Frederick F. Rivers, Civil War Soldier

Frederick F. Rivers was born about 1828 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina to Frederick F. Rivers and Siddie Boatwright.

In the 1850 Census[1] for Chesterfield county, SC he is listed in the household of his Father & Mother along with his brother Calvin and sister Sarah Rivers.

His Father died on 31 May 1860 and was buried in the Rivers Cemetery[2] in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

Frederick and his brother Calvin both served in the Civil War. Calvin, his brother, enlisted on 2 June 1862[3]. Frederick did not join right away, probably staying home to care for his Mother. On 19 February 1863, Frederick enlisted as a private in Company D, Aiken's Regiment, South Carolina Calvary, later known as the Sixth (6^th) Cavalry at Chesterfield, South Carolina[4]. The 6^th Calvary was known as the DIXIE RANGERS.

By March of 1863, the 6^th Calvary and Frederick was at Adams Run[5]. Adams Run is located about 20-25 miles West of Charleston, SC. It's a rural area and basically a crossroads. The road through the community was once known as Old Kings Highway.

They participated in The Wilderness and Cold Harbor operations[6].

The muster roll for July-Aug. 1863 showed Frederick was furlough sick for 30 days from 8 August 1863[7]. He returned back to duty on 1 September 1863 and was present throughout the rest of 1863. Most of 1864 was uneventful except for unserviceable horses until December 1864. By December 1864 his unit was near Stoney Creek , Tennessee. The Stony Creek Raid took place on 7-12 December 1864. Frederick never participated in the raid. He was captured on 1 December 1864 near Stoney Creek and was interred at Point Lookout, Maryland until his released on 17 June 1865. Many of his fellow soldiers were also incarcerated at Point Lookout and many died there including Andrew Rivers, son John B. & Eliza Rivers of and my great great grandfather Hezekiah Brock. Fredrick F. Rivers died shortly after returning from the war. There has been much publicity about the conditions of the Andersonville Prison in Georgia and the treatment of Yankee soldier. I can assure you that conditions at Point Lookout in Maryland for Southern prisoner of war were just as horrendous. Fredrick died 11 Jan 1866[8], 1 year 5 months 24 days after being released from Point Lookout, Maryland. There is no evidence that he ever married. His grave is marked with a Confederate tombstone[9] in the Rivers Cemetery.

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[1] 1850 U S Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, page 177B, Dwelling #1213, Family/1213, Household of Frederick Rivers Sr.; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed May 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851

[2] Jim Tipton, Find A Grave, digital image, http://www.findagrave.com; Headstone for Frederick Rivers; (3 November 1779–31 May 1860); Memorial # # 47259651; Record of the Rivers Cemetery; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA; Accessed on November 2008.

[3] http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|65078201

[4] http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|65078249

[5] http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|65078280

[6] http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/regiments.cfm

[7] http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|65078300

[8] Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Chesterfield County Estate Records, Folder #103 (29 January 1866), Frederick F. Rivers, Died 11 Jan 1866; South Carolina State Archives, Columbia, South Carolina | www.familysearch.com.

[9] Jim Tipton, Find A Grave, digital image, http://www.findagrave.com; Headstone for Pvt. Frederick F. Rivers; (1828–11 January 1866); Memorial # # 47259387; Record of the Rivers Cemetery; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA; Accessed on November 2008.