Greene County, NC
1861
Barney Mitchell enlisted as a volunteer for the Confederate Army very early in the war. He signed up in Snow Hill, Greene Co., NC, on 25 April 1861, at the age of 22. The companies assigned to the 3rd Regiment did not report until late May, 1861 when they reported to Garysburg, Northampton County, where in June the Regiment was finally organized. Barney was in Company A which was known as the “Greene County Riflemen”. This Regiment was a States Troops organization. He was enrolled by Capt. Robert H. Drysdale, also a Greene County resident. Capt. Drysdale died less than a year later at Camp Price, VA, of pneumonia.
On August 14, 1861, the Regiment moved to Camp Howe where General T. H. Holmes commanded. As more troops arrived, they were brigaded and the 3rd NC was assigned to Brigadier General John Walker, along with the 1st and 2nd NC and several other regiments. So Barney’s brother, James Stanley, was in the same brigade with him.
For most of 1861, the regiment seems to have been in Virginia. On July 17, 3 companies left for Richmond and arrived the next day. By the 27th of July the entire Regiment was there. They were then sent to the Aquia District on July 24. In addition to the 1st and 2nd NC State Troops, the brigade consisted of the 30th Regiment Virginia Infantry and the 1st Regiment Arkansas Infantry. On August 31 and September 1, the companies were mustered into the Confederate States Service to date from their original dates of enlistment. The Regiment arrived at Camp Price sometime in November-December, 1861.
Company Muster Rolls, which started in September, show the following for Barney:
September-October—present
November-December--present
1862
The year began with the death of Capt. Robert Drysdale on January 16 at Camp Price.
By March, the regiment was at Camp McIntosh near Goldsboro, NC. The entire brigade assembled there and remained until ordered to Petersburg, Virginia, on May 29, 1862. On June 1, the 3rd Regiment was moved to Richmond and ordered to move down the Williamsburg road and set up camp. From June 3 to June 28 the regiment was on picket duty on the Williamsburg Road. The Mitchell family has a letter from Barney written to his parents about the picket duty:
Road 20 near Richmond
June 18, 1862
My Dear Parents,
Once more I am blessed with the privilege of communicating to you some of the passed events during the last week. I can’t say there is any prospect of any battle here again soon more than this skirmishing. The pickets have some pretty warm times of that, almost every day; we have three Reg on a line about 2 miles long every day. Our picket line is about 25 m long, it reaches from the James River to Ashland; on the Rail Road from Richmond to Fredericksburg.
I have been on picket three times since I have been here. I have shot at only one yankee. He was 1st Lt. In the 8th Pennsylvania Cavilry Regiment. I did not hit him, but I shot his bridle rains in two just below his hand and his horse throwed and we took him a prisoner, this was the second time I was on picket yesterday was a week ago. I was the first one in our company or Rgt. that ever shot a yankee.
We average about 20(?)_ every day. We have lost not a man out of our company yet, though the enemy has fired into us several times. But they have not so much as wounded one of us yet.
Our camp is 1 ½ miles from Richmond, V, 5 or 6 miles away from the battlefield. We go down one day in each week and stand picket and then return to camp, that is our Regt. I am getting along very well and my health is also very good except a could–
I was blessed with the extreme pleasure of meeting with my Bro. James yesterday he was also well except a could. He sends a short piece in my letter. You will learn from that how he is. His camp is ½ mile from ours.
Remember my regards to all the family and family connection. I can not hear from Parrot Cady. All of you must write to me soon.
Your Son
Barney
At about 4pm on June 26, 1862, the regiment had their first real battle as they supported another brigade at Mechanicsville. In this first battle there were 8 killed and 39 wounded. They were in another battle the following day at Gaines’ Mill. From there they moved on to Malvern Hill.
Barney took part at Sharpsburg (Antietam) in Maryland on September 17. He was wounded there, but it wasn’t mentioned on his records until much later when he was recommended for the Roll of Honor. He was not admitted to the Richmond General Hospital #6 until September 24. Barney was among 207 from his regiment who were wounded, and 46 were killed.
Muster rolls for 1862:
March 1—shown to be absent on sick furlough
March-April—present
April 30-July 14—present
July 14-October 31—present
There is one pay stub for this time period: May 1 through August 31--$44.00
1863
In the first month of 1863, the regiment was in winter quarters on the Rappahannock River near Port Royal where they had picket duty. On January 19, the 3rd Regiment was transferred to Brigadier General Wm. B. Taliaferro’s Brigade. This brigade consisted of the 1st Reg. NC State Troops and the 10th, 23rd, and 37th Regiments Virginia Infantry.
During this time, there is a puzzling entry for Barney. There is a company muster roll which states he was present during January and February. On February 23 there is an entry which states that he was under G. O. 26, Hq. No. Virginia for Court Martial. There is a note following which says he was released from arrest on May 15, 1863. This doesn’t seem to make sense as he took part in the battle of Chancellorsville on May 3, where he received a wound that gave him trouble for the rest of his life. He was shot in the thigh, breaking the femur bone. **
The Company Muster Roll shows him absent from May 3-May 15.
Next, May 15-Aug 15, he is shown absent, wounded and not fit for duty.
On August 15-31, he is shown “at home in NC”
Another form shows Barney appears on a register for Chimborazo Hosp. #3, and says he was furloughed 26 July for 25 days.
There are two pay stubs: one from May 1-Aug 31 shows he was paid $44 on Sept 21. Second from Sept. 1 to October 31 shows he was paid $22 on December 5
Link to a photo and model of Chimborazo Hospital
1864
The Company Muster Roll shows Barney as being home on furlough from Dec. 31, 1863 to August 31, 1864.
The Company Muster Roll for January 1-May 31 shows Barney is now attached to the General Hospital #3 in Goldsboro. There is another form dated April 20 showing that he has been told to report to Gen. Hosp. #3 in Goldsboro for treatment by order of the Medical Exam Board and stating that he has been paid.
He has a receipt for clothing on May 30.
A form is shown that lists him as being on the Roll of Honor, and mentions that he was wounded at Sharpsburg and Chancellorsville.
Next is a clothing receipt dated August 10.
September- October he is shown to be home on furlough, and then November and December he is shown back in the hospital at Goldsboro.
Barney returned to duty on December 15, 1864. At that time his regiment was 3 and a half miles north of Petersburg in winter quarters.
1865
The 3rd Regiment remained in winter quarters until ordered back to battle on February 20, 1865. Apparently Barney was not with them on April 8 when they arrived at the Appomattox Court House.
The last entry in his Military Record states that:
B. E. Mitchell appears on a list of patients in General Hospital #3, High Point, NC, paroled in accordance with the terms of a Military Convention entered into on the 26th day of April, 1865, between Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, Commanding Confederate Army and Major General W. T. Sherman, commanding United States Army in North Carolina.
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