22nd North Carolina Infantry, Company M

Today, I thought I would focus on an entire Company, rather than a single person. This post will feature the "Randolph Hornets," also known as Company M, 22nd North Carolina Infantry, Confederate States Army. (I also shared this post last night on the Randolph County NCGenWeb site, which I now coordinate, as my first contribution.)

Taken from Company Service Records

The Company was mustered in 10 March 1862, but they had been training at camp since at least 10 June 1861. Here's what the Record of Events shows for the time between 10 June and 31 August 1861:

Taken from Company Service Records

As mentioned in the above muster roll, John Milton Odell was the first elected Captain to the Company. The 28-year-old was Captain from 10 June 1861 to 27 April 1862.

November 1861 to January 1862, he and the Company appear in Evansport, Virginia. In March 1862, he was present at camp near Fredericksburg, Virginia.

On 27 April 1862, John Milton Odell is listed as being "defeated" as Captain causing a vacancy in the position. I'm not sure what that necessarily means, but I know he didn't die in the War since he lived until 1910. He also doesn't simply get demoted, as far as I can tell, because he simply disappears from the War records.

Whatever happened to John Milton Odell, his successor as Captain of the Randolph Hornets is listed as his younger brother, Laban Odell.

Taken from John Milton Odell's Service Records

Laban Odell was promoted from 1st Lieutenant to Captain upon his brother's defeat. (Warren B. Kivett was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in Laban's place.) Laban was Captain from 27 April 1862 until 6 (or 16) March 1863 when he was promoted to Major of entire the 22nd North Carolina Infantry. This was not, however, a good move for Laban. He was killed in action at Chancellorsville on 2 May 1863.

Taken from Laban Odell's Service Records

Just as when Laban was promoted to Captain and Warren B. Kivett replaced him as 1st Lieutenant, Warren B. Kivett replaced Laban as Captain when he was promoted to Major. (Not bad for a guy that started out as a Private when he enlisted!) Warren didn't seem suited for the role of Captain though, or maybe the death of his own former Captain affected him on more than one level, or maybe he just didn't like it, because on 3 May 1863, he resigned from the post.

The final person to fulfill the role of Captain of the Randolph Hornets, and also the youngest person to hold the position in the Company, was Columbus Franklin Siler. This young man may very well be my favorite of all of the soldiers in this Company.

When Columbus enlisted, he was originally elected Sergeant. On the first muster roll I find for him, though, he's listed as "absent" from the Company. But, instead of being missing from the War, he is merely missing from "action." It seems he was sent to Fredericksburg to care for the sick being seen there.

Taken from Warren B. Kivett's Service Records

As far as I can tell, Columbus was not experienced in the medical field. He was still a student before the War, and after the War he was a teacher. Still, I find it honorable that he went to fulfill a need.

Columbus shows up absent once again in July 1862. This time, he is the one wounded. He was wounded in June and sent home on furlough as a result. (Columbus has been promoted to 3rd Lieutenant by this time in the War.) By September though, Columbus had failed to return to duty. I almost got mad at him thinking he was deserting the Company, but he shows back up in October without another mention of it. At some point while on furlough, it seems Columbus was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant.

Columbus made his way up the ranks quickly. I wonder if he was simply that strong of a leader, or if he was simply the result of good fortune. was promoted 16 April 1863 to 1st Lieutenant. Then, just a few weeks later on 3 May 1863, Columbus was promoted to Captain of the Company when Warren resigned his post.

This quick promotion through the ranks didn't seem to help Columbus much though. On 7 May 1863, he was sent to Raleigh from Richmond having been shot.

Columbus shows up as a Prisoner of War being paroled at Appomattox on 9 April 1865. I'm not sure what really happened to the Company (or to Columbus) during those two years between his being shot and the end of the War, but until I find out otherwise, I imagine it must have been rather uneventful.

This look at the experiences of this unit will definitely require some further work, but here is at least an overview of the people in the Company with their highest ending rank (within the Company).

Captains

• John Milton Odell
• Laban Odell
• Warren B Kivett
• Columbus F Siler

1st Lieutenants

• Lewis F McMasters
• James M Robbins

2nd Lieutenants

• Henry C Allred
• John M Lawrence
• James M Pounds

Sergeants

• James E Campbell
• William Coble
• Thomas B Hays
• William Franklin Hays
• William A Pounds
• Henry C Smith
• Stephen W Trogdon
• William P Willey

Corporals

• M R James
• William C Jones
• James M Routh
• Wesley C Siler
• John T Turner

Privates

• Stephen Adkerson
• Simon E Allen
• Benjamin F Allred
• Calvin C Allred
• Emsley Allred
• James A Allred
• Samuel H Allred
• William F Allred
• William Aldridge
• Alfred Norman Arnold
• Thomas Arnold
• John Henry Baker
• Nathan David Barker
• William C Birne
• York Braxton
• Abraham Breedlove
• Henry Breedlove
• Joseph Breedlove
• Newman Breedlove
• Henry Brewer
• James B Brown
• Peter P Brown
• Riley J Brown
• W P Bryant
• Franklin F Burgess
• John P Burgess
• Samuel M Burgess
• W Burgis
• Jackson Cannon
• James Cannon
• H Spain Carroll
• Wesley E Caudle
• John A Caviness
• David O Coble
• John R Coble
• Riley Coble
• J G Conley
• William L Cook
• James M Cox
• Enoch S Craven
• Henry Craven
• Jacob Franklin Craven
• James Cross
• Thomas F Cross
• Samuel Darr
• Marcus Deal
• William H Dean
• J E Dollinger
• Alex P Ellington
• Grandison Euliss
• Andrew J Fields
• Jesse Fields
• William Fields
• Jacob Flinchum
• Josiah F Foster
• Levi Foster
• Christian Foust
• Jacob Foust
• James M Foust
• Peter Foust
• T P French
• James Furgerson
• John D Gatewood
• Jefferson Gentry
• John W Glasco
• William M Glasco
• Calvin Gray
• William R Hardin
• John Hart
• Elias W Hays
• James Madison Hays
• Oliver P Hays
• William A Hays
• Joseph A Henson
• James R Hix
• Lewis F Holder
• Nelson Hulin
• Henry M Hutson
• Stephen W Ivy
• John Jackson
• Peter Jennings
• James Johnson
• Willis Johnson
• Craven Jones
• George Kinney
• J M M Kivett
• Jacob Kivett
• James F Kivett
• Joel Kivett
• John Wesley Kivett, Jr
• John W Kivett, Sr
• K M Kivett
• Stanley Kivett
• Talton Kivett
• Troy Kivett
• John C Lane
• Bartley Yancey Langley
• E Tyson Langley
• William T Laughlin
• Austin W Lawrence
• William A Lingle
• James P Lowe
• A Green McDaniel
• Calvin McLemore
• William McNeil
• A Manis
• E P Miller, Jr
• James Oda
• William O'Dear
• W A Oseley
• Alvens Pen
• James Perry
• Alpheus Pugh
• Daniel P Pulley
• Marshall S Ranes
• William D Reece
• Joseph M Reese
• S M Robbins
• William Thomas Robbins
• Aaron Routh
• George E Routh
• Jesse Routh
• Joseph Alson Routh
• Joshua M Routh
• Wesley P Routh
• William C Routh
• William R Routh
• Enoch P Scott
• James M Scotton
• Edmond T Shouse
• Howard E Smith
• Madison Smith
• J D Spinks
• J G Spronce
• Abner B Steel
• Thomas Stewart
• Wesley A Stewart
• Lorenzo D Stout
• W G Stout
• William O Strickland
• W S Sudderth
• John R Sumner
• Spencer Thompson
• H C Trogden
• Jeremiah F Trogden
• Lyndon A Trogdon
• Samuel Trogdon
• Solomon Trogdon
• Andrew J Turner
• M S Turner
• Thomas Turner
• William B Wall
• James A Webster
• Daniel C Wilkerson
• James M Wilkerson
• William J Wilkins
• Adam O Williams
• Benjamin Williams
• D E Williams
• J R Williams
• James M Williams
• Joel Williams
• Lindsey Williams
• William M Williams
• William A Woosley
• David Wright
• Doris Wright
• Isaac Wright
• Daniel Yergin
• Draxon York
• Clarkson York
• Darius York
• J L York
• Joseph York
• Larkin C York
• Lindsy J York
• William J York

Sources:

• 1850 North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1860 North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1870 North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1880 North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1900 North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of North Carolina (accessed on Fold3)

George W. W. Threadgill

In my last post, I wrote about my 4th great-grandfather, James Campbell. This time, I chose another 4th great-grandfather. James Campbell was on my mother's side of my family, but George Threadgill is on my father's side of my family.

George Washington William Threadgill was born 11 September 1822 in Anson, North Carolina. His parents were David Howell Threadgill and Mary Slaughter. In 1842, he married his first wife, Mary Post. Together, they had (at least) eight children before Mary died in 1858. Mary was from Georgia, and by 1850, the couple is found living in Marion County, Alabama. He's listed as a farmer.

Clipping from 1850 census showing George and Mary's family

Not long after Mary's death, the Civil War broke out. At least George's oldest child should have been out on his own, but George still had a pretty large family to support. At some point, George remarried. He had a second daughter named Lucy in 1861. I am unsure who Lucy's mother is, but I think it may have been Mary Reed, one of George's other wives. I don't know much about Mary Reed, or even when the two got married, but if she is Lucy's mother, that is the only child I have found for this couple.

In 1860, he has moved with his family to Bibb County, Alabama. Here is a listing of his farm description from the 1860 Agriculture Census.

Clipping from 1860 agriculture census

It shows George as having 6 acres of "improved" land and 74 acres of "unimproved" land. It places the cash value of his farm at $100 and his "farming implements and machinery" is valued at $10. The 2 represents the number of working oxen he owns.

By the time George signed up for the War, he had changed occupations from farmer to millwright. George enlisted in the Confederate States Army on 7 April 1862 in Randolph County, Alabama. He enlisted for three years or for the duration of the War.

Taken from Service Records

Company F was officially mustered in on 30 June 1862. They left the camp at Falling Creek, located near Richmond, on 18 August 1862. From there, they marched to Richmond and took a train to Louisa Courthouse. From there, they headed out on foot with the Army of Northern Virginia to engage in the campaign which resulted in the Battle of Manassas. The company not only participated in the Battle of Manassas, but they also were engaged in the capture of Harpers Ferry and the Battle of Sharpsburg.

Taken from Company Muster Rolls

According to his muster rolls though, George didn't get to participate in any of this activity. He is listed as being "absent" from the company. Here, he is shown as being sick in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Taken from Service Records

He is in Raleigh through the June 1862 muster roll, but in July 1862, he has moved to Selma, Alabama.

Taken from Service Records

I lose George between July and December 1862. I can't find him listed in the muster rolls available online. Then, on 1 December 1862, without seeming to have fought at any point in the War, he is back in Raleigh, North Carolina being discharged.

Taken from Service Records

His discharge papers provide a little extra information about George and his illness.

Taken from Discharge Papers

I love these types of documents because they provide a physical description of the person. It says George was 43 years old, he was 6-feet tall with a dark complexion, brown eyes, and black hair.

His medical condition listed in his discharge papers was chronic rheumatism and scrofula.

Taken from Discharge Papers

So, not only was George experiencing pain from the rheumatism, but he had tuberculosis in his lymph nodes. Since he was listed as "sick" pretty much the entire time he was enlisted, I wonder if George was experiencing symptoms before he even joined the Army.

George married his final wife, Elizabeth Flowers, on 23 June 1864. Together, they had five children bringing the total number of children I know George fathered to 14.

George lived to be 87 years old. He died 15 September 1909 in Marion County, Alabama. He is buried at Whitehouse Cemetery in Marion County, Alabama, and even though he didn't seem to serve in any actual battles, he has a military tombstone.

Tombstone photo submitted by rebekahpaw on Find A Grave

Sources:

• 1850 Marion County, Alabama U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• 1860 Bibb County, Alabama U.S. Agricultural Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Alabama (accessed on Fold3)
• Find A Grave Memorial
• US National Library of Medicine - Rheumatic Pain
• US National Library of Medicine - Scrofula

W. S. Lineberry

For my first post on this blog, I couldn't think of a better subject than Winfield Scott Lineberry. It was his account of his experience in the US Civil War that got me interested in Civil War history. Now I will try to share that history with you.

Winfield Scott Lineberry was born 2 April 1847 in Locust Grove, Randolph County, North Carolina at the farm home of his parents. He was the 8th of 9 children born to Lemuel and Sally Hanner Lineberry.

When Scott was just 14, the War started. I'll let him tell you himself what his experience was like. This was taken from his "Biography of the Lineberry Family," which he wrote in 1918.

"When I saw the men volunteering and drilling, oh, how I did want to go too, but my father and mother told me I was too young. However, I had an ambition to be a military man, so I studied the army tactics and became a drillmaster.  After I was 15 I was a pretty good drillmaster and was elected first lieutenant of the state militia, but this did not put me in the regular army where I could shoot Yankees, and this was the height of my ambition.  When the first draft came on, which I believe was in 1862, I was elected first lieutenant of the drafted men.  Now I thought I was going to get to don a uniform and go and fight Yankees, but that night when I came home my hope was cut in the bud, for my parents told me I was too young and could not go, but in April, 1864, all between 17 and 18 were called to the colors, so we met in Asheboro and organized and I was again elected first lieutenant and Will Foust was elected captain.  We were ordered out the 25^th of May and when we got to Raleigh we had to reorganize and I was elected captain.  My company was put in the first regular junior reserves as Company F.  We later became the 70th Regular N. C. Troops.  We drilled in Raleigh sometime.  I had in my company 110 men, as fine a looking set of boys as ever shouldered a musket and I must say I was proud of them."

 

According to the book, "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions," the other officers in W. S. Lineberry's 70th NC Troop, Company F, included 1st Lieutenants L. S. Gray and H. C. Causey, 2nd Lieutenants H. C. Causey, Z. T. Rush, W. T. Glenn, and W. R. Ashworth.

Clipping from "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions"

"I soon had them well drilled, as I had had some experience in drilling, and we were soon transferred to Weldon.  There was a lot connected with this young life of mine that I would like to tell you, but it would consume too much space, so I must hasten on. 

The first time we had the pleasure of meeting the bluecoats was at a place called Poplar Point, on the Roanoke River.  We sunk three gunboats (one got away) and put the Yankees to flight.  I think that was one of the happiest nights I ever spent.  I had tested my boys and saw they had the grit and would fight I was prouder of them than I was before. 

Our next fight was at Bellfield, Va.  We fought the Yankees all day and laid in line of battle all night.  That night there came a big sleet which froze our blankets to our clothes.  Next morning when light came, to our surprise the Yankees were gone.  They left the ground covered with dead, which proved we had not shot wild.  We pursued them several miles, but could not overtake them, so we came back to North Carolina."

Clipping from "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions"

"Our next fight was at Kinston the last of March.  Here we held an army four times our number three days, and many a Yankee we made turn up his toes, but on the third night the Yankees found they could not break our lines.  They commenced moving so as to cut us off from Raleigh, so we had to fall back to Smithfield.  I was slightly wounded in this fight, but never left the battle field.  Our next fight was at Bentonsville, near Smithfield.  Here Joe Johnson, our commander, had to fight not only the army we fought at Kinston, but all of Bill Sherman’s grand army.  They had at least six men to our one, but notwithstanding this our grand army, which was half-naked and half-starved, held all this powerful army in check for three days and nights and many were the dead bluecoats we left on the field.  When they found they could not break our lines they again tried to cut us off from Raleigh, so we had to fall back again.  When he got to Raleigh we heard the news of Lee’s surrender, so Johnson marched us to Greensboro and surrendered to Sherman, and this ended the war.  We surrendered April 27, 1865."

I think the thing that makes me love the story of Winfield Scott Lineberry so much is the fact that it was so many other soldiers' story as well. He was a young boy who was, technically, too young to fight, but he didn't let that stop him. Not only did he not let that stop him from fighting, he didn't let that stop him from becoming a Captain.

As far as I know, he was the only one of his siblings who fought as well. His siblings were "hatters" by trade for most of their careers. Perhaps they "served" by supplying soldiers during the War? Further investigation into any possible connection to the War with his older brothers is still needed.

Probably the most impactful part of Scott's story, though, is the aftermath of the war. His story continues in his "Biography" after he got home from the war.

"On April 28th, 1865, I put foot in my old home once more with nothing in this world only the old clothes on my back and they were ragged—not a dollar in the world.  I was sick on our retreat and put my knapsack in a baggage wagon with my uniform, which was nearly new, and all my belongings except my Bible, and I never saw the knapsack any more.  I found everything at home impoverished and I felt like I had rather be dead than alive.  I went to work on the farm with but little to work with."

Five and a half years after the end of the Civil War, Scott got married and began his family. They had nine children. He stayed rather close to other Civil War veterans during the remainder of his life. He served as US Deputy Marshal briefly. He spent some time as a storekeeper under a man who served as a Colonel in the War (who later became a US Senator). Then, in 1910, he became the superintendent of the Confederate Soldier's Home in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Confederate Soldier's Home in Raleigh, NC
Postcard. Image from goodnightraleigh.com

Winfield Scott Lineberry died 20 June 1926. He is buried in Grays Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery, which is located in Franklinville, Randolph County, North Carolina.

Capt W. S. Lineberry and Hulda Louisa Vickory Lineberry
Copyright Brittany Jenkins, 2011

Capt. W. S. Lineberry's Signature
as taken from a letter written during the War.
Found in his service records.

Sources:

• Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of North Carolina (accessed on Fold3)
• Goodnight Raleigh
• "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War, 1861-1865"
• Lineberry, W. S., Biography of the Lineberry Family, 1918
• Tombstone, Capt. W. S. Lineberry and Hulda Louisa Lineberry