A Rebel Family From Virginia-(West).

Lubliner

Major
Forum Host
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Location
Chattanooga, Tennessee
In perusing personnel documents from the Civil War, I chanced upon a family that remained united to the Southern Cause. This family was such strongly woven together as a unit that even when the State split asunder around them, and drifted off to the Union, they remained whole and undivided. It appears to me that this was a very singular occurrence, so much so that I decided to list the Father's name along with his five sons.
[@lelliott19 , you may need to relocate this thread, please. Thank you.]

Isaac Vendeventer Johnson: Enlisted April, 1961. 2nd Lt.- 1st. Lt. Company H, 31st Virginia Cavalry. Wounded in Dec. 1861 and transferred to the Quartermaster Department, Richmond Va. for the duration of the war. He died the 13th 0f May, 1916 and was buried at Masonic Cemetery, Philippi.

Mortimer C. Johnson: Enlisted the 14th of May 1861 at Philippi (Barbour Grays), commanded by Captain Albert G. Reger. Re-enlisted into Company A, 18th Virginia Cavalry and was appointed 2nd Lt. He is described as one of the most successful scouts in Virginia. He became Captain of 2nd company H, 62nd Virginia Cavalry. While on detached duty with other members of the 62nd, Mortimer was ambushed and killed on 6th of December 1863 by the Union Home Guard in a skirmish at the Sinks of Gandy, Randolph County. Captain Johnson (1836-1863) and Rebecca his wife (1843-1926) are buried at New Bethel Cemetery, Meadowville, Barbour County.

Joseph Linden Johnson: Born in Barbour County, 1846, became a private and drummer for Company E, 62nd Virginia Mounted Infantry. Commanded by Captain Hannibal Hill. Joseph was later promoted and served on the staff of General John D. Imboden, CSA. He surrendered on the 11th of May 1865 at Beverly, Randolph County and was paroled on the 17th of May, 1865 at Clarksburg, Harrison County. He married Ella Rebecca Crim on January 12th, 1869. She bore him six children.

Thomas Benton Johnson: Born in Barbour County in 1838, he enlisted into Company H, 31st Virginia Infantry at the beginning of the war. He deserted on the 15th of November 1861 and returned to his home only to be arrested and held as a POW at Camp Chase in Columbus Ohio. He was paroled and exchanged in August of 1862 via Cairo Illinois on to Vicksburg Mississippi. By the 18th of November he had returned to the 31st Virginia at White Post, where he received a Medical Discharge for Typhoid Fever. He was arrested again in Randolph County by Company A, 1st W. Va. Union Cavalry. He died either while boarding the train or afterward in prison. He is Buried in Bluemont Cemetery, Grafton, Taylor County, West Virginia.

Frederick M. Johnson: Born in Barbour County, 1841, he enlisted on the 18th of May 1861 into Company D at Meadowville as a Private in the 20th Va. Cavalry. He was then promoted to Corporal of Company K on July 1st 1864. He was twice wounded during the War. He had the distinction of being one of the 5 remaining soldiers of Company K of the 31st Virginia who were present at the surrender on April 9th 1865 at Appomattox Virginia.

These five brothers were sired by Enoch Johnson whom served as a scout and Mail carrier for the Confederacy.
Lubliner.
 
This is a notice printed in the Augusta County newspaper appealing for clothing for the 31st Virginia who were cut off from their homes.

46408938605_9540671278_z.jpg


There is also a very detailed history of the 31st Virginia recently published, very well done.

Hoffman's Army, the 31st Virginia
 
Back
Top