Civil War Veterans in Australia

William Sanderson was born around 1840 in South Shields, Durham, England to parents Thomas Crisp and Isabel Mason Sanderson. William Sanderson by profession was a mason prior to his service in the Civil War, also becoming a mariner by trade and when the War Between the States broke out William enlisted in the U.S. Navy aboard the Union Ship “North Carolina” on May 7, 1861; serving through July 12, 1861. From July 12, 1861 through May 6, 1862, William served aboard two Union ships, the “Resolute” and the “Jacob Bell”, in the Potomac Flotilla. In June the Potomac Flotilla, consisting of the U.S.S. “Resolute”, the U.S.S. “Thomas Freeborn” and the U.S.S. “Anacostia”, engaged Confederate batteries at Aquia Creek, Virginia. The Confederate Aquia Creek Batteries were shelled and all but one gun of the battery were silenced. The U.S.S. “Resolute” also captured the schooner “Somerset”, at Breton's Bay, towed her close to the Virginia shore and burned her. Then on July 7, 1861 the “Resolute” was responsible for picking up two mines in the Potomac River; meant for Union ships. William’s Pension Records reveal he at one time also served aboard the USS “Herbert”. William was discharged on May 6th, 1862.

On August 7, 1865 William took a wife, marrying 1865 married Isabella Jane Young in County Durham, England; which resulted in the birth of eight children. In 1876 William migrated to New Zealand with his wife and 4 sons aboard the “Jessie Osborne” where further children were born in New Zealand. After arriving in New Zealand, William farmed at Mata, New Zealand, near Mangapai. William continually suffered from an injury to his hip and leg, which he had had received as result of his service in the United States Navy.

As of 1898, William’s three youngest children were still at home and Sanderson submitted a pension claim for compensation during the month of June 1895, under claim number 27173, and as a result of that injury, a pension claim was first issued to him in 1896, while he was a resident of Mangapai, New Zealand. The Justice of the Peace signing his pension papers was Mr. J. M. Killen. In 1903 the American Consul in Auckland, New Zealand wrote on his behalf to the Assistant Secretary of State in Washington D.C. seeking an exemption for him not to have to make the long trip from Mangapai to Whangarei in his frail condition, to collect his pension vouchers. In it he stated:-

“Sir,

Under the date of April 7^th, I have a letter from William Sanderson, a United States Pensioner whom I have known for over five years as being in very feeble health. He says ‘Can you do anything for me that I might be spared the labour and expense getting my voucher done; I am not in a fit state to make such trips now. I am getting too shaky on my legs, and often suffer for some days after. I have only the one way I can do these trips, that is with a small boat, which takes at least twelve hours, and it might prove much longer, was the weather to become stormy, for it gets too rough for a small boat to face it. My son has to pull me there and home again, that is if we cannot sail.

William Sanderson, Post Office, Mangapai

He may state that he goes to Whangarei to have his pension vouchers properly properly prepared by Mr. J.P. Killion, a Justice of the Peace at that place. He then forwards the papers to me and I mail them to the Pension Agent at Washington. I am perfectly familiar with Mr. Sanderson’s signature and as before remarked, know him personally. He is an old United States war veteran, a very nice man, but old and infirm, and if some arrangement could be made to relieve him of the long, laborious and expensive trip that he is obliged to make four times a year in order to execute his papers, I should consider it a humane act.”

Due largely to the letter written on his behalf his pension, under number 24093, was was confirmed and increased and he continued to receive his pension vouchers without having to make the long trip, until his death on February 28, 1909. William Sanderson was buried in the Mangapai Cemetery and was survived by five sons, three daughters and his wife. His widow then successfully filed a claim which she received from the American government until her death on April 13, 1928 at Te Papapa, Auckland, New Zealand. Their daughter Kate married into the Carter family of Springfield, Mangapai, Whangarei, New Zealand.