West Virginia was admitted into the Union on June 20, 1863. Two months later, August 20, 1863, Griffin Canterbury Click here to view the genealogical information of Griffin Canterbury. Use the back button on your browser to return to this page enlisted as a private in the 3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment Click here to go to www.civilwararchive.com to view the history of the 3rd West Viriginia Cavalry. Use the back button on your browser to return to this page. , Company 'G', of the Union Army. As outlined in the Detachment Muster-in Roll
record, he received a two dollars premium plus a twenty-five dollars advance of a Government Bounty. This money would have been in addition to the $13.00 a month pay for a private in 1863. The Government Bounty at that time was a $100 bonus for enlisting for a three year term to be paid at discharge or the end of the conflict. An excellent acticle, 'Solder's Pay' Click here to go to www.cincinnaticwrt.org to view the article about a solder's pay and pension during the Civil War. Use the back button on your browser to return to this page. by William C. Moffat, Jr., explains the solder's pay, Bounty system and final settlements during the Civil War period.

The Company Descriptive Book
described Griffin as a farmer from Logan County, Virginia. He was 5' 8" tall, dark complexion, blue eyes, grey hair and his age listed as 44 years old. But his true age was 53 years old when he enlisted and is verified by the 1860 US Census
that listed his age as 50 years old in 1860. Apparently he wasn't quite trueful about his age and one would have to wonder why he would have joined the cavalry in the Union Army at the age of 53 leaving his wife, Lucinda (Browing) Canterbury Click here to view the genealogical information of Lucinda (Browning) Canterbury. Use the back button on your browser to return to this page , and several children behind.

Griffin's age may had a lot to do with the type of duties he was assigned. All of the information
that I could find showed that he was reporting for detail as the company cook for at least the first seven months of his enlistment. I could not find much more information about Griffin from March 1864 until December 1864. The last record I found that showed Griffin was alive and with his company was the December 7, 1864 Adjutant General's Report Click here to go to www.rootsweb.ancestry.com to view the Adjutant General's Report. Use the back button on your browser to return to this page. by Captain Harshbarger, the Company Commander. Griffin was one of the eighty-five names listed on the roster as on active duty at that time. Of all of the Civil War records I've located, the Adjutant General's Report is the only one that had listed his true age of 54 years old. The average age of the men in his company was between 18 to 23 years old.

Griffin's name next appeared on the Co. Muster-out Roll
dated June 30, 1865. The remarks were ,"Died in hosp. at Cumberland, MD April 20/65". The Casualty Sheet
list the cause of death as Typhoid Fever at Govt. Hosp. Cumberland, Md.

The Final Statement
for Griffin Canterbury was issued by The Adjutant General's Office on May 31, 1865. The Final Statements were records of soldiers who were discharged by reason of death that had occurred during their enlistment period. When a soldier died a "final statement" was issued and a copy submitted to the Adjutant General's Office and this would clear the way for widows or heirs to file claims for pensions, back pay or final Bounty payments.

Griffin's widow, Lucinda Canterbury, applied for pension, back pay and settlement of Bounty payment on July 10, 1865. The Adjutant General's Office
reviewed the pension application # 101358
on July 22, 1865 and verified that Griffin Canterbury was enlisted as a private in the 3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, Company 'G' and died in the hospital at Cumberland, Md on April 20, 1865.

According to the Discharge
document dated, May 1865. Griffin was last paid on October 31, 1864 and his clothing account was settled on December 31, 1864. Lucinda should had been entitled to seven months of back pay (November, 1864 to May, 1865) at $13.00 per month plus the remaining of the enlistment Bounty of $75.00 minus any expenses for clothing, arms or equipment. Since Griffin did not die in battle, Lucinda would not have recieved the $100.00 benifit payment in addition to the other funds as outlined in the article, 'Solder's Pay' by William C. Moffat, Jr..

Within the military records I found three different dates listed for Griffin's death. The Casualty Sheet list it as March 15, 1865. The Discharge document and the Buial Registry
list it as April 7, 1865. Finially the Company Descriptive Book, the Co. Muster-out Roll and the Adjutant General's Office documents list it as April 20, 1865. I believe the most credible date would be April 7, 1865. This is based on the Discharge
document signed by his Company Commander Captain John Harshbarger.

Griffin Canterbury's final resting place is located at the Antietam National Cemetery at Clarksville, MD. His Headstone
is located at plot number 2950 in the West Virginia section.