Conscripts In Confederate Hosptals

[Neagle2VR]

I'm trying to find where my gg grandfatherJames Story Holt, of Newsomes Depot, Southampton, County, Virginia, is buried. I'm better than about 90% he was conscripted on Jan 1863 and I know he was at Camp Lee in Richmond. On Jan 18 1863 he wrote his final letter to his wife stating he had arrived the day before, and was "feeling well except for a cold". My g grandmother always told my mother "he died of pneumonia during the war". Within less than four weeks after his letter, the court in Southampton County was appointing commissioners to appraise his estate. I haven't been able to locate any miltary, including hospital records for him, so far. Other than the National Archives in DC, are there any other places I can find Camp Lee and/or hospital records ?

 

[lelliott19]

Hello @Neagle2VR and welcome to CivilWarTalk - the best place on the internet for civil war discussion.

I took a quick look at Fold 3 (paid service to access military records) but without a little more information, there are too many possibilities for me to go through. Fold 3 does not have records sorted by Camp of instruction or by hospital - all the records there are filed by name. Im assuming your James Holt was not yet assigned to a regiment? Or if he was, you don't know which one? Approximately what year was he born? Had he just become liable for service due to an age change in the conscription law? Or just turned 18? Or had he somehow avoided service up to Jan 1863? Perhaps by serving in a State or home guard unit?

Any additional information might help narrow down the possibilities. Im going to tag @Zella and @lupaglupa in case one of them may have other suggestions. Again, welcome aboard!

 

[lupaglupa]

More facts are always helpful. Since he was married, are there records if his widow getting a pension? Those applications required unit information - not only which unit he was signed up with (if he had signed up) but also who the commanding officer was. Those facts might give us important clues.

I will comment though that burial records for soldiers who died in military hospitals are not great. As this is earlier in the War you may have better luck. As time went on they just didn't keep good records - helping the living was more important.

 

[Zella]

Agreed with you ladies that a little more information might help us find more on him!

 

[Neagle2VR]

Thanks for your replies. My gg grandfather's name was James Story Holt. I know there was another James P Holt in Southampton, I think he was a close relative. James S Holt was born in Newsomes Depot, Southampton, VA, 1831. He married Sarah R Lamb 1855, and they lived on the farm where he was born. He had two children, a Leander O Holt b1856, and Effie James Holt b1862, my g grandmother. Two of Sarah's brothers enlisted in Co H 41 VA Inf., one was paroled at Appamattox. In his letter (see 1st post), he tells Sarah:

"I arrirrived here last Saturday, and am well up to this time except a cold." The date on the letter was a Sunday, so I'm assuming he wrote the letter the next day. He says "Col Jos Prince is trying to put in a Substitute for me, but if he is not able to get one for me here, I will be transferred to Capt. Pretlows Co, and put one in there, but it will be as late as March before I can put one in then, for he is not allowed to take but one a month, and he has promised to take one for another man in February, so I will hve to wait till March unless I can get one here."

I have looked on Fold3 a long while ago, but need to access it at the library now. I couldn't find any records for James S at all. Since he died within 4 weeks of writing the letter, I don't think he was ever assigned to a company, but have tried to find information about Jos(eph?) Prince. I think I remember finding him in the local guard in the Southampton, Greensville (VA) area. And after reading posts in some other threads here about conscription, I realize he may have enlisted voluntarily, but then, would he know what company he would be with, Col Prince's company, maybe? I even looked in the VA Reg. History books for Col Prince and Capt Pretlow's company, but couldn't find him there. Recently, I've been trying to determine how to find hospital records for Camp Lee or which other hospital he may have been sent to. From what I can find, Camp Lee's hospital records don't list patient records until after 1863. Winder and Jackson Hospitals would be the next closest to Camp Lee. It appear to be a slim chance of finding any records for him there, either, if any records actually survived, or ever existed.

 

[Neagle2VR]

Thanks for your replies. My gg grandfather's name was James Story Holt. I know there was another James P Holt in Southampton, I think he was a close relative. James S Holt was born in Newsomes Depot, Southampton, VA, 1831. He married Sarah R Lamb 1855, and they lived on the farm where he was born. He had two children, a Leander O Holt b1856, and Effie James Holt b1862, my g grandmother. Two of Sarah's brothers enlisted in Co H 41 VA Inf., one was paroled at Appamattox. In his letter (see 1st post), he tells Sarah:

"I arrirrived here last Saturday, and am well up to this time except a cold." The date on the letter was a Sunday, so I'm assuming he wrote the letter the next day. He says "Col Jos Prince is trying to put in a Substitute for me, but if he is not able to get one for me here, I will be transferred to Capt. Pretlows Co, and put one in there, but it will be as late as March before I can put one in then, for he is not allowed to take but one a month, and he has promised to take one for another man in February, so I will hve to wait till March unless I can get one here."

I have looked on Fold3 a long while ago, but need to access it at the library now. I couldn't find any records for James S at all. Since he died within 4 weeks of writing the letter, I don't think he was ever assigned to a company, but have tried to find information about Jos(eph?) Prince. I think I remember finding him in the local guard in the Southampton, Greensville (VA) area. And after reading posts in some other threads here about conscription, I realize he may have enlisted voluntarily, but then, would he know what company he would be with, Col Prince's company, maybe? I even looked in the VA Reg. History books for Col Prince and Capt Pretlow's company, but couldn't find him there. Recently, I've been trying to determine how to find hospital records for Camp Lee or which other hospital he may have been sent to. From what I can find, Camp Lee's hospital records don't list patient records until after 1863. Winder and Jackson Hospitals would be the next closest to Camp Lee. It appear to be a slim chance of finding any records for him there, either, if any records actually survived, or ever existed.

Also, I've never located any pension records for his wife. She remarried in 1865, and retained possession of the farm, but was widowed again by 1870. In Nov 1870, she remarried again, had two more daughters, and moved to Blackwater, MO in 1886. I assume she couldn't have applied for a pension living in MO.

 

[lelliott19]

I will be transferred to Capt. Pretlows Co

Here is Captain Pretlow - Company A 18th Battalion VA Heavy Artillery

I don't think he was ever assigned to a company, but have tried to find information about Jos(eph?) Prince.

Captain Joseph Brown Prince (18 August 1844 - 25 March 1903) Courtland, Southampton County, Virginia. His service is recorded in Co D, 18th Heavy Artillery, 1st Virginia Engineers and Hampton's Cavalry. See bio at FIND A GRAVE

Since Holt describes being assigned to either Prince or Pretlow's, and since both men were Captains in the 18th Virginia Heavy Artillery, I think it is safe to assume that he was or was going to be assigned to the 18th Virginia Heavy Artillery.

EDIT: The document below is unrelated to specifics in this case, but it does go to show that there was a "Register" showing Enrollment and Final Disposition of the Conscripts at Camp Lee, VA." Perhaps @RhinehartRoots may know how to locate this register?

 

[Neagle2VR]

A possibility that will require further investigation.
View attachment 345729
EDIT TO ADD: The document below is unrelated to Holt or the Joseph Prince referenced in the letter, but it does go to show that there was a "Register" showing Enrollment and Final Disposition of the Conscripts at Camp Lee, VA. Perhaps @RhinehartRoots may know how to locate this register?
View attachment 345730

Thanks for these photos. I never thought of looking for a register of conscripts, although now it would seem obvious. I'll be looking for those now. I may be able to access Fold3 at my local library. They also have the VA REG. Hist. Series. If I have no luck there, I'll try Library Of Virginia. Its only a 25 minute drive.

 

[lelliott19]

Thanks for these photos. I never thought of looking for a register of conscripts, although now it would seem obvious. I'll be looking for those now. I may be able to access Fold3 at my local library. They also have the VA REG. Hist. Series. If I have no luck there, I'll try Library Of Virginia. Its only a 25 minute drive.

See edits to my previous post - looks like your ancestor was supposed to join the 18th VA Heavy Artillery. Both Captain Joseph Prince's and Captain Wm Pretlow's companies were in that outfit. Both Captains are from Courtland, Southampton County, VA.

 

[connecticut yankee]

Here's what I think based on your provided information. Your relative James S. Holt arrived at Camp Lee in Richmond, Va. in late January 1863 and was treated for a respiratory disease at Camp Lee and in either January or February of that year died at Camp Lee. His body then was transported to and buried most likely in Oakwood Cemetery (although I can't find his name on its register of burials)

My conclusion is based on three facts you will find in my sources cited below:

1. Camp Lee had it's own very capable hospital on its grounds which treated between 300 and 400 patients during Jan. & Feb. 1863.
2. In Jan. & Feb. 1863 the Camp Lee hospital only transferred 2.5 percent of its hundreds of patients to other Richmond hospitals for further treatment.
3. Camp Lee had no cemetery on its grounds. The major cemetery for Confederate burials in Richmond in Jan. & Feb. 1863 was by far Oakwood Cemetery (and not Hollywood Cemetery as many folks might think). Today 17,000 Confederate soldiers lie in Oakwood Cemetery.

https://www.civilwarrichmond.com/hospitals/camp-lee

Richmond Whig, 8/12/1862

Oakwood Cemetery – Richmond Cemeteries

RG 109, Ch. 6, Vol. 416, pp. 154-155

 

[Neagle2VR]

See edits to my previous post - looks like your ancestor was supposed to join the 18th VA Heavy Artillery. Both Captain Joseph Prince's and Captain Wm Pretlow's companies were in that outfit. Both Captains are from Courtland, Southampton County, VA.
View attachment 345762

I have the census for J S Holt 1860. But I don't have any information saved for Capt Pretlow or Col./Capt. Prince, so thank you for this. For future reference, at the time of the war until between 1886 and 1889, Courtland, Va was Jerusalem, VA. It has always been the county seat. It's also the location where Nat Turner was tried and hung in1831. I may be able to check at one of the libraries tomorrow or Tuesday and Ill get back here. Thanks again for the hints.

 

[Neagle2VR]

Here's what I think based on your provided information. Your relative James S. Holt arrived at Camp Lee in Richmond, Va. in late January 1863 and was treated for a respiratory disease at Camp Lee and in either January or February of that year and died at Camp Lee. His body then was transported to and buried most likely in Oakwood Cemetery (although I can't find his name on its register of burials)

My conclusion is based on three facts you will find in my sources cited below:

1. Camp Lee had it's own very capable hospital on its grounds which treated between 300 and 400 patients during Jan. & Feb. 1863.
2. In Jan. & Feb. 1863 the Camp Lee hospital only transferred 2.5 percent of its hundreds of patients to other Richmond Hospital for further treatment.
3. Camp Lee had no cemetery on its grounds. The major cemetery for Confederate burials in Richmond in Jan. & Feb. 1863 was by far Oakland Cemetery (and not Hollywood Cemetery as many folks might think). Today 17,000 Confederate soldiers lie in Oakwood Cemetery.

https://www.civilwarrichmond.com/hospitals/camp-lee

Richmond Whig, 8/12/1862

Oakwood Cemetery – Richmond Cemeteries

RG 109, Ch. 6, Vol. 416, pp. 154-155

According to the Oakwood Cemetery page of the SCV site, being atCamp Lee he should have been buried at Hollywood, but I doubt that. I was recently at the Virginia Museum of Culture and History (formerlythe Virginia Historical Society) and searched their list of Confederate burials at Hollywood. They didn't even know they had it. I didn't find his name there. I'm going to call Oakwood cemetery and ask if they have Confederate burial records in the book they have in the small office there. I'm not far from there. I have family in both the old and newer sections. Also, if James Holt remained at the Camp Lee Hospital, which seems most likely, he's not in any records I've found so far. But I think I just found another collection to search, at the Library Of Virginia.

 

[Jamieva]

@Neagle2VR As others have mentioned he most likely is in Oakwood, not Hollywood. The entire purpose of Oakwood being opened during the war was for the enternment of those killed in the hospitals around Richmond, mostly from Chimborazo. I may be wrong but I believe those buried at Hollywood tended to be more of those killed in combat, Oakwood again was those in the local hospitals, mostly victims of illneses or disease.

I was just at Oakwood last week looking into where my GG grandfather is buried, so if I can find anything for you and take a picture etc let me know.

 

[Neagle2VR]

@Neagle2VR As others have mentioned he most likely is in Oakwood, not Hollywood. The entire purpose of Oakwood being opened during the war was for the enternment of those killed in the hospitals around Richmond, mostly from Chimborazo. I may be wrong but I believe those buried at Hollywood tended to be more of those killed in combat, Oakwood again was those in the local hospitals, mostly victims of illneses or disease.

I was just at Oakwood last week looking into where my GG grandfather is buried, so if I can find anything for you and take a picture etc let me know.

I agree. I don't believe he's at Hollywood, but since I couldn't find anything for Oakwood at VMCH, I decided to look at Hollywood any way. Years ago, I checked the Hollywood's database, at the cemetery, with no luck. I still check all these places from time to time in case someone uncover new information in a trunk of an ancestor somewhere.

This is off subject, but, a few years ago, I found some old school newspapers from the Suffolk Female Institute and the Suffolk Collegiate Institute, all dating from 1878-1880. The Library of Virginia had never seen or heard of these before and said they may be the only extant copies. I donated one hard copy (I had two copies of one issue) and digital copies of the rest. You never know when someone will make new discovery available, so I keep rechecking.

I see you're in Midlothian. I'm just south of Hanover C.H. I've been to Oakwood many times. I was just there about two weeks ago myself, but there was no one in the office at that time. I also have multple generations of family buried there.