Family Members in the War

[riverratmess]

Re: Family Members in the War

My great-great-great grandfather Pvt. Michael Farley from Pawcatuck, Connecticut served with Company G, 8th Connecticut.

His first action was briefly at South Mountain. A few days later he and the 8th advanced farther than any other Federal unit at Antietam only to be smashed by A.P. Hill. Then at Fredericksburg he and a handful of other members of the Eighth volunteered the help lay the center pontoon bridge across the Rappahannock under fire. He was also part of the last assault against Marye's Heights. Luckily darkness came and the brigade never reached musket range of the stonewall. He also was at the Siege of Suffolk and took part on the "Blackberry Raid. He was in action during the Bermuda Hundred Campaign, fighting at Port Walthall Junction and Drewy's Bluff. At Drewry's Bluff he was captured by members of Hagood's brigade, probably the 25th South Carolina. According to his service record when he was captured, $3 was taken from him. So if anyone here is related to the 25th South Carolina, they owe my family some money, lol.

After being paroled from Andersonville 3 months later, he spent the rest of the war in a Baltimore Hospital before being discharged. He survived until 1917.

[Longbranch 1]

Re: Family Members in the War

Ladies and gents,

With a few exceptions, most of the 80 plus posts here can be geographically designated ( North or South) as to ancestry.

Living here in Western North Carolina, I run into some interesting problems researching ancestors.
It was literally brother Vs brother.
I'm not sure if its the closed-mouthed Scots' heritage, or the (no snakes) Southern Baptist philosophy...

Maybe it is still a touchy subject.

Regards,
Kevin Ellis,
26th NCT

[guad42]

Re: Family Members in the War

If you have not already done so, or do not know if you had ancestors in the war, services like ancestry.com and others can be a lot of help.

Though I knew that my great, great, great grandfather served in the 19th Massachusetts, I knew very little about the details. Using their records I managed to find out more of the details, when he was wounded, and which battalion of the VRC he later served in.

I am lucky to have in my personal collection an original payment form recording the payment of $50.00 to my ancestor for the loss of his arm in the CW.

-Sam Dolan

[RudyN]

Re: Family Members in the War

I am not for sure of any ancestors who served in the Civil War, however, I have found my last name on both sides of the conflict. some were from Indiana and some from Virginia. On my wife's side the is one person who spent time in Libby Prison and I do have some leads that I will have to follow as to what unit(s) our ancestors belonged to both North and South. According to what my wife has heard there is a distant ancestor who was releated to Abraham Lincoln but she is not sure as to who it was.

[YoungCampaigner]

Re: Family Members in the War

I had one ancestor named Lucellus Hathaway who was too young to join the army in the beginning of the war. When he finally got old enough, he joined the local militia in 1863. In '64, they transferred him to Libby Prison so that he could act as a gaurd. He spent some time in the defenses of Richmond early on in 1865 and then his reserve corps was disbanded. He was sent to catch up with the unit of his choosing (the 40th Va. Infantry) as they were leaving on Lee's retreat. He met up with them somewhere along the way and I beleive that he fought in the battle of Saylers Creek. There, he fled into the woods and was informed that the war was over, so he went home.

There was a group of my ancestors and relatives who all were in the 21st Georgia. There last name was Hamby and they were all brothers. Augustus Hamby fought until the surrender at Appamattox. Major Hamby was a gaurd for the Signal Corps. The other two were named Manly and Pinkney.

I also had ancestors in the 45th and 51st Georgia. One of them had his toe amputated and was captured at Ft. Stedman. I have a bone ring that he carved during the war.

One of my ancestors in the 5th Va. Cavalry was named Cicero Lexington Blake. He was captured twice (once at Yellow Tavern and again at 5 Forks) and went AWOL in Gloucester County, VA in 1865.

[Cottoncarder]

Re: Family Members in the War

Great grandfather (yep only one great) 1st Lt. William Riley Payne, 39th NCI, Co G. Enlisted at the age of 26 in Murphy, North Carolina in October 1861. Cumerland Gap Campaign, Peryville, Murfeesboro, Jackson and were on their way to relieve Vicksburg under Johnston when Pemberton surrendered. Northern Georgia and Middle Tennessee Campaingns and was at Mobile Bay at the last.

Great, great grandfather Pvt. James L. Egger, 2nd Mississippi Cavalry. Enlisted at the age of 15 in Cherokee County, Mississippi. Also fought in the Western Theater and a bit harder to track due to the unit changing names so many times. Fought under Nathan Bedford Forrest took part in the Middle Tennessee Campaign and was at Brices Crossroads according to his pension papers.

[ryanbmm]

Re: Family Members in the War

don't know much about my G,G,Grandfather. all i do know is his name was John G Quick, served in the 111th illinois co.I out of salem,Ill from 1862 wounded in 1863 and was discharged in 1865 in washington DC.

[WestTN_reb]

Re: Family Members in the War

Great-Great-Grandfather:

Andrew Jackson Hicks
According to family records, he was with a Kentucky cavalry company which surrendered at Fort Donelson. He was paroled and re-enlisted in August of 1862. He served in Duckworth's Cavalry for the duration of the war.

[COLDSTEEL1865]

Re: Family Members in the War

Having researched my Family in regards to the civil war i have found that during this period in history most of my family were Quakers haowever i have three Veterans of the civil war that are cousins or uncles still working on that part.


5th Cpl J Hinshaw E co 69th Indiana Infantry medically discharged right after vicksburg, He had also been Captured in the Battle of Richmond Kentucky he was sick alot and seved as a Hospital orderly on detached service in Memphis Tennessee for a while.

the other two were also Hinshaws who were forcibly Conscrpited into the Confederate army In North Carolina they Served in the 52NCST and were Captured on the last day of Gettysburg. were released from Prison will Full Pardons from the President

thats all i know right now am still plugging away at it


COLDSTEEL1865:)

[McKim]

Re: Family Members in the War

Captain James McKim, 35th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Co G.

General James W. Forsyth, If you google the Wounded Knee Massacre...that would be him.

Corpl George W. Blackmore, 4th Regiment Indiana Cavalry Co L.

Amos Durbin- Pvt, 11th Indiana Infantry, Co G.

James Featherngill-Cpl, 7th Indiana Infantry, Co F; Died of Measles

Pvt William A. White, 4th Regiment Indiana Cavalry Co L.

Frank Dolezal (Dolzall) 13th Regiment Illinois Cavalry Co D.

The picture is of Great, Great Grandfather Blackmore.

[Mbond057]

Re: Family Members in the War

My Great-Great Grandfather was Captain Frank A. Bond, 1st Maryland Calvary, Company A, C.S.A. Frank Bond requested to be buried at the foot of Confederate Hill under a large Oak Tree, in Loudon Park Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland. He wanted to rest next to his beloved Maryland Confederate brothers. On his tombstone he wanted the words “A Brave Confederate Solider”. Frank also wanted on his tombstone the rank of Captain and the unit name of Company A, First Maryland Calvary, C.S.A. There is no mention on his tombstone of him being promoted to Major in the Confederate Army or Adjutant General of Maryland.

1. Frank Bond before the war in September 1860.
2. Captain Bond in uniform in March of 1863.
3. Captain Bond is buried at Confederate Hill under a large Oak Tree, in Loudon Park Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland.
4. The 1899 reunion photo of the 1st Maryland Calvary in Howard County, Maryland.
5. Maryland War Cabinet 1870

[Chuck Reynolds]

Re: Family Members in the War

Great Great Grandfather 1st Sgt. Daniel Flinn 17th Indiana Infantry (mounted), Great Grandfather Pvt. William H. Deen (Dean) 81st Indiana Infantry. A member of my reenacting unit has a relative who fought in the same brigade as 1st Flinn of the 17th in the war. Wilders Brigade known as Blue Lighting
Chuck

[EVOC]

Re: Family Members in the War

This is my Uncle Sam, my gg-uncle.

THE STORY OF CAPTAIN SAM WILLSON, COMPANY F, WOODVILLE RIFLES 1ST TEXAS REGIMENT, CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY By Joe Allport

Samuel Andrew Willson was born on January 9, 1835 in San Augustine, Texas. He was the sixth and last child of Dr. Stephen Pelham Willson and Mary (Polly) Davis. The family moved to northern Tyler County in the late 1840’s where Dr. Willson was one of the county’s five medical doctors. By 1850, young Sam was the only resident child of the Willsons.

At the age of 15, he began studying law in Woodville and was a protégé of Mijamen Priest, who later became a judge in Woodville and again in Rusk. The Texas Senate enacted a special legislation to allow Sam Willson to be admitted to the bar in 1852, at the age of seventeen. He was a junior member of the firm of Priest and Willson and he married Mr. Priest’s daughter, Susan, in 1853. In 1856, Sam became the District Attorney for the Fifteenth Judicial District. Like so many others, his future looked bright in the years leading up to the War of Southern Independence. And just like so many others, the War brought personal tragedy for the Willson family. In 1858, at the age of 23, he was re-elected to the position of District Attorney. In January of 1861, Phillip A. Work was chosen to be one of two Tyler County representatives at the Secession Convention. Several weeks later, he returned to Woodville to organize the Woodville Rifles and his friend and former law partner, Sam Willson, was selected to replace him during the Adjourned Session of March 2, 1861 to March 25, 1861.

Sam was the only native born Texan at this convention and probably the youngest. On May 28, 1861, Sam was elected 1st Lieutenant of the Woodville Rifles, serving under the first captain, P.A. Work. It was at this time that the Rifles were assimilated into the 1st Texas Regiment as Company F in Virginia. One year later, Phillip Work was promoted to Lt. Colonel, commander of the 1st Texas and Sam was elected as the new Captain. This unit served the remainder of the War with distinction as one of only three Texas regiments in the Army of Northern Virginia. They made up the core of the Texas Brigade. Captain Willson was on active duty in most major engagements of the ANV, including Sharpsburg where the 1st Texas sustained casualties of 82%, the most ever for a regiment in the entire War. Sam was badly wounded in one arm and returned to Texas for medical leave after he was released from the hospital. Therefore, he missed Fredricksburg and returned to duty in January 1863.

At the Battle of Gettysburg, Company F fought proudly and participated in the capture of two Federal cannons on July 2nd. Lt. Colonel Work gave permission to Captain Willson to select some men to move the cannons off the field of engagement. On the following day, July 3, 1863, the 1st Texas witnessed the artillery duel prior to Pickett’s Charge. During this time, they were assaulted by Yankee cavalry who made a sudden charge into their ranks and captured Sam along with Pvt. T.D. Rock.

Sometime between July 7th and July 12th, Captain Willson escaped from the POW camp, Ft. Delaware. He crossed enemy lines to return to his unit. His escape was planned from the time of his capture when he disguised himself as a private. Had the Federals learned that he was an officer, he would have been sent to Johnson’s Island, where he might have languished for the remainder of the War, or died in confinement. One of the prisoners at Ft. Delaware, (Judge) John W. Stevens, Co. K, 5th Texas Infantry, wrote a book in 1902 and said, “No one but my own company men knew him, and we always addressed him as Sam and never as captain. I fed him a stolen ration every night. I had known him from boyhood---a brave and gallant man”.

Dr. and Mrs. S.P. Willson did not survive the War and neither did one year old Frank Sexton Willson, born to Sam and Susan, while he was in military service. Two of his brothers-in-law died in the summer of 1862, one in Tyler County and two at the infamous POW killing field known as Camp Douglas in Illinois. One of his uncles, a neighbor, also died in 1862. Sam’s only brother, Hiram, served in the 27th Texas Cavalry and his first cousin, Frank Sexton, was one of two Texans to serve in the Confederate Congress for the duration of the War.

At the end of the War, the Captain returned to Woodville and he was elected District Judge again in 1866. Then came Reconstruction. In 1868, Sam had enough of the harassment, directed primarily at former officers and government officials. He refused to take the Loyalty Oath, believing it was unConstitutional, and moved to Rusk, Texas. He held brief occupations as a banker and owner of the newspaper though Reconstruction politics would continue to interfere with his life. The Radical Republicans eventually lost power and Richard Coke was elected governor in 1874. By that time, Sam had been elected district judge in Cherokee County. The new governor selected Sam to serve on the special committee that codified the law for the new (and current) Texas Constitution. In 1882, he was appointed to the State Court of Appeals by Governor O.M. Roberts and won the following election. His publication of Willson’s Criminal Forms was adapted to the Criminal Codes of Texas and was still in use as a textbook at the University of Texas Law School in 1955.

Sam Willson was active in the Baptist Church and refrained from using alcohol. He had undying devotion for his brothers-in-arms and he helped organize the Hood’s Texas Brigade Association on May 14, 1872 where he served on the original board of directors. These veterans held 62 reunions until the last in 1933. In early January 1892, Judge Willson developed pneumonia following a trip by horseback, in the snow, from his home in Rusk to the Cherokee County Courthouse where he was scheduled to hold court. He died on January 24th at the age of 57.

On January 11, 2002, members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, including the P.A. Work Camp (Woodville Rifles) participated in a military grave marker dedication for Captain Willson at the Cedar Hill Cemetery in Rusk, Texas. There were 17 riflemen, two 6 pounder cannons, a drummer and bagpiper.

Attached is a poem written for Sam by his father-in-law, Judge Mijamin Priest. It is interesting to note that Judge Priest was pro-Union during and after the War though he was a slave owner and three of his sons served in the Confederate Army. That includes the two afore-mentioned who died at Camp Douglas. Priest was a Republican and served in the Texas Senate during the Dark Years. Sam was a life long Democrat, but the two never let their political differences keep them from being close friends. Both men have portraits in the Tyler County Courthouse. There is another portrait of Judge Willson on the second floor of the Cherokee County Courthouse.


TO THE SURVIVORS OF HOOD’S BRIGADE

Brave men, the remnant of a host, Who fought through fire and blood,

Until the last, last hope was lost, Firm to the lost cause stood.

Though beaten, yet the future age, Will not forget your story,

You’ll dazzle the historic page, With deeds of martial glory.

As long as shines the Southern sun, Your deeds will be remembered,

Yes, till what has been thus begun, This government dismembered.

The government may pass away, As others have before it,

And others live to see the day, Look back, and still adore it.

But your brave deeds will never die, Will live while nations perish,

Both friends and foes alike will vie, Your gallantry to cherish.

[Fenianboy]

Re: Family Members in the War

My GG Grandfather was Pvt Patrick Lynch of the 9Th NJ Volunteer Infantry CO E.He arrived from Ireland in 1859 where he had been a tinsmith.Finding the anti=Irish bias an issue, this wasn't open to him but he was able to secure a postion on the Newark Fire Department.Reversing the practice of hiring a substitute,he enlisted late in the war and hired a substitute to preserve his Fire Department position.Thus when he died in 1921 with his exempt status he was the longest serving Newark fireman.He was active in the GAR as he felt it established his identity as an American. I have the musket he brought home.

[Dignann]

Re: Family Members in the War

Mark,

I like that last photo of Frank. Is that Governor Brown and his staff? The always youthful looking Henry K. Douglas standing in the back.

MY GG Grandfather was Pvt. Brinkley Byrum, who served in Co. A, 1st NCST.

Eric