Showing posts with label rheumatism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rheumatism. Show all posts

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Ellison K. Plyler

The following is a repost from my family blog, Widespread Roots.

My fourth-great granduncle, Ellison Kershaw Plyler, was born 18 Feburary 1837 to Elisha Plyler and Mary Elizabeth Hancock. Whenever I see some male with a birthdate in Ellison's range, I instantly search for Civil War service records. I was not disappointed when I searched for Ellison's.

Ellison enlisted as a Private with the 12th South Carolina Volunteer Regiment, Company I, on 15 May 1862 at Camp Jackson, Virginia for the duration of the War.
Taken from Service Records
Ellison doesn't seem to have a very easy experience at Camp though. By July or August 1862, he is sent to the hospital and he appears "absent" in the muster rolls. I don't, however, find him in any hospital records until October. On 3 October 1862, I see he is admitted to the C.S.A. General Hospital at Farmville, Virginia with rheumatism.
Taken from Service Records
Just a few days later, Ellison is transferred to General Hospital No. 6 in Richmond, Virginia. Whether in this hospital or another hospital, Ellison is listed as being "absent" from his Company due to being in the hospital all the way until 10 January 1863.
Taken from Service Records
After his return, Ellison seems to stay with his company for his longest stretch yet. He appears as "present" up until 1 July 1863 when he is "wounded at Gettysburg, Pa. ... and left."
Taken from Service Records
That phrase "and left" is a little haunting. Growing up near Camp Lejeune, I grew up hearing "no man left behind" a lot. The men in Ellison's Company did not seem to feel that way. They simply left him there when he was wounded.

Ellison's fate was seemingly unknown to his Company for quite some time because they repeat this wording up until March of 1864 when they seem to update the status of their wounded man.
Taken from Service Records
Finally, they list him as being "in the hands of the enemy."

Ellison would remain a Prisoner of War for the remainder of the War. Upon capture, he is sent to Fort McHenry in Maryland. He stays there for about a week or two until he is transferred to Fort Delaware, located in Delaware.

He stays at Fort Delaware until he is finally released on 10 June 1865 having taken the Oath of Allegiance.

Often, when a person took the Oath of Allegiance, their physical description was recorded. I assume this was to help enforce the Oath in the case that the person chose to go back to the Confederacy and pick up arms again against the Union. Ellison's description is one that is a bit unique.
Taken from Service Records
They list his complexion as "sallow." I have seen "light," "dark," and all kinds of various shades in-between described here, but I have never seen "sallow." I wonder if he appeared sallow because of his rheumatism. Or I wonder if his nearly two years as a POW caused his complexion to become sallow.

In any case, Ellison left the War and seemed to go straight home to his wife, Mary (last name unknown), and his two young children, Margaret and Jonas. Not long after being home, Mary becomes pregnant with their third child, John, who is born in 1866. Their fourth, and the last known child I have for the couple, Mary, was born a few years later in 1869.

Ellison lived to be 80 years old. He died of "old age" on 8 January 1918.
Taken from Death Certificate
I'm glad to see that despite his rough experience in the War, he didn't seem to let it hinder his ability to lead a long, full life.

Sources:
  • 1870 Cabarrus County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
  • Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of South Carolina (accessed on Fold3)
  • Death Certificate, Ellison Kershaw Plyler (accessed on Ancestry)

Sunday, July 26, 2015

James C. Campbell

While investigating my fourth great-grandfather James Columbus Campbell's involvement in the Civil War, I managed to gather a lot of information about a different James C. Campbell than my own. This is his story.

On 5 August 1861, James joined the Confederate States Army as a Private. He registered in Danielsville, Georgia with Captain Montgomery for the duration of the War. He fought with Company D of the 16th Georgia Infantry. It doesn't seem as though James saw much action though. He appears in more hospital records than anything else during his time in the military.
Taken from Service Records
In August of 1862, this record states he has Rheumatism.
Taken from Service Records
After that, he bounced around to a number of hospitals in Virginia. Chimborazo Hospital No. 5 in Richmond, an unnamed hospital in Scottsville, General Hospital No. 9 in Richmond

On 12 December 1862, James was admitted to the Confederate States Army General Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia. This time, it seems he was shot in the right leg.
Taken from Service Records
As with my own James Campbell, the primary disease listed is "Vuln Sclo. R. leg," which stands for "Vulnus Sclopeticum in the Right leg." Vulnus Sclopeticum, again, means "relating to a wound caused by a gunshot wound."
Closeup of "Primary Disease"
Taken from Service Records
I was able to find out some more information on his leg injury. According to the McLaw's Division List of Casualties from before Fredricksburg, James was listed as being wounded seriously in the leg. This makes me curious where in the leg he was injured and if it developed into a limp or other handicap later in life.
Taken from Service Records
James was furloughed from 5 March 1863 to 20 August 1863 due to his leg injury.
In September 1863, he is listed as being paid for his service again. He is again listed as being paid for service in November 1863.
Taken from Service Records
From May through August 1864, however, he is listed as being absent from the war first due to being on a furlough then as being absent without leave. In regards to the furlough, it states he was wounded at Front Royal, Virginia. I eventually found him back at General Hospital No. 9 in September 1864.
Taken from Service Records
I wonder what happened to James during those four months before he ended up back in the Richmond hospital. Did he try deserting? Was he merely trying to evade capture? Was he injured somewhere and unable to find needed help? I don't know if I will ever find out the answers to those questions, but I like to think he continued to fight to the best of his ability during that time, even if it wasn't "with" the 16th GA Infantry.

Sources: 

Sunday, May 31, 2015

22nd North Carolina Infantry, Company M - Part 5

Continuing with my series on the 22nd North Carolina Infantry, Company M, also known as the "Randolph Hornets," I will begin to discuss the experiences of the Privates in the unit. These men will be broken up over the next four posts in an effort to cover them more thoroughly while still being  somewhat manageable chunks. This post will include Privates whose surnames begin with the letters A through E. They will be presented alphabetically rather than by enlistment date since none of these men moved up in rank.

First, before I get to the Privates, I found another officer who should be mentioned.

John R. Coble enlisted as a 19-year-old with the Randolph Hornets on 10 June 1861 as a 1st Corporal. At some point, however, he was marked down to a Private. I can not find any reference to the reason for his losing his rank, but I do find that he served as a wagonmaster for most of the rest of the War. (The dates mentioned for him as a wagonmaster include July 1862 through December 1863.) In August 1863, he was listed as a camp guard for Company C, but this could have been a mistake.

In January 1864, John was granted the role of clerk and he served as acting Quartermaster Sergeant. The Quartermaster Sergeant was responsible for any supplies, whether they be stationery, oxen, food, clothing, etc., required of the unit. From July to October 1864, he is listed as being present with the Quartermaster's Department with the Reserve Ordnance forage train. He was serving with Wilcox's Division near Petersburg, Virginia.

There is no mention of John's location between October and February, but he seems to be back to his role as wagonmaster in February 1865.

The final record of him in his file mentions his parole on 8 May 1865 at Greensboro.

Privates

1.) Stephen Adkerson enlisted on 29 March 1864 as a Private. He didn't last very long in the War though. By May 1864, he was listed in the rolls of the General Receiving Hospital, also known as Charity Hospital, in Gordonsville, Virginia. He was diagnosed with chronic diarrhea. I'm not sure the cause of the diarrhea, but it must have been serious. Stephen died 13 May 1864.

2.) Simon E. Allen enlisted as an 18-year-old on 6 March 1862. He may have been a substitute soldier. I'm not sure his story in who he might have replaced, but this is the first soldier I have seen in this unit who is listed as a "substitute" instead of a "volunteer."

Simon was listed as being "absent" in September 1862 due to sickness. I do not find him listed in any hospital though. I do find him being paroled as a POW at Warrenton, Virginia on 29 September 1862. I find in other records that he was captured at Manassas, which took place in July 1862. It is likely, if he was "sick" in 1862, he was in a POW hospital.

I lose Simon for the time between his parol in September 1862 and April 1864. He is listed as a deserter of the 31st North Carolina Infantry, Company M. I don't know where this information came from, but I can not find him listed in the 31st North Carolina Infantry. The records after that are fairly brief.

He was listed as being captured at Coal Harbor on 9 June 1864. On 15 June 1864, he arrived at the White House as a POW. On 20 June 1864, he was released from Point Lookout, Maryland, supposedly, to join the Union Army. I have not found any records of him in the Union Army though.

3.) Benjamin F. Allred enlisted with the Randolph Hornets on 10 June 1861. By November 1861, Benjamin is listed as being sick. Apparently, he stays sick for quite some time. On 5 June 1862, he is transferred out of Chimborazo Hospital No. 5 (in Richmond) and sent to Lynchburg.

Between 31 August 1862 and 20 October 1862, he is listed as being sick or wounded at Receiving and Wayside Hospital (also known as General Hospital No. 9) and General Hospital No. 1. On 24 October 1862, he was furloughed for 30 days by Surgeon, C. B. Gibson.

Benjamin disappears from the records after that. There are absolutely no records from October 1862 to July 1864, but in July 1864, he appears as being absent since 1 August 1862. On another, undated, record, he is listed as being AWOL. The final record in his file states he was paroled at Greensboro, North Carolina on 22 May 1865.

4.) Calvin C. Allred enlisted as a 21-year-old on 10 June 1861. His service records are very brief. It mentions he was in four battles (battle names and/or locations not mentioned), but he is also listed as being killed in battle at Frazier's Farm, Virginia on 30 June 1862.

Also in Calvin's file is a settlement Calvin's father, John, filed with the Office of Confederate States Auditor for the War Department on behalf of his son. There is also a file that lists him as a deserter of the 31st North Carolina Infantry, Company M -- same as was found in Simon Allen's file -- but it was dated for a time period after Calvin's death.

5.) Emsley Allred enlisted as a 30-year-old on March 1862. His service records are also very brief. It mentions he was in three battles (battle names and/or locations not mentioned), but he is also listed as being killed at Seven Pines, Virginia on 31 May 1862.

In July 1862, he is listed as being MIA, but he had already died about a month before. Perhaps they didn't get the memo.

6.) James A. Allred enlisted as a 17-year-old on 6 March 1862. He may have also been a substitute soldier, like Simon Allen. He did not have a very easy time in the War, mostly due to illness.

On 8 April 1862, he was admitted to Chimborazo Hospital No. 5 in Richmond, Virginia with rubeola. Then, on 6 June 1862, he is admitted to the General Hospital at Farmville, Virginia with the measles.

On 12 June 1862, he returned to duty, but he didn't remain active for long.

In September 1862, he is listed as being "absent" again due to being sick. I can't find any records of him being admitted to any hospital though until 29 October 1862, when he is admitted to Winder Hospital Division 5. His illness is not mentioned. One month later, he returns to duty. Two weeks later, on 15 December 1862, he is admitted to General Hospital No. 1. About two weeks later, he is admitted to General Hospital No. 10. Five days later, on 7 January 1863, he is admitted to Chimborazo Hospital No. 3 in Richmond with "debilitor." ("Debility" meant "weakness" or "feebleness.")

On 16 (or 17) January 1863, he returned to duty.

Then, he seems to have an uneventful year and a half. He doesn't show up in records (for his unit, a hospital, or otherwise) until 1 June 1864 when he is captured at Coal Harbor. Just like Simon Allen, who was captured there one week later, James was released at Point Lookout, Maryland in order to join the Union Army. I do not find him in any Union troops though.

His records also mention he was "wounded twice." I haven't found any records indicating his wound(s) yet.

7.) Samuel H. Allred enlisted late with the 22nd North Carolina Infantry. He enlisted on 28 December 1863. While he didn't enlist with much time left in the War, he saw his fair share of action.

On 5 May 1864, he is listed as being a POW. His service records show he was captured 12 May 1864 in Spottsylvania. It also shows he was captured again on 23 May 1864 at North Anna River. I wonder if he was indeed captured at both places and managed to escape in the days in between. 

By 30 May 1864, he is listed as having arrived, assumedly as a POW, in Port Royal, Virginia. He remains a POW through October. On 31 October 1864, he is present at Camp Lee, near Richmond, as a POW. He remains there until 17 January 1865 when he is exchanged at Point Lookout, Maryland.

Upon the exchange, he almost immediately gets admitted to the Receiving and Wayside Hospital (General Hospital No. 9) at Richmond. I don't know what his illness or injury was, but he seems to have stayed there until he was paroled at Greensboro on 10 May 1865.

8.) William F. Allred enlisted on 10 August 1861. He doesn't seem to have a very eventful first year in the War, as he does not appear in any of the records until the next June. He appears as being "wounded" on 26 June 1862 (perhaps as a result of the Seven Days Battle). It does not mention if he was present in any hospitals or provided any leave as a result of his wound(s), but he is absent through September 1862 when he shows up being paroled as a POW at a Camp near Sharpsburg, Maryland.

William does not appear in any records between his parol in 1862 and 27 May 1864 when he is admitted as a patient at the 1st Division General Hospital, Howard's Grove in Richmond. (It seems he was transferred to there from the 2nd Division General Hospital, but I don't see any records of him there.) One month later, he is furloughed for 30 days from the Howard's Grove Hospital. That's the last record that mentions William in the War.

9.) William Aldridge enlisted very late with the 22nd North Carolina Infantry. His enlistment date was 12 April 1864. The first time he shows up in records after his enlistment, he is marked as "present." This is for the months of July through October 1864. Nothing in particular seems to happen to William during these months. He is simply following the unit where they are being sent until he is paroled at the end of the War at the Appamattox Courthouse on 9 April 1865.

10.) Alfred Norman Arnold enlisted with the Company as a 28-year-old on 10 June 1861. In November 1861, he is listed as being sick. Alfred was killed in battle on 20 September 1862 at Sheperdstown, Virginia. His record indicates that he participated in six battles before his death.

Also in Alfred's file is a settlement Alfred's mother, Elizabeth, filed with the Office of Confederate States Auditor for the War Department on behalf of her son.

11.) Thomas Arnold enlisted as a 25-year-old on 10 June 1861. He was sent to Fredricksburg sick on 28 August 1861. (Remember, future-Captain Columbus Siler was sent there to care for several sick at the same time.) When he comes back, at least by the months of December 1861 and January 1862, it seems he served the Company as a teamster, also known as a wagoner. This job entailed leading the oxen and/or wagons for the unit. It was not an easy job by any means.

Thomas does not appear in any records again until July of 1864 when he appears as being present with the Company. The rest of his time in the War seems to have been rather uneventful, but his record does show he was wounded once during his service. I have not found any details about his injury yet.

12.) John Henry Baker enlisted as a 26-year-old on 10 June 1861. He was admitted to Chimborazo Hospital on 14 May 1862 with typhoid fever. John died just 13 days later on 27 May 1862 at the hospital.

Also in John's file is a settlement John's widow, Elizabeth, filed with the Office of Confederate States Auditor for the War Department on behalf of her late husband. Also, unlike most of the men in this unit who were born in Randolph County, John was listed as being born in Cumberland County, North Carolina.

13.) Nathan David Barker enlisted as a 27-year-old on 10 June 1861. Nathan seems to have stayed out of any necessary action until July 1862. At that time, he shows up as being sick at the Brigade Hospital. The next month, he is admitted to the Chimborazo Hospital No. 1 with chronic rheumatism. He gets discharged two weeks later on 2 September 1862.

Nathan does not show up in records again until Gettysburg. He shows up as being captured at Gettysburg on 5 July 1863. On 18 July 1863, he is diagnosed as having angioleucitis (inflammation of lymphatic vessels) following an amputation of his great toe. This disease seems to have been severe enough, because he died just two weeks later on 4 August 1863. The official cause of death is listed as a gunshot wound, so I wonder if the toe was amputated because of the gunshot.

Nathan's records also indicate that he was buried at Chester Cemetery in grave 121.

14.) William C. Birne enlisted with the Company on 1 May 1864. His service records only contain one page, a record that he was "present" for the months of September and October 1864. No other record exists.

15.) York Braxton enlisted with the Company as an 18-year-old on 6 May 1862. His service records also only have one page. The record states he died from wounds he received in battle (but it doesn't mention which battle). It also mentions he served in five battles before his death.

16.) Abraham Breedlove enlisted on 9 January 1864. He does not appear in any records until October 1864. He is listed as being "under arrest since 7 October 1864." Apparently, Abraham didn't handle being a POW very well. On 31 December 1864, he decided to "desert" the Rebel Army. He, apparently, informed his captors at the Army of Potomac Headquarters, and they sent him to Captain Potter at City Point, Virginia.

On 1 January 1865, he signed the Oath of Amnesty at City Point. The next day, he was sent to Washington, and another two days later he was sent to Morgan County, Illinois. Abraham disappears from the War records after that.

17.) Henry/Newman Breedlove enlisted 6 February 1864. He was captured at North Anna on 23 May 1864. He arrived at Port Royal, Virginia on 30 May 1864. Henry died 6 June 1865 of chronic diarrhea. He was buried in the POW Graveyard in grave number 2037.

His records state his effects were given to his friends before death. Somehow, this seems out of character for captors.

18.) Joseph Breedlove enlisted 6 February 1864. Joseph seems to have stayed out of trouble for his months of service. The only times he shows up in the records as being sick of an unnamed disease at an unnamed hospital for at least from 1 July 1864 through October 1864. The only other record in his file shows his parole at Greensboro on 16 May 1865. His service seems to have been rather uneventful.

19.) Henry Brewer enlisted on 22 January 1863. He is listed as being under arrest since 7 October 1864. On 3 April 1865, he was captured at Petersburg. He was sent from City Point, Virginia to Hart's Island, New York on 11 April 1865. He is listed as having been released on 19 June 1865 after taking the Oath of Allegiance.

Unlike most of the other men in the Company, he is listed as living in Moore County, North Carolina at the time of his enlistment. The record doesn't seem to fit with the other records in his file, so it is possible the information was incorrectly filed. There is also a record in his file that lists him as a deserter that completed no service; none of the other records in his file support this information.

20.) James B. Brown enlisted with the Randolph Hornets on 10 August 1861. He was sent sick to Fredricksburg on 28 August 1861. He appears AWOL in July and September 1862. No other records exist to support his actions outside of those couple of months. There is a record that lists him as a deserter, but it is not dated, so I'm not sure when this was supposed to have occurred.

Unlike most of the other men in the Company, he is listed as living in Moore County, North Carolina at the time of his enlistment. The record doesn't seem to fit with the other records in his file, so it is possible the information was incorrectly filed.

21.) Peter P. Brown enlisted on 10/15 May 1864. He is listed as being "absent" since 10 June 1864, but I don't find him in another record until 16 June 1864 when he is admitted to the General Hospital Camp Winder at Richmond for an unnamed ailment. He stays there at least through 30 June 1864.

By September 1864, he has made it back to his unit. Things seem rather uneventful for Peter until he is captured at Petersburg on 2 April 1865. After his capture, he is sent to City Point, Virginia. He stayed at Point Lookout, Maryland until he signed the Oath of Allegiance on 24 June 1865. At that time, he was released as a Prisoner of War.

22.) Riley J. Brown enlisted 13 March 1863. He quickly gets taken prisoner. He is captured 3/5 July 1863 at Gettysburg. A couple of days later, he is exchanged from Fort McHenry, Maryland and sent to Fort Delaware, Delaware. At this time, he is also listed as being a hospital steward. I wonder why or how he ended up in that role.

He doesn't spend long at Fort Delaware. He is paroled on 31 July 1863.

Riley must have been sick while he was serving as a hospital steward though, because the next day, he is admitted to the Confederate States Hospital at Petersburg, Virginia. He is listed as a Sergeant when he is admitted to the hospital. I wonder if they miswrote "steward" and put "sergeant" or if he had in fact been promoted. No other mention of a promotion is found for Riley.

Riley gets furloughed, assumedly for medical reasons, on 18 September 1863. After this, he does not appear in any rolls again until 1864 when he is listed AWOL from 1 May to 1 September 1864. He does not appear in any rolls after this time.

23.) W. P. Bryant enlisted sometime before July 1862. His records only contain one file that states he died at Richmond sometime before July 1862.

24.) Franklin F. Burgess enlisted as a 37-year-old on 10 June 1861. He is listed as present until he is discharged 1/13 June 1862. There is no mention of the reason for his discharge, but in January 1862, he is listed as the brigade teamster. I wonder if he was injured on the job.

25.) John P. Burgess enlisted as a 19-year-old on 10 June 1861. He also appears to have been a teamster. By December 1861, he is listed as being a teamster. After December, he does not appear in the records again for close to a year. In September 1862, he is listed as being wounded. There is no mention of what the nature of his wounds are.

Then, on 11 July 1863, he is admitted to Chimborazo Hospital No. 5 at Richmond with a gunshot wound to his left thigh. A week later, he is granted furlough for 40 days. John does not appear in the records again after his furlough.

26.) Samuel M. Burgess enlisted on 6 March 1862 as a 36-year-old. His file is fairly brief. He is merely listed as having died 26 August 1862 on the Rappahannock River.

Also in Samuel's file is a settlement Samuel's widow, Cathrine, filed with the Office of Confederate States Auditor for the War Department on behalf of her late husband. 

27.) W. Burgis' file is also rather brief. His does not mention when he enlisted, but it states he was killed in action on 28 August 1862 at Manassas.

28.) Jackson Cannon enlisted 10 May 1864. Even though he enlisted late in the War, he still saw his fair share of horrors. He was present all through 1864. Then, 31 March 1865, he was captured at Hatcher's Run. He was sent to City Point, Virginia on 2 April 1865. He stayed in Virginia and Maryland until he was released on 24 June 1865 when he signed the Oath of Allegiance at Point Lookout, Maryland.

Unlike most of the other men in the Company, he is listed as living in Rockingham County, North Carolina at the time of his enlistment.

29.) James Cannon enlisted 29 November 1863. His file is fairly small, but it does mention that he was captured at Hanover Junction on 21/24 May 1864. A couple of weeks later, James was sent to the White House and then to Point Lookout. He died, supposedly while being held at Point Lookout, on 28 June 1864. His unit seems to have not have received word of his death because he is listed as being absent due to being held prisoner through October 1864.

30.) H. Spain Carroll enlisted as a 19 or 20-year-old on 6 March 1862, possibly as a substitute soldier. He is not mentioned in the records until 7 September 1862 when he is admitted to the General Hospital Camp Winder with diarrhea. He stays in the hospital for about a month and is released on 15/16 October 1862.

The only other thing mentioned in his file is that he was engaged in seven battles before he was killed at Chancellorsville in May of 1863.

31.) Wesley E. Caudle enlisted as a 36-year-old on 10 June 1861. He seems to have been sick for most of his time in he War. On 24 May 1862, he is admitted to the Chimborazo Hospital No. 4 at Richmond with chronic diarrhea. One week later, Wesley was sent to Lynchburg. On 18 June 1862, he was both admitted to and discharged from the C.S.A. General Hospital at Danville, Virginia with an intermittent fever.

After his run with the hospital in Richmond, he seems to have switched from being a "Private" to being a "Musician." There is never any mention of what kind of musician he was or his instrument, but he doesn't appear to have served as a musician long. On 20 June 1862, just two days after being released from the hospital at Danville, Wesley is discharged from the military due to his age, the term of his service, and the company being full.

32.) John A. Caviness enlisted as a 20-year-old on 13 March 1863 as a conscript. John doesn't seem to have participated in any type of service with the unit. On 13 June 1863, he was admitted to the Receiving and Wayside Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. There is no mention as to his ailment, but about a week and a half later, he was admitted to the Episcopal Church Hospital in Williamsburg, Virginia with debilitas.

One month later, he was transferred to the P. L. Hospital. (I don't know which hospital this is, but Point Lookout would match the initials. Since he wasn't a POW, I doubt he would have been at Point Lookout.)

On 2/3 August 1863, John was again admitted to the hospital with debilitas. This time, he is found at the C.S.A. General Hospital at Farmville, VA. John stayed at this hospital for almost two months. His diagnoses during his stay include scrofulosis and anemia cachexia. The following note was added to his file: "(He) has been once discharged and again conscripted. (He) has never done any duty and is entirely unfit for any." It mentions he was furloughed and then formally discharged 6 October 1863.

33.) David O. Coble enlisted 10 June 1861. He only has one record in his file stating that he was discharged on 28 August 1861 by General Holms at Brooks Station in Stafford County, Virginia. Remember they did some of their training at Brooks Station before officially mustering into action.

34.) Riley Coble enlisted as a 19-year-old on 6 March 1862. Riley definitely did not have a pleasant time in the War. There is no mention of his whereabouts from March to September, but in September 1862, Riley is listed as being absent due to being sick. The first time I find him in a hospital, however, was 18 October 1862 when he was admitted to the General Hospital at Camp Winder in Richmond, Virginia with bronchitis. One week later, he was furloughed for what was supposed to be 30 days, but he ended up getting what seemed to be an extension of an extra week.

I do not see Riley in any records after his furlough until he shows back up in the hospital in July. On 12 July 1863, he is admitted to the C.S.A. General Hospital at Charlottesville, Virginia with a gunshot wound. The next day, he is transferred to the General Hospital at Lynchburg, Virginia. He does not seem to stay in Lynchburg long though (if he ever made it there) because, on 15 July 1863, he is admitted to the C.S.A. General Hospital at Farmville, Virginia with debilitas. Perhaps the case was so severe, or perhaps because of his preexisting gunshot wound, he stayed in the hospital until 21 September 1863.

Once again, Riley does not show up in the records again until he winds up back in the hospital on 3 June 1864. This time he is admitted to the Receiving and Wayside Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. There is no mention of his ailment, that is, until the next day when he is seen at the C.S.A. General Hospital at Danville with a gunshot wound to his left hand. A few days later, Riley is furloughed again for an unmentioned timespan.

While Riley seems to have not made it back to his unit by 20 August 1864 (he is listed as AWOL), he is listed as "present" for the months of September and October. That's the last time we see Riley mentioned in the War other than his parole at Greensboro on 12 May 1865.

35.) J. G. Conley originally enlisted with Company A of the 22nd North Carolina Infantry on 30 April 1861 as a 26-year-old. He was present with the Company through what appears to be July 1862 when he is listed as having transferred to Company M. Company A lists him as a "deserter," so I wonder if they were unaware that J. G. switched units. Interestingly, after the transfer, I find no records of J. G. with Company M. I wonder if he did, in fact, desert the War.

36.) William L. Cook is a very interesting soldier (or perhaps just his file is very interesting). He was a 36-year-old when he enlisted as a conscript on 22 January 1863. He first appears in the rolls on 2 May 1863 when he is shown as being transferred from the Receiving and Wayside Hospital, located in Richmond, to the Chimborazo Hospital No. 3, also located in Richmond, with a hernia. There is no mention how long he stayed at Receiving and Wayside before his transfer. Then, on 11 May 1863, he is listed as being a "deserter" from the hospital.

Supposedly, William goes back to his Company because one year later, on 23 May 1864, he is captured at North Anna River in Virginia. He is sent to Port Royal and Point Lookout, Maryland shortly after his capture, and he stays there for close to a year.

What is unique about William's file is the letter included. It clearly shows William writing a letter to General Huffman on 7 April 1865 requesting to take the Oath of Allegiance "as quick as the arrangements can be made for that purpose." I have never seen one of these in a soldier's file. Arrangements, obviously, take a while to get straight because he doesn't take the Oath and get released until 13 May 1865.
Letter from William to General Huffman
Taken from Service Records
Unlike most of the other men in the Company, he is listed as living in Granville County, North Carolina at the time of his enlistment. The letter he write to General Huffman references that he lived in Wake County, North Carolina.

37.) James M. Cox enlisted 10 June 1861 as a 20-year-old. There is no mention of him during his first year in the War, but on 26 June 1862, he is listed as being wounded. The nature of the wound is not mentioned, nor is the name of any hospital where he may have been treated. He appears as "absent" due to his wound through October 1862. Sometime after that, he apparently returns to his unit, but he doesn't stay out of the hospital.

On 29 November 1863, he is admitted to the Receiving and Wayside Hospital at Richmond with an unnamed ailment. His length of stay is not recorded, but he appears to be back with his Company at least by July 1864.

On 2 April 1865, James is captured at Hatcher's Run. Less than a week later, he is sent from City Point, where he was being held, to Hart's Island, New York. He stays there for just a few short months before taking the Oath of Allegiance and being released on 18 June 1865.

38.) Enoch S. Craven enlisted as a 21-year-old on 10 June 1861. He seems to have had a fairly uneventful first year in the War, and his file is fairly small. What I can tell is that by July 1862, he is admitted to an unnamed hospital at Richmond. Then, sometime between 15 July and 17 August 1862 (both dates are recorded), Enoch died of his unmentioned disease.

39.) Henry Craven, Jr. enlisted on 6 March 1862 as a 36-year-old. His file is relatively brief. It shows he was admitted to the Chimborazo Hospital No. 1 in Richmond with continued fever on 2 June 1862. He returned to duty on 24 June 1862. Then, a few months later, he is admitted to the General Hospital at Camp Winder at Richmond with a gunshot wound. One week later, he is granted a furlough for 30 days. There is no further mention of Henry with the Company after his furlough.

40.) Jacob Franklin Craven enlisted 25 February 1862 as a 20-year-old. He also had a fairly brief time in the War. By July 1862, he was sick in the hospital. In Henry's case, they show that he was at the General Hospital at Camp Winder in Richmond, Virginia. His diagnosis was typhoid fever. On 3 September 1862, he died at the hospital in Richmond. He was reported to have been engaged in five battles before his death.

41.) James Cross enlisted 29 January 1864. James' file is very small and very uneventful. It merely shows that he was "present" through the end of the War. It mentions no hospital stays or leaves. I wonder if he felt it was quite as uneventful.

42.) Thomas F. Cross enlisted 10 June 1861 as an 18-year-old. His file is an interesting one. He appears to have started off with the unit as a (brigade) teamster through at least January 1862. Then, on 7 August 1862, he seems to have deserted the War. Some point between October 1862 and July 1864, however, he shows back up with his Company.

He is listed as being "present" from July to October 1864. Then, on 23 February 1865, he deserts again! This time, they record that they send him on 24 February 1865 to the Army of the Potomac and Captain Potter, who was at City Point. He arrives at City Point and is immediately sent out again, this time to Col. T. Ingraham in Washington, D.C. Once reaching the Colonel, he takes the Oath of Allegiance and is transferred into the unit at Lafayette County, Illinois. I do not see any mention of him in any of the Union records online, but further research will need to be done to see what became of Thomas after he switched sides.

43.) Samuel Darr enlisted 15 March 1864. Samuel's file is very small and very uneventful, like James Cross'. It merely shows that he was "present" through the end of the War. It mentions no hospital stays or leaves. I wonder if he was close to James Cross since they both seemed to stay out of trouble during the War.

44.) Marcus Deal's involvement with the 22nd Infantry, Company M confuses me. According to his records, he enlisted 30 April 1861 with Company A of the 22nd North Carolina Infantry. He seems to be "present" with Company A for the entire War, but there is a single file marking him as transferring from Company M to Company A on 1 July 1862. All records aside from this one (all the way up until his parole at Appomattox on 9 April 1865) show him as serving with Company A, so I am unsure if this was a mistake, or if he really did serve in Company M some time between 31 August 1861 and 1 July 1862 when there is a gap in his records.

45.) William H. Dean enlisted 23 May 1861 as a 21-year-old into Company E of the 12th North Carolina Infantry. He was sent to Richmond sick by March 1862. In July 1862, he transferred to Company M of the 22nd North Carolina Infantry. There is no mention of why he transferred, but Company E seems to leave him on their rolls for quite some time after his transfer.

In September 1862, they list him as being "absent" due to being wounded. I do not find him in any hospital during this time period. I also don't find him "present" with Company M though. He is admitted to the Receiving and Wayside Hospital in Richmond on 28 July 1863 for an unnamed ailment. Then, sometime around July or August 1864, he is listed with Company E as being a "deserter."

I never actually see any records of him listed as being "present" with Company M, though he is listed as being a part of Company M during his time in the hospital. 

The only other mention of William in his file is his parole on 5 May 1865 at Greensboro.

46.) J. E. Dollinger's time in the War was extremely brief. He enlisted with the Company on 1 July 1864. He was reported "killed in action" on 25 August 1864. There is no mention of a file from a family member to receive his missing pay.

47.) Alex P. Ellington enlisted 29 March 1863. He seems to have a fairly uneventful first year in the War as he doesn't appear in any records until 27 May 1864. At this time, he is admitted to the General Hospital at Howard's Grove in Richmond, Virginia with an unnamed ailment.

He is, at some point, discharged because he is later admitted to the C.S.A. General Hospital at Danville on 24 September 1865. This time, his ailment is mentioned being debilitas. He stays at Danville for about three weeks before returning to duty. There is no other mention of Alex in the War again until he is paroled on 3 May 1865 at Greensboro.

48.) Grandison Euliss enlisted 25 February 1862 as a 28-year-old. His first two years in the War seem to go by smoothly, but on 23 May 1864, he is captured at North Anna River. Like William L. Cook, he is sent to Port Royal a week later. He stays there at Port Royal and Point Lookout for close to a year before being transferred to Aiken's Landing for prisoner exchange on 14 March 1865. This makes me wonder if Grandison and William were companions in the POW camp and if William felt lonely without Grandison there. That could explain his request to take the Oath of Allegiance just a few short weeks later.

Grandison's file also mentions that he "deserted once." It doesn't mention where or when.

Sources: 

Sunday, May 17, 2015

22nd North Carolina Infantry, Company M - Part 4

The Corporals of the "Randolph Hornets" are the final set of officers to review. Like the Sergeants, the Corporals do not seem to follow any sort of promotion schedule like the Captains and the Lieutenants. The following men served in the War as Corporals for the 22nd North Carolina Infantry, Company M.

Remember, future Sergeants Stephen W. Trogdon and James E. Campbell were also  Corporals in their time with the Company. I will not go over their time with the Company again, but I will instead continue on to the other men who served in the position. Since there did not seem to be a determined ranking of the Corporals in the unit, I will present them in order of enlistment instead.

First, we'll begin with M. R. James. He was a 24-year-old when he enlisted with the Company on 10 June 1861 as a 4th Corporal. I'm not sure what happened to M. R. James, but he was discharged from service on 1 August 1861.
Taken from Service Records
You'll remember, the Company didn't actually muster into service until March 1862 having been at camp since their organization the previous June. Maybe camp life wasn't suited for M. R. Or maybe he had some emergency at home. I don't know much about M. R. outside of this service, so I can't even venture a guess on what happened to him.

The next Corporal in the Company I'll cover was John T. Turner. John was only 18 when he enlisted as a Private on 10 June 1861.

John seems to stay out of trouble for a full year until he shows up being wounded on 26 June 1862. The next month, in July 1862, he is listed as being absent due to his wound(s). It is also the first time he shows up as a Corporal.
Taken from Service Records
I'm not sure how long his leave was supposed to last or if he was in a hospital somewhere during this time, but he shows up as being AWOL in September 1862. By October, however, the records show him as still being wounded instead of AWOL.

While I'm unsure what his wound was or how badly he was wounded, it seems to have been so bad that he was discharged 18 March 1863 because of his wound(s).
Taken from Service Records
The next Corporal for the Company to discuss is Wesley C. Siler. Wesley enlisted as a 21-year-old on 10 June 1861 and was immediately made a Corporal.

Wesley's service leaves only question after question though. In December 1861, he was listed as being absent with leave. There is no mention online on the reason for his leave.
Taken from Service Records
Then, he signs with Power of Attorney for the Hornets which seems to have been granted to him on 30 March 1863 at Camp Gregg.
Taken from Service Records
I'm curious the reason for him having Power of Attorney, and I'm curious what he was signing on behalf of the Company. Further research into this matter would be required to find out the reasons for it.

Then, just a few months after being granted Power of Attorney, Wesley was killed at Gettysburg. His record shows he was a 3rd Corporal at this point in the War and that he had served in 10 battles.
Taken from Service Records
Wesley wasn't the only man to be elected Corporal upon enlistment. James M. Routh also enlisted 10 June 1861 and entered as a Corporal.

Unfortunately, James didn't start his time as Corporal off very well. By 28 August 1861, he was sent off to Fredricksburg sick. Remember that future 4th Sergeant William Franklin Hays and future 5th Sergeant Thomas B. Hays were also sick and sent to Fredricksburg and future Captain Columbus F. Siler went to wait on them there.
Taken from Service Records
I don't know how long James was sick at Fredricksburg, or if he ever showed back up with the Company again after that as he disappears from the records until 23 February 1865. I'm really curious what happened to James during those three-and-a-half years because when he shows back up, he shows up as a deserter.
Taken from Service Records
I tried to find a record of his Union service, but all I could find out about him, I found in his Confederate records.
Taken from Service Records
One record says he was sent to Captain Potter. I can't discern from the record if Captain Potter was located in City Point, Virginia or if the Provost Marshall was, but wherever Captain Potter was located, James was sent there on 24 February 1865. Another says he was sent to Colonel T. Ingraham in Washington, D.C on 26 February 1865. Then James disappears from the records.

I'd like to look into what happened to James after he joined Colonel Ingraham, but more in depth research will be needed for that outside of what I can find online.

The final Corporal to cover for the unit was William C. Jones. The 22-year-old blacksmith enlisted the latest of all the other Corporals. He enlisted 6 March 1862. Remember, the company organized in June of 1861, but they actually didn't join the fighting until 10 March 1862.
Taken from Service Records
I don't know if it was at all related to William missing the nine months of camp that all of the other men in the unit endured, but William seemed to spend a lot of his time in the War in the hospital.

In the September-October 1862 muster rolls, he is listed as being "wounded." On 16 September 1862, we see him at the Chimborazo Hospital No. 3 in Richmond with rheumatism.

He seems to have stayed at Chimborazo No. 3 for about three months. In December 1862, he is transferred to the CSA General Hospital located in Farmville, Virginia.
Taken from Service Records
William seems to stay at the hospital in Farmville for seven months. While he doesn't seem to have any mention of why he had such a prolonged stay, he shows up as having been issued clothing at the hospital in the months of February, March, and June. Then, on 1 July 1863, he was sent to the fortifications at Richmond. He probably wasn't well enough for Gettysburg anyways.
Taken from Service Records
The next time William shows up in the records is January 1864, and he was listed as a Corporal.
Taken from Service Records
I'm not sure what happened to William from January/February to May, but on 5 May 1864, he shows up as being "wounded" again.
Taken from Service Records
By June, he shows up at the CSA General Hospital in Danville, Virginia, and I have found what his wound entailed.
Taken from Service Records
He was shot in the hand! Now, I don't want to read too much into this, but in my mind, this seems self-inflicted. (I may have just been watching too much "M*A*S*H" lately, but this reminds me of a real-life Corporal Klinger.)

William stayed in Danville for just about a week before being transferred to General Hospital No. 2 in Columbia, South Carolina where he is shown as being issued clothing.
Taken from Service Records
I don't know how long he stayed in South Carolina, but by September 1864, he is back at the hospital in Danville, Virginia. Just a couple of weeks later, William is listed as being furloughed.

I don't know how long William's furlough was supposed to last (most seemed to be, at most, 30 days), but the last record I find for him lists him as being AWOL since 30 October 1864. Maybe he really did run away from the War, or maybe he was simply hiding out at the hospitals like he had been doing for the two years before.

In any case, it doesn't seem as though William saw much, if any, actual action in the War. How in the world did he ever manage to actually get promoted?

Well, this concludes the officers portion of the Company. In the next four installments of this unit, I will break up and go over the Privates of the "Hornets." Look for those posts over the next several weeks!

Sources:
  • Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of North Carolina (accessed on Fold3)

Sunday, March 22, 2015

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: