Western North Carolina in the Civil War

 

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA in the CIVIL 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.

1860 NC Census

 

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 Battalionconsolidated with 7th Cavalry Battalion6th Cavalry RegimentAlso called 65th Regiment. Organized from the 5th and 7th Cavalry7th Cavalry Battalionconsolidated with 5th Cavalry Battalion

14th Cavalry BattalionOrganized from Woodfin’s Cavalry Battalion and others. Consolidated with other companies and called 7th Cavalry
Regiment.

16th Infantry

Woodfin’s Cavalry Battalionorganized 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.govFor 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
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

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