Greene County, NC
James S. Mitchell’s military records were difficult to find. It may be the problem of there being numerous James Mitchells, but another part of the problem could be the spelling variations. On the first pages of his records, his name is spelled Mitchel and then Mitchal. Also on some pages of the records, he is shown as enlisting in Snow Hill, NC; Goldsboro, NC, and then on many of his company muster rolls he is shown as having enlisted in Virginia. Whatever the problem, we are lucky to have a copy of his records.
James enlisted in 1861, and stayed for the entire war. There are 25 pages in his military record. One of them shows that his name is on the Confederate Roll of Honor. There is no date given on that page, and the little information available on this Roll of Honor seems to say that it was an idea which never quite came about. There’s more work to be done to find out about that.
Here are the records and history of his military service, year by year.
1861
There are two enlistment dates given for James: August 17, 1861, in Goldsboro, NC, and August 29, 1861, in Snow Hill, NC. Later on the mention of the Roll of Honor, it states that he was 18 years old. According to other records, he was born in 1845, therefore he would have been 16 years old. He certainly wouldn’t be the first to have made himself a little older to get into a war!
The length of time of his enlistment says “for the war”. There is a page in the records that says he is due “Confederate Bounty”. This could be an enlistment bounty which was offered by the Confederate Government to soldiers who signed up for lengthy enlistments. Usually it was a $50 bounty. Some soldiers, especially at the beginning of the war, signed up for only 3 months. Then the Conscription Act was signed in 1862 and soldiers signing up after that received the bounty. However, James signed up for the length of the war, so it seems surprising that they would give him a bounty, but sure hope he got it.
1861
His first company muster is dated July 16-Sept 1, 1861.
Second company muster is for Sept. –Oct 1861
Third company muster is dated Nov and Dec 1861, and all state that he is present and accounted for.
1862
There is no company muster roll for Jan-Feb 1862.
In Mar-Apr 1862 James is present.
May 1, 1862- October 31, 1862, there is a note saying that James is absent in hospital in Richmond, VA.
There is another page showing pay on 9 Sept 1862 for the months of May 1, 1862-Sept 1, 1862. The pay is $44.00.
A form showing that J. S. Mitchell appears on a Register of Medical Director’s Office, Richmond, VA, Winder #3. The only date given is a statement which says, “Transferred to Petersburg, October 10, 1862.”
Company Muster Roll for Nov 1862-Feb. 1863—James is present. This is the roll which says he is due a Confederate bounty. Perhaps he enlisted again, as the place of enlistment is now shown as Virginia.
During 1862, his Regiment was in numerous battles. One that James might have engaged in was at New Bern, NC. , on March 13. New Bern would have been very close to his home in Greene Co.
Two big battles that James may have missed while in the hospital is the battle at Malvern Hill, VA, on July 1, and the Battle of Antietam, or Sharpsburg, MD. This was the first battle on northern soil.
1863
The company muster roll picks up with March-Apr 1863, James is present.
May-June, 1863, present
July-Aug, 1863-James is present, and there are two notes made on the form. One says that he lost his cap pouch. The cap pouch was worn usually on the right hip and attached to the waist belt. It held the priming system for the soldier’s rifle, musket or carbine.
The writing is not clear. It says “cap pouch lost to be stoped”. Haven’t quite figured that out yet. **
(here is a Link to see what a cap pouch looked like) The other note states that James was present at the battle of Gettysburg, which took place July 2-5 in PA.
September-October 1863-James is present.
Another important battle of the 2nd Regiment in 1863 was Chancellorsville, VA, April 30-May 6. The second bloodiest day of the Civil War was May 3 at Chancellorsville. James’s brother Barney was wounded in this battle.
(To see an animated map of the first day of battle at Chancellorsville, click here. You can see the position of the 2nd NC. It's around noon when they come in. The little red rectangles are the CSA troops, and when you see the name Ramseur over them, that's the NC troops. They will be coming in on Orange Plank Road at the bottom right of the screen. Put your mouse over each rectangle and it will tell you which Regiment it was. 2nd NC is the second rectangle.) 1864
Jan-Feb 1864—James was absent on a “furlough of indulgence” for 18 days, starting from Feb 27, 1864.
March 31, 1864, note: James S. Mitchell is under G. O. #27, A I & G. O. There is more work to be done on this—may possibly be a disciplinary action—perhaps he was late returning from his furlough.
May 2-Aug 31, 1864-James was admitted May 23 to General Hospital, #9 Camp Winder, Richmond, VA. April 30-May 27, 1864, James is on Hospital muster roll of sick soldiers.
Sept. –Oct 1864 James is present
Dec. 12, 1864-Dec 23, 1864 James is in CSA General Hospital in Charlottesville, VA. His illness is listed as “Act. Art Rheumatism” which possibly could be acute rheumatism. He was allowed to return to duty on Dec. 23.
During 1864, the 2 NC is listed as fighting in these battles:
Wilderness, VA, May 8, 1864
Spotsylvania, VA—the battle went on for six days during the period of time from 12 May 1864 to 20 May 1864.
Cold Harbor, VA—the battle went on from May 31 through June 12. The 2nd Infantry were present on June 2.
Siege of Petersburg, VA- 2nd Regt. was there June 15-18. The famous explosion known as the Petersburg Crater didn’t happen until July 30.
Near Washington, DC, 12 July 1864 and 13 July 1864.
Core Creek, near New Bern took place on 27 July 1864. James was again close to home.
By October 1864, the 2nd NC was near Petersburg, VA again.
1865
Only one paper for 1865. This one states that James S. Mitchell’s name appears on a list of Prisoners of War belonging to the Army of Northern Virginia who have been this day surrendered by General R. E. Lee, commanding said army to Lt. Gen. Grant, commanding armies of the U. S.
Paroled at Appomattox Court House, VA, April 9, 1865.
Battles in 1865:
Kinston, NC on March 18-19, 1865—probably the closest James has been to home. Kinston is in Lenoir Co., right next to Greene Co. In the latter part of March, they were around Goldsboro, NC.
The last battle listed for the 2nd Regiment is near Farmville, PA, on 9 April, 1865. The Confederate Army made an attempt to get to the train with rations on it to feed the soilders, but the train was ordered back to Farmville. General Lee’s army was surrounded by the army of General Sheridan and General Lee surrendered.
There is a record stating that James S. Mitchell, Pvt. Co. D 2 Regiment, NC Troops appears on a Roll of Honor of the organization named above. It gives his county, Greene, date of entrance as 17 Aug, 1861 at age 18, and states he was a volunteer. While there is no date on the form, a printed note at the bottom says that it is in accordance with resolutions ratified by the General Assembly of that state on 20 December, 1862. There is no further information as of yet. Information on the Confederate Medals and Honors follows:
Confederate Medals & Honors
The Confederacy never managed to produce an equivalent artifact. Aside from the few Davis Guard Medals for the defense of Sabine Pass, September 8, 1863, and the New Market Cross of Honor awarded to the Virginia Military Institute Cadet Battalion of the Battle of New Market, May 15, 1864, only a published "Roll of Honor" was to be had, and that was supported only haphazardly. In 1900 the United Daughters of the Confederacy introduced their semi-official Southern Cross of Honor for Confederate veterans.
Confederate Roll of Honor During the War Between the States, a Confederate Medal of Honor never became reality. Disagreement as well as financial difficulties precluded it from coming to fruition. On July 1, 1896, General Stephen Dill Lee, one of the few remaining senior officers of the Confederate army, spoke to a group of sons of Confederate veterans who had gathered at Richmond to form a group to preserve the memory and valor of the Confederate soldier. He told the group it was their duty to present the true history of the South to future generations. This group, chartered as the Sons of Confederate Veterans, was committed to that charge. In 1977, Private Samuel Davis of Coleman's Scouts, became the first to be posthumously presented the Confederate Medal of Honor. Since then, many others have been presented and those whose valor went far beyond the call of duty are finally being recognized.
Maggie
