[See John McAllister’s account of his naval service HERE] BIOGRAPHY John William McAllister was born on June 16, 1838, in New Hanover County. He was the first of 10 children born to Hector and Elizabeth McAllister. The McAllister’s were successful farmers in the Colvin’s Creek Community, now part of Pender County. In 1859, John married… Continue reading Lieutenant John McAllister’s Pension Woes
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Inventories of Dead Soldiers’ Effects
When a soldier died in camp, the officer in charge of his company completed an inventory of the dead soldier’s effects. If the death occurred in a hospital, the Head Surgeon completed the inventory. The inventory included cash the soldier had in his possession, clothing issued to the soldier and pay owed to the soldier.… Continue reading Inventories of Dead Soldiers’ Effects
Visit to the Museum and Library of Confederate History
I visited the Museum and Library of Confederate History in Greenville, SC yesterday. The facility is in a house in Greenville’s historic district. Although small in size, the museum is packed with exhibits. It holds an impressive array of firearms. The location has a research library, and a gift shop where you can purchase, among… Continue reading Visit to the Museum and Library of Confederate History
Boy Soldier and Bold Vigilante: The H. H. Biggs Story
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
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