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I have checked the 1840 and 1850 censuses to no avail. His name is very common...Robert McDonald. The only census I found him on was 1900 Alameda Co., CA. That's when I discovered he was born in Scotland and immigrated in 1840. On his military records he stated born in Erie Co., NY...no record there.
Other military researchers have told me men often lied as to where they were born for a number of reasons, but fessed up in their old age. McDonald entered the military at age 34 but said he was 29! He did not expect to be in army for more than one enlistment, but ended up a 30-year man and the ravages of old age made him report his true age. He spent 30 years on the Western Frontier mostly in Montana where the temps went down to -40 and -50 degrees and it was affecting his feet and legs and he could no longer march at the head of his company. He was a captain and a Medal of Honor recipient.
He entered service in Kentucky but so far, I have not been able to find more info on him there. His sister was my grt-grandmother who lived in Chicago and according to the 1920 Cook Co., IL. census, she was born in Scotland also.
There is not a lot of information on the soldiers who served on frontier until after the Civil War when Custer, Nelson, Sherman, Sheridan and others join the soldiers already there.
Throughout his military career he stated he was a bachelor, but since he entered service at age 34 he may have been married before his enlistment in 1856.
Unfortunately, there is no one left in my family who can shed light on this soldier. I have written to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society to see if they have any additional info on him. The search continues....
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