Jesse Shiles Sr.

Served in the Civil War as a Private in Company M of the 2nd New York Veteran Cavalry (Civil War Pension Index - filed in DE, where his widow Mahala A. Shiles collected pension). Notably to the researcher, the "Veteran" Calvary was different than the "Volunteer" Calvary. The 2nd NY Veteran Cavalry was also known as the Empire Light Cavalry. Jesse Shiles is shown on the roster for this unit as "Jesse Shields" and he enlisted and mustered in at Westchester, NY on Aug 3 1864 at age 20 to serve for one year. He mustered out on Aug 24 1865 at Talladega, AL.

2nd NY Veteran Cavalry Service (Jesses Shiles would have particpated only in those engagements from Aug 1864 to Aug 1865 - BOLD Text):--Duty in the Defenses of Washington, D.C., until February, 1864. Ordered to Dept. of the Gulf February, 1864. Red River Campaign March 10-May 22. Advance from Franklin to Alexandria March 14-26. Monett's Ferry and Cloutiersville March 29-30. Natchitoches March 31. Campti April 4. Sabine Cross Roads April 8. Pleasant Hill April 9. Bayou Saline April 14. Natchitoches April 19. About Cloutiersville April 22-24. Cane River Crossing April 23. Bayou Roberts May 3. Near Wilson's Landing May 4-5. Well's and Moore's Plantations May 6. Retreat to Morganza May 13-20. Mansura May 16. Near Moreauville May 17. Bayou de Glaze May 18. Simsport May 18. Expedition from Morganza to the Atchafalaya River May 29-June 6. Bayou Fordyce Road May 29. Livonia May 30. Bayou Grosse Tete June 1-3. Near Morganza June 24. Franklin July 18. Atchafalaya River July 27. Morgan's Ferry Road and Atchafalaya River July 28. Martnquin Bayou August 9. Rosedale August 10. Expedition to Clinton August 23-29. Morgan's Ferry, on Atchafalaya River, Augrist 28 (Detachment). Expedition from Morganza to Fausse River September 13-17. Bayou Maringowen September 13 and 16. Rosedale September 15. Bayou Alabama and Morgan's Ferry September 20. St. Francisville October 4. Bayou Rara October 5. Fausse River October 16. McLeod's Mills November 10. Clinton and Liberty Creek, Miss., November 15. Davidson's Expedition from Baton Rouge against Mobile & Ohio Railroad November 27-December 13. State Line, Pascagoula River, Miss., November 27. Expedition to Morgan's Ferry December 13-14. Expedition from Atchafalaya River December 16-19. Expedition from Morganza to New Roads January 31, 1865. Scouts to Fausse River and Grosse Tete Bayou February 7-10 (Detachment). Moved to Barrancas, Fla., February, 1865. March to Fort Blakely, Ala., March 20-April 1. College Hill, Fla., March 21. Pine Barren Creek March 23. Canoe Creek or Bluff Springs March 25. Bluff Springs March 25. Pollard, Ala., March 26. Siege operations against Fort Blakely April 1-9. Expedition from Blakely to Claiborne April 9-17. Near Mt. Pleasant April 11. Grierson's Raid through Alabama and Georgia April 17-30. Duty in District of Alabama until November. Mustered out at Talladega, Ala., November 8, 1865. Regiment lost during service 5 officers and 29 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 officers and 212 enlisted men by disease for a total of 249.

After his service, he was a railroad employee as stated in the New Castle Co., DE death records where it also states his parents were James and Polly Shiles. His obituary can be found in the "Daily Republican" (Wilmington, DE), 5/19/1885, page 4 - it states he died in his 39th year of consumption.

Jesse married Mahala Anna Stuart, daughter of Captain John M. Stuart and Mary Hall Baker, on 21 Nov 1866 in Laurel, Sussex Co., DE. (Mahala Anna Stuart was born on 11 Jan 1848 in Sussex Co., DE,^{5 6 7 8 9 10 11} died on 19 Dec 1935 in New Castle Co., DE ^{11 12} and was buried on 23 Dec 1935 in Riverview Cemetery, Wilmington, New Castle Co., DE.)

Their marriage announcement is in the Dec 12 1866 "Smyrna Times" (page 2) as married in Laurel on the 21st instant. Mr. Jesse Shiles to Miss Mahala Stuart by Rev. C. Fries.