Not sure if this is allowed for Memorial Day: My 5th Great Gtandfather, George W. Hoffman.
He mustered in Co. E, 15th West Virginia Infantry on September 10, 1862. He would later be absent sick in Grafton, Ohio on July 10, 1863, where he would miss Operations against Robert E. Lee, who was retreating from Gettysburg. He returned in September. He went back into Hospital in May 1864, right as his regiment started seeing combat, and later died of Pneumonia on January 22, 1865. His time was entirely spent on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and never saw combat.
He appears on a “Descriptive lists of deserters arrested”, in which he was arrested on October 25, 1864 for overstaying a furlough. He appears on a “descriptive list of deserters” on January 19, 1865, for again overstaying a furlough.
30 years later, Francis Hoffman wrote a letter dated April 20, 1894 to the editors of the Morgantown Journal in regards to Elijah's obituary. In which he included George as one of the five brothers who "wore the blue in defense of this glorious Union of ours." A record he was proud of. Albeit, he got George's wrong, listing it as the 5th WV Infantry, not the 15th.
Out of the 5 Hoffman brothers to serve in the Union Army, he was the only one that died. Meanwhile, his brother, Lt. Nimrod N. Hoffman fought with the 1st West Virginia Cavalry. And Francis Marion Hoffman of the 3rd West Virginia Infantry was wounded at the Second Battle of Bull Run, resulting in leg amputation.
Given how he never saw combat and was apparently a deserter, I’m unsure if I’m allowed to mention him for Memorial Day.