Robert Emmet Winslow

Robert Emmet Winslow’s father was from Ireland, arriving here in 1820. His name was the same except no middle name.  That was the name of his grandfather as well. Robert Emmet was the right age to serve his country just as a dispute about the southern border of Texas turned into a brief war with Mexico, after which it lost more than half its territory

The former private from the 5th Infantry came home, went into business as an innkeeper, married Mary Tyson, and had his namesake son in 1857. Daughter Margaret arrived in 1860.

Once the Civil War began. Robert joined Company H of the 20th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry on April 30, 1861 as a 1st lieutenant. It was a three-month commitment but, unlike many who promptly reenlisted, Robert returned to his family and business when he was discharged.

A year later he had a change of heart and re-joined the war effort on August 4, 1862. The so-called war of the rebellion wasn’t going as well as expected. This time he was a captain in charge of 100 men in Company C, 68th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was subsequently promoted to major on January 10, 1863, serving as such during the battles at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg.

The commander of the 68th, Colonel Andrew Tippen, was captured by Confederate forces in October, putting Major Winslow in charge. Appropriate to his duties, he became Lieutenant Colonel Winslow and led the regiment for nine months during the Wilderness Campaign in 1864. Colonel Tippen was released in June as part of a prisoner exchange and resumed command. Robert continued to serve as lieutenant colonel and was honorably mustered out on June 9, 1865.

As would often happen for officers who made it to the end of the war, he was recognized for “faithful and meritorious service” with an honorary promotion in rank, although it had no increase in pay or authority. In Robert’s case he awarded the rank of brevet colonel and brevet brigadier general on the same date, March 13, 1865. After all the paperwork was completed, it was confirmed on July 26, 1866, but it didn’t matter much to Robert.

His main interest was in innkeeping. From there he listed his occupation as running a tavern, then to liquor sales, although the occupation on his death certificate said he was still a hotel keeper. He succumbed to a coronary occlusion in 1893, and his wife Mary died in 1901. Their grave markers are in the as-yet uncleared Section 116. Their son was a postal clerk in Camden when he died in 1906 and was interred in Section 149.