Veteran U.S. Civil War (1861-1865) - Maple Grove Cemetery, Dodge City, Ford, Kansas

Sgt. Washington M. Crawford enlisted in Co. H 2nd NY Cavalry at the beginning of the US Civil War. He was captured and spent 14 months and 14 days as a prisoner of war. He was housed at Belle Isle, Andersonville, Charleston, and Florence.

Washington Marion Crawford was born in Indiana on April 21, 1838. He was the third son of Nelson and Martha Crawford. He grew up in Indiana and a year before the war, he married Mary Foster. The following year, he enlisted on the side of the Union.

On September 22, 1863, Sgt. Crawford was captured and made a prisoner of war for 15 months. He was paroled on December 13, 1864, and returned home to Indiana. The disabilities he experienced while a prisoner of war stayed with Sgt. Crawford until the day he died. His pension was $16.00/month.

Sgt. Crawford and Mary were the parents of five children with all of them being born in Indiana. In 1884, he purchased 160 acres of land in Dodge City, Ford County, Kansas. Two years later, his 16-year-old daughter, Carrie, died of consumption.

Sgt. Crawford died on August 23, 1889, and is buried in the WGAR section of Maple Grove Cemetery. Mary passed away in 1929 and is buried with her husband and four of their five children.

Note: Of the 3 million soldiers who served in the Civil War, over 400,000 were taken prisoner. Some were paroled during prisoner exchanges. The soldier took an oath not to fight anymore, but many rejoined their regiments. Approximately 56,000 prisoners died during the civil war. The reasons varied from wounds, infectious diseases, but most stemmed from unsanitary conditions such as contaminated food and water, lack of proper clothing and shelter.