Undated group photograph of George Washington Howard, 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Benjamin Kearny Roberts, 7th Iowa Infantry, Andrew W. Wills, 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry, Charles M. Keyser, 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry, and Sanford Cobb Kellogg, 37th New York. Each signed the back of the photograph, in the following order: Howard, Roberts, Wills, Keyser, and Kellogg. It is probable that this is the same order in which they appear in the photograph.
George Howard served in the Pennsylvania Artillery from April to August 1861; he was mustered into the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry on September 6, 1862, and on February 8, 1865, he was commissioned a captain and assistant adjutant general of volunteers, serving on the staff of Major General George H. Thomas. Howard was mustered out on September 1, 1866.
Benjamin Roberts was commissioned a second lieutenant in Company A, 7th Iowa Cavalry on July 25, 1863, and was commissioned a captain (assistant adjutant general) on November 11, 1864. He served on the staff of Brigadier General Benjamin Stone Roberts until mustered out of the volunteer service on July 1, 1866. He continued to serve in the Regular Army until he retired in 1905. He died on July 16, 1921, in Ossining, New York.
Andrew W. Wills served as a corporal in Company D, 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry from August 1862 to December 1863. Commissioned a captain and assistant quartermaster of volunteers in December 1863, Wills was given brevet promotions to major in June 1865 for faithful service in the Quartermaster Department at Nashville, and to lieutenant colonel for gallant conduct at the battles of Antietam and Nashville and for meritorious service throughout the war. He was mustered out on December 31, 1867. Wills died on July 14, 1918, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Charles Keyser enlisted in Company M, 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry on August 22, 1862, and was commissioned in the 15th U.S. Colored Infantry on December 22, 1863. Keyser was mustered out on April 7, 1866.
Sanford Cobb Kellogg was mustered into Company G, 37th New York State Militia Infantry on May 29, 1862, and was mustered out on September 2, 1862. On March 11, 1863, Kellogg was commissioned an aide-de-camp and served until mustered out of the volunteer service on July 10, 1866. Kellogg continued to serve in the Regular Army, however, until 1898. Kellogg also served on the staff of Major General George H. Thomas until the general’s death in 1870. Kellogg died on February 7, 1904, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Carte-de-Visite by Morse’s Gallery, Nashville, Tenn.
Image Courtesy Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield; WICR 31879
