By Jarred Marlowe
While I would not consider myself deeply experienced in genealogy research, I recently decided to spend some time looking into my ancestors who served during the American Civil War. Using Ancestry.com, I had already built my family tree back several generations, which allowed me to identify which of my ancestors would have been of fighting age between 1861 and 1865. After narrowing it down, I came away with a list of 21 possible names and made my way to the Bassett Historical Center to see what I could uncover.
Inside their military research room, appropriately nicknamed “The War Room,” I began digging through the Confederate roster books to determine which regiments and companies these men may have served in. Before long, my original list of 21 had narrowed to 11 confirmed soldiers, along with a few others who may have served but could not be positively identified because of how common their names were.
Once I had my confirmed list, I turned to the Virginia Regimental Histories series published in the 1980s. These books contain unit histories, rosters, and whatever details could be gathered about the individual soldiers who served in each regiment. Fortunately, the Bassett Historical Center is one of the few places I know of with a complete set, and they are an incredible resource for anyone researching Virginia soldiers. After pulling the appropriate volumes and working through the rosters, I was able to piece together the following stories:
• George B. Hankins, a 22-year-old Henry County resident, enlisted in Company F of the 57th Virginia Infantry in July 1861 but was discharged later that year in December.
• Samuel E. Lawrence, age 43, joined Company F of the 36th Virginia Infantry in October 1864 and was present during the Battle of Waynesboro in the closing months of the war.
• James P. Johnston of Henry County served in Company I of the 21st Virginia Infantry. He was wounded at Cedar Mountain in 1862 and again hospitalized following the Battle of Cedar Creek in 1864 before returning to duty.
• George W. Fowlkes of Pittsylvania County fought with the 38th Virginia Infantry during the Peninsula Campaign before dying at Richmond’s Chimborazo Hospital in June 1862.
• George W. Belcher of Franklin County enlisted in the 24th Virginia Infantry in 1861 and fought under Jubal Early at First Manassas and during the Peninsula Campaign before receiving a medical discharge in 1862.
Some records reveal difficult or unexpected paths. George T. Matthews, serving in the 18th Battalion Heavy Artillery, was listed absent without leave, later deserted in 1864, took the oath of allegiance to the United States, and spent the remainder of the war in Norfolk.
Older men also entered Confederate service. Cary Carter of Henry County enlisted in the 42nd Virginia Infantry at age 49 but was discharged for asthma and what surgeons described as appearing “the age of sixty.” James W. Shorter of Franklin County enlisted in the 57th Virginia Infantry at age 51.
Other records document the hardships beyond the battlefield. Moses L. Davidson of the 10th Virginia Cavalry lost his horse during fighting at Upperville in 1863 and later suffered combat wounds in 1864. William G. Reynolds of Pittsylvania County died from illness in Petersburg in 1862 while serving with the 57th Virginia Infantry.
The war also carried local men far from home. Dillard Steele of Rockingham County, North Carolina, serving in the 45th North Carolina Infantry, was captured at Spotsylvania Court House in 1864 and later imprisoned at both Point Lookout, Maryland, and Elmira Prison in New York before being exchanged near the end of the war.
So, as you can probably tell, some of these records are fascinating, some are heartbreaking, and others are not exactly flattering. But that is the nature of history. History is not supposed to be polished or comfortable all the time. It is the story of real people living real lives, making decisions, enduring hardships, and experiencing moments that were often messy and complicated. That is what makes it worth studying.
We should never lose sight of the people who came before us, and I would strongly encourage anyone with an interest in local or family history to spend some time at places like the Bassett Historical Center. You never know what stories are waiting to be uncovered, or how your own family may have played a role in the larger story of American history.
Jarred Marlowe is a local resident and historian. He is a member of the Col. George Waller Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Blue & Gray Education Society, and the committee chair for the Martinsville-Henry County 250 Committee. He may be reached at marloweja15@gmail.com.
