On February 28, 1862, Hugh Biggs enlisted as a private in Company E, 51st Regiment NCT. At enlistment, Biggs, a Robeson County resident, claimed he was 21 years of age and farmed for a living. The new private’s military career got off to a bad start when he was hospitalized for measles in May. Once… Continue reading Boy Soldier and Bold Vigilante: The H. H. Biggs Story
Author: Kirk
The Sad Tale of Private William Baxley
Another Unexpected Find One of the things I like about research is unexpectedly finding an interesting tale. That’s the case with the Private William Henry R. Baxley story in this post. I was poking around on the internet, trying to locate more of the Fifty-First’s burial places. I came across Baxley’s Find-A-Grave memorial; he’s buried… Continue reading The Sad Tale of Private William Baxley
Dead or Alive: What Really Happened to Private Prevatt
NOTE: Below is a cautionary tale about relying too heavily on service records, or on any one source, for that matter. The Elias Prevatt Mystery The past few months, I’ve been reviewing the 51st North Carolina’s Consolidated Service Records (CSR) on fold3. When I reached Elias Prevatt’s record, I hit a bump. As a prisoner… Continue reading Dead or Alive: What Really Happened to Private Prevatt
Company B Requisition to Replace Items Lost During the Battle at Goldsboro
The 51st North Carolina got its first taste of battle at Goldsboro on December 17, 1862. During the excitement and confusion of the battle, a few of Company B’s men lost some of their gear. When the company returned to Wilmington on January 2nd, Captain Hobson submitted a requisition to replace the lost items and… Continue reading Company B Requisition to Replace Items Lost During the Battle at Goldsboro
Voucher for a Soldier’s Family
On February 10, 1863, the North Carolina General Assembly passed “An Act for the Relief of the Wives and Families of Soldiers in the Army.” The law allocated $1,000,000 of state funds for aiding soldiers’ needy families. The act was extended at the end of 1864 with an additional $3,000,000 set aside for the aid,… Continue reading Voucher for a Soldier’s Family
The Thrill of Discovery: Why I Love Research
Intro Because of a letter written by a soldier’s sister, I was able to collect six new nuggets of information. I discovered these new facts almost by accident. This is what makes research fun! John G. Hall Letters I’ve been busy organizing the many letters I have collected. Last week, I was going through the… Continue reading The Thrill of Discovery: Why I Love Research
Rebuilding a Life After the War: Colonel Cantwell’s Job Search
Colonel John L. Cantwell was the 51st North Carolina’s first commander. He only led the regiment for six months before resigning for personal reasons. A year later, he reentered service as captain of Company F, 3rd Regiment North Carolina Troops. In May 1864, Cantwell was captured at Spotsylvania and imprisoned at Ft. Delaware, where he… Continue reading Rebuilding a Life After the War: Colonel Cantwell’s Job Search
Attending the “Battle at Bost Grist Mill” Reenactment
This past weekend (September 20-21), Bost Grist Mill, near Concord, NC, hosted reenactors and living history participants. The high point for me was meeting some of the members of Company B, 51st Regiment North Carolina Troops. I think this is an annual event that doesn’t commemorate any specific battle. The proceeds help support the mill,… Continue reading Attending the “Battle at Bost Grist Mill” Reenactment
Duel Down Main Street: The Battle of Smithfield (part 2)
My previous post recounts the events that led up to the Battle of Smithfield. The situation at dawn on February 1, 1864: Captain Lee and his men were trapped in Smithfield. They were positioned at the end of main street near Pagan Creek, hoping a gunboat would arrive soon to support them. Their hopes were… Continue reading Duel Down Main Street: The Battle of Smithfield (part 2)
Duel Down Main Street: The Battle of Smithfield (part 1)
Smithfield, Virginia is in the southeastern part of the state across the James River from Newport News. The town is famous for its smoked hams, processed there since the late 1700’s. Smithfield was also the site of a small but sharp engagement fought on the town’s Main Street during the Civil War. The Battle of… Continue reading Duel Down Main Street: The Battle of Smithfield (part 1)