sam's military
records we found that he was in the hospital in May of 1865 so it is very possible that she bought the grave just in case.
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