He was born in 1839/40. [source: date: 4 (21 in 1861), 14 (27 in 1861), 16 (29 in 1861), 17 (29 in 1863), 19 (57 in 1898), 23 (53 at death in 1898). place: 16, 17, 19, 23]
When he enlisted, he was a moulder, and was living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: 4, 17]
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 7 inches tall, and had a dark complexion, light eyes, and dark hair. [sources: 4, 16, 17 (5'9")]
He also served in company B of the 20th Pennsylvania Infantry. [sources: 19, 21, 22]
He enlisted and was mustered into service, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 24 September 1861 or 25 October 1861. He was enlisted for three years, by Captain Dye. He was mustered in as a private, in company A or D--I suspect he was initially in D, and then transferred to A. [sources: 1, 4, 5 (lists co. D first), 6 (24 Sep 61), 14 (mustered in 24 Jul 61, enlisted 24 Sep 61), 16, 21 (24 Sep 61)]
He was transferred to company F on 31 October 1861. [sources: 13, 14, 21]
He was promoted to sergeant on 1 November 1861. [source: 15]
He was reduced to the ranks on 10 June 1862. [sources: 15, 16]
On 19 April 1863, he was sent to the corps hospital. [source: 10]
On 8 September 1863, Lieutenant Colonel Sinex reported Nugent as in Philadelphia, and asked that he be ordered to join his company (if possible). [source: 2]
He reenlisted as a veteran volunteer on 1 January 1864. He was reenlisted for three years, by Lieutenant W H Carpenter, at Warrenton Junction, Virginia. [sources: 1, 4, 6, 14, 17 (30 Dec 63), 22]
On 27 April 1865, he was promoted to corporal, effective 1 April 1865. [sources: 6, 8, 14]
On 16 June 1865, he was promoted to sergeant, effective 1 June 1865. [sources: 6 (1 June), 9 (effective 16 June), 14 (effective 1 Jun), 22 (9 Jun)]
On 24 June 1865, he began a furlough, which expired on 9 July 1865. [source: 12]
He was discharged on surgeon's certificate of disability. He was a sergeant, in company F. [sources: 1, 5, 6 (absent at muster out), 11 (Apr [?] 1865), 14 (absent at muster out), 19 (19 months!?)]
On 31 October 1885, he applied successfully for a pension. [sources: 19, 21, 22]
In 1890, he was living at 1600 South Front Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 11]
On 3 December 1890, he was admitted to the National Soldiers Home. He had a gunshot wound in his face. He was receiving a pension of $6 per month. [source: 19]
He died of valvular disease of the heart, on 2 February 1898, in Philadelphia or in the Southern Branch of the National Soldiers Home. He was single. He was a stevedore. He died at, or was buried from, 1545 South Front Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On 7 February 1898, he was buried in section A, range 3 of the Old Cathedral Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: 19, 20, 22, 23 (Philadelphia)]
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 letter, Sinex to Marvin, 8 September 1863
3 special order 4, HQ 91st PA, 16 February 1864
4 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 9 August 2004 (James Nugent)
5 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (James Nugent)
6 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)
7 special order 4, HQ 91st PA, 16 February 1864
8 special order 25, HQ 91st PA, 27 April 1865 (James Nugent)
9 special order 36, HQ 91st PA, 16 June 1865 (James Nugent)
10 consolidated morning report, 91st PA, 24 April 1863 (Private Nugent)
11 1890 US census veterans schedule, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, supervisor's district 128, enumeration district 2, ward 1, division 2, page 3, line 35 (James Nugent)
12 enlisted men's furloughs (James Nugent)
13 company D, register of men transferred, entry 12 (James Nugent)
14 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 9 August 2004 (James Nugent)
15 company F, list of non-commissioned officers (James Nugent)
16 company F, descriptive roll, #2 (James Nugent)
17 company F, second descriptive roll, #17 (James Nugent)
18 pension index, by name (James Nugent)
19 Report of the Board of Managers of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1898. Serial Set volume 3785. Session volume 43, 55th Congress, 3rd Session. House Document 55. Page 385. (James Nugent)
20 e-mail, Joe Deegan, 8 October 2007 (James Nugent)
21 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company D (James Nugent)
22 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company F (James Nugent)
23 death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2 February 1898, #15021 [?] (James Nugent)
Bates (entry 1 above) lists three people named 'James Nugent', with different dates of enlistment:
Because the index to the compiled military service records has one card listing all three companies, I have combined them, guessing how to fit the evidence together.