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     Finding out that my ancestor, Thomas E. Goman, was in the Union Army during the Civil War elated me.  Having been involved in American Civil War living history, more commonly know as "reenacting," I feel close to that era.  I have written several magazine articles and have done a significant amount of research about the Union Navy and the U.S.S. Fort Henry

     The family history did not end with Goman.  Thomas married Sarah Fredrika Rees, daughter of Doctor Ambrose Rees.  This link brings unearthed family history into the mid-1700's and the story of emigration of that family through Canada into New York, settling into the Putnam County area (map, right).

     Participating in hundreds of skirmish and battle reenactments, I have become familiar with the various weapons and battle tactics and commands, as well a camp activities, food, transportation, medical treatment, mail, payroll, as well as the logistics of warfare.  There is much to contemplate looking across a field to see a thousand rifles and several dozen artillery pieces firing at you, knowing that if there were projectiles instead of just powder, how much injury, death, and havoc that causes.

     Many of us take "hits" or injuries, only to "resurrect" (rise) at the end and march back to camp.  We can only imagine what life was like in a war that took more casualties to illness that to actually getting shot or maimed by a bullet or canon fire.  Life for Civil War soldiers North and South was miserable.

     We know Goman was in the war for three years and .  He was shot in his right leg n May 5, 1864 and spent until September in the hospital until he was "mustered out" (time served) at camp during the Petersburg campaign about 6 months before the end of the Civil War.

     Take a look at the casualties (killed, wounded captured/missing) from the 57th's history.  The regiment shrunk from almost a 1,000 men at the beginning to 175 at Gettysburg, the mid-point of the war.   Some men added to the ranks, but by the fall of 1864 whole companies were mustered out until not enough men filled the ranks and the 57th NY Regiment was merged into another regiment.

     I only hope that we, the ancestors of Civil War veterans hold their duty as a treasure in the history of our country.  In addition, I would like to thank my cousin Dorothy for the records and recollections, and my cousin Lewis (Sonny) for his follow-up in seeing that they were passed to me as well as his recollections.  I feel it is important to document all of this for our future generations.  I will continue to update this site as information is received or found.

     As the Goman descendants are scattered, mostly on the eastern seaboard from New York to Florida, many of us have heard very little (or nothing) about our ancestors from Putnam and Duchess Counties.  I hope the results of my research I that I have placed on this site helps our families know something about our ancestors.

Lewis L. Zerfas, great grandson of Thomas E. Goman and great-great grandson of Dr. Ambrose Rees.