The Caroline Greys flag

[Jamieva]

So had another one of those little moments tonight. My GGgrandfather I knew served in the 14th VA from just after Gettysburg until the end of the war. However, I recently found where in 1904 he applied for a disability pension from his time of service. Side note trying to decipher handwriting is really hard somethimes. On the form he listed that he was in the 30th VA from the start of the war, was discharged in North Carolina in 1863, then back in the 14th VA in late 1863. He was born, raised and lived in Caroline County, so I am fairly sure on this flag when they show the side with the company in it in 1861...he's in there!!

Another side note, so I am assuming if he was discharged in early 1863 he had signed up for a 2 year term? Did the Confederates normally do that early in the war? I know he got conscripted in after Gettysburg.

Also interesting, when they had him list what unit he was in, he listed Company I 14th VA, Armistead's brigade, Pickett's division. Armistead was dead when he was drafted into the brigade, but I guess they called it that for the entirety of the war? I am trying to find something on that but cannot.

 

[rpkennedy]

Another side note, so I am assuming if he was discharged in early 1863 he had signed up for a 2 year term? Did the Confederates normally do that early in the war? I know he got conscripted in after Gettysburg.

No, they didn't. In early spring 1862, the Confederates changed all of their enlistments from a term of service to the duration of the war. If he was discharged in early 1863, I'm guessing that it was a medical discharge but it wasn't something that kept him from being conscripted later that year.

Also interesting, when they had him list what unit he was in, he listed Company I 14th VA, Armistead's brigade, Pickett's division. Armistead was dead when he was drafted into the brigade, but I guess they called it that for the entirety of the war? I am trying to find something on that but cannot.

That may have been on his paperwork because that's what he called it. After all, when he left, that's the unit that he was in. I know that in the summer of 1864, it was called Barton's Brigade under the command of Brigadier General Seth M. Barton. He apparently took over in 1863 after he was exchanged after being captured at Vicksburg.

Ryan

 

[Jamieva]

Yes I am guessing when they got to fall 1863 and the pool of draft eligible men was drying up, they had to expand the criteria and that got him back in. Total guess. He got sick almost as soon as he went into camp after being drafted and ended up at Chimborazo for a while.

 

[rpkennedy]

As a correction, General Barton was relieved of command at some point in the spring of 1864 and Birkett D. Fry took over. After Petersburg, Brigadier General George H. Steuart was commanding Armistead's old brigade.

Ryan

 

[bdtex]

Good detective work there. He had a hard 4 years.