He was born in 1844/45 (3 (19 in 1864)). He was born in Delaware, Pennsylvania (perhaps Delaware County?) (3).
When he enlisted, he was a laborer (3).
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 6 inches tall, had a dark complexion, brown eyes, and dark hair (3).
He also served in company G of the 29th Pennsylvania Militia Infantry (5, 8). He enlisted on 15 June 1863, and was discharged on 1 August 1863 (8).
He enlisted and was mustered into service, as a recruit, for three years, on 6 February 1864, in Philadelphia Pennsylvania (1, 3, 5). He was enlisted by Lieutenant Shipley, and mustered into service by Lieutenant Burke (3). He was a private in company E (1, 3, 9-10).
He intentionally wounded himself at the Battle of the Wilderness (3).
According to Bates, he was wounded on 18 June 1864 at Petersburg, Virginia (1). It is not clear how to reconcile that with the next paragraph.
He deserted either at Spotsylvania Virginia on 1 June 1864 (2) or at Philadelphia Pennsylvania on 10 June 1864 (4). He was caught either on 20 December 1864, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2) or 25 December 1864 at Delaware County, Pennsylvania (4). He was tried by court martial, convened 22 or 23 January 1865, and found guilty (2, 3, 4). On 3 February 1865 he was sentenced to lose all pay and allowances due him, to lose $10 of his pay per month for 12 months, and to make good all time lost (3, 4, 6; 2 has him losing all his pay for 12 months).
He mustered out on 10 July 1865 with his company (1, 5). He was a private, in company E (9-10).
On 17 October 1878, he successfully applied for a pension (5).
In 1890, he was living in Chester, Delaware County, Pennsylvania (8). He had erisypilys in a leg (8).
On 23 February 1907, he again applied for a pension (5).
He died on 3 September 1923, at Chester, Pennsylvania (5 [13? Sep 1922 or 1923], 7 [3 September 1923]). He was buried at Lawn Croft Cemetery, Lower Chichester, Delaware County, Pennsylvania (7).
On 8 September 1923, his widow successfully applied for a pension (5).
1 Bates, Samuel Penniman. History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, state printer, 1869-71. 5 volumes. 'Ninety-first regiment', volume 3, pages 186-233. (In the roster)
2 register of deserters, company E, entry 20
3 descriptive roll, company E, entry 135 (John L Robinson)
4 general order 102, headquarters, Military Governor, Alexandria Virginia, 3 February 1865
5 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company E (John L Robinson)
6 National Archives Archival Research Catalog (accessed 24 July 2010) (John Robinson)
7 Pennsylvania veterans burial records, available on Ancestry (transcribed 4 December 2010) (John L Robinson)
8 1890 US census, veterans' schedule, Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Chester, supervisor's district 2, enumeration district 17, page [blank] (John Robinson)
9 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (John L Robinson)
10 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (John L Robertson)