1st North Carolina Junior Reserves

Luke Freet

2nd Lieutenant
Forum Host
Joined
Nov 8, 2018
Location
Palm Coast, Florida
The 1st North Carolina Junior Reserves Regiment was formed in July of 1864, with the merging of the 1st and 6th JR Battalions. The Junior Reserves were made up of boys aged between 15 and 18. This regiment was commanded by Colonel Frank S. Armistead (the brother of the deceased Brigadier Lewis Armistead of Pickett's Charge fame), aged 28-29; Lt. Colonel Charles Wetmore Broadfoot, aged 21; and Major Walter McKenzie Clark, aged only 17 at the time the regiment was formed.
The regiment would serve in the Carolina's Campaign, taking part in the Battle of Bentonville as part of Robert Hoke's division. It would surrender with Joe Johnston at Bennett Place.
 
Lt. Colonel Charles Wetmore Broadfoot (13th Nov. 1842 - 24th Nov. 1919):
Born in North Carolina. Dropped out of UNC when the war broke out and enlisted as a private. Appointed Lt. Colonel in 1862 (Findagrave is unclear about this, but from what I gather, he may have been on Theo Holmes' staff breifly, thus the promotion).
Commanded the 1st NCJR at Bentonville and at the surrender, while Frank Armistead commanded the brigade.
After the war he went into the state legislature and later became a trustee of UNC, who gave him his degree in 1911. He died in and was buried in Fayetteville, part of Cumberland County, where he was serving as Dean of the County Bar.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/59474939/charles-wetmore-broadfoot
1551224383003.png
 
Now, we get to the weird one:
Walter McKenzie Clark (b. 19th August, 1846 - d. 20th May, 1924).
Entered Charles C. Tew's Military Academy at Hillsborough in August of 1860, aged 14.
The next year, with the outbreak of war, he was sent to help drill recruits, and joined the 22nd North Carolina later that year, moving up with the unit to Virginia. He was transferred over to Colonel Matthew Ransom's 35th North Carolina in August of 1862, serving as an Adjutant and a 1st Lieutenant; by this point aged 16.
He fought with the 35th at Second Manassas, the Capture of Harper's Ferry, Antietam and Fredericksburg. The regiment moved back with Ransom's brigade to the Carolinas in February of 1863. It is about this time Clark resigned his commission to continue his education at UNC, graduating at the top of his class in June of 1864. The day after graduating, he was elected major of the 6th NCJR Battalion, just 2 months shy of his 18th Birthday. He served with this unit, which later became the 1st NCJRR. According to most sources, he apparently became the Lt. Colonel of the "Seventieth Regiment". This is referring to the 1st NCJRR. As for why he was promoted while Ltc. Broadfoot was still assigned and active in the unit, I do not know.
After the war, he went into law and eventually became Cheif Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, and an influential one at that. There is much more detail in the source linked below. The stuff about his war service is in the second paragraph.
https://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/clarkw/bio.html
1551225552600.png

^Him when serving as an Adjutant to the 35th NC
1551225594294.png

^Much later in life
 
10959957_391277664376583_7111880297756162224_o.jpg

Sergeant William Jenkins, Company K, 1st Regiment N.C. Junior Reserves

William Jenkins resided with his mother and three siblings on a farm in District 11, Northampton County. The family was prosperous and owned five slaves. William’s older brother, Patrick H. Jenkins, volunteered in 1861 in Company F (the “Hertford Grays”), 1st Regiment N.C. State Troops, and was killed in action at the Battle of Mechanicsville, June 26, 1862. (See State Troops and Volunteers, Volume One, p. 302, 31; image 5.3.25).

William enlisted on July 12, 1864, in a company from Hertford, Martin, and Northampton counties that became Company K, 1st Regiment N.C. Junior Reserves. He was appointed third sergeant. A boy could remain in the Junior Reserves only until his eighteenth birthday, when he was required to transfer to one of the North Carolina units in Confederate service. For that reason, the exact ages of the boys were scrupulously recorded, and William was seventeen years, one month, and fourteen days old on the date of his enlistment.

Three muster rolls cover the service of Company K from July 15, 1864, through February 1865. In each of them William is reported hospitalized for unspecified reasons. However, during that period he was promoted from third sergeant to second sergeant, so he apparently returned to duty on at least two occasions. There are no military records for him after February 1865.

https://www.facebook.com/321689201335430/photos/a.395223470648669/391277664376583/?type=3&theater
 
View attachment 294419
Sergeant William Jenkins, Company K, 1st Regiment N.C. Junior Reserves

William Jenkins resided with his mother and three siblings on a farm in District 11, Northampton County. The family was prosperous and owned five slaves. William’s older brother, Patrick H. Jenkins, volunteered in 1861 in Company F (the “Hertford Grays”), 1st Regiment N.C. State Troops, and was killed in action at the Battle of Mechanicsville, June 26, 1862. (See State Troops and Volunteers, Volume One, p. 302, 31; image 5.3.25).

William enlisted on July 12, 1864, in a company from Hertford, Martin, and Northampton counties that became Company K, 1st Regiment N.C. Junior Reserves. He was appointed third sergeant. A boy could remain in the Junior Reserves only until his eighteenth birthday, when he was required to transfer to one of the North Carolina units in Confederate service. For that reason, the exact ages of the boys were scrupulously recorded, and William was seventeen years, one month, and fourteen days old on the date of his enlistment.

Three muster rolls cover the service of Company K from July 15, 1864, through February 1865. In each of them William is reported hospitalized for unspecified reasons. However, during that period he was promoted from third sergeant to second sergeant, so he apparently returned to duty on at least two occasions. There are no military records for him after February 1865.

https://www.facebook.com/321689201335430/photos/a.395223470648669/391277664376583/?type=3&theater

View attachment 294419
Sergeant William Jenkins, Company K, 1st Regiment N.C. Junior Reserves

William Jenkins resided with his mother and three siblings on a farm in District 11, Northampton County. The family was prosperous and owned five slaves. William’s older brother, Patrick H. Jenkins, volunteered in 1861 in Company F (the “Hertford Grays”), 1st Regiment N.C. State Troops, and was killed in action at the Battle of Mechanicsville, June 26, 1862. (See State Troops and Volunteers, Volume One, p. 302, 31; image 5.3.25).

William enlisted on July 12, 1864, in a company from Hertford, Martin, and Northampton counties that became Company K, 1st Regiment N.C. Junior Reserves. He was appointed third sergeant. A boy could remain in the Junior Reserves only until his eighteenth birthday, when he was required to transfer to one of the North Carolina units in Confederate service. For that reason, the exact ages of the boys were scrupulously recorded, and William was seventeen years, one month, and fourteen days old on the date of his enlistment.

Three muster rolls cover the service of Company K from July 15, 1864, through February 1865. In each of them William is reported hospitalized for unspecified reasons. However, during that period he was promoted from third sergeant to second sergeant, so he apparently returned to duty on at least two occasions. There are no military records for him after February 1865.

https://www.facebook.com/321689201335430/photos/a.395223470648669/391277664376583/?type=3&theater
My maternal grandmother's uncle Thomas D. Boone was a captain of Company F. (Hereford Greys) 1st NC. Another uncle James D. Boone was the Quartermaster Sergeant of the regiment
 
The history of the regiment in Walter Clark's NC regimental series can be read here:
https://archive.org/details/cu31924092908569/page/n19


View attachment 294384
The history of the regiment in Walter Clark's NC regimental series can be read here:
https://archive.org/details/cu31924092908569/page/n19


View attachment 294384
A more detailed and updated source (2009) by the Office of Archives and History in Raleigh, NC would be North Carolina Troops,1861-1865, A Roster, Vol. XVIII, Junior Reserves.
 
Lt. Colonel Charles Wetmore Broadfoot (13th Nov. 1842 - 24th Nov. 1919):
Born in North Carolina. Dropped out of UNC when the war broke out and enlisted as a private. Appointed Lt. Colonel in 1862 (Findagrave is unclear about this, but from what I gather, he may have been on Theo Holmes' staff breifly, thus the promotion).
Commanded the 1st NCJR at Bentonville and at the surrender, while Frank Armistead commanded the brigade.
After the war he went into the state legislature and later became a trustee of UNC, who gave him his degree in 1911. He died in and was buried in Fayetteville, part of Cumberland County, where he was serving as Dean of the County Bar.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/59474939/charles-wetmore-broadfoot
View attachment 294381
The 1st North Carolina Junior Reserves Regiment was formed in July of 1864, with the merging of the 1st and 6th JR Battalions. The Junior Reserves were made up of boys aged between 15 and 18. This regiment was commanded by Colonel Frank S. Armistead (the brother of the deceased Brigadier Lewis Armistead of Pickett's Charge fame), aged 28-29; Lt. Colonel Charles Wetmore Broadfoot, aged 21; and Major Walter McKenzie Clark, aged only 17 at the time the regiment was formed.
The regiment would serve in the Carolina's Campaign, taking part in the Battle of Bentonville as part of Robert Hoke's division. It would surrender with Joe Johnston at Bennett Place.
I’d add that the junior reserve brigade was commanded by Brig. Gen. Laurence Baker as part of D. H. Hill’s contingent of S. D. Lee’s Corp during the battle of Wise’s Forks (Wyse Fork). After the fight at Kinston the brigade was assigned to Hoke’s Division, which during the battle of Bentonville it was commanded by Col. John H. Nethercutt.
 
Back
Top