They Were Privates

They were privates is a page about privates, they may have been taken prisoner, killed, wounded or did a heroic deed. I tried to list as many first names to better help you find your ancestor but in some cases it just wasn’t possible.

Important note. I have thousands of names at this site, when asking about a name from this page or any other pages at this site, please give the ( Title of the page ), for without it I may not be able to help you. My address can be found in my profile.
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Robert Craig, a private of the Fifth Missouri Cavalry, having been taken a prisoner and paroled has been again taken prisoner by the forces under my command without any evidence of his having been exchanged. Will you please inform me if you have any record of his having been exchanged?
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
TM. H. HOLMES.
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OFFICE C. S. MILITARY PRISONS, Richmond, Va., December 12, 1864.

GENTLEMAN: This is to inform you that you are held in close confinement in retaliation for the treatments received by Privates:

George P. Simms.
W. S. Burgess.
John Marr.
Thomas M. Campbell.

These men are now held in close confinement and irons by the order of your Government at Johnson's Island.
Your obedient servant,
T. P. TURNER.
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SANTA FE, N. MEX., March 12, 1862.
Colonel PAUL, Commanding Fort Union, N. Mex.

SIR: As commander of the troops of the Confederate States of America now occupying Santa Fe, N. Mex., I have the honor to inform you that I have taken as prisoners of war Privates James Kessler and George Flagg, U. S. Army.

In conformity to the general custom of the Government of the Confederate States these prisoners for the same number taken by the U. S. troops, and if it be in conformity with the rules of civilized warfare as contended by the United States Government I propose to exchange the prisoners taken and released on parole as above specified in the following manner, to wit: Privates James Kessler and George Flagg for Privates Andrew Long, William Perryman and William Cappers, privates of the C. S. Army, released on parole by you. I hereby return the transportation furnished our prisoners. You will please notify me by earliest opportunity when this arrangement can be effected.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN G. PHILLIPS.

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Charles Smith, a private of the Thirty-fourth Mississippi Regiment, a brother-in-law of Lieutenant Johns' clerk, notoriously a deserter, has been repeatedly in the conscript office without molestation. This fact can be proven by Hugh Winborne, C. Mason, and Hoppy Thompson, and other citizens of Holly Springs.
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W. A. Alcorn, a private of the rebel cavalry, surrendered himself as a prisoner of war, and gave information where his brother, R. J. Aleorn, also a private in the rebel service, could be captured, which capture was effected by Lieutenant Spring, commanding the cavalry detachment. Lieutenant Spring has been directed to turn over the prisoners, with one horse, saddle and bridle, and two revolvers, to the provost marshal at Helena.
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On March 14, in a skirmish around Raleigh and Silver Run, Morris S. Bailey, of Company D, was severely wounded in the leg.
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In Nov. of 1864, Allen Robertson, Company F, Thirty-third Missouri Volunteers, was in on a shooting of a prisoner by the name of Ben A. Berry.
Note. I believe he was of the 35th., and not of the 33rd.
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HDQRS. SIGNAL DETACHMENT, TENTH ARMY CORPS,
In the Field, Va., August 1, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations for the month ending July 31, 1864:

I would respectfully recommend for promotion to sergeant in the corps First Class Private A. J. Fowler, Signal Corps, U. S. Army, and to privates of the first class C. P. Hubbard and J. M. Lewin, both privates of the second class, for gallant and meritorious conduct under fire and general efficiency during this campaign.
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On May 2, 1863, at Snyder’s Hill, D. Houston, Company C, of Twenty-first Louisiana Infantry (heavy batteries), severely and dangerously wounded in the side.
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On May 24, 1862, near Savage Station, Private Win. H. H. Brown, of Company C, was killed by a 3-inch shell, which struck him in the head. Another private of the same company was wounded in the finger, and Private Henry Rohr, of Company D, was struck in the leg by a piece of shell.

Note. another report has Brown killed at Seven Pines, Va.. May 24, 1862.
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In a skirmish in July of 1862, Joseph Phillips, of the Old Dominion Dragoons, was among the first in the charge.
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I will also state that Samuel Icher, a private of the Thirty-seventh Illinois Volunteers, who has been on duty at my headquarters as an orderly, was captured and paroled at Harper's Ferry, but his name was not included in the lists furnished by either of the regiments (his own not being there). I would esteem it an especial favor if you will include his name among those to be exchanged.

JULIUS WHITE, Brigadier-General, U. S. Volunteers.

Name ICHER, SAMUEL, Rank Private, Company A., Unit 37 ILL., US INF, Residence PRE-EMPTION, MERCER CO, ILL., Age 26, Height 5' 8 ½, Hair LIGHT, Eyes BROWN, Complexion LIGHT, Marital Status SINGLE, Occupation BOOK MAKER, Nativity PA., Joined When AUG 14, 1861, Joined Where ROCK ISLAND, ILL., Period 3 YRS, Muster In SEP 18, 186,1 Muster In Where CHICAGO, ILL., Remarks DISCHARGED FEB 10, 1863 ON SURG CERT OF DISABILITY.
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HEADQUARTERS CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE BATTERY,
In the Field, near Decatur, Ga., July 26, 1864.

SIR: In obedience to orders received from headquarters Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, I have the honor to report the following as the part taken by two sections of the Chicago Board of Trade Battery under my command on the afternoon of the 22nd instant:

I cannot forbear to speak of Private Thomas A. McClelland, who lost his left arm and manifested an enthusiasm and bravery that was truly surprising in a young lad of nineteen. When spoken to in regard to the loss of his arm he replied that his only regrets were that our forces were obliged to fall back.

TRUMBULL D. GRIFFIN,
Lieutenant, Commanding Detachment.
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January 26, 1865.

Harvey M. McConkey, Thomas Clark, and Lewis W. Mann, of Company D, First Cavalry California Volunteers. In this affair 7 Indians were killed. The party not being strong enough to continue the fight returned to Fort Craig on the 30th instant.
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This day the brigade lost one man, a forager, in a skirmish at Fayetteville, Francis P. Imhoff, private, Company B, One hundred and twenty-seventh Illinois, killed in a skirmish. March 12, 1865.

Name IMHOFF, FRANCIS P, Rank Private, Company B., Unit 127 ILL., US INF, Residence COOK CO, ILL., Age 19, Height 5' 7, Hair DARK, Eyes GRAY, Complexion DARK, Marital Status SINGLE, Joined When AUG 15, 1862, Joined Where CHICAGO, ILL., Period 3 YRS, Muster In SEP 5, 1862, Muster In Where CHICAGO, ILL., Remarks KILLED IN SKIRMISH WHILE ON FORAGE DUTY MAR 11, 1865 AT FAYETTEVILLE N. C.
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May 13, 1862.

Frank Dolan, of the Forty-eighth Mississippi, who repeatedly brought in ammunition under this dreadful fire. As an instance of the terrible nature of the fire, trees 22 inches in diameter were hewn to splinters and felled by the musketry.
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The campaign of the Army of the Potomac, from the Rapidan to Petersburg.

O'Donnell, Ninety-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, was pinned to the parapet, but was rescued by his comrades.

Note. This could have been Dominick Co. F., John Co. F, or James Co. K.
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1864.

The men being weary, I allowed them to rest until 4 o'clock this morning, when I commenced operations, and at sundown this evening M. A. Moore, a private of my company, acting engineer, reports the battery nearly completed; it is about 100 feet long, including the curtins on each end, and 30 feet deep. W. E. Fripp, another private of the scouts, has already constructed four Quaker guns with carriages, ready for mounting. They will be painted, &c.
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List of enlisted men who distinguished themselves at the battle of the Chickamauga, September 19 and 20, 1863.

Eighteenth Tennessee.-Private John L. Dismukes, Company B and Private H. C. Murphy, Company E. On Sunday morning, September 20, when the brigade was order forward and forced to fall back by a most galling fire from the enemy's artillery, Private John L. Dismukes continued to advance some 100 yards to a house within 50 yards of the enemy's guns, and fired at the gunners until the next brigade came up. The house in the meantime was pierced by a number of shells, and the roof torn off, and E. D. Moore, a private of the same company, who accompanied them, fell mortally wounded, pierced by four balls.

Twenty-sixth Tennessee, Private J. E. F. Rice, Company C; Private George W. Jones, Company D.

Forty-fifth Tennessee, Private George Lenoir, Company G; Private J. P. Hale, Company D.

Thirty-second Tennessee.-Private J. W. Ellis, Company A.

Twentieth Tennessee, Private Balie P. Harrison, Company F.

Fifteenth and Thirty-seventh Tennessee, Private Eli Flemming, Company B; Private W. B. Lee, Company C; Private J. S. Lee, Company C; Private J. Coon, Company C; Private John McConkey, Company G; Private Elbert M. Snipes, Company K.

Eighteenth Alabama Regiment, Private J. Jones, Company F; Private Tomas F. Hughston, Company K.

Thirty-eighth Alabama, Privates J. P. Seabrook, Company I, and Calloway Johnson, Company E.
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The enemy's land batteries directed their fire chiefly at the southwest angle, which suffered seriously. The flag-staff was shot away twice, and Private R. J. Swain, of Company F, Twelfth Georgia Battalion, helped to replace it back up.
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Here we were informed that Lee's army had escaped over the Potomac, and we were ordered home ; marched to Frederick, Md. The march was very ratiguing, and Christian Hemming, a private of the Twenty-eight, died form exhaustion . July 15, 1863.
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BATTLE OF CHANCELLORSVILLE.

Alabama.

Third Regiment of Infantry, Private C. D. Rouse, Co. H.

Fifth Regiment of Infantry, Private W. P. Stokes, Co. A., Private John Summers, Co. B., Private F. M. Burnett, Co. C., Private N. S. Franklin, Co. G., Private R. L. Franklin, Co. H., Private H. J. Robertson, Co. I.

Sixth Regiment of Infantry, Private Mathew Benton, Co. A., Private W. H. Digby, Co. C.
Private H. H. Moore, Co. D., Private H. L. Jones, Co. G., Private James W. Evans, Co. I.,
Private H. I. Price, Co. K., Private D. W. Moorer, Co. M.

Twelfth Regiment of Infantry, Private Louis Dondero, Co. A., Private R. W. May, Co. B., Private J. E. Bailey, Co. D., Private C. H. Hunter, Co. E., Private P. W. Chappell, Co. F., Private R. B. Mitchell, Co. G., Private W. S. Brown, Co. H.

Twenty-sixth Regiment of Infantry, Private L. Walters, Co. A., Private Jos. H. Bounds, Co. B., Private J. C. Pennington, Co. D., Private Jos. Munsel, Co. E., Private James H. Dowdle, Co. F., Private D. H. Spraddle, Co. H. Private B. F. Smith, Co. K.

Georgia.

Fourth Regiment of Infantry, Private* W. Sparks, Co. A.

Fourteenth Regiment of Infantry, Private* Daniel Kennington, Co. B., Private* James F. D. Thaxton, Co. I., Private James M. Brock, Co. K.

Twelfth Regiment of Infantry, Private J. L. Batts, Co. A., Private Abel James, Co. B., Private S. M. Beavers, Co. C., Private W. W. Forrister, Co. D., Private R. J. Orr, Co. E., Private James N. Bullard, Co. G. Private Archibald McDonald, Co. H.

Thirty-fifth Regiment of Infantry, Private A. S. W. Bass, Co. B., Private Rolla Willingham, Co. D., Private D. P. White, Co. E., Private R. D. B. Holt, Co. F., Private W. E. Moore, Co. G., Private Absalom Martin, Co. H., Private Lewis [J.] Millican, Co. I., Private D. M. Pearce, Co. K.

Forty-fourth Regiment of Infantry, Private* James Fambrough, Co. C., Private* James A. McNatt, Co. F.

Forty-fifth Regiment of Infantry, Private* John D. Pate, Co. A., Private John H. King, Co. C., Private James M. Lawrence, Co. E., Private James P. Green, Co. F., Private John S. Bonner, Co. G., Private H. W. Dent, Co. H., Private W. W. Wilson, Co. I., Private M. H. Fitzpatrick, Co. K.

Forty-ninth Regiment of Infantry, Private Lewis White, Co. B., Private Joseph Bell, Co. H., Private F. B. Poole, Co. I., Private* James Taylor, Co. K.

*Killed in action.
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The march from the Missouri River to the Canadian, a distance of 450 miles.
Report of Colonel W. C. Quantrill, Confederate service.

October 6, 1863, private Thomas Hill, killed.
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Battery H, Fifth U. S. Artillery.

Killed, December 1862 or January 1863.

Privates Thomas Burns, James F. Mohr, Michael McGrath, and Benjamin F. Burgess.
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Eighth Massachusetts Battery, of the battle of Antietam.

This position I held until my ammunition was exhausted. I then limbered to the rear and left the field for more ammunition, carrying with me one private, William H. Callinton, wounded in the knee.

John N. Coffin, commanding
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Major Hiram B. Crosby, Twenty-first Connecticut Infantry.

The casualties are as follows: Company K, killed, Private Alfred J. Freeman; Company A, wounded, Private Hiram C. Loomis; Company K, Private Lyndes C. Bushnell.
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Adams Run, S. C., June 11, 1862.

On the night of the 7th instant, on a reconnaissance, Captain Jenkins, of the Rebel Troop, shot and captured Private Patrick hayes, of the First Massachusetts Cavalry. He refused to halt. When captured Jenkins shot him through. Attempting still to escape, his horse was immediately shot and the prisoner secured and brought to camp. He Jenkins that Brigadier General Robert Williams, formerly of the U. S. Dragoons, commanded on James Island.