Archibald Murdock

Like many Civil War soldiers, “Archie” wasn’t officially recognized as a naturalized citizen. And, like many who crossed an ocean to live in America, he enlisted to serve his adopted country even though he had been here less than a dozen years. Unlike many others with simple grave markers, he has a large number of words describing his short life on a gable-style ledger gravestone.

Archie was born in Perthshire, Scotland with the most reliable documents placing his birth in 1833. An 1841 Scotland census reports he lived with his parents, three brothers, and a sister.

What happened to the rest of the family isn’t clear, but only he and his mother embarked on the voyage to America. There’s no record of the family ever reuniting. Their ship arrived in Philadelphia in 1850. He listed his occupation as laborer; she listed hers as mother.

He became a “cordwainer” or shoemaker, according to the 1860 census. In August of 1862 he joined Company H of the 114th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. They wore a unique “Zouave” uniform with a white turban, blue coat, red trousers and white gaiters over the shoe and lower pant leg. Archie is somewhere in this photo of Company H, taken in 1864.

There weren’t many of them left, having participated in battles at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. From this time forward the 114th was used primarily as guards at General Meade’s headquarters. Like them, Meade was a Philadelphia native and was fond of them because they had a really good band and colorful uniforms.

Unfortunately, Archie had to be admitted to the 1st Division III Corps hospital near Washington, D.C., but whether it was injury or disease is unknown, as is his date of admission. From there he was discharged on a Surgeon’s Certificate of Disability. He returned to his home at 1740 Christian Street but never recovered. His 1865 death certificate showed the immediate cause of death was hemiplegia, paralysis of one side of the body.

Because of Archie’s service, Elizabeth began collecting a pension in 1869. She purchased the ledger grave, shown above, adding a decorative image of a sword across the length of one side and the following inscription: 

Archibald Murdock  A Native of Scotland Who Died in 

Philadelphia August 28  Age 30 Years  A Citizen of the U.S.A. 

Member of the Am. Prot. Association & Served in the Late Civil War 

Dying in Consequence of Exposure in That Service

Elizabeth was interred here after her death, so on the other side of the marker is this inscription:  Elizabeth Murdock  Mother of Archibald  Died May 22, 1875  Aged 70 years