Irish in the American Civil War has a long-standing interest in Civil War-era tattoos and markings. Brendan’s new post is the latest instalment in a series focused on the topic- you can check out some of the others via the links below:
Marked Men: The Tattoos of New York Irishmen, 1863
Scarred Men: The Disfigurements of New York Irishmen, 1863
Inked Irishmen: Irish Tattoos in 1860s New York
Marked Boys: The Tattoos of 19th Century Irish and Irish American Reformatory Inmates
In the new tattoo article, Brendan follows up his work on the tattoos of reformatory inmates with those of military prisoners at Clinton Prison, New York. His text is accompanied by a superb resource that Brendan has painstakingly compiled- the details of the tattoos of over 100 of these prisoners, together with information on where each was from. Read on to find out more!
The inmate admission ledgers from Clinton Prison in Dannemora, New York, which are housed at the New York State Archives, are a fascinating resource that include physical descriptions of thousands of people imprisoned there throughout parts of the nineteenth and twentieth century. While perusing them recently, I stumbled across something unexpected–from 1864-1865, the prison housed several hundred US military prisoners. They included deserters and other offenders from the Army and Navy and civilians convicted of crimes against the US military. The admission ledgers for these inmates often includes detailed descriptions of tattoos and other permanent marks. While the US Navy recorded such information in its rendezvous reports, the Army typically did not, so this seemed an exciting opportunity to learn more about the tattoos of Union soldiers in particular. I recorded the descriptions of all 103 tattooed men in the ledgers. Unfortunately, however, the unit or branch of service of these prisoners was not included, so I decided to dig into other records such as muster roll abstracts, enlistment registers, and even period newspapers to fill in as much of this information as I could.
Tattoo Type | No. Examples |
---|---|
Initials/Name | 34 |
Female Figure/Bust/Face | 22 |
Cross/Crucifix | 12 |
Anchor | 11 |
Shield/Coat of Arms | 10 |
Star | 8 |
Male Figure/Bust/Face | 6 |
Eagle | 5 |
Heart | 5 |
Ship | 5 |
Flag | 4 |
Goddess of Liberty | 4 |
Monument/Tombstone | 3 |
Wreath | 3 |
Memorial Inscription to Father | 2 |
Number | 2 |
Table 1. The Breakdown of Tattoos recorded on the military prisoners, and their relative numbers (Brendan Hamilton).
Tattoos can provide a fascinating glimpse into the hearts and minds of people–particularly working class people–from a bygone era. What did they deem important enough to permanently mark upon their bodies and what does this reveal about them? In many cases, soldiers’ and sailors’ tattooing decisions were driven by the fear that if they died in combat, their body would be unidentifiable. As a result, many of these men have their initials or name tattooed on them. But this alone does not explain all of the initials, since many clearly do not match the names of their bearers. In some cases, they may have been honoring spouses, lovers, parents, etc. For others it may be a sign that they were serving under an alias, and the initials were inked pre-war, recording a hint of their real names. Many also had images of women tattooed on them. While most of these are not described in detail, the tattoo of 1st Lt. Elbridge W. Guilford of the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery was specifically a likeness of the famous Austrian ballerina Fanny Elssler. Crosses and crucifixes were popular as well.

There are some rather unique examples of tattoos in the ledgers that really stuck out to me. One that might be of particular interest to our readers is the tattoo of a “hand” that Private Hugh Gribben, a veteran of the 68th Pennsylvania Infantry, displayed on his left arm. A postwar US Army enlistment record for Gribben reveals that he was a native of County Antrim. Could this hand have been a representation of the Red Hand of Ulster, the old heraldic symbol of Ireland’s northern province?

In addition to regional pride, tattoos could also display pride in one’s vocation. Private Paul Stekle of the 1st New York Veteran Cavalry had a “bullock’s head” on his right arm. Stekle, a German immigrant who was a butcher in his civilian life, probably chose the image of a bull’s head because it was a symbol of butchers that was commonly used in trade signs over their shops. The anchor was, of course, a very commonly seen tattoo, and was frequently worn by men who were sailors either as civilians or in the US Navy. Pride in one’s military unit, branch, or combat arm was a likely motivation for many of the tattoos in these ledgers. Daniel O. Whitman of the 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery had a tattoo of a “cannon shell” on the back of his left hand. And though shields and hearts were common motifs in period tattooing overall, it is worth noting that several of those in the ledgers with these tattoos were members of the 9th and 24th Union Army Corps, respectively. The corps symbol of the 9th Corps was a shield with a crossed cannon and anchor, while the 24th Corps’ symbol was a heart. Private Alfred T. Hardey of the 4th New Hampshire Infantry, which was part of the 24th Corps from the start of its formation in December 1864, went beyond wearing his heart on his sleeve. He had both a “heart” tattooed on his right hand and a “double heart” on his right arm.

Aside from the tattoos, I also included scars from combat wounds and other distinctive marks. Several of the prisoners convicted of desertion from the US Navy and Regular Army had evidently been branded on their right cheeks with the letter “D” for “deserter.” This brutal form of punishment not only inflicted pain on its victims, but permanently marked them with the evidence of their alleged crime, ensuring that the shame would follow them long after the war.

Whatever their reasons for getting them, these tattoos offer a truly fascinating glimpse into working class life in the mid-19th century. The table below provides readers with the full details of the more than 100 military prisoners who bore such markings at Clinton Prison, recording their name, age, birthplace, unit, occupation, crime, and finally, their tattoos.
Name | Age | Birthplace | Unit | Occupation | Crime | Tattoo | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Allison, Joseph | 22 | Pennsylvania | Woman and other marks on right arm, marks on left arm | ||||
Arren, James | 21 | Florida | Unassigned substitute | Ink marks on left hand & wrist | |||
Ball, Edwin | 24 | Maine | Desertion | Woman on right arm | |||
Beatty, Franklin | 20 | Pennsylvania | Absence without Leave | Anchor & "F.B." on right arm | |||
Bendell, Lewis | 43 | Germany | Citizen | Selling Citizens' Clothes to Soldiers | "C.B." & "E.B." on right arm | ||
Bradley, Frederick F. | 24 | Canada | Unassigned substitute | Engineer | Desertion | Woman on right arm | |
Brown, William | 28 | New York | Desertion | Goddess of Liberty on left arm | |||
Buchanan, John | 22 | Delaware | Scar caused by ball on left arm above elbow. "N.B." & "J.B. E.D.S.S." Lark spot (?) near waist. | ||||
Burns, Thomas | 17 | New York | Desertion | Cross, 2 letters on right arm | |||
Burwell, Alexander | 21 | Wardsville, Ontario, Canada | 12th NY Indep. Btty. Light Art. (prior 26th & 86th NY) | Laborer | Desertion | Ink on left arm | |
Cahill, John | 24 | New York | Citizen | Bounty Broker | Forging Certificates of Enlistment | "J.C.," anchor, and star on right arm | |
Callahan, Alex O. | 21 | West Virginia | 7th WV | Desertion | "A.D.O.C." on left arm | ||
Carroll, Phillip | 31 | Ireland | 2nd MA Heavy Art. | Desertion | Ink marks on both arms | ||
Clancy, Thomas | 28 | Ireland | Theft | Cross on left arm | |||
Clark, Horace | 45 | Troy, NY | Passing Counterfeit U.S. Notes | Eagle & star on left arm | |||
Colligan, Peter | 18 | New York, NY | 15th NY Eng. | Stone Cutter | "P.C." on left arm | ||
Conners, John | 18 | Connecticut | Star on right hand, "J.J.M.C." on right arm, "In Memory of the Father" on left arm | ||||
Cosgrove, Joseph | 29 | Baltimore, MD | Conspiracy &c | "O.U.I." on left arm | |||
Covart, Lewis H. | 24 | Yates Co., NY | 2nd NY Vet. Cav. (prior 1st NY Art.) | Farmer | Desertion | Ink marks on right arm | |
Devoe, Delivan | 22 | Turin, NY | 186th NY (prior 14th NY) | Painter | Desertion | Flag with one star, woman to right of it on right arm, flag surrounded by female head and wreath on front of wrist, monument with inscriptions on the base, "In Memory of my Father" on left arm above elbow, large star & small star between thumb & forefinger | |
Divilin, James | 25 | New York | Citizen | Bounty Broker | Forging Certificates of Enlistment | Ink marks on wrist and hands | |
Donaghue, Cornelius | 27 | Ireland | Cross, anchor, and shield on left arm | ||||
Donovan, Jeremiah D. | 17 | Boston, MA | US Navy | Larceny | Anchor & cross, "J. + B." enclosed in a heart, "J.M." in ink on right arm, star on right hand, 2 crosses on left arm | ||
Doran, John | 22 | Connecticut | Aiding Desertion | Sailor, ship, and flag in red & black ink on right arm | |||
Duane, Jeremiah | 20 | Ireland | 2nd US Art. | Soldier | "J.D." & small cross in red ink on right arm | ||
Dunlap, Edward | 24 | Pennsylvania | 48th NY | Desertion | Shield on left arm | ||
Finfrock, George | 49 | Pennsylvania | 12th VRC (prior 9th PA Cav.) | Cigar Maker | Ink marks on both arms | ||
Flynn, James | 23 | Ireland | Eagle on left hand, two men sparring on breast | ||||
Friedley, John | 26 | Switzerland | 30th MA | Laborer | Misbehavior Before the Enemy | Anchor on left arm | |
Frye, Lewis J. | 25 | Pennsylvania | 3rd US | Laborer | "L.E.F." on left arm | ||
Gallix, James | 17 | Massachusetts | 9th PA Cav. | Violation of the 50th Article of War | Anchor on right arm, man on left arm | ||
Geistwhite, Abram | 28 | Pennsylvania | 93rd PA | Desertion | Heart & dagger on left breast, name on right arm & other marks in ink | ||
Gibbon, Samuel W. | 21 | Ohio | 23rd IN Light Art. | Name on right arm, "C.R. Gibson" on left arm | |||
Gibson, William H. | 15 | Newark, NJ | 2nd US (prior 10th NY, US Navy) | Sailor | Violation of the 50th Article of War | Coat of arms on left arm, "W.H.J." on right arm. | Alias "William H. Gillson" or "William H. Jillson" |
Gribben, Hugh | 20 | Antrim, Ireland | 68th PA | Aiding & Enticing Men to Desert | Anchor on right hand, hand on left arm | Postwar service in US regulars, birthplace given as Antrim | |
Guilford, Elbridge W. | 35 | Randolph, MA | 1st MA Heavy Art. | Bootmaker | Desertion & Forgery | 2 sisters & eagle on right arm, man & woman, ship, Fanny Esler [sic, Elssler] on left arm | |
Haffey, Billy | 16 | Albany Co., NY | Conspiracy &c | "X" on left hand | |||
Haley, Patrick | 21 | Ireland | 192nd NY | Laborer | "P.H." on right arm | ||
Hanley, Frederick | 20 | Germany | Desertion | Cross on left arm | |||
Hardey, Alfred T. | 22 | New Hampshire | 4th NH | Farmer | Double heart on right arm, heart on right hand | ||
Harrison, William | 25 | New York | Robbery | Ink marks on right arm | |||
Harrison, William H. | 25 | Pennsylvania | US Navy? | Dots in ink on both arms | |||
Henratty, James | 22 | Maryland | Enticing Soldiers to Desert | Small rude figue of a man in blue India ink on right arm just above wrist | |||
Higgins, John | 17 | New York | Desertion | Ink marks on left arm | |||
Jones, William B. | 48 | New York | Desertion | Ship on breast, two ships on back, cruxifix & man on left arm, saber cut on right hand | |||
Kendrick, Frank | 42 | England | Violation of the 9th Article of War | Woman on both arms | |||
Lamphere, Benjamin | 38 | New York | Desertion | "J.H.L." on left arm, "J.E.L.," woman, "S.L.," profile of woman on right arm | |||
Lawrence, William A. | 23 | Ohio | 67th OH? | Larceny | Name in ink on right arm, small finger of right hand off | ||
Levy, Raphael | 31 | Prussia (or Poland) | 30th MA | Merchant | Misbehavior in the Presence of the Enemies | "R.L." on left arm | |
Lindsey, Alex | 29 | New York, NY | 16th NY Cav. (possible prior service, 53rd NY) | Tinsmith | Eagle & shield in red & black ink on right arm, man & woman in red & black ink on right arm | ||
Lloyd, Francis | 19 | Ireland | Desertion | "F.L." on right arm | |||
Marks, Oscar | 25 | Pennsylvania | 12th PA Cav. | Marks & figures on both arms, woman on right foot | |||
Marshall, William H. | 27 | Huntington, PA | 3rd US Cav (prewar Regt of Mounted Riflemen) | Soldier | Desertion | Name on right arm, letter "D" branded on right cheek | |
Mayne, James | 21 | Oswegatchie, NY | 2nd Btn VRC (prior 106th NY) | Farmer | Larceny | "J.M." & eagle on left arm | |
McAdams, James | 18 | Ireland | Desertion | Figures "3" & "7" on left arm | |||
McGuigen, James | 23 | Ireland | US Navy | Seaman | Desertion | Branded "D" on right cheek, anchor & star on left arm, "J.A.L.Mc." (or "Jas McG?") on right arm | |
McMahon, Thomas | 18 | Ireland | Woman on both arms, crucifix on right arm | ||||
McNeil, John | 47 | New York | Assuming to be a Government Officer | Ink marks on both arms | |||
Montgomery, James S. | 31 | Pennsylvania | 12th PA Cav. | Murder | Indistinct marks in India ink near wrist of left arm, scar by a knife 4 or 5 inches long on back of neck, first joint of right hand little finger & left hand thumb gone | ||
Mullen, Henry | 27 | Tyrone, Ireland | 15th NY Eng. | Laborer | Desertion | "H.M." on right arm | |
Murdock, William R. | 24 | New York | 170th NY | Seaman | Sailor's tombstone & ship on right arm, woman's head on left arm | Alias "William R. Brown" | |
Murphy, Phillip | 23 | Vermont | 2nd Btn VRC (prior 111th NY) | Larceny | Ink marks on right arm, shot wound through left hand | ||
Murphy, William M. | 25 | Ireland | 79th NY | Laborer | Desertion | Shield on right arm | |
Nevins, Frederick H. | 39 | Pownal, ME | 32nd ME (prior 17th ME & US Navy) | Mariner | Anchor on left arm, anchor on right hand, "T.H.N." on left arm | ||
Nichols, William H. | 32 | New Hampshire | 4th NH | Desertion | Heart on left arm | ||
Parker, E.J. | 29 | Pennsylvania | Fraud | "E.J.P." on left arm, anchor on right arm | |||
Pearsons, Henry | 47 | England | 28th NY Indep. Btty Light Art. | Desertion | Anchor on right arm | ||
Ploss, William H. | 27 | New York, NY | 127th NY (& US Navy?) | Sailor | Female head & bust on right arm above elbow, American coat of arm and female holding a wreath overhead on right arm below elbow, sailor holding a flag on left arm above elbow, Goddess of Liberty, French officer, & female head & bust on left arm below elbow, representation of a woman on front of left leg | ||
Reed, William | 26 | Quebec, Canada | Striking his Superior Officer | Ink marks on right arm | |||
Reynolds, Charles | 21 | Ireland | Highway Robbery | Crucifix & woman on right arm, Goddess of Liberty on right arm | |||
Richardson, Thomas | 23 | Brooklyn, NY | 5th NY Vet. (prior 84th NY, "14th Brooklyn") | Clerk | Absence without Leave | Ink marks on right arm, end of first finger of right hand off | |
Roberts, Daniel | 25 | Lowell, MA | 9th NH | Farmer | Desertion | Shield on right arm, woman on right arm | |
Rose, Franklin W. | 27 | Buffalo, NY | 180th NY? | Desertion | "A.E.J." on right arm, shield on right arm, fox, 2 chickens, "M.E.M." on left arm | ||
Rose, John | 18 | Tipperary, Ireland | 165th NY | Sailor | Sleeping on Post | Figures "5" "V" "11" (?) on left arm | |
Rounds, George | 25 | Maine | 1st ME Heavy Art. | Scar of ball on right wrist. Heart on left arm. | |||
Russ, Charles E. | 22 | Albany, NY | 193rd NY (prior 3rd NY & 31st NY) | Desertion | "C.E.R." on right arm, "C.E.R." + "E.J.S." on left arm, stars on left arm | ||
Russel, Frank | 21 | New York | Ink marks on both arms | ||||
Russells, Levi | 21 | Canada | Habitual Straggling | Two "+" crosses on left arm | |||
Seaback, William | 22 | Germany | Citizen | Aiding soldiers to desert | Ink marks on back of left hand | ||
Sharp, Leonard | 22 | Pennsylvania | Burglary | Ink marks on both arms | |||
Sherwood, William | 22 | Maryland | Ink marks on both arms | ||||
Shields, James | 23 | Ireland | Desertion | Dancing girl on right arm below elbow, crucifiction on left arm below elbow | |||
Smith, Harry | 29 | Holland | 170th NY | Sailor | Desertion | 3 women on right arm, ship on back of right hand, star near thumb on left arm, 2 women, flag, star near thumb | |
Smith, William | 48 | Pennsylvania | Absence without Leave, Assault with Intent to Kill | "J.B." on right arm | |||
Snow, Jesse H. | 22 | New Brunswick, Canada | 7th ME, 1st ME Vet. | "J.H.S." on left arm | |||
Spade, William | 22 | Pennsylvania | Letter "I" on left arm | ||||
Sprowl, George W. | 19 | Pennsylvania | 202nd PA? | Shield on left arm, ink marks on right arm | |||
Stekle, Paul | 40 | Germany | 1st NY Vet. Cav. | Butcher | Theft | Bullock's head in paint on right arm | Also borne as "Stickler" |
Stewart, Joshua | 26 | Liverpool, England | 1st US Cav. | Farmer | 2 women on each arm | ||
Summers, Oliver | 19 | Pennsylvania | 51st PA | Laborer | Cowardice | Marks in ink on left arm | |
Taylor, Dorsey | 26 | Maryland | Holding Unauthorized Interviews with the Enemies of the U.S. | "D.T." on right arm | |||
Taylor, George | 22 | England | 8th IL Cav. | Carpenter | Ink on breast & both arms | ||
Taylor, William | 23 | England | 8th IL Cav. | Mutiny | Monument on breast, woman on right arm | ||
Thiel, Nicholas | 22 | New York | 4th OH Cav.? | Likeness of lady & band around wrist on right arm | |||
Thomas, John H. | 22 | Maryland | Aiding & Abetting in Desertion | "W.R.A." on right arm, shield on left arm | |||
Vittaly, Joseph | 23 | New Jersey | 146th NY (prior 5th NY) | Goddess of Liberty on left arm | |||
Wallace, Edward | 16 | New York | Desertion | Ink marks on left arm | |||
Wells, Frederick B. | 27 | Maine | 90th NY | Boatman | Absence without Leave | Ink marks on left arm | |
Welsh, John | 24 | Australia | Desertion | Crucifix & cross on right arm | |||
Whitman, Daniel O. | 20 | Connecticut | 1st CT Heavy Art. | Desertion | Woman & wreath on right arm, coat of arms on left arm, cannon shell on back of hand | ||
Wilson, John | 38 | New York | Crucifix on right arm | ||||
Wilson, Lance L. | 29 | Virginia | Citizen (formerly 2nd VA, CSA) | Workman | Aiding & Assisting Deserters | "J.P.M.," "L.L.W.," & woman on right arm | |
Worman, Henry | 20 | Pennsylvania | 58th PA | Man & woman on left arm |
Table 2. Compiled list of Clinton Prison military inmates with tattoos, drawn from multiple sources (Brendan Hamilton)
Nicholas Eszterhas
May 23, 2023 2:20 amDoes anybody know how I can contact the author of this article? I possess an authentic civil war dog tag belonging to Abram Geistwhite – a Union Soldier noted for his tattoos upon incarceration at Clinton in 1865. Thanks to the author, I have PROGRESS after many years of trying to uncover this soldier’s story. This is a – breakthrough…. would LOVE to send a message to give THANKS for this stunning work – and also to maybe ask a few questions that might lead me to where this soldier finally ended up.
irishacw
August 8, 2023 10:48 amHi Nicholas apologies for missing this- I have sent your queries on to Brendan now with respect to this!