Share This Article

I been researching Union General Robert Allen, I found out that he had a son that died during the war. I can’t find out the full name of the general’s wife or anything about her. Can you help?….Thank you.

? ? ?

Dear Anonymous,

It may be a sign of the times, but in all the sources I searched the only reference to Maj. Gen. Robert Allen even being married is one that mentions him taking the vows in New York City in February 1849, without mentioning his spouse’s name. He left town for his next military assignment the same month. While we know he had a son and a daughter, only the son is named—Lieutenant Robert Allen Jr., who entered army service against his father’s wishes, had a leg shattered at Fair Oaks on June 1, 1862, was taken prisoner, had the leg amputated, was released through negotiation with a Rebel officer who was a prewar friend of Allen’s, but in spite (or because?) of a further amputation succumbed to his injuries. Neither Allen’s wife nor his daughter are afforded any such identification.

http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=ldshistorical&id=I96049

Sincerely,

 

Jon Guttman
Research Director
World History Group
More Questions at Ask Mr. History

 

Don’t miss the next Ask Mr. History question! To receive notification whenever any new item is published on HistoryNet, just scroll down the column on the right and sign up for our RSS feed.