Transcription

The record

Document: Three pages. Pages 1 and 2 are two photocopies of the front of a Civil War discharge certificate (form A. G. O., No. 99) for George Wesemann, Company G, 2nd Regiment New Jersey Volunteers. Page 3 is the reverse: a copied telegram, a mustering-office certificate, and a blank Oath of Identity.

Language: English

Transcription conventions: on printed forms, pre-printed text is set in roman and handwritten entries in \italic\; wholly handwritten registers and lists are set in roman. Square brackets mark editorial matter: [?] follows an uncertain reading, [illegible] marks unread text, [blank] marks an unfilled field, and bracketed descriptions record stamps, marks, and annotations. Spelling, abbreviation, and capitalisation follow the original; nothing is corrected. On census and register pages that carry many unrelated entries, the page heading and the target household or entry are transcribed in full; the extent of what is and is not transcribed is stated on each page.

Pages 1 and 2: front of certificate

[Page 2 is the clearer copy and is transcribed; page 1 is a darker copy of the same document with identical text.]

To all whom it may Concern.

[Engraved eagle and shield with stars]

[Written up the left margin:] Paid in full / July 22d 1865 / by [illegible] S. Brinton [?] / P.M. U.S.A.

Know ye, That George Wessman [?]

a Privat of [printed “Captain” struck through] 1st Lieut. James Van Antwerp Company, (G.) Second Regiment of New Jersey VOLUNTEERS, who was enrolled on the 27 day of March one thousand eight hundred and Sixty five to serve one years or during the war, is hereby Discharged from the service of the United States this Eleventh day of July 1865, at Halls Hill Virginia by reason of Orders from the War Dept. dated July 7th 1865

(No objection to his being re-enlisted is known to exist.∗)

Said George Westman [?] was born in Germany in the State of [blank], is 26 years of age, 5 feet 7 inches high, Light complexion, dark eyes, dark hair, and by occupation, when enrolled, a Miller.

Given at Halls Hill Va this Eleventh day of July 18*65*.

[Signature:] James Van Antwerp / 1st Lieut. 2nd N. J. Vol. / Commanding the [printed “Reg’t” struck through] Co.

∗This sentence will be erased should there be anything in the conduct or physical condition of the soldier rendering him unfit for the Army.

[A. G. O., No. 99.]

[Signature:] A. M. Lyster [?] / Brevt. Major & A. C. of M. / 1st Div. Provl. [?] Corps.

[Annotation, lower right:] Certificate / no 1491 / 3/14/95 [?]

[Page number at foot of copy:] 12

Page 3: reverse

[Left panel, pasted slip:]

TELEGRAM.

WASHINGTON, D.C.,

JUNE 8, 1865.

COL. JOHN [illegible].

Troops are to be paid to the date of arrival at State Rendezvous.

THOMAS M. VINCENT,

A. A. G.

A true copy.

[Signature:] R. Emmet Smith

Brevet Capt. U.S.A., Mustering Officer.

Office of Chief Mustering Officer.

STATE OF NEW JERSEY.

Trenton, N. J., July 13 1865.

The 2nd Regiment New Jersey Volunteers arrived at Rendezvous, July 13 1865.

[Signature:] R. Emmet Smith

Brevet Capt. U.S.A. Mustering Officer.

[Right panel, printed form, not filled in:] OATH OF IDENTITY. [Blank form: “of the Town of … County of … in the State of … On this … day of … in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty … personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace for the County … who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is identical … who … in the Company commanded by Captain … in the Regiment … commanded by … that he enlisted on the … day of … for the term of … and was discharged … by reason of … Sworn and subscribed to before me the day and year above written. … I certify that … within the above affidavit purports to have been made, is a Justice of the Peace duly authorized to administer oaths, and that the above is his signature. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal, this … day of … in the year … in the State of … Clerk of the …”. Several words are lost to the dark copy.]

Transcriber’s notes

The surname on the certificate is written with a long-s form and reads “Wessman” in the first writing and “Westman” in the second (both uncertain; re-checked at zoom 2026-09-27); the filename keeps the family spelling Wesemann.

Unit: Company G, 2nd New Jersey Volunteers, commanded by 1st Lieut. James Van Antwerp. The 1890 veterans schedule index gives “2 New York Inf”; this certificate is the stronger evidence for New Jersey.

Personal description: born Germany, age 26 in July 1865 (implying birth c. 1839), 5 ft 7 in, light complexion, dark eyes and hair, a miller. The age is one year older than the 1860 passenger-list age of 22 would give.

The annotation “Certificate no 1491 3/14/95” is probably a later pension-office or state notation; the reading is uncertain. The 1896 pension index card in the file is the next record to cross-check.

Grade: PRIMARY.