Private William Strang

Born in North Castle June 1 O 1841, parents Henry and Abby Jane Gales Strang, 20,
single, shoemaker, enlisted for three years in Co C 49 N Y Infantry in Portchester on
September 6 1861. He enlisted as a corporal but was reduced to private on April 20
1862. 
On May 31 1862 he was a.w.o.l. From Camp Lincoln.Va and was listed as a deserter on
June 1 1862 at Cold Harbor. He was described as having dark eyes, dark hair, light
complexion and 5'1 O". 
It puzzled this writer that he later would be entitled to a government headstone and an
invalid's pension. The explanation was that on March10 1863 President Lincoln issued
an amnesty for deserters who returned. Thanks to "Father Abraham's" magnanimity, 
Strang was forgiven and back in the army on March 28 and about to receive a medical
discharge. His certificate stated that" he was unable to perform the duties of a soldier
because of rheumatism of the left knee joint and hip of more than six months standing, 
which deprives him of the proper use of said limb."
Strang was honorably discharged from Fort Columbus, formerly Fort Jay, on April 31863
From Governor's Island (which was also a deserters' prison.
He returned to Armonk and is on the censuses of 1870, 1880 and 1900 as a shoemaker
and is also on the 1890 Veteran's census. He belonged to G.A.R. post 436 and
received an invalid's pension on March 17 1892. He died on December 27 1902, has a
government stone, and his wife, Margaret M Strang, received a widow's pension on
January 3 1903.He is on page 10 of North Castle Town Clerk's roster, is NARA M 551/
roll 13,6 National Archives, is 3191 on NY Data Base and Adjutant General's roster. The
W.P.A. did not list him in St Stephen's cemetery. 
Significantly, Strang evidently wanted to be buried near his buddies from the 49 Infantry,
Boice and the two Lavelett brothers. Also, as a youth, Boice lived with William and his
parents, as shown in the 1860 North Castle Census.