Edmond [AC.8] was the son of Antoine Arpin [A] (b. 1793, Boucherville, Canada) and Clemencie Levasseur [C] (July 1807—11 Aug 1806). Edmond [AC.8] was born in Canada but came to the United States at about two years of age. At home, he spoke only French as a child.

In this undated photograph of Edmond [AC.8], he looks very French. Marty Sweeney [DS.4.7.6S] referred to the moustache as a schnurbart. Edmond's Army discharge certificate describes Edmond [AC.8] as "five feet nine inches high, dark complexion, black eyes, black hair, and by occupation, when enrolled, a farmer".

After enlisting on 10 February 1864 for a period of 3 years, Edmond (at age 18) was mustered into Xavier's former regiment, the 76th Illinois Infantry, on 18 April 1864. The Roll of the Regiment said that Edmond was "gained as a recruit" at Vicksburg on 21 April 1864. He was assigned to Company D, Xavier's former company, just five months after Xavier's discharge.

When Edmond joined his Regiment on 21 April 1864, it was actually on duty at Big Black River Bridge to the East of Vicksburg. On 27 April 1864, it returned to Vicksburg and camped on the high hills surrounding the city.

On 4 May 1864, Private Edmond Arpin and his Regiment accompanied an expedition, commanded by General Arthur McArthur, to Yazoo City, and participated in the battles of Benton, Vaughn's Station, and Deasonville MS. I don't yet know the dates. They drove the enemy from Yazoo City and occupied the place several days. On the night of 17 May, a large portion of the city was burned. The Regiment returned to Vicksburg 21 May 1864 and occupied its camp on the hills until 25 Jun 1864, when it moved to Mount Albans MS, on the railroad between Vicksburg and the Big Black River. On 28 Jun 1864, the Regiment moved back to Vicksburg and camped near its old quarters.

On 1 Jul 1864, the Regiment (including Edmond) started on an expedition to Jackson MS, commanded by General Slocum. On its return, the command was met between Jackson and Clinton MS by the enemy and a sharp battle was fought on 6 Jul 1864 and renewed on 7 Jul 1864, when the 76th, which bore a prominent part in the engagement, "was cut off from the balance of the command, but cut its way out, losing 102 men, 16 of whom were reported killed and left on the field, and 86 wounded and missing". The Regiment returned to Vicksburg on 9 Jul 1864, "much fatigued".

On 15 July 1864, Edmond was disabled by a gun shot wound of his right foot at Vicksburg, Mississippi. He was treated by the Regimental Surgeon. According to a sworn affidavit by Desiré Letourneaux, who was in Edmond's unit at Vicksburg in July 1864, "The Gun was accidentally discharged by Arpin himself while lying on the ground and partially asleep in turning over or striking his Gun in some unaccountable manner so as to discharge it, the Ball passing through the right foot," An affidavit by Louis Paquette, who was also in Edmond's unit at Vicksburg in July 1864, added that Edmond "was lying on the ground awaiting his turn to go on guard duty."

Any report of a soldier accidentally shooting himself in the foot is always regarded with skepticism. Edmond's case, however, was unusual in that he shot himself in the foot about a week after the battle ended. It seems that either he was telling the truth or he had a very poor sense of timing.

Hospital records for the Regiment show Edmond admitted with a wound on 15 July 1864 and sent to General Hospital on 1 September 1864. The Roll of the Company for July, August, September, and October 1864 reports Edmond as "absent sick" since 29 July 1864. While recovering from his wound, Edmond was apparently able to return to Bourbonnais (about 500 miles to the NNE) where he wooed (in French no doubt) and married Euducide Hebert (16 May 1847—22 Jul 1922) on 22 November 1864. Their first child, William [EE.1], was born 8 months 25 days later. The Roll of Company D for 30 November 1864 reports that Edmond was present. Thereafter, the Roll reports Edmond as present through 30 June 1865.

Private Edmond Arpin probably rejoined his Regiment at Duvall's Bluff AR just a few days after his wedding. On 30 Nov 1864, the Regiment landed at Memphis TN and camped on the environs of the city, remaining there until 31 Dec 1864. It then embarked on the steamer Niagra for New Orleans, at which place it arrived 4 Jan 1865 and went into camp a few miles above the city, at Kenner, behind the levee, where the mud was "almost fathomless".

According to his pension file, in January 1865, Edmond suffered a wound of his left hand and the loss of one finger at New Orleans, LA. He was treated by the Regimental Surgeon. Desiré Letourneaux, who was in Edmond's unit at New Orleans in January 1865, said in his affidavit "That said Arpin received a severe injury to his left hand, said at the time to have been done by a negro, with a hatchet while said Arpin was on his way to the Bakery for bread. That the affiant [Desiré] was not with Arpin at the time nor was there any other member of the Company with him, but he was alone & reported the facts and circumstances & manner in which he was injured immediately on his return to the company, which he did immediately and without his bread. Affiant [Desiré] remembers very well that there was considerable excitement in the company at the time about the manner in which he was attacked & cut by the negros." Louis Paquette, in his affidavit, said, "Arpin reported the facts immediately on his return to the company, that he had been attacked by the two negros one of whom struck him with a hatchet on the left hand severely cutting & permanently injury (sic) the fingers of the same."

Hospital records indicate that Edmond was admitted with the wound on 28 January 1865 and returned to duty on 23 February 1865. By then, the 76th was in Fort Barrancas near Pensacola FL. On 11 Mar 1865, the camp was moved to Pensacola.

On 20 Mar 1865, Edmond Arpin and the 76th Illinois started with General Steel's expedition to Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely near Mobile AL. They traveled through pine swamps, corduroying the quicksand roads as they moved along, and fighting the enemy in front, until 1 Apr 1865, when the army approached Blakely, and on 2 Apr 1865 drove the enemy inside his fortifications. General Steel's forces united with General Canby's and General Granger's from Fort Morgan. On 8 Apr 1865, Spanish Fort was captured. On 9 May 1865, Private Edmond Arpin and the 76th Illinois participated in the charge on Fort Blakely, capturing the entire garrison. The colors of the 76th Illinois Infantry were the first planted on the enemy's works. The Regiment lost in this, the last major battle of the war, 17 killed and 81 wounded. "Among the latter was the Colonel of the Regiment, who was painfully wounded while gallantly leading his men in the assault."

The Regiment camped inside the fortifications until 20 Apr 1865, when it was transferred to Mobile AL. On 22 Apr 1865, the Regiment accompanied a fleet of steamers, loaded with soldiers, up the Alabama River, General Steel in command; landed at Selma AL 28 Apr 1865; remained there until 11 May 1865, and was then ordered back to Mobile AL, and camped near the city.

The Regimental Casualty List reports Edmond as "wounded, left arm slightly bruised, May 25th, 1865, at Mobile". Since I have found no record of combat in Mobile on that day, I presume that the injury was the result of an accident.

The Regiment remained in Mobile AL until the latter part of June, when it was ordered to Galveston TX, where it remained until 22 Jul 1865, and was then mustered out, and ordered to Chicago IL, where it was paid off and disbanded 4 Aug 1865.

Edmond, along with 155 other "recruits", was transferred to Company A of the 37th Illinois Infantry on 19 July 1865. The 37th Illinois had headquarters in Houston and was stationed by companies along the railroads leading out of Houston. Private Edmond Arpin and Company A were stationed in Brenham TX. The Roll of Company A reported Edmond as present from the time of his transfer until 30 April 1866.

Subsequent activities of Edmond in the Army are known in greater detail because of a diary kept by Henry Ketzel, another member of Company A, 37th Illinois Infantry:

"Morning of July 1, 1865 finds us in the offing of Galveston, Texas. Land same day and march to the city where after changing camp once or twice, being almost impossible to find shelter from the sun's heat--we quarter ourselves in the Fremont Hotel (Company A, room ten), 48th and 83rd Ohio occupied same hotel. As those two regiments had a little family quarrel among themselves, we find our Hotel going up in smoke and flame on the afternoon of the 20th. The 37th had to hunt other quarters and found them in one of the large cool and commodious cotton presses on the south side of the city. Here we enjoyed life as well as we could. August 4th embark on a coasting vessel and on the 5th land near Sabine Pass--The same day (August 5th) Companies A, D, E, and G embark again and passing through Sabine Lake we ascend Nechez River and land at Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas on the 6th, where we quarter ourselves in empty stores and buildings, plying our old trade learned at Galveston, which was a general cleaning up of the leavings of the so proud and chivalrous sons of the South, too lazy and indolent to keep things, as we were in habit of seeming and having them.

"Here we stayed till morning of 17th of August when we were ordered aboard cars and reported at Houston same evening, examining melon patches along the road as cars could not travel very fast because of poor tracks. Bivouacked in the streets and next morning were ordered to another depot--took cars and landed at Alleytown, the terminus of the Austin and Columbus Railroad--from here we marched on the morning of the 19th to Columbus, the county seat of Colorado County. On the 20th, Company A was ordered back to Alleytown again, where we made ourselves comfortable quarters in a grove adjoining depot grounds and acted as guard for all depot stores shipped for General Custer's command northwest of here--in addition to that hunted considerable captured US and CS property among the natives thereabouts.

"On October 2nd, started on quite an extensive scout of that kind and returned the 7th having accomplished all we were sent out to do. The life we lived here somewhat compensated us for our prolonged service of US. Sweet potatoes and all other eatable of Southern climes were every morning abundant in camp, just as if they rained down during the night. (Pecans $10 a bushel). Having done our share of work and duty around Alleytown, on October 23rd we took the cars once more and returned to Houston arriving there on the 24th--went into camp in the heart of the city till the 27th when we board cars again--this time we land at Brenham, county seat of Washington count, another terminus.

Here we relieved part of the 29th Vet. Vol. Infantry ordered home, this making only the fifth different detachment relieved by us to go home--(rather consoling or provoking wasn't it?) The 37th now finds itself pretty well strung along the railroad through Texas--Company A being at Brenham, company B at Milligan, Company C at Columbus, Company D at Beaumont, "F" at Richmond, "H" at Alleytown, "K" at Hampstead with "E", "I" and "G" at Houston. At Brenham our duties were the same as before, only on account of more Government property being delivered here and reloaded on wagons for General Custer's command we were somewhat more busy. (Here enjoy being Post Adjt. Hospital Stewart, Duty Sergeant and also Freemen's Bureau agent but make it all pay.)

April 4th our camp visited by a Tornado and tents and everything went flying--morning found us not only tentless but also wading through six to ten inches of mud and water, a little variation from the old program. Finally May 3rd receive orders to report to Houston preparatory to muster out. Report there and go into camp on the 4th and was kept busy with muster out rolls bringing up of Company and US on the square. May 15th, everything being found correct we were mustered out at Houston, Texas, but for our pay had to go to Springfield IL. So on the 16th we embarked on a rice transport- some of the boys had too much (?) to control themselves and Company D lost several men who rolled overboard and drowned while empassage from Houston to Galveston. From Galveston we embark again on the St. Mary and reach New Orleans on the 20th. Here most of the boys don civilian dress again.

Embark for up the river May 22nd and land at Cairo, IL the 26th. From here by cars we reach Springfield, where final pay accounts get settled--we receive Pay and Bounty in full May 31st."

Private Edmond Arpin and the 37th Illinois Infantry were mustered out of U.S. service at Houston TX on 15 May 1866. On 31 May 1866, they reached Springfield IL, where they received final payment and discharge.

William [EE.1], the first child of Edmond Arpin and Euducide, was born on 16 Aug 1865 while Edmond was with the 37th Illinois Infantry Volunteers in Brenham TX. William was eleven months old when he first met his father.

Family oral history reports that Edmond lost an arm in the war. His pension records, however, indicate that he lost just one finger of his left hand. Since he would not have been retained in the Army after losing an arm, I suspect that Edmond lost an arm during his 21 years as a civilian after his discharge. He does seem to have been accident prone.

In December 1887, while working as a watchman, Edmond wrapped the reins around the stub of his arm as was his custom. The team bolted, he was pulled from his wagon, and he was fatally injured. (I presume that the team was not attached to the wagon at the time of the tragedy.) Edmond was brought to his home at 27 Moore Street in Chicago (not to a hospital) and died soon thereafter. Since Edmond's death certificate gives his date of death as 26 December 1887 while the pension application by Euducide gives 27 December 1887 as the date, it seems likely that Edmond lived through the night but died early the following morning.

On 22 November 1864, Edmond Arpin [AC.8] married Euducide Hebert [JS.5] (16 May 1847—22 July 1922) at Boubonnais Grove Illinois. Rev. Father Cote officiated. Edmond [AC.8] and Euducide [JS.5] had nine children.