Hettie Cary/John Pegram

[seanachai]

I am looking for information on Hettie Cary and Brig. Gen. John Pegram. I have found a bit on John, but Hettie seems to have appeared from nowhere prior leaving Maryland and disappeared into the same oblivion after John died. Any info or leads would be greatly appreciated.

Thanx

Seanachai

[larry_cockerham]

For those like me who didn't remember Hettie Cary:


THE EASTERN THEATER

In November and December of 1861, sisters Jennie and Hettie Cary of Richmond and their refugee cousin from Baltimore, Constance Cary, learned of the adoption of the new battle flag being made for the units of the Confederate Army of the Potomac. On their own, they decided to honor three commanders of that army with personal battle flags that they hand crafted. The Richmond sisters each made a flag for Generals Joseph Johnston and G.T. Beauregard while Constance prepared one for General Earl Van Dorn, commanding the Army of the Potomac's 1st Division. All were made of double layered scarlet silk that required underlining due to the thinness of the silk. These red fields were traversed by a dark blue St. Andrew's cross that was flanked with a white silk edge and which bore twelve gold, five-pointed stars that the ladies had pursuaded a student from the University of Virginia to apply to the crosses. A gold fringe finished the three exterior edges and a red silk heading pierced with eyelets completed the staff edge. In size the flags were about the size of the so-called artillery battle flags (about 36" square if you included the fringe). Van Dorn's flag was presented to him in early November; Beauregard received his in early December, but the date of the receipt of Johnston's flag is not known.

Prototype Battle Flag madeby Hetty Cary
for General Joseph E. Johnston
By Devereaux D. Cannon, Jr., 27 January 2000
(image didn't make it through cyberspace!)

While the Cary made flags are the best known of the eastern headquarters flags, they were not the only ones prepared in 1861. At least three others were made, and while their makers are unknown, the flags bore many of the characteristics of the Cary made flags. These flags were about 42" square, and like the Cary flags bore twelve gold, five-pointed stars and gold fringe on their exteriors. In common with the battle flags that were distributed to the military units of the Army of the Potomac, the fields varied in shades of red from pink to light red. Major-General Gustavus Smith received one of these flags; Brigadier-General Arnold Elzey received another. Another is known, but whose headquarters it marked is not known.

The presentation of these headquarters battle flags did not stop in 1861. The wife of General J.E.B. Stuart prepared a similar flag for him from bunting in 1862 (which Stuart was embarrassed to return to her after a sudden breeze in his camp blew it into the fire and damaged one corner.) A few other Confederate officers drew battle flags from Quartermaster stores; however, that was the exception rather than the rule.

[seanachai]

The main problem I am having is that Hettie is mentioned here and there by various diarists of the time and by her cousin Constance, but I have yet to find anything on her life prior to leaving Baltimore. Then after her husband and brother in law passed, she seems to disappear. I have read a few of Constance's works but Hettie is only mentioned in passing. I have given up on finding out anything about her younger sister Jennie. There is even less about her. The following is the last of what I find of her after John's death:
Another ordeal was in store for her in the death in battle of General Pegram's younger brother, Colonel William Pegram, who fell in the retreat from Petersburg. To remain with the mother of these heroes, during her time of crushing grief, was my cousin's loving duty. A short time after the occupation, Mrs. Cary and Mrs. Pegram, accompanied by Captain Cary, returned to their home in Baltimore, with a free pass from General Grant.

Seanachai