James D. Freeman was my Great Great Great Grandfather he served as a Private in the Ohio 73rd Infantry, Company G, in the Civil War.

James Freeman was engaged in the Second Battle of Bull Run in Virginia, he received a gun shot wound to his right hand which resulted in the loss of his index finger.

In a general affidavit in his pension file dated 14 January 1898, he said " I am the claimant and have the honor to state that I enlisted November 1861 and was captured on the 12 August 1862 at Brantsville, Virginia and contracted stomach trouble while in Prison. I was released from prison 16 December 1862." He was captured by confederate soldiers and sent to Libby Prison.
In a general affidavit dated 23 December 1898 he stated, " I was in no hospital until after i came from Libby prison where I was confined from over 4 months, when I got out, I was more dead than alive and was sent to Annapolis Maryland."

He seems to have recovered as he married Mary Anderson, daughter of William and Delilah Jordan Anderson, on 1 February 1865 in Raysville, Vinton County, Ohio by John Swaim, as listed in probate files. They went on to have seven children and lived their lives in Jackson and Vinton counties in Ohio.

His pension file Surgeon records lists he was 5 feet 71/2 inches tall and 145 pounds. He was dark complected with brown eyes and dark hair.

In 1912 he was listed as a resident of Chapman, Jackson County Ohio. Throughout his pension file you can read how his health steadily deterriorated through the years. In 1923 he stated he was living with his grandson in Coalton, Ohio and his doctor, A.G Ray wrote in a report he was partially blind, had cataracts in both eyes and had defective hearing, was feeble, suffered from Vertigo and fell down often, atlhough he was able to dress himself he was unable to button shirts due to the gun shot injury on his right hand.

James D Freeman died on 20 March 1926 at the age of 84 years, 5 months and 23 days. He was buried at Exline Cemetery on the 23 March 1926.