Joshua Bowman 37th NC Infantry Co F

Hello friends, I recently learned that I have an ancestor who fought in the 37th N.C. Infantry Co. F. He was from Alexander County in North Carolina. I just purchased Michael Hardys book on the 37th. All information is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Welcome ! I had several Confederate ancestors / relatives from the western NC mountain counties (Wilkes, Caldwell, & Alexander).

Chancellorsville, VA after battle report:

No. 358.
Report of Col. William M. Barbour, Thirty-seventh
North Carolina Infantry.

CAMP GREGG, VA., May 9, 1863.
CAPT.: I have the honor to submit the following report of the
operations of my regiment in the battle of Chancellorsville, May 3:

After a rapid march, we gained the enemy's right flank on Saturday
evening, and a running fight ensued between the advanced troops of our
army and those of the enemy. Moving rapidly by the right flank, we
soon gained a point near Chancellorsville, where the enemy had several
batteries in position, which did us considerable injury that evening.
After sunset, my regiment was deployed to the right of the road, behind
a small breastwork which the enemy had abandoned. Skirmishers were
thrown forward, and my regiment rested for the night.

Early next morning, I received orders to advance in line of battle and
assail the enemy's works in front, my left resting on the road. I
immediately put my regiment in motion, and advanced steadily under
a murderous fire of grape, shell, and Minie balls. After a desperate
struggle, I succeeded in carrying the breastworks in front and in
capturing a number of prisoners. About this time I received a wound in
my right arm, which compelled me to leave the field. I am informed by
the senior captain, commanding the regiment, that the regiment
continued to advance upon the enemy's second line of entrenchments,
but, in common with the whole brigade, was compelled to retire by an
enfilade fire from the enemy's artillery and infantry.

During the entire engagement my officers and men behaved gallantly.
Lieut. Charlton C. Ragin, Company K, was killed, gallantly
commanding his company.

The annexed tabular statement* will show that my total loss is as
follows: 1 officer killed, 19 officers wounded, 35 men killed, 175
wounded, 8 men missing.

I do not hesitate to say that it was the bloodiest battle that I have very
witnessed. The Seventh North Carolina was on my right, and, as its
field officers and many of the company officers are killed and wounded,
I may be permitted to allude to the gallant manner in which its officers
and men advanced upon the enemy's entrenchments. I doubt not that the
other regiments of the brigade also behaved gallantly, but they were still
farther to my right, and, of course, did not come under my observation.

In conclusion, I shall always feel proud of the noble bearing of my
officers and men on the bloody field, but sad when I reflect how many
who charged the enemy's entrenchments with me are numbered with the
dead.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILL. M. BARBOUR,
Col. Thirty-seventh North Carolina Troops.

Capt. GEORGE B. JOHNSTON, Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen.

Source: Official Records Series I. Vol. 25. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 39
 
Welcome from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. You should check the Compiled Service Records at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. You can access these records online. Good luck with your research. David.
 
I've come across some info on the 37th NC being at Fort Gregg in early April of 1865. It seems the Union forces broke through the lines and started the Confederate downfall so to speak.
 
Carded records of Joshua Bowman, Pvt Co F 37th NC attached. There should be 23 pages in all, including the cover.
@east tennessee roots can you provide Veronica with the After Action for Gettysburg? Her Joshua Bowman was wounded and captured July 5 in the CS hospitals. Thanks

Since some of the cards are hard to read, I transcribed them for you and compiled a chronological summary which may be helpful.
Joshua Bowman, Pvt., Co F, 37th North Carolina Infantry, age 30.
Mustered-in August 3 <or 8>, 1862 at Statesville, NC by Capt. McRae for 3 years.

Recorded on Company Muster Roll for June 30 to Oct 31, 1862 as Present.
Recorded on Company Muster Roll for Nov/Dec 1862 as Present.

Appears on a Register of Medical Director’s Office, Richmond, Virginia
Hospital: Chimborazo No. 1 Admitted <blank> Returned to duty: Dec. 17, 1862

Recorded on Company Muster Roll for Jan/Feb 1863 as Present.

Appears on a Register of CSA General Hospital, Charlottesville, Virginia
Disease primary: Ascites secondary <blank> Admitted: Jan 19, 1863 Returned to duty: Feb 6, 1863

Recorded on Company Muster Roll for July/Aug 1863 as Absent; missing and wounded July 3

Appears on the Roll of Honor of the 37th North Carolina Infantry as Joshua Bowman, Pvt., Co F. County: Alexandria. Date of entrance into service: Aug 8, 1862 Age: 30 Vol. or Conscript: Con. Remarks: wounded at Gettysburg

Appears on a List of Rebel Sick and Wounded Prisoners of War received at DeCamp General Hospital, Davids Island, New York Harbor, July 17, 19, 22, 23, 24, 1863. Where captured: Gettysburg When captured: 1st – 4th July 1863.

Name appears as a signature to a Roll of Prisoners of War paroled at DeCamp General Hospital, Davids Island, New York Harbor Roll dated: Not dated Where captured: Gettysburg When captured: July 5, 1863

Recorded on Company Muster Roll for Sept/Oct 1863 as Absent; wounded and missing 3 July
Recorded on Company Muster Roll for Nov/Dec 1863 as Absent; missing and wounded July 3, 1863.
Recorded on Company Muster Roll for Jan/Feb 1864 as Present.
Recorded on Company Muster Roll for Mar/Apr 1864 as Present.
Recorded on Company Muster Roll for May/June 1864 as Present.

Appears on a Register of Receiving and Wayside Hospital, or General Hospital No. 9, Richmond, Virginia Admitted: July 29, 1864 Disposition: Winder Date: July 30, 1864

Appears on a Register of General Hospital, Camp Winder, Richmond, Virginia Admitted: July <30? Illegible> 1864

Appears on a Register of CSA Hospital, Richmond, Virginia Disease: VS <gunshot wound> left arm When admitted: July 30, 1864 When furloughed Aug 4, 1864 for 30 days.

Appears on a Hospital Muster Roll 5th Division, General Hospital, Camp Winder, Richmond, Virginia for “to August 31, 1864” dated Oct 15, 1864. Present or absent: not stated

Recorded on Company Muster Roll for July/Aug 1864 as Absent; at home on wounded furlough of thirty days from 4 Aug 1864.Recorded on Company Muster Roll for Sept/Oct 1864 as Present.

Recorded on Company Muster Roll for Nov/Dec 1864 as Present.
Recorded on Company Muster Roll for Jan/Feb 1865 as Present.
<No further record>
 

Attachments

  • Fold3 Joshua Bowman.pdf
    1 MB · Views: 83
Last edited:
Ok after talking to some guys at local SCV Chapter they said Joshua and a soldier named T. Boone Little were shot after surrendering around Fort Gregg on April 2nd 1865.
 
So what's the top 3 recommended books on the Petersburg Campaign?
I would recommend Wilson Greene's books. If you want to start with just one book, start with the first volume of his new 3 volume series on Petersburg, entitled A Campaign of Giants—The Battle for Petersburg: From the Crossing of the James to the Crater and then stay tuned for the rest of the series to be published. :smile:
 
Ok thanks! While I wait for my local library to get me a copy from the library loan system my dad has the 3 volume Shelby Foote Civil War Narrative set. Are they good and trustworthy? I would be concentrating on just the Petersburg Campaign for right now.
 
Service record for Joshua A. Bowman, Private, Co. F., 37th Regiment N.C. State Troops.

"Resided in Iredell County and enlisted in Iredell County at age 30, August 8, 1862, for the war. Wounded and captured at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 1-5 1863. Hospitalized at David Island, New York Harbor, on or about July 17, 1863. Paroled and transferred to City Point, where he was received on September 16, 1863, for exchange. Returned to duty in January-February 1864. Hospitalized at Richmond, Virginia with a gunshot wound to the left arm. Place and date wounded not reported. Returned to duty September-October, 1864. Present or accounted for through February 1865. Killed “in breastworks” on the south side of Petersburg, Virginia, April 2, 1865."

North Carolina Troops, 1861-1865, A Roster, Vol.IX Infantry, 32nd-35th, 37th Regiments, p.539.
 
Private Bowman was most likely in the 37th North Carolina's first position that morning along Arthur's Swamp. Some members of the regiment made it into Fort Gregg, but the statement of Bowman's comrade, D. Boon Little, suggests that they did not:

"I furthermore swear that Joshua Bowman was a member of Company F 37th Regiment North Carolina Troops and that on the morning of the second day of April A.D. 1865 was in the breastworks on the south side of Petersburg Va. While performing his duty as a soldier of said company & Regt. he (Joshua Bowman) was shot down by my side and did not move or even groan; I can not say where he was hit as it was not light enough to see well, and at the same instance I was captured and carried away. I do furthermore swear that I believe that he was killed dead on the field at the time and place above stated." (D. Boon Little, Statement, September 7, 1885, Box 6, 1885 Confederate Pension Applications, State Archives of North Carolina).
 
Ok after talking to some guys at local SCV Chapter they said Joshua and a soldier named T. Boone Little were shot after surrendering around Fort Gregg on April 2nd 1865.

71A310FA-F7B6-4F9C-AD1B-8547C3C79240.jpeg
 
Back
Top