Military Monday – Corp. Stephen David Purvis

Stephen David Purvis, born 20 March 1841, was a son of   John “Jack” Purvis and Sarah “Sallie” Huggins. He enlisted into the Confederate Army on, 26 December 1861 at Cheraw, South Carolina. At that time he was not married. His older brother William C. “Billie” Purvis also enlisted on the same day.

Stephen David was enlisted by J. C. Craig, as a Private into Company A, 4^th South Carolina Cavalry (Rutledge Regiment) for the war duration.

  

Stephen David Civil War Record on Fold 3[1] consists of 19 Images. His military career was uneventful and both he and his brother returned home after the War. Shortly, after returning home, Stephen David married Rosa Effie Freeman, daughter of Jesse Freeman and Sarah Jane Davis.

The 19 images in Stephen David military folder are repetitious so we will cover the unusual items mentioned in his record.

Image 1 – Index card listing the other card by numbers.

Image 2 – Private, Stephen David Purvis, Company A, 4^th SC Cavalry, date of muster roll i.e. NOV-Dec 1863, Enlisted 26 Dec 1861, Cheraw, SC, by J. C. Craig for war; last paid J. M. Brown, 1 Nov 1862, Present; Remarks: Appointed 4^th Corp. 1 Dec 1861 and rose to 3^rd Corp. 15 Dec 1863

Image 7 – 1 Corp. S. D. Purvis – everything else on all cared up to this point are the same except for the date of the Muster card. Sept – Oct 1863 – Remarks – present, sick in quarters

Image 10 - Corp. S. D. Purvis – everything else on all cared up to this point are the same except for the date of the Muster card. Feb 29 – Aug 31, 1864 – Remarks – absent, absent sick sent to Hospital on the 21^st inst.

Image 12 – 3 Corp. -  S. D. Purvis. 4^th Reg’t – Jackson Hospital, Richmond Virginia, Butler Brigade; Cause – Diarrhea – admitted 21 August 1864; Returned to Duty 7 Sept. 1864

Image 13 – Corp. -  S. D. Purvis. 4^th Reg’t – Jackson Hospital, Richmond Virginia, August 2 – Sept 7, 1864; diarrhea; Returned to Duty 7 Sept. 1864

Images 16-19 = Receipts rolls for clothing while in the hospital and for pay. 

A soldier made $13.00 a month as a Corporal in the Civil War.

After the war, Stephen David came home and married Rosa Effie Freeman. They had had 9 children between 1866 and 1884. Rosa Effie life was cut short and she died in 1884 at age of 36. While records are scarce; she most likely died with the birth of her daughter Rosa Effie who also died in 1884.   

Stephen David never re-married and lived until 13 March 1914; dying at the age of 72. He and Rosa Effie are buried in the Purvis Cemetery, in the Shiloh Community, Chesterfield County, South Carolina. 

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[1] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (http://www.fold3.com/: accessed 2 July 2012), entry for Stephen D. Purvis, Corp.; 4th SC Cavalry; Confederate.