Preface

 

"...Neither [the North or the South] expected for the war, the magnitude, or the duration, which it has already attained.  Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces; but let us judge not that we be not judged. ... " from President Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865. 

I have no desire in this document to debate the issues of the American Civil War. It is rather my purpose to share my ancestors participation in America's greatest war that would define this nation's future and how that war impacted the families.

Without judging the motivation for which a person would leave home and family and risk suffering the 'ultimate sacrefice', I honor their bravery and willingness to do so.

With the observance of the 150 anniversary of the Civil War, I decided to try to document my great grandfathers' involvement in the American Civil war.  There was little family information about my ancestors possible involvement in the Civil War. In the 1980s my mother, Clarita Hutchison Morgan, wrote in her autobiography that " Thomas L. Hutchison [her paternal grandfather] and my grandfather Levi [James Polk] Roth fought in the Battle of Gettysburg one [Hutchison] for the Confederacy, the other for the North. The battlelines were so close that one night they spoke to each other and my grandfather Hutchison begged cigarettes from my grandfather Roth. After their children married they met, and my grandfather Hutchison ... recognized his Yankee friend. They embraced and began reminiscing." She also wrote that " My grandfather Hutchison was wounded in a leg and sent to a hospital somewhere here in Virginia, later he was sent back to Ge. [Georgia] on crutches. He carried a decided limp for the rest of his life."

My mother also passed on to me the only family civil war related artifact that I know exists:
   

 

Rufus Granville Morgan was my great grandfather.

As a teen my family on occasion would visit my aunt's family for Sunday lunch. Afterwords they would sit in the living room and reminisce about family members. Though I will admit that I sat there totally bored, I do not remember the subject of the civil war in general or ancestors participation. I have no memory of my father bringing up the subject (just as I do not believe I have ever discussed the Vietnam War with our daughter).  So I knew of no family evidence concerning my fourth great grandfather, John Franklin Lackey.

Last year I joined Ancestry.com and began researching my family. I was able to confirm that all four of my great grandfathers fought in the civil war: Rufus Granville Morgan, John Franklin Lackey, and Thomas L. Hutchison for the Confederate States and James Polk Roth for the United States. As my family tree expanded using Ancestry it became obvious that there were others of their generation that probably served in the civil war. In the south, because the Confederate armies were constantly outnumbered by the Union armies, almost all of the men between 18 and 30 eventually fought in the war. It was also obvious that my great grandmothers, beyond having had to deal with maintaining home and family while the men went off to war, also had family members that went off to fight. It became clear that the impact of the civil war extended well beyond just my great grandfathers.

Note: On the posts I will present many historical details. I believe most of the information is correct but it is sometimes hard to be certain. I could use words such as probably, likely, perhaps, etc. to  cover the possibility of errors. Instead where I have significant doubt as to the accuracy I will say so. If you have doubts or contradicting information I would love to hear from you at edmorgan2002@msn.com

The dates on the posts are not accurate and are there just so the posts will appear in the appropriate order. Only 2016 is accurate.

Researched and written by Ed Morgan. Edited by Liz Morgan.

Ancestors

 

My father's pedigree:

 

My mother's pedigree:

 



Morgan Civil War Veterans

Rufus Morgan - Great grandfather 

Rufus Granville Morgan (great grandfather, Confederate States of America)

Rufus was born Jan 12, 1840 in Pulaski County, Virginia. On Apr 01, 1861, 11 days before the start of the Civil War, he married Virginia Antionette Brown. Many 21 year old men excitedly and voluntarily joined the Confederate forces at the beginning of the war. Instead he stayed home and began a family. On Feb 27, 1864, 12 days after the birth of their second child, he enlisted in the Virginia Botetourt Light Artillery Battery.  The Botetourt Artillery unit had recently suffered many casualties and was captured at the Battle of Vicksburg. After being exchanged for union prisoners they returned and were assigned to defend the New River railroad bridge of the Virginia-Tennessee Railroad. It was during this time that Rufus enlisted. The bridge connected Radford with Pulaski County at the community of New River (near present day Fairlawn). After the Battle of Cloyd's Mountain (north of Dublin in Pulaski County) on May 9, 1864,  the victorious Union forces captured the railroad depot in Dublin and turned toward the New River bridge. On May 11 Union forces attacked the Confederates defending the bridge. After running out of ammunition, the Botetourt Artillery pulled back to Christiansburg and then continued on to Lynchburg. From then to the end of the war they were engaged in many conflicts including the Battle of Marion. They likely were captured during the Appomattox Campaign in Apr 1865 and later disbanded in Christainsbug. After the war Rufus and Virginia had eight more children including Clifton Newton Morgan, my paternal grandfather. They named their last, born in 1882, Robert E. Lee Morgan in honor of the beloved commander of the Confederate forces. Rufus died Jun 28, 1912 in Belspring in Pulaski County and was buried in Morgan Cemetery, Fairlawn, Pulaski County.

Rufus had three brothers. John Wesley was born May 29, 1831. Trying to find if he served in the Civil War demonstrates the problems that are often incurred, especially when the person has a common name as John Morgan. I found three John W. Morgans and five John Morgans who served for the Confederacy in the Civil War . Yet none appeared to match Rufus' brother. His other two brothers, Newton and Josephus, did serve.

Newton Jasper Morgan (great great uncle, CSA) 

Newton was born July 24, 1838 in Giles County, Virginia. He enlisted June 25, 1861 in Company I, Virginia 50th Infantry Regiment. He was hospitalized due to illness and returned home Oct 1861. He apparently returned to service. He was mustered out at Bowling Green, Kentucky due to a disability, possibly about the beginning of Feb 1862. This would turn out to be fortunate since  the 50th was captured at the Battle of Fort Donelson in western Tennessee on Feb 16, 1862 and sent to POW camps for a period of time. He married Elizabeth Hickman Sept 26, 1865 and they had six children. Newton died July 25, 1916 and was buried in the Morgan Cemetery, Pulaski County.

Rev. William Patton Hickman (uncle of Elizabeth Hickman, wife of Newton Morgan)

(While Rev. Hickman is a more distant relative than the others in this list, I include him because of his unusual story and involvement in a Pulaski County battle. While many older men in the south were members of a local home guard they did not often see combat.)

"Margaret Hoge married Rev. William Hickman. He was a Presbyterian minister of unusual force and powers in the pulpit, was a brave and heroic figure during the Civil War. Though exempt from military duty, he volunteered with the home guard, and was ever found in line ready to defend his home and fireside. He had a firm belief in the righteousness of the southern cause. He fell in the battle ranks at Cloyd Mountain, on the ninth day of May 1864. His wound was a severe one through the thigh, and he bled to death before relief could be given." DeVault Genealogy, Excerpt from THE FAMILY OF HOGE  http://www.devault.net/fthtml/nti02791.html

From The Southwest Times, 2014, The Battle of Cloyd's Mountain, Part IV:

"One unit is not recognized in any of the official records. That is those brave men of the Home Guard, and what might be known in today’s vernacular as walk-ons. One such walk-on was Rev. William Hickman, pastor of the Belspring Presbyterian Church. A unit of Confederate soldiers was marching through by his home on the day before the battle, and he, realizing that many of his parishioners were in this unit, fell in with them and ended up at Cloyd’s Farm. He was wounded in the battle and left the field when the rebels retreated. Because he was not in military uniform, the Yankees, who were moving the wounded to field hospitals, considered him a bushwhacker and left him without attention, and he later died from his wounds."  https://www.southwesttimes.com/2014/02/the-battle-of-cloyds-farm-part-iv

Josephus Morgan (great great uncle, CSA)

Josephus was born July 3, 1845 in Pulaski County, Virginia. At the age of 18y 3m he enlisted in the same unit as his brother Rufus, the Virginia Botetourt Light Artillery Battery, as the unit was sent to Wytheville to join with other forces preparing to defend southwest Virginia from a union force from Tennessee. These forces met at the Battle of Marion, Dec 17 and 18, 1864.  The Battery then served with the Army of Northern Virginia, were likely captured during the Appomattox Campaign in Apr 1865 and later disbanded in Christainsburg. Josephus married Elizabeth Brown Feb 12, 1868 and they had seven children. Elizabeth died in 1882. On Sept 2, 1884 he married Nannie Lowman and they had three children. Nannie died in 1923. Josephus died Feb 28, 1933 and was buried in the Morgan Cemetery.

Robert Clifton Noftsinger (great great uncle by marriage, CSA)

Robert was born January 6, 1837 in Botetourt County, Virginia. He married Martha French Morgan (great great aunt, sister to Rufus Morgan). May 15, 1861 he enlisted  in Company H, Virginia 28th Infantry Regiment then transferred to the Virginia Botetourt Light Artillery Battery.  "While in service he received a wound that seriously affected his spine from which he never fully recovered."[obituary] He suffered from what today would probably be diagnosed as PTSD. He committed suicide Nov 6, 1906 and was buried in the Noftsinger Cemetery, Buchanan, Virginia. [His sister Margret H. Hoftsinger married John Wesley Morgan Feb, 1865.]

Virginia Antionette Brown Morgan - Great Grandmother

Virginia's brothers were too young to enlist. As far as known none of her sisters married a man who had fought or would fight in the Civil War.

Lackey Civil War Veterans

John Lackey - Great grandfather

John Franklin Lackey (great grandfather, CSA)

John was born Jun 17,1826 in Rockbridge County, Virginia. In April 1853 he married Elizabeth Miller and had four children, one of which died in 1861. He was drafted into Company D, Virginia 27th Infantry Regiment on Mar 19, 1862 at the age of 35. He returned home in Nov 1862 because his wife and children contracted diphtheria and they all died. In Jan 1863 he enlisted in Company D, Virginia 14th Cavalry. In Jan 1865 he was sent home to find a new horse but it is uncertain whether or not he returned. On Nov 19, 1863 he married Rebecca Agnes Leech with whom he had six children. John died Jan 28, 1894 in Fancy Hill (a few miles north of Natural Bridge), Rockbridge County and was buried in the Broad Creek ARP Church Cemetery.

Isaac Anderson Lackey (great great uncle, CSA)

Isaac was born Mar 17, 1822 in Rockbridge County, Virginia. He married Elizabeth Leech and they had eight children between 1851 and 1860 including two sets of twins. In Nov, 1863 at age 41 he enlisted in Company E, Virginia 26th Cavalry Regiment. He died Sept 17, 1870 and was buried in the New Providence Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Raphine, Rockbridge County, Virginia.

Thomas T. Lackey (great great uncle, CSA)

Thomas was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia in 1824 or 1825. He married Margaret Decker in Aug 1848 who died in 1860. At the time of his enlistment in Apr 1862 he was a widow with five children between 3 and 13 years. He served in the  Virginia Botetourt Light Artillery Battery but was mustered out in Jun 1863. He would marry again in May, 1869 to Susan McCrory and have one more child. Thomas died in 1877 at Timber Ridge, Rockbridge County. [Thomas also had two brother-in-laws who served for the CSA: Edward Hughes McCrory and William Thomas MCrory.]

Nathan A. Lackey (1st cousin, twice removed - CSA), son of Samuel Lackey (great great uncle)

Nathan was born March 11, 1842 in Timber Ridge, Rockbridge County, Virginia. In Apr, 1862 he enlisted. He served with Company I, Virginia 4th Infantry and was killed at the Battle of Chancellorsville, south of Washington, D.C., in May 1863.

William Robert Lackey  (1st cousin, twice removed - CSA), son of Samuel Lackey (great great uncle)

William was born Dec 1, 1844 in Rockbridge County, Virginia. In Feb, 1864 he enlisted in Company H, 14th Cavalry Regiment. In Jan 1881 he married Ida Parker and they had seven children. William died Apr 1926 in Timber Ridge, Rockbridge County.

Robert W. Cochran (great great uncle by marriage, CSA)

Robert was born in 1829 in Rockbridge County, Virginia. He married Phoebe Elizabeth Lackey (great great aunt, sister to John Lackey). In Mar 1864 he was drafted to Company D, Virginia 25th Infantry Regiment. He was captured while serving with the Army of Northern Virginia and was sent to POW Camp Lookout in St. Mary's County, Maryland. He died there June 16, 1864, reportedly from disease, and was buried in the Point Lookout Confederate Cemetery.

Elizabeth Lackey Miller - first wife of John Franklin Lackey

Elizabeth was born July 6, 1833 in Kerrs Creek, Rockbridge County, Virginia. In Apr 1853 she married John Franklin Lackey and they had four children. One died as a toddler, the other three children and Elizabeth died of diphtheria. While her brothers are not blood relatives to my family, they were certainly a part of the Lackey extended family. [Elizabeth also had three brother-in-laws that served in the CSA: James W. Alexander, George William Watkins and Alexander Gibson Brown.]

William B. Miller (brother-in-law of John Lackey, CSA)  

William was born 1833. He enlisted in Apr 1862 and served in the Amherst Light Artillery Battery until Aug 1862. He died in Jan 1907 and was buried in the Broad Creek ARP Church Cemetery in Rockbridge County.

John Pressley Miller (brother-in-law of John Lackey, CSA)

John was born Aug 15, 1837. He enlisted in Aug 1861 in Company E, Virginia 52nd Infantry Regiment and served with the Army of Northern Virginia. He was mustered out Apr 9, 1865 at the confederate surrender at Appomattox, Virginia. (While the records of most of the soldiers on this list do not indicate when their service ended, John was one of the longest serving soldiers on this list.) He died Aug 12, 1916 and was buried in the Broad Creek ARP Church Cemetery in Rockbridge County. 

Samuel Henry Miller (brother-in-law of John Lackey, CSA)

Samuel, born Dec 10, 1840, served in the Virginia 52nd Infantry Regiment. On Aug 5, 1862, he died from typhoid fever in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Rebecca Agnes Leech Lackey -  Great Grandmother, second wife of John Lackey

Rebecca was born Apr 28, 1831 in Rockbridge County. She married Thomas Preston Lackey in Nov 1852 and they had three children. Thomas died in 1860 at the age of 34. In Nov 1863 she married John Franklin Lackey. They had six children including my paternal grandmother, Fannie Drucilla Lackey. Rebecca died in Jan 1900.
  

John Addison Miller (great great uncle by marriage, USA)

John was born April 28, 1829 in Rockbridge County, Virginia. In Aug 1851 he married Mary Malinda Leech (sister of Rebecca Leech). They had six children. In 1864 they moved to Iowa. John enlisted in Company G, Iowa 4th Infantry Regiment. He was killed in the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, the opening battle in the effort to capture Vicksburg, Mississippi and control the Mississippi River. 

William D. Leech (great great uncle by marriage, CSA)

William was born Apr 19, 1833 in Rockbridge County, Virginia. In Dec, 1857 he married Isabella C. Leech (sister of Rebecca Leech) and had four children. He enlisted in Company F, Virginia 27th Infantry Regiment. William died Sept 30, 1881 and was buried in the High Bridge Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Natural Bridge, Rockbridge County.

John Preston Leech (First cousin, twice removed, USA)

John was born July 8, 1837 in Rockbridge County, Virginia (son of James H. Leech who, by a common father was a half brother of Rebecca Leech). In 1855 he and his parents moved to Lucas County, Iowa and in Sept 1861 he married Mary Jane Cooper in Scotland County, Iowa. They had two children. He enlisted in Company G, Missouri 3rd Cavalry Regiment. John died Oct 12, 1865 in Memphis, Scotland County and was buried in Afton, Union County, Iowa.

James G. Leech (First cousin, twice removed, USA)

James was born Mar 4, 1842 in Rockbridge County, Virginia (son of James H. Leech who, by a common father, was a half brother of Rebecca Leech). In 1855 he and his parents moved to Lucas County, Iowa. In Oct 1862 James enlisted in Company G, Iowa 34th Infantry Regiment. He was mustered out Mar 1863 at St. Louis, Missouri [according to his obituary] "at the Good Samaritan Hospital, having contracted heart trouble and tuberculosis".  He married Sarah Elizabeth Whitten in June, 1867 and they had ten children. He died on Aug 25, 1919 in Humeston, Wayne County, Iowa and was buried in the Derby Cemetery, Derby, Lucas County, Iowa.







Hutchison Civil War Veterans

Thomas Hutchison - Great grandfather

Thomas Langston Hutchison (great grandfather, CSA)

Thomas was born Feb 23, 1845 in Monticello, Jasper County, Georgia. On Apr 25, 1861 [two weeks after the Civil War began], at age 16y 2m he enlisted in Company G, 4th Infantry Regiment of the Georgia Volunteers. In his Soldier's Application for a Pension in 1925 he wrote, "Enlisted April 61 for one year ____ May 62 for 3 years or the war." He further stated, "I was of Stonewall Jackson's Corps, Army of Northern Va, and actively participated in all its campaigns, from May 62 to Aug 18th 64 when I was disabled from shell wound and lock jaw and so remained to the end of the war. Was on furlough [at home] when Lee surrendered." Thomas rose to the rank of First Sargent. My sister Clarita Morgan Rader relates that, according to family verbal history, when Thomas was at the hospital in Virginia, the doctor wanted to amputate his leg. He refused, walked back to Georgia on crutches and was nursed back to health though he would walk with a limp for the rest of his life. He studied to become a lawyer and moved, along with his parents and brothers and sister, to Comanche, Texas. In Feb 1877 he married Martha Elizabeth McLeary, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas and they had two children. Thomas died on Sept 20, 1924 at age 79y7m. At his burial in Oakwood Cemetery, Commanche, Texas, his obituary reported that "his casket was draped in the Stars and Bars" [the first official flag of the Confederacy].

John W. Hutchison (great great uncle, CSA)

John was born in Feb 1847 in Monticello, Jasper County, Georgia. In Apr 1864 at the age 17y2m he enlisted in Company F, Georgia 27th Infantry Battalion as it was moving north from Florida to join the Army of Northern Virginia in the defense of Richmond, the Capital of the Confederacy. In the fall the Battalion joined Johnston's Army in North Carolina in an attempt to stop Sherman's advance up the coast. Johnston surrendered on Apr 26, 1865, 17 days after Lee surrendered at Appomattox. John did not marry and died Dec 28, 1919 in Comanche, Texas. He was buried in Oakwood Cemetery.

Maximillian H. Hutchison - Great great grandfather

My great great grandfather, Maximillian H. Hutchison, father of Thomas and John, was a member of Company C, 6th Regiment Georgia State Guard, Infantry. As far as I can determine he did not fight in the war.

Urana Elizabeth Flemister - 3rd Great grandmother

James Madison Flemister

Mary Ann Parker - Great great grandmother

William Calvin Parker (3rd great uncle, CSA)

Charles W. Parker (3rd great uncle, CSA)

Samual Davies McLeary

Dr. William Trigg Hodge McLeary

Martha Elizabeth McLeary - Great grandmother

Martha was born Aug 31, 1857 in Colorado County, Texas. She married Thomas Langston Hutchison in Feb 1877. They had two children including my maternal grandfather, [Harvey] McCleary Hutchison. Martha died Sept 28, 1933 in Comanche, Texas and was buried in Oakwood Cemetery.

James Harvey McLeary (great great uncle, CSA)

James (Martha's brother) was born in Smith County, Tennessee on July 27, 1845. He and his family moved to Colorado County, Texas. In 1861 he enlisted in the Fifth Texas Cavalry and was part of Sibley's Brigade's unsuccessful attempt to control New Mexico.  They were sent to the Texas Gulf Coast where they successfully re-captured Galveston in Jan 1863. They fought in various conflicts in Louisiana and Arkansas before disbanding in 1865 at the end of the war. James fought in the Spanish-American War where he rose to the rank of major. In 1901 he was appointed US judge in Puerto Rico. [He asked my grandfather Harvey McLeary Hutchison to assist him in Puerto Rico which is why my mother and her brothers were born in Puerto Rico.] James died Jan 5, 1914 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.

Roth Civil War Veteran

James Roth - Great grandfather

James Polk (K.P.) Roth (great grandfather, USA)

James was born Jan 3, 1844 in Marietta, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. In Jan 1862 he joined Company E, 107th Pennsylvania Infantry and re-enlisted Feb 1864. The 107th was attached to the Army of the Potomac and fought in many of the major battles in the east. He was honorably discharged with his company July 15, 1865.

The 107th Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry occupied this position during a part of July 2nd 1863 (Battle of Gettysburg). Went into action July 1st with 255 officers and men. Lost during the three days in killed, wounded and missing 165 officers and men.

 In 1872 James married Matilda V. Inu. They had two children including my maternal grandmother, Anna Roth Hutchison. James died Sept 13, 1911 and was buried in Marietta Cemetery. 

Matilda Inu Roth - Great grandmother

I know little about Matilda. She was born July 5, 1851 in Marietta, Pennsylvania. Her parents and siblings, if any, are unknown.