Friday, July 17, 2015

James A. Murrah, Georgia.

I was unable to find any personal information on him, other then his wife may have been; Emily C. McCaula ?

Georgia 55th., Infantry, Co. H.

C. S. A.

Murrah, James A.—Private May 1862. Transferred to (New) Co. A, 60th Regt. Ga. Inf. May 10, 1862. Left at Gettysburg, Pa. as nurse for wounded July 3, 1863. Captured there July 5, 1863. Paroled at DeCamp General Hospital, David’s Island, N. Y. Harbor, Aug. 24, 1863. Exchanged at City Point,Va. Aug. 28, 1863. Left at Frederick City, Md., as nurse for wounded, July 9, 1864. Captured at Monocacy, Md. July 10, 1864. Imprisoned at Fort McHenry, Md., and Point Lookout, Md., where he was paroled Mch. 15, 1865. Transferred to Aiken's Landing, Va. same day. Received at Boulware & Cox's Wharves, James River, Va., Mch. 18, 1865. (Born in Fairfield District, S. C.)

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Michael Alexander Bellotte.

Michael A. Bellotte. 

Birth: Jan. 1, 1830.
Death: Jul. 24, 1861.

Wife: Mary E. Bellotte (1832 - 1911).

Children: Mary Tallulah Bellotte (1858 - 1863), Willie Lewis Bellotte (1860 - 1863).

Burial: Mount Zion Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Sandy Springs, Anderson County, South Carolina.

Civil War Veteran.

Fourth South Carolina Infantry, Co. K.

Third Lieutenants. Bellotte, Michael Alexander, joined for duty and enrolled at Pendleton, June 2, 1861 ; mustered into Confederate service, at Columbia, June 7, 1861 ; reported on muster roll of August 3l, 1861, as at general hospital by order of the Surgeon, and as said to have died July 24, 1861.*

*The unofficial compilation says he died at Culpeper, Va., July 22, 1861, from a wound received from the accidental discharge of a shell at Stone Bridge, Va.

Author.  Its also reported he died at the Battle of First Menassas

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Richard B. Davis, Virginia

 Virginia 12th., Infantry, Co. E.
Petersburg Riflemen

The following  statement was made by Mr. Davis a few miles outside of Chancellorsville.

Mr. Richard B.  Davis, of Petersburg, Va., a member of the Petersburg Riflemen, tells the following incident, of which I remember hearing at the time of the battle from the men who were on the north side of the turnpike where it occurred:

"As we were passing up the road in the direction of Chancellorsville and had near- ly reached that point at which Capt. Hill Carter's horse was afterwards killed, we came to a small hut on the north side of the road having a broad rock chimney extending nearly across the end of the house next to us. Behind this chimney there stood an old colored woman, who, appearing to know that there was a large force of the enemy ashort distance up the road, and seeing our thin line of skirmishers advancing (we had only thirty-two men in line) , and frightened about out of her wits at the prospect of the inpending collision, with wild gesticulations, pointing in the direction of the enemy, and in tones of most earnest entreaty, exclaimed to us, 'Oh, for God's sake, don't go up there! Don't go up there!! " There are thousands of them up there and they will kill every one of you all !' This she repeated several times, most earnestly. Some of us said to her as we approached and passed by her, 'Never mind, old lady, we've got a plenty of men just behind us to take care of those Yankees. Don't be alarmed.' " 

Author To read more of Mr. Davi military service and family take this link.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=davis&GSfn=richard&GSmn=b&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=48&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=25194167&df=all&

Monday, July 13, 2015

William Byrum "W.B." Funderburk

William Byrum "W.B." Funderburk.

Birth: Sep. 10, 1849, Lancaster County, South Carolina.
Death: Mar. 12, 1893, Lancaster County, South Carolina.

Wife: Mary Anna Evans Funderburk (1851 - 1908).

Children: Edwin B. Funderburk (1873 - 1924), James S. Funderburk (1875 - 1952), Charles Henry Funderburk (1881 - 1923).

Burial:  Spring Hill Baptist Church, Tradesville, Lancaster County, South Carolina.

Second South Carolina Infantry.
Company H., "Lancaster Invincibles."
Palmetto Regiment.

Funderburk, W. B., enlisted at Lancaster, by Captain McManus, October 15, 1861 ; reported on muster roll of June 30, 1863, as in hospital, at Lynchburg, Va. ; reported on muster roll of August 31, 1863, as present; wounded at Bean's Station; reported on muster roll of October 31, 1863 (not turned in until December 31, 1863), as in hospital, wounded; reported on muster roll of February 29, 1864, as on furlough ; reported on muster roll of April 30, 1864, as at home, wounded ; on last available muster roll (June 30, 1864) as present.

Simon E. V. Seward

Push to enlarge.
Simon E. V. Seward. 

Birth: May 14, 1844.
Death: Apr. 5, 1912.

Parents: Joseph B. & Sarah E. Seward.

Wife: Sarah Ann Seward, ( 1847-1936.)

Children: Annie Belle Seward.

Burial: Blandford Cemetery, Petersburg, Petersburg City, Virginia.

Simon Seward.  
Private, Thirteenth Virginia Cavalry, Co. E.

Simon Seward was born in 1844, in Surry county, Va., near James river, and in 1854 came with his parents to Petersburg to reside. In his native county and in Petersburg he attended school, but early in the war he enlisted in the Confederate army as a member of Capt. E. A. Goodwyn's company, 13h Virginia Cavalry, and participated with his command in several engagements, among them those at Brandy Station, Middleburg and Ashby's Gap.


In the summer of 1863, when the regiment was in Maryland on its way to Gettysburg, young Seward was captured near Bock- ville, Md., and, after being confined six weeks in the Old Capi- tal prison, in the city of Washington, was sent to Point Lookout, at which. place he was a prisoner until the night of December 1, 1863, when he made his escape.

Returning to Petersburg soon after the surrender, Mr. Seward began business as a retail grocer, but, soon extending his busi- ness, became one of the wholesale grocers of this city. Leaving the business of merchandizing, he took hold of that of milling, and conducted this business successfully 'for several years. More recently, however, he has been conducting the business of a manufacturer of trunks and traveling bags, his establishment being one of the largest in the South. 

For many years Mr. Seward was a member of the common council of Petersburg, officiating as chairman of its street committee. At this time he is a member of the city school board, of which he is the vice-president. Bural Messenger, July 2, 1892.

Author. Thirteenth Cavalry ( Sixteenth Battalion, Cavalry), Fifth Cavalry, 12 month, 1861-1862. 

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Sherob Luther Leaphart.

Sherob Luther Leaphart.

Birth: Dec. 23, 1830.
Death: Jun. 27, 1886.

Parents: Michael Leaphart (1795 - 1876), Susan Leaphart (1805 - 1876).

Siblings: Godfrey Leaphart (1825 - 1891), Sherob Luther Leaphart (1830 - 1886), Caroline Leaphart Earle (1833 - 1915).

Burial: Saint Andrews Lutheran Church Cemetery, Columbia, Lexington County, South Carolina.

Second South Carolina Infantry.
Company A., " Governor's Guards."


Leaphart, S. L., elected Captain,  at the Reorganization, May 13, 1862; wounded at Sharpsburg, September 17, 1862; reported on muster rolls of November 1, 1862, and January 1, and February 28, 1863, as absent, wounded; reported on muster roll of June 30, 1863, as present; wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863*; reported on muster rolls of August 31, and November 1, 1863, and February 29, 1864, as in the hands of the enemy; reported on muster rolls of April 30, and June 30 (the last roll available), 1864, as a prisoner at Johnson's Island, Ohio, since Gettysburg.

* The unofficial compilation says he lost a leg.

Col. Charles Frederick Fisher.

Push to enlarge
Charles Frederick Fisher, President of the North Carolina Railroad Company and stominent resident of Salisbury, the county seat of Rowan Countv Fisher, a tall, slender man with a scraggiy bronze beard, had long been a controversial figure in state business circles, and was the onlv son of Charles Fisher and his wife, Christina Beard.

He had been born in Salisbury on December 26, 1816, in an atmosphere of comparative wealth. Young Fisher attended classical schools in Salisbury and entered Yale University in 1835, but left college in his freshman year for reasons which are not quite clear. He later engaged in agriculture and mining and was for several years associated with Dr. Austin in the publication of the Western Carolinian in Salisbury."

In 1854, Fisher represented Rowan County as a Democrat in the North Carolina Senate. He was elected President of the North Carolina Railroad in 1855

Unfortunately, we know little of Fisher's private life except the fact that he was happily married to Elizabeth R. Caldwell, a daughter of David F. Caldwell. One daughter, Frances Christine, later a famous writer under the name of Christian Reid, was born to this union

Shortly after the Sixth had taken Ricketts' battery, Colonel William Smith stumbled across the body of Fisher  Later, other Confederates, hurrying to the battlefield from Manassas Junction, passed a lone rider on horseback carrying Fisher's body, "cold and stiff in death." The colonel's remains were carried in front of the saddle in the direction of the junction Captain York of Company I, Sixth Regiment, sent a telegram to Governor Clark on the 22nd:

Col. Chas. F. Fisher was killed in battle today. Send notice to family. His body on the way.

The body reached Raleigh on the morning of July 2-1 on the mail train from Petersburg An escort of the Twelfth Regiment North Carolina Troops under Colonel James J. Pettigrew accompanied the remains. Fisher's death created a deep impression on the minds of the people of North Carolina. When the train carrying the body reached Raleigh, crowds filed into the car which contained Fisher's coffin, on top of which were "placed the sword and hat of the deceased patriot." People saw that there were two bullet holes in the hat, revealing the fact that the fatal bullet had passed entirely through Fisher's head. The train carrying the body was draped in mourning, while the flag on the State Capitol was lowered to halt-mast.The Raleigh Register exclaimed:

A braver man than Colonel Fisher never lived. He carried his life in his hand for the service of his country, and at the hour of need freely offered it upon its altar.

On the afternoon of July 24 Fisher's body arrived at Salisbury, his home town. Almost the entire population of the town was at the station to meet the remains which were escorted by "Capt. Cole's Company of Guilford men." Eight pallbearers bore the coffin through the streets to the Episcopal Church followed by a "very long procession of citizens. . . ." The funeral services were very solemn. The Salisbury Brass Band played for the occasion with 'measured music." It was evening when Fisher's body was lowered into the grave. According to the Salisbiny Carolina Watchman.

The exercises there were deeply solemn, though brief. It was indeed a touching moment. Manly bosoms heaved with emotion . . . soon the mound of yellow clay rose to mark the resting place of an intrepid patriot of the revolution of 1861. . . . He is gone. Peace to his ashes, and forever green be the laurels of his memory..

As the thunderous crashes of the military salute echoed in the evening stillness all Salisbury wept.

Burial: Old Lutheran Church Cemetery, Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina 

Author.  This information was taken from the Regimental History, of the Bloody Sixth North Carolina, State Troops.