Enlistment: March 1862, Fredricksburg, Virginia
William’s pension application states 2 March 1862, although
multiple muster rolls state 12 March 1862.
His pension application was dated July 1906, a full 50+ years after
service. Certainly understandable to be off the exact day.
Unit: Co. H 47th Regiment Virginia Infantry ~ A.P. Hill’s
Light Division, Army of Northern Virginia
Again from found muster rolls, & his own pension
application, his enlistment was in this company.
He was enlisted under Captain Thomas N. Welch. Interestingly
enough, Capt. Welch resigned his commission on 9 June
1862. His resignation letter states, the death of his father &
other family members leaving his mother to take care of
herself, & a young wife as his reasons for resignation. Have
no idea who the company commander was after Welch’s
resignation.
The 47th was a unit raised in June 1861 with men recruited
from Caroline, Middlesex, Essex, & Stafford counties. It
mostly fought with the Army of Northern Virginia, & was a
unit in A.P. Hill’s division.
It fought with the Army of Northern Virginia from Seven
Pines to Cold Harbor, then was active in the trenches of
Petersburg and around Appomattox. This regiment totalled
444 effectives in April, 1862, and sustained 34 casualties of
the 156 engaged at Frayser’s Farm. It reported 29 casualties at
Second Manassas, 45 at Fredericksburg, and 45 at
Chancellorsville. Twenty-three percent of the 209 in action at
Gettysburg were disabled.
During February 1865, the 47th and 55th Regiments were
consolidated, but only 2 sergeants of the 47th surrendered on
April 9.
30 May – 18 June 1862 Chimborazo Hospital #3 Richmond,
VA I have no information as to the cause of William’s
admittance. I did read somewhere that it was for a fever. The
Roll showing him in the hospital does not list a reason.
25 June – 1 July 1862 ~ 7 Days Battles. The Seven Days
Battles were a series of six major battles over the seven days
from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond. General Lee
drove the invading Army of the Potomac, commanded by
General McClellan, away from Richmond and into a retreat
down the Virginia Peninsula.
A muster roll dated 30 June 1862 shows William “present”.
14-26 Aug 1862 ~ Lovingon Hospital- Winchester, VA A roll
of sick & wounded lists William from these dates. Again, no
reason is written. Was he wounded..? or simply sick again…. I
have no idea.
28-30 Aug 1862 ~ 2nd Battle of Manassas
17 Sept 1862 ~ Antietam – Bloodiest single day of battle in
American History. Nearly 23,000 combined casualties
11-15 Dec 1862 ~ Battle of Fredricksburg
31 December 1862 – A muster roll shows the dates of 31 Aug
– 31 Dec 62. William is shown as “present”.
30 Apr – 6 May 1863 ~ Battle of Chancellorsville. This is the
battle where Gen Stonewall Jackson was mortally wounded.
1-3 July 1863 ~ Battle of Gettysburg. Probably one of the
most famous battles of all. With A.P. Hill being wounded,
Gen Henry Heth was in charge of Hill’s Division @
Gettysburg. The 47th was under the command of Col. Mayo,
& attached to Brockenbroughs 2nd Brigade.
I know lots of Virginians, & a good chunk of this division, &
brigade were actually involved in “Picketts Charge”. While
it’s impossible to say definitively that William was involved
in Pickett’s Charge, it is at least plausible.
14 July 1863 ~ Captured at Falling Waters, MD. – After
retreating into Maryland from Gettysburg, on the morning of
July 14, Kilpatrick’s and Buford’s cavalry divisions
approached from the north and east respectively. Before
allowing Buford to gain a position on the flank and rear,
Kilpatrick attacked the rearguard division of Gen. Henry
Heth taking more than 500 prisoners. William was one of the
soldiers captured.
1 Aug 1863 ~ Prisoner Roll showing William as a POW &
confined at “Old Capital Prison”
8 Aug 1863 ~ Prisoner Roll showing William being
transferred to “Point Lookout, MD”
3 Mar 1864 ~ Roll showing William as part of a prisoner
exchange from Point Lookout.
23 Mar 1864 ~ Pay stub showing William being paid for
service from 1 May 63 – 29 Feb 64
Feb 1865 ~ This is the date listed on William’s pension
application as when he left service. He put his reason for
separation as, Chronic disorder. I would assume this from
injuries sustained in battle of the previous 3 yrs.
28 Apr 1865 ~ Parole document Ashland, Virginia
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13761863/william-toliver-hart
This is my great great great grandfather. From what my grandfather said the second time he was in the hospital he was wounded unsure for what.