Seeking Help With 1885 Letter Content - Dead Letter Office Cover

I am seeking input and any help in my transcription of the following letter;


This is what I have so far..
Greencastle Pa Oct. 28, 1885

John Phreaner
2031 Memphis Street
Philadelphia

Dear Sir: In 1864 at Cedar Point Vir., my son Philip was a Sargent in Co ?? 21st Reg. Prussia? Calvary? and was paid $180 or $190 by the Government, least? of which I never? received.

Do you know to whom? Here the money was addressed! If so, please tell us ??? ?? early reply whatever you know ???? ?? after and oblige.
Yours Truly,
Conrad Gardner

Don

I wonder if "Penn'a" is in fact, that - i.e. Company K of the 21st Regiment Pennsylvania Cavalry ?

You could probably google Philip Gardner in the civil war and you might get some records.

Dear Sir: In 1864 at Cedar
Point, Vir., my son Philip
was a Serjeant in Co. K. 21st
Reg Penn'a Cavalry and
was paid $180 or $190 by the
Government, none of
which I ever received.
Do you know to who in
here the money was ad-
dressed! If so please tell
me in an early reply what-
ever you know in the
matter and oblige,
Yours truly,

In civil war service records, John Phreaner is listed as initial rank Private, rank out of Saddler in Company K of the 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment.

There are several Phil Gardners, but one is Philip L. Gardner who served in Co. K of the 21st Penna. Cavalry Regiment. Initial rank Private and final rank Sergeant. The 21st Cavalry Regiment was also known as the 182nd volunteers.
The Gardner family, including Philip, were living in Greencastle in 1860 according to the US census, and Philip was then 17 (making his birth year about 1843). Philip was a shoemaker by occupation at the time.

Hope this helps a little.

ed to correct spelling

Here's Philip Gardner's draft registration.

The draft registration indicated he had done a previous 9-month enlistment. This appears to be the record of that.

And of his subsequent service.

Thank you all very much!
Don

Here is the cover from the letter above.


During the 1884 thru 1891 period, the USPOD sometimes used a 'Letter returned to the Office by Carrier' label typically for one of several reasons such as;
- when the address on the letter was incorrect or incomplete
- when the addressee had moved without forwarding info
- when the addressee refused to accept the mail item

Based upon my limited discovery, these labels appear to be used by the larger Post Offices. I have only recorded usages from New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Sacramento in either a yellow or white background.

While you can occasionally find mint labels for sale in the <$15 range, the covers often command fairly high prices.

Don

Don,

One additional tidbit. Here's a muster roll for those being discharged from Company K, 21st Cavalry, in Feb 1864. Both Gardner and Phreaner are on it, though both noted as being discharged due to their reenlistment.

Click to Enlarge

Ancestry also has the next muster-out roll (not shown here), which shows Phreaner being discharged at the end of the war, but of course, not Gardner since he was a casualty.

What an interesting piece of history, thank you for sharing!