On 19 January 1863, Samuel Lisenby, age 19, enlisted for 3 years as a Private in Company "E", 21st SC Regiment. The 21st Regiment was led by Captain Benjamin T. Davis, a Chesterfield native until his death on 28 May 1864 at which time his brother, Major Alfred W. Davis assumed command.
In the skirmishes leading up to the final battle, Private Samuel Lisenby was “killed in action” (KIA) on either the 8th or 10th of May 1864. The Swift Creek battle took place on 9 May 1864 and it’s most likely he died leading up to or during this skirmish.
Samuel Lisenby gave his life protecting his homeland just as our soldiers today are charged to protect their homeland.
Not much is known about Samuel prior to his enlistment into the Civil War. A 6 year old Samuel Lizenby can be found in the 1850 census with Antony Lizenby, age 85 and his wife Elizabeth, age 80. Several on-line trees have him listed as a son of Hezekiah Lizenby and Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Teal.
In the 1930’s the DAR lead a movement to get Military Tombstone placed on the grave sites of Military veterans buried in cemeteries throughout Chesterfield County. The request for his tombstone provided no data as to his age or parentage and the death date shown does not match military records.
This tombstone was placed in the Hopewell Baptist Church Cemetery.
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| Tombstone Photo Courtesy of Julious Burr |
Samuel died on the battlefield and his body was not sent home; but it was recovered and buried in Blandford Cemetery, Petersburg, Petersburg City, Virginia.
Plot: Ward: Civil War Soldiers, Section: SC, Square: Soldier, Location: Memorial Hill, # 161
This link will take you to his memorial:
http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=104917571
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Sources.
1. 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina, Page: 173B (stamped); Line 2, Dwelling 1151, Family 1151, Household of Anthony LIZENBY; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 5 May 2016); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
2. Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (http://www.fold3.com/ : accessed viewed), entry for 5 may 2016, Private; Company "E", 21st SC Reg't; Confederate.https://www.fold3.com/image/20/83249000
3. Randolph W. Kirkland Jr., Broken Fortunes: South Carolina Soldiers, Sailors and Citizens Who Died in the Service of Their Country and State in the War for Southern Independence, 1861-1865 (Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina, 1997), pg 210.
4. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 5 May 2016); Memorial page for Samuel Lisenby; (Unknown-Unknown); Find a Grave memorial # 31354505, Citing Hopewell Baptist Church Cemetery; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.
5. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database, "Record, Samuel Lisenby (Unknown-Unknown), Memorial # 104917571.
6. "U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963," on-line digital images, ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 5 May 2016), Samuel Lisenby; citing Applications for Headstones, compiled 01/01/1925 - 06/30/1970, documenting the period ca. 1776 - 1970 ARC: 596118. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774–1985, Record Group 92.: 1774–1985; Death Date: 6 May 1864; Cemetery: Hopewell.
It's nice that he has a headstone though---so many are in unmarked graves. Every story of loss is heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteYes it is; there are still many unmarked veteran graves in the county from all wars. It as if no one told the next of kin that a marker would be provided(free)from the Veteran Administration if they submitted the paperwork. .
ReplyDelete