Judy--
Wonderful stuff! Thanks. It does indeed look like we're looking at the same fellow. Everything matches, especially the music/song writing connection. That music site is soooo cool, thanks for sending me there; hadn't found it before.
I dug into my info on Joseph Leddy again. Here's a bit more, and this part you'll like:
He was 5' 8" tall, had light hair and hazel eyes. He was 23 years old in 1864 which puts his birthdate around 1841. (I've seen them use "light hair" to desribe red or auburn hair too, so that's possible). This is from one of the Gratiot Street Prison record ledgers (NARA microfilm M598 roll 72).
It says much about him that at such a young age, and as an immigrant, he became a Captain.
Was he a spy? Maybe. He was certainly being treated as one at Gratiot. But Union definitions of "spy" varied from what the fellows accused thought of as spy. Being caught behind the lines was often sufficient. Some of them got caught just coming home to visit family, some were carrying dispatches and mail, some were recruiting, and a few were what we think of as spies. I have the microfilms of the Gratiot/St. Louis provost marshal reports coming to me, when they arrive I may be able to find more on Leddy in them. If I do I'll pass it on to you. It sounds like Leddy was, in fact a rebel mail smuggler. Here's what the Official Records say:
BATESVILLE, ARK., January 23, 1864.
From the fact that there was no enemy in the immediate neighborhood, and the men not having reported or been heard from, I am of the opinion that they have deserted. Number of miles traveled by his command was 95. After detaching Lieutenant Merensky I pushed on to within a short distance of Smithville (2 miles), where I captured a so-called Captain Leddy and a man named Shaffner, his accomplice, at the house of a Mrs. McKnight. This man had in his charge a rebel mail from Saint Louis, Mo., together with a lot of medicines, clothing, gold lace, and buttons, all of which was, upon my return, turned over to the colonel commanding the district.
This Leddy was put in charge of the provost-marshal, Capt. C. C. Allen. [signed] THOMAS J. MAJORS, Capt. Co. C, First Regt. Nebr. Cav., Comdg. Expedition. (that's the middle of a letter in which he was doing a larger report--I can email the whole letter if you want)
Well...the info from you and in the music site makes the 1870 St. Louis census info look better for it being really about this Joseph Leddy. This is just the census index (don't have that microfilm) but five males named Leddy are listed in Ward 7 all at the same residence (or neighbors--they're on the same page, generally means same residence). They are:
Bernard Leddy, Bryson, James, Joseph, and Thomas. One might be the father (in which case that would probably be Bernard, the first listed), or all brothers. The index only gives the adult males in the household--could have wives and daughters in the full listing (along with ages, place of birth, and occupations). I found a Union pension application for Bernard Leddy. Hard to read but looks like the application date is 1878. That early date for a pension app makes it look possible for someone who would be the father's age. He was in the 7th Mo Inf. and the 11th Mo. Inf (Union). There's also a James Leddy who comes up in the 11th Mo. Co. D, also Union. If you want to get the census microfilm this place:
http://www.censusmicrofilm.com/ has them quite cheaply (less for the whole roll than paying someone to do a look-up). It's 1870 Missouri, M593, City of St. Louis Ward 7, roll 817 (but double-check in their lists!).
Those aren't sure things as being connected to your Joseph Leddy, but they may be, and so may be relatives of your mother-in-law.
Deb
debrule@citlink.net http://www.sff.net/people/Deb