Capt. Joshua M. Dushane, Co. H

Joshua M. Dushane was born on Christmas Day 1827 to Joshua and Mary (McCormick) Dushane in Westmoreland County, PA. He was one of ten children born to this couple. In 1850, Joshua moved to Connellsville, Fayette County, PA and opened a hardware store and tinning business. This same year he married Jane Collins and they would go on to have five children.

In 1858, business took him to Somerset County, PA where he would stay until 1862, when he returned to Connellsville to help recruit Co. H of the 142nd PVI. A call for volunteers was made at a war meeting in a Presbyterian church and 2/3 of the company was filled that night. The remainder was raised the next, and Dushane was elected Captain when the company was mustered in at Camp Curtin.

After leading his company through the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancelorsville, Captain Dushane was wounded twice at Gettysburg and taken prisoner. He was sent to Libby Prison in Richmond and then to a variety of prisons in South Carolina.

After the war, Joshua returned to Connellsville where he held several government positions, including a gauger in the Revenue Service, town Burgess, and school director. He also helped start the Youghiogheny Bank before settling into farming.

Above is Capt. Dushane's pension record

Capt. Joshua M. Dushane passed away on Mar 23, 1909 and was laid to rest beside his wife Jane in Hill Grove Cemetery in Connellsville, PA.