1860

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA in theCIVIL WAR
Dan Slagle

The table shown below was prepared and presented to the members of OBCGS by Dan Slagle in his presentation to the Society on Western North Carolina in the Civil War. Mr. Slagle presented a fascinating, fact-filled talk about WNC's involvement in the War Between the States. As the Table clearly shows the western counties of North Carolina were not financially dependent on the institution of slavery and thus had little interest in supporting that institution. Many Western Carolinians and Eastern Tennessians served their terms of service, and many went AWOL, and some even served on both sides. In April of 1861 Ft. Sumter, SC was the beginning of the Civil War. The President of the United States called for men to fight. North Carolina said, "No." Even though North Carolina was originally against secession, on May 20, 1861 the State seceded. In doing so, it became the 11th, and last state, to secede. Early enlistments in the Confederate Army were for one year. In April of 1862 the Conscription Act required all able bodied men ages 18- 35 to serve. In later years this was increased from ages 18-45 and still later to 18-55. This worked a great hardship on the WNC people as many families were destitute without their men folk. Desertions became rampant.

The Shelton Massacre Massacre was discussed by Mr. Slagle as well as the Battles of Asheville and Stoneman's Raid.

In June 1864 the Third NC Mounted Infantry was formed in Eastern Tennessee. This Union outfit attracted men from TN, NC, KY and GA. This made up the second of the two Union Regiments in the South. The other being the Second NC Mounted Infantry.

Interestingly, but certainly not unique, Mr. Slagle had ancestors on both sides of the battles, but fortunately, even though the opposing units they belonged to did engage in battle, Mr. Slagle's ancestor's were not with their units at the time. They were prisoners of war at the time

Some Confederate WNC Civil War Units

5th Cavalry Battalion--consolidated with 7th Cavalry Battalion

6th Cavalry Regiment --Also called 65th Regiment. Organized from the 5th and 7th Cavalry

7th Cavalry Battalion --consolidated with 5th Cavalry Battalion

14th Cavalry Battalion -- Organized from Woodfin's Cavalry Battalion and others. Consolidated with other companies and called 7th Cavalry
Regiment.

16th Infantry

Woodfin's Cavalry Battalion -- organized with three companies in September 1863. Consolidated with other companies and called 14th Cavalry Battalion

8th (David T. Millard's) Infantry Battalion, Junior Reserves -- Also called 1st Infantry Battalion, Junior Reserves. Also called 9th Infantry Battalion Junior Reserves.

25th Infantry Regiment
29th Infantry Regiment
58th Infantry Regiment
60th Infantry Regiment
62nd Infantry Regiment
64th Infantry Regiment
Thomas' Legion

Western North Carolina Union Civil War Units

2nd Mounted Mounted Infantry
3rd Mounted Infantry

**Ordering Civil War Service Records**
For Union Service or Pension records and Confederate Service Records, request NATF form 80 (one form for each type record) from National Archives and Records Administration, Attn:NWDT1, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20408-001. E-mail request to inquire@nara.gov For Confederate Pension Records of men (and widows) that lived in NC after the War, write to North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and History, 109 East Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601. Phone (919) 733-3952.

**CIVIL WAR READING LIST OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO WNC**
*Wellman, Manly Wade. The Kingdom of Madison.* 1973**
*Underwood, Jinsie. This is Madison County.* 1974**
*McLeod, John Angus. From These Stones: Mars Hill College. The First Hundred Years.* 1955**
*Paludan, Phillip Shaw. Victims: A True Story of the Civil War.* 1981 (This book has an excellent account of the Shelton Laurel Massacre)**
Madison County Heritage - Volume 1. 1994
*Barrett, John G. The Civil War in North Carolina.* 1963**
*Dykeman, Wilma. The French Broad.* 1974**
*Ellis, Daniel. Thrilling Adventures of Daniel Ellis, The Union Guide.* 1867**
*Crow, Vernon H. Storm in the Mountains.* 1982**
*Moore, John W. Roster of North Carolina Troops in the War Between the States.* 1901**
Clark, Walter, Editor. Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War. 1861-1865
Weymouth, T. Jordan (editor). North Carolina Troops 1861-1865: A Roster.
*Trotter, William R. Bushwackers: The Civil War in the North Carolina Mountains.* 1988**
*Sondley, F. A. A History of Buncombe County, North Carolina.* 1930**
*1890 North Carolina Veterans Census*
*Sifakis, Stewart. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: North Carolina.* 1992**
*Mills, Gary B. Southern Loyalists in the Civil War: The Southern Claims Commission.* 1994**
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The Civil War CD-ROM(contains The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, commonly called the "O.R.". Guild Press of Indiana

Prepared and presented by Dan Slagle, OBCGS Oct. 17, 1998