Mathew W. Bedsole, age 19 years, was enlisted as Private on April 2nd, 1862 in Captain McLean’s Company, Company H (Union Rebels), 6th Regiment Florida Infantry by J. J. Finley at Mount Vernon Arsenal, Florida, for a period of 3 years or the war.

He was not with his command for any appeciable length of time/service, being absent on sick furlough or without leave. The only period he was reported present was from April 30th, 1863 through July 9th, 1863. During this period, he was under arrest for desertion.

He appears on a Report of the Medical Examining Board, Dalton, Georgia dated January 25th, 1864 (Head of examination for furloughs) . He was granted a 60-day furlough effective from January 25th, 1864 because of “extreme emaciation and debility from pleuropneumonia sick 6 months”. He would be on furlough in Eucheeanna, [Walton County] Florida.

He next appears as a signature on an application to take the Oath of Amnesty, dated June 9th, 1865 at Barrancas, Florida. In his petition, he states, “I am 22 years of age my home is in Walton Co. Fla. I volunteer to serve in Comp’y H 6th Fla Infty March 8 1861 and served until February 1864 at which time I received a furlough an never returned to my command. I have taken no further part in the existing rebellion.”

Mathew W Bedsole