Military Monday – POW Malachi J. Rivers

Malachi J. Rivers was born on 29 August 1842 to Frederick C. Rivers and Sarah Ann Hurst.  He was the seventh (7th) child among fifteen (15).

Malachi J. Rivers enlisted in the Civil War as a Corporal in Company B, 26th Regiment on 4 May 1862..He was enlisted by M. F. Jackson for 3 years.

Malachi enlistment was without incident until the Battle of Petersburg, Virginia, a series of battle that took place around Richmond and Petersburg from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865.

The Jan-Feb Muster Roll for Malachi shows that he was captured in front of Petersburg on 30 July 1864.
Image 13 in his file shows that he arrived at City Point on 5 August 1864, that he was captured at Petersburg on July 30, 1864 and that he would be transferred to the Prison at Elmira, NY on Aug 8, 1864 .

The next image (14) shows Malachi J. Rivers as a Prisoner at Elmira arriving on 12 August 1864 from Point Lookout, Maryland. It also states that he was transferred for exchange on March 14, 1865.

Our next image (15) show Malach PAROLED from Elmira on March 14, 1865.

He is next shown on the Muster Roll for Jackson Hospital in Richmond , Virginia on 24 March 1865.  While at Jackson Hospital, Malachi was diagnosed with SCORBUTIS* he was then furlough on March 24, 1865 for 60 Days.

Malachi J. Rivers was a lucky man. The war ended with the surrender at Appomattox on 9 April 1865.
Malachi returned home and married Sarah Boatwright Rivers in December 1865. They  had had eight children.

Malachi died 24 April 1904. Sarah Boatwright Rivers Rivers, his wife, applied for a widow's pensioner for his service in the war on 17 October 1919. Pension Application #2573.[2]

Sarah Boatwright Rivers Rivers died 26 June 1931, Chesterfield, South Carolina.

_____________________
* SCORBUTIC ULCERS: Ulcers caused by scurvy.
[1] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (https://www.fold3.com/image/20/84630758/ : accessed 7 October 2012), entry for Malachi J. RIVERS, Corporal; Co. B, 26st Reg't (Volunteers); Confederate.
[2] Archives and History, "Records of Confederate Veterans, 1909 - 1973," database, South Carolina, South Carolina Archives and History Database (http://www.archivesindex.sc.gov/onlinearchives/search.aspx : on-line viewed, download 2 October 2011), CSA Pension Application #2573; Sarah Boatwright Rivers Rivers, Widow of Malachi Rivers.

Military Monday – Isaac F. Hurst

Isaac F. Hurst was born in 1833 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina,. He was a son of William “Billy” Hurst and Nancy Rivers. He had an older brother Phillip born about 1830 in Chesterfield. His Mother, Nancy died in May 1860 from Flux. [1] [2]

Isaac F. Hurst was recruited by Capt. James C. Craig for service in the Civil War. On December 26, 1861, at Cheraw, SC, Isaac F. Hurst enlisted into Company “A”, 12^th Battalion SC Cavalry for 12 months.

He was shown as present on Company Muster Rolls for Jan. 25, 1862 and in July-August 1862.

His horse was valued at $150.00 and his equipment was valued at $25.00. Also in the same unit was Phillip Hurst, age 20. At first I thought this was his brother Phillip; but, it’s not, this is Phillip J. Hurst, son of Isaac Hurst and Henrietta Rivers. Isaac F. and Phillip J. Hurst are first Cousins.

The September-October 1862 Company Muster Rolls reported that Isaac F. Hurst died on 4 Oct 1862 at the age of 29. No reason was given for his death.[3]

An excellent book on the death of South Carolina Civil War personnel is Randolph W. Kirkland; Jr. book entitled “Broken Fortunes”.[4]  A review of Broken Fortune shows Isaac F. Hurst name recorded on page 173.  It further shows that Isaac F. Hurst died 10/04/1862 at Georgetown, South Carolina. Cause of death as DOD (died of disease). His sources for this information were ROH, PP.[5]

The following letter was also contained within the military files for Phillip Hurst. After the War, Phillip married and moved to Collin County, Texas.

http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|66894536

http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|66894538

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[1] 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, page 173B, Line 28, Dwelling 1155, Family 1155, Household of William Hurst; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 15 March 2011); citing  National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.

[2] 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, mortality schedule, Chesterfield Dt., South Carolina, ID#: MRT573_1277, Nancy Hurst; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 15 September 2012); citing National Archives Microfilm M653_1217.

[3] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (http://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 15 September 2012), entry for Isaac F. HURST, Private; into Company “A”, 12th Battalion SC Cavalry; Confederate.

[4] 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), page 173.

[5] ROH) National Archive microfilm list of South Carolina CSA dead, 1861-1865. This microfilm made from Professor Rivers’s “Roll of Honor” which had been deposited in the National Archives in 1947 after being discovered in the vaults of a bank in Charleston, SC. The original document was returned to the S.C. Department of Archives and History in 1994. (Broken Fortunes, page 398)

PP) Paths to the Past. Confederate death and burial lists compiled in a number of bound pamphlets by the Lauderdale County (Mississippi) Department of Archives and History. These are largely based on the Watkins compilations, with added material derived from local research. Copies in the collections of the South Carolina Historical Society. (Broken Fortunes, page 398)

Military Monday – Pleasant A. Brock

 
Pleasant A. Brock was born 10 March 1839[1], the second borne son of Alsey Brock and Lucy Morris.

Pleasant enlisted to serve in the Civil War for its duration on 22 March 1962. He had just celebrated his 23 birthday 12 days earlier. He enlisted as a Private in Company A, Rutledge Regiment Cavalry which would be known as the 4^th Regiment, SC Cavalry.[2]
 
His Civil War record contains 28 images on the Fold3.com website. Muster Rolls show him present for duty throughout the War.

http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|67677702

On 19 July 1863, he was detailed by order of Col. Rutledge to Q. M. (Quarter Master) Dept. No 140, 19 July 1863. Descriptive roll given/furnished.

Note:
Descriptive roll
This form contains information specific to members of a particular group of soldiers(often a company or detachment) including a record of their military service. Descriptive rolls include physical descriptions of the individual members. In this archive, a descriptive roll may occasionally contain the record of only one soldier.[3]
 

http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|67677921

Then on 31 December 1863, he was detailed for duty as Wagon Master by General Walker, S.O. 230, 31 Dec 1863; Descriptive Roll furnished. He continued to serve in this capacity until he was discharged. These records do not show when he was discharged nor do they show that he was ever granted a furlough. It looks to me as if he served from 22 March 1862 until the war ended and then returned home.

After the war, he returned home and married Martha Eugenia Horne on 10 Feb 1869 in Wadesboro, Anson County, North Carolina.[4] Martha was the daughter of William E. and Sarah Horne.

Unfortunately, his return home was short lived. In Feb 1873 he was diagnosed with typhoid fever and passed away on 28 February 1873.[5] He was buried in St. David's Episcopal Church Cemetery. His resting place can be viewed here. 

Pleasant & Martha Eugenia had no children. Two years after Pleasant death, Martha Eugenia married
Thomas Alexander Gandy on 20 July 1875.[6] They had 4 children.
 
 
 
 

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[1] P. A. Brock Family Bible Family Bible Holy Bible, (Oxford: University Press, 1865), BIRTH- 10 March 1839; P. A. Brock, Obtained from Ashton Gandy by L. Cleveland, 2004.
[2] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (http://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 2 September 2012), entry for Pleasant A. Brock, Pricate; Co A, 4th SC Cavalry; Confederate.
[3] http://vermont-archives.org/collect/pdf/PRA-364.pdf, page 16
[4] P. A. Brock Family Bible Family Bible Holy Bible, (Oxford: University Press, 1865), MARRIAGE - 10 February 1869; P. A. Brock & Martha Eugenia Horne, Obtained from Ashton Gandy by L. Cleveland, 2004.
[5] P. A. Brock Family Bible Family Bible Holy Bible, (Oxford: University Press, 1865), DEATH - 28 Feb 1873 of typhoid fever; P. A. Brock, Obtained from Ashton Gandy by L. Cleveland, 2004.
[6] P. A. Brock Family Bible Family Bible Holy Bible, (Oxford: University Press, 1865), MARRIAGE - 20 July 1865; Thomas Alexander Gandy & Martha Eugenia Horne Brock, Obtained from Ashton Gandy by L. Cleveland, 2004.

Military Monday – David Richard Teal

David Richard Teal's Civil War Record[1] can be found on Fold3.com , a paid subscription website. His entire record consists of 6 pages /image one of which page one is an Index page.

He enlisted on January 1, 1864, very late into the War.  He enlisted as a Private into Co. E, 21^st South Carolina Volunteers Infantry. This was Capt. Benjamin T. Davis outfit and many of his friend's neighbors and cousins were members of this unit.  He enlisted for 3 years and the January –February Muster Roil showed him due a $50.00 bounty.

The next image is a Muster Roll for April 30 - August 31, 1864 - This image showed that he was furlough 1 Sept. 1964 and again indicated he was due a $50.00 bounty.

Image 5 is a Muster Roll for Sept-Oct 1864 – shows David absent without and still due a bounty of $50.00.

Only two additional images remains and they are displayed below

Image 5 – Shows David Richard Teal as a Prisoner of War (POW) at Point Lookout, Maryland.

He was captured on March 4, 1865 in Chesterfield, SC.   This is very important. March the 4^th 1865 was the day that Gen. Sherman Union forces entered the town of Chesterfield destroying everything and burning the Courthouse to the ground.  This is the second record that I have examined where Chesterfield men were captured at home on 4 March and imprisoned as POW's. The first was my second great grandfather Hezekiah Brock.

 

David Richard Teal made it back home from Point Lookout and Married Nancy J. Davis, daughter of John Calvin Davis and Charlotte Hurst.  David and Nancy had 6 children; 5 daughters and a son. Nancy J. Davis Teal died in 1895[2] (date on Tombstone) and David Richard Teal remarried in 1897 to Lucinda Caulder; they had 4 children, 2 sons and 2 daughters.

Finally, Image 6 is the Oath of allegiance that David Richard teal signed upon his release from Point Lookout, Maryland on 21 June 1865.

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[1] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|83230560 : accessed 21 July 2012), entry for David R. Teal, Private; Co. E. 21st SC INF CSA; Confederate.

[2] James C. Pigg, Chesterfield County Cemetery Survey; Chesterfield County Genealogical Services, 1995, page 1181. Tombstone of Nancy J. TEAL; 1837–1895, Teal Cemetery, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

Related articles

• http://carolinafamilyroots.blogspot.com/2012/02/was-pt-lookout-maryland-comparable-to.html

Military Monday – The Causalities of War; Written in Blood

The Civil War (1861-1865) was the most devastating war in numbers of human causalities of any War this nation has fought. The Civil War resulted in the reported death of 618,222 men - 360,222 from the North and 258,000 from the South.

On the 3rd of April this year (3 April 2012) the New York Times published an article stating that the reported dead during the Civil War may be as much as 20% greater than was reported.[1]

New research in this area is challenging total numbers reported in 1889 by two Union Army veterans - William F. Fox and Thomas Leonard Livermore - in their "Regimental Losses in the American Civil War, 1861-1865".

Of the reported 618, 222 that died; 414, 152 died of disease; 250,152 in the North, 164,000 in the South.[2]

Total Deaths in the major American Wars [3]

War	Deaths
Revolutionary War	4,435
War of 1812	2, 260
Mexican	13, 283
Civil War	623,026
Spanish-American	2,446
World War I	116,516
World War II	406,742
Korea	54,246
Vietnam	57,939

Another interesting bit of information comes from the "Confederate Veteran" magazine of January 1895.[4]

An article in this magazine reports that the first NC Soldier killed during the war was a soldier named WYATT, a member of the famous Edgecombe Guard Commanded by Col Bridges. This was Private Henry Lawson WYATT, Company A, 1st North Carolina Volunteers and you can read about him here.[5] He was Killed in Action (KIA) on 10 June 1861 at the "Battle of Bethel"  at Bethel Church, Virginia.

The article goes on to report that the last NC Soldier killed during the War was Cumming MEBANE of Madison, North Carolina.  (Note: I could find no record for a Cumming Mebane; the closest was Cornelius Mebane from Alamance county though one muster roll states his home is Mebanesville, NC; This guy was wounded twice and a real hero; he lived through the war).  

While Private WYATT was the first North Carolinian to die; the first Confederate soldier to die was Captain John Q. Marr of the 17th Virginia. He died 9 days earlier than Private Wyatt at Fairfax Courthouse, Virginia in a skirmish with Union troops.  Capt. Marr was born in Virginia but he called North Carolina home. 

Studies perform after the War here in North Carolina shows that 40,000 North Carolinians lost their lives during the War.[6]

North Carolina is also concerned with the death toll accuracies reported during the Civil War and has in progress a project called "The North Carolina Civil War Death Study". The findings of this study will be presented during the state Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemorations.

Recommended Links:

http://www.nccivilwar150.com/default.htm

http://sc150civilwar.palmettohistory.org/

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[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/science/civil-war-toll-up-by-20-percent-in-new-estimate.html?pagewanted=all

[2] http://www.civilwarhome.com/casualties.htm

[3] http://www.nellaware.com/blog/civil-war-casualties.html

[4] S. A. Cunningham Editor, Confederate Veteran: Monthly magazine of Interest to Confederate veterans (Nashville, Tennessee: Volume 3, No. 1, January 1895), page 232.

[5] http://bethelheroes636.com/histbr.htm

[6] http://www.nccivilwar150.com/features/nc-civil-war_death-study.htm

Thursday’s Mystery – Which William B. Davis?

Today we have a mystery that I have worked on for some time without a conclusion. I need your help.

There are two William B. Davis, of age, to serve in the Civil War living in Chesterfield County, SC in 1861. William Blakeney Davis, b. 1823, d. aft 1880 and William Benjamin Davis, b. 1 February 1847. Tombstone for these two men show that they both served in the 21^st SC Volunteer Infantry.

Morven Cemetery,
Morven, Anson County, NC[1]

Peniel Cemetery
Chesterfield County, SC[2]

Only one record has been found for a William B. Davis in the 21^st  SCVI. On Fold3.com that record is listed as:

·         Civil War Service Records

·         Confederate Records

·         South Carolina

·         Twenty-first Infantry C-E

·         Davis, William B (17)

     Page: Page 1

This is a direct link to this record, if you have a Fold3 account: http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|85283370 [3]

The (17) after William B. Davis generally refer to the age of the soldier; in this case this William B. Davis is age 17. This would tend to indicate the record is for William Benjamin Davis since he is the younger and the closest to age 17 during the war. This record consists of 26 pages or 26 images. I could not find a single image in this record that showed the soldier's age.  

Image #20 of this record on the bottom reads:

The inclosed Q should be &c with data rel to William Blakely Davis &c

In the book, "Memoirs of the War of Secession, from the Original Manuscripts of Johnson Hagood, Brigadier, C.S.A" on page 403 a Wm. B. Davis, Jr. is listed as a member of the 21^st SCVI.[4] This listing as such with “Jr.” suggests that this is the younger William Benjamin Davis. Neither one of these two men had Fathers or Sons that were Senior or Junior.  

So, I’m in a quandary. Is this the record for the younger William Benjamin Davis or is this the record for the older William Blakeney Davis? 

_______________

[1] Jim Tipton, Find A Grave, digital image, http://www.findagrave.com; Headstone for William Benjamin Davis; (1 February 1847–9 July 1929); Memorial # 30452309; Record of the Morven Cemetery; Morven, Anson County, North Carolina, USA; Accessed on 11 July 2012.
[2] Jim Tipton, Find A Grave, digital image, http://www.findagrave.com; Headstone for William Blakeney Davis; (abt 1823 - aft 1880); Memorial # 44967042; Record of the  Peniel - Pine View Baptist Church Cemetery; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA; Accessed on 10 July 2010.
[3] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (http://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 10 July 2012), entry for William B.DAVIS, Private; 21st South Carolina Infantry, Volunteers; Confederate.

[4] Johnson Hagood, Memoirs of the War of Succession (Camden, SC 29020: Jim Fox Books, 1997 (Reprint)), page 403.

[5] Tombstone photos courtesy of  Julious Burr. My thanks to Julious for the use of his photos.

Wednesday’s Mystery – Jesse Freeman, b. 1838

Today, I have a real mystery and I would like the help of you, my readers, to solve this mystery.  Jesse Freeman is said to have died in the Civil War but I have not been able to prove that this is true.

Background

In the late 1920's, about 1927 or 1928 Minnie Sanders Rivers of Chesterfield compiled a handwritten family history of the Rivers Family. Family 16 of her history dealt with the Family of Jesse Freeman & Sarah Jane Davis Freeman.  This is an exact transcription of that family history.

<16>   Sarah Jane Davis (1Wm., 5Nancy); b. 1824-5;d. ____;m. abt. 1830, Jesse Freeman, b. in S.C. 1804. Both living in 1870. Known Issue:

64.  Lewis; b. 1832

65.  Jane; b. 1834

66.  Wm.; b. 1835; d.____;m. 1862-63, Sarah Ann, daug. of Michael and Hulda Rivers Davis (17); b. 1838-39; d.____.

67.  Jesse; b. 1838; d. abt, 1863; in service in C.S.A. War; m. 1860, Ann _______; b. S.C. 1845; d._____.                                          Issue:

1.    Jesse A. Freeman, b. 1862. No further record.

68.  Christain; b. 1839-40

69.  John F.; b. 1842

70.  Effa; b. 1847

71.  Sarah A.; b. 1848

72.  Ann Elizabeth; b. March 1850.

To date, I have not been able to identify Ann, the wife of Jesse Freeman.

Jesse Freeman is enumerated with his parents in the 1850 and 1860 Census for Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

1850 CENSUS: Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina;  Roll  M432_851; Image: 273, Page: 134B/135A; Line 33, Dwelling 560, Family 560;  Jesse FREEMAN, age 46, farmer, born in SC; Jane FREEMAN, age 45, born in SC; Lewis FREEMAN, age 18, born in SC; Jane FREEMAN, age 16, born in SC;  William FREEMAN, age 14, born in SC; Jesse FREEMAN, age 12, born in SC;  Christian FREEMAN, age 11, female, born in SC; John FREEMAN, age  8, born in SC; Effa FREEMAN, age 2, female, born in SC; Sarah A. FREEMAN, age 2, female, born in SC; Ann E. FREEMAN, age 2/12, born in SC.

1860 CENSUS: Chesterfield County, South Carolina; Roll: M653_1217;  Image 350; Family History Library Film: 805217, Page 173B; Line 27, Dwelling 1123, Family 1122; Jesse FREEMAN, age 54, farmer, born in SC; Jane FREEMAN, age 50, born in SC; Jesse FREEMAN, age 20, born in SC; John FREEMAN, age 18, born in SC; Effie FREEMAN, age 13, female, born in SC; Sarah FREEMAN, age 11, female, born in SC; Jane Brock, age 04, born in SC.

  

The National Park Service (NPS) Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database (CWSS) have the following entry for Jesse Freeman.

Freeman, Jesse[1]

Regiment Name: 21st Regiment, South Carolina Infantry

Side: Confederate

Company: E

Soldier's Rank In: Corporal

Soldier's Rank Out: Corporal

Alternate name: J./Freeman

Film Number: M381 roll 11

Notes: See also J./Freeman

Plaque Number:

Note: The note above says to see J. Freeman this will be important later.  

Brigadier General Johnson Hagood, C.S.A. in his memoirs "Memories of the War of Succession," pages 402 and 403 does not list Jesse Freeman as a member of Company E, 21^st SC Infantry. Listed as members of the unit are the three (3) brothers of Jesse – Lewis, William and John Freeman.[2]

The Fold3 database[3] has thirteen (13) Freeman listed as members but no Jesse Freeman. Remember the note above for the NPS CWSS database that said see J. Freeman. The records of one of these men are for a J. Freeman from Chesterfield, SC but at the end of his record is a single document labeled Jerry Freeman.

There is no Jerry Freeman from Chesterfield, SC; but the remainder of this record is for a J. Freeman, age 19 from Chesterfield, SC. I believe the Jerry Freeman Civil War file is in fact the Civil War file of Jesse Freeman. The entire record consists of 17 pages, 16 pages label J. Freeman and one page label Jerry Freeman.

These records show that J. Freeman was captured in 1864. There is no mention of his death or his release from captivity. 

http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|83102060

 Jesse Freeman is not listed in "Broken Fortunes" a book listing all known South Carolina soldiers, sailors and citizens who died in service to their country during the War for Southern Independence, 1861-1865.[4]

In summary, Jesse Freeman enlisted into Company E, 21^st SCVI; Commanded by his 1^st Cousins, Capt. Benj. T. Davis, and Capt. Alfred W. Davis and was captured on 16 June 1864 at Petersburg, Virginia.

Did he die during captivity?

If he didn't die, where is his release from captivity?

Since there is no evidence of his return to South Carolina to me it's obvious that he died in captivity; but, why are the military records so silent about his death?

I would love to hear from you, the readers of my blog. Any suggestions, information, help greatly appreciated.

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[1] National Park Service, "Soldiers" database, Civil War Soldiers & Sailor System (http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers.htm : accessed 12 June 2012), entry for Freeman, Jesse, Corporal; 21st Regiment, South Carolina Infantry; Confederate.

[2] Johnson Hagood, Memoirs of the War of Succession (Camden, SC 29020: Jim Fox Books, 1997 (Reprint)), page 402-403.

[3] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (http://www.fold3.com : accessed 12 June 2012), entry for Jesse Freeman, Corporal; Company E, 21th SC Infantry; Confederate.

[4] 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: Univ of South Carolina, 1997), Jesse Freeman is Not Listed as a deceased soldier.