Private James B. Colquitt of the 6th Alabama

Tom Elmore

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James Banks Colquitt was born in Upson County, Georgia in late 1828 or 1829. He married a local girl named Elizabeth in 1851. In 1859, they moved to Alabama, where James took up farming. On August 5, 1862, at Auburn, he joined Company G (“Autauga Rifles”) of the 6th Alabama Infantry. At the time of his enlistment, James stood 5 foot, 6 inches tall, and was described as having a dark complexion, dark hair and blue eyes. In the same year Elizabeth returned to Georgia, presumably to stay with family there.

In the early afternoon of July 1, the 6th Alabama was sent forward to a fence, probably the one located about 230 yards north of the Moses McClean barn, where a brisk fire was exchanged with Federals directly in front from Baxter’s brigade of the First Corps, as well as skirmishers to the left front from the 45th New York of the Eleventh Corps. Here James was struck in the arm, although not seriously. He decided to go to the rear, but on the way was hit twice more. One was but a slight wound, but then a minie ball struck his elbow, breaking his arm and bringing him down. He remained immobile until the fight was over on that part of the field, when Sgt. J. S. Williamson found him and sent him off to the brigade field hospital, which had been set up at the David Schriver farm on the Mummasburg road, a mile to the northwest. James had lost much blood and knew the end was near. He succumbed within hours, which at least enabled his comrades to give him a decent burial. They chose a spot north of the house, in the corner of Schriver’s orchard.

When the regiment arrived back in Virginia, condolence letters were prepared by the company leaders. The first came from Lt. Thomas S. Taylor, on July 16:
Mrs. Elizabeth Colquitt
Dear Madam,
As painful as it is to me, I am compelled to announce to you the death of your husband, Mr. Jas. B. Colquitt, who was killed in the battle of Gettysburg, Pa., on the first of this month. Mr. Colquitt rendered himself very popular with all our company by acts of kindness and cheerfulness towards his comrades. His name will ever be held in sacred remembrance by his remaining comrades. He was a good soldier in every sense of the word and a consistent member of our Army Christian Association which rendered him dear to all lovers of virtue. He died nobly and gallantly defending his country and home against the vandal horde of Lincoln’s hirelings who would devastate our country. But he is now gone from us. We will avenge his death when an opportunity presents itself. Peace be to his ashes. We mourn but not as those who have no hope.
I am Dear Madam your most obedient servant.
T. S. Taylor, 1st Lt., Co. “G,” 6th Ala. Regt.

It was immediately followed by a letter from Capt. Green H. Thompson, on July 18:
Mrs. Elizabeth Colquitt,
Dear Madam, it is my mournful duty to inform you that in the battle of Gettysburg on the first day of July your husband was so badly wounded that he died the same evening. His upright and manly course gained for him the respect of all his comrades. His loss is deeply deplored by the whole company and we deeply sympathize with you in your affliction.
Respectfully,
G. H. Thompson, Capt., Co. “G,” 6th Ala. Regt.

Elizabeth must have requested additional information regarding the circumstances of her husband’s death, which elicited a response from Sgt. James S. Williamson on August 6:
Mrs. Elizabeth Colquitt,
Dear Madam, yours of the inst. has been received and Lieut. Taylor being pressed with business asks me to answer, which I take pleasure in doing. I was with your husband in the engagement and will give the particulars of his death. While the enemy was pressing the right wing of our division, we were ordered to charge, which we did in gallant style. Your husband with us, but had not gone very far before we lay down behind a fence to protect us. Here it was, while coolly and deliberately shooting at the enemy, he received a wound in his arm, not very dangerously, but on leaving the fence, he was shot again in two places, one a slight wound in the head, and the other in his arm, breaking it badly. He then fell, and after the fighting was over, I went to him, fixed up his wound, and encouraged him in every way I could. But it done no good, he said he knew he was going to die. This was about all he said. I immediately had him conveyed to the hospital where he died soon afterwards and was buried as decently as could be under the circumstances. He was a close and prompt attender to our prayer meetings and I think you are right in saying he is in a better world. In his death we lost a good Christian and a brave soldier. It would be useless for me to undertake a further eulogy on him, as his past life will show that he was not only a friend of God, but also of his fellow man. You can say to Mrs. English that the Lieut. commanding the co. which her son is in, intends writing to her in a few days. I will say, however, that he too suffered the same fate with your husband – was killed. [The reference is to Sergeant William H. English of Company L, 6th Alabama.]
Yours with respect,
Sgt. James S. Williamson

On August 20, Capt. Thompson penned another letter to Elizabeth:
Mrs. Colquitt
Dear Madam,
Enclosed you will find five dollars and fifty cents which I found in your husband’s pocket after he was killed. I did not see him after he was shot, until he was dead. I had him decently buried and a stone placed at the head of his grave with his name, company and regiment marked upon it. I deeply sympathize with you in your bereavement and pray that you may be reunited in that peaceful land where the storms of war are never felt and sorrow is unknown.
Respectfully yr.
G. H. Thompson, Capt.

On October 16, 1863, the Upson County Justice of the Peace prepared documentation on Elizabeth’s behalf to collect pay owed to James at the time of his death. The request ground slowly through the Confederate government bureaucracy and on August 10, 1864, the Treasury Department approved $121.15 in back pay plus a clothing allowance.

As of early 1872, eleven graves were identified on the Schriver farm, although only five were still marked, including that of James B. Colquitt. His remains were recovered and shipped in Box 1-181 to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, where he was reinterred in a section reserved for the Gettysburg dead, on June 13, 1872.

In 1879, James M. Thompson, a former sergeant of Company G, prepared a history of the Autauga Rifles, in which he recalled James as “a brave soldier and whole souled Christian gentleman.”

In January 1893, Elizabeth applied for a Confederate pension from the State of Georgia based upon her husband’s service and death at Gettysburg, which was renewed in 1897 at the post office in Thomaston, Georgia after Elizabeth made her mark in lieu of a signature.

Sources:
-Compiled Service Records, Fold3.
-Gregory A. Coco, Gettysburg’s Confederate Dead.
-Elizabeth Colquitt Letters, Confederate Reminiscences and Letters, 1861-1865, Georgia Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Atlanta, Georgia, 1995, vol. II, pp. 171-172.
-Confederate Pension Application of Elizabeth Colquitt, Georgia Archives Virtual Vault.
-J. M. Thompson, Company G, 6th Alabama Regiment (Autauga Rifles), “Reminiscences of Autauga Rifles,” read before the Historical Association of Autaugaville, Alabama, December 19, 1979.
 
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James Banks Colquitt (19 July 1829 - 1 July 1863)
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/83213408/james-banks-colquitt
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His wife:
Mary Elizabeth Moore Colquitt https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53725264/mary-elizabeth-colquitt
At the time of James' death, the couple had three children: Sarah, age 10; James Howard, age 7; and John Franklin, age 2.
 
As of early 1872, eleven graves were identified on the Schriver farm, although only five were still marked, including that of James B. Colquitt. His remains were recovered and shipped in Box 1-181 to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, where he was reinterred in a section reserved for the Gettysburg dead, on June 13, 1872.


Box 1-181 would have been unloaded at Rocketts, the trip through Richmond to Hollywood James' funeral procession. That makes some tough reading, one of few times the Victorian tendency towards tragi-romantic matches the event.

ID by Weaver Sr., notes used by his son or from Doc O'Neil- both maybe? No idea why their work is so absorbing to follow, maybe the humanity involved. I just can't imagine the painstaking work involved in breaking down that massive amount of carnage known as The Battle of Gettysburg into individuals who never came home. 150 years later I read this hoping Colquitt was included in The Gettysburg Dead project and was actually relieved getting to that paragraph. It's not a macabre fascination wishing to see those notes of Dr. Weavers- The Gettysburg Dead story is the final epitaph to so many like James.

Thanks for posting although these are always a sobering read.
 
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