Sometime between 1854 and June 1860 Shadrach Johns, my 2nd Great Grandfather packed up his family in Chesterfield County, SC and moved to Russell County, Alabama.
In the 1850 Census for Chesterfield County, the family composition consisted of the parents and 4 children.
The 1860 Census for Russell County shows the family with one additional daughter that was born in 1854 in South Carolina. So we know that Shadrach and Mary Boan Johns left Chesterfield after the birth of their daughter Anna W. Johns in 1854.
In 1860, Shadrach was 60 years old and working as a day laborer. We know in the following year that our nation would enter into a Civil War. Shadrach is now 61. His son Thomas H. b. about 1847 and Joseph Henry, b. about Apr 1849 are too young to fight thus was spared from serving in the War.
Shadrach was not so lucky. On 12 August 1862 Shadrach John/Johns was conscripted into service as a Private with Company “K”, 24th Reg’t Alabama Infantry.
In Nov 1862, 4 months later, the Southern Army claims that Shadrach had been a deserter for eight months.
I cannot tell from the Alabama records when or if Shadrach was discharged from Company “K”, 24th Alabama or if he just left the state but by September 1864 he is in Washington County, Florida where he is again conscripted into Capt. Parson's Company (FLA), Home Guard. This turned out to be another misfortune for Shadrach Johns.
On September 27, 1864, this contingency of Home Guard would be dispatched to face Federal Troops in what became known as the Battle of Vernon in Washington County, Florida.
The ensuing battle at Hard Labor Creek resulted in disastrous results with causalities, wounded and many Confederates being taken prisoners by the Federal Army.
Dale Cox, a Florida Civil War Historian and Author, has done an excellent piece on this battle; one of which can be found here.
Dale’s original article is no longer available online; but, in that article, he made the following statements:
“[quote]…On our way to Marianna we met a company of Federals, near Hard Labor Creek, and Jones company was captured and taken to Ship Island Prison. I made my escape on horseback and outran them. I was pursued all the way back to Vernon and shot at many times but escaped without injury.
In either the initial melee or the running fight that followed, Captain Jones and ten of his men were captured. Four of these men, Andrew and James Gable of the 6th Florida Infantry and H.R. and B.A. Walker of the 1st Florida Reorganized Infantry, were Confederate regulars home on leave who volunteered to fight with the home guards. Also captured were Enoch Johns, Shadrick Johns, John Nelson, Cary Taylor, Freeman Irwin and Nathaniel Miller. Irwin had represented Washington County at Florida’s secession convention in 1861 and Taylor was a former Washington County sheriff.” [Dale Cox]
“The stories of the prisoners tare quite tragic. Carried away by the Union troops, they were shipped to prison camps first at New Orleans and then Ship Island, Mississippi, before finally reaching the disease-ridden compound at Elmira, New York. Cary Taylor and Enoch Johns died there of small pox on December 27, 1864, less than two months after the Battle of Vernon.
Shadrick Johns and Cary Taylor tried to secure their freedom by offering to swear oaths of allegiance to the United States government. They both said they had been “conscripted, ordered out by the Governor to resist a raiding party, and had been captured the same day.” Although they were seriously ill and over 50 years old, their request was denied and both men remained at Elmira until the end of the war.” [From The Battle of Vernon, Florida by Dale Cox] [unquote]
After his capture, Shadrach Johns was sent from Ship Island, Miss to New York on November 5, 1864 by Capt. M. R. Marston; Imprisoned at Elmira, NY; He was released from Elmira on 29 May 1865.
While at Elmira he attempted to gain his release by taking the “Oath of Allegiance.” In his statement, he said “was ordered out by the Governor to resist a Union raiding party. Is a Union man and is over 60 years of age, and was captured the same day that he was ordered out. Desires to go to Pensacola, Fla.”
“http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|127927670
Shadrach Johns was released on 29 May 1865; the War had been over since 9 April 1865 when General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Confederate troops to the Union's Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia.
I don’t know how Shadrach traveled from New York back to Florida but I do know he returned to his family in Washington County, Florida. Two Chesterfield, SC land deeds are on file whereby Shadrach, his wife Mary, and the entire family signed and sold 8 acres of land. In those deeds they state that “Know all men by these presents, that we, SHADRACH JOHNS and MARY JOHNS of the county of Washington and State of Florida,” verifying their home of record.
After the signing of these two deeds, tragedy struck the family and we next find Shadrach Johns in the 1880 Census for Marlboro County, South Carolina. Shadrach made it back to South Carolina with one of his sons and two grandchildren. What happened to the remainder of his family, Wife, son, two daughters, and son-in-law is unknown.
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[1] 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) No ED, page 109A, Line 11, Dwelling 161, Family/161, Household of Shadrach JOHN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed July 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
[2] 1860 U. S. Census, Russell County, Alabama, population schedule, Seals Station, Russell County, Alabama, enumeration district (ED) No ED, page 893, Line 7, dwelling 238, family 227, Household of Shadrick Johns; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed July 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M653_22.
[3] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (https://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 23 January 2013), entry for Shadrack JOHN, Private; Co. H, 24th Alabama Infantry; Confederate.
[4] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (https://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 23 January 2013), entry for Shadrick Johns, Private; Capt. Parson's Company; Confederate.
[5] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (https://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 20 August 2011), entry for Shadrack JOHNS, Private; Captain W. B. Jones Florida Home Guard; Confederate.
[6] Link no longer active - http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/wchs13.html
[7] Release from Prison - Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (https://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 23 January 2013), entry for Shadrick Johns, Private; Florida Home Guard; Confederate.
[8] Land Deed - S. Johns & Others to Alice Goodwin Deed; 3 December 1866; Deed Book #6; Page(s) 177; Register of Deeds; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, SC; 1999.
[9] Land Deed - Jas. Eddings & Others to W. T. Goodwin Deed; 3 December 1866; Deed Book #5; Page(s) 598 & 599; Register of Deeds; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, SC; 1999.
[10] 1880 U. S. Census, Marlboro County, South Carolina, population schedule, Marlboro County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) #108, page 460A, Line 22, Dwelling # 43, Family #43, Household of Shade JOHN; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed July 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm T9_1235.
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