It appears proper to list as far as the roster records of the North Carolina Regiments of the 
Confederate States of America include the Rays descended from the Five Exiles of Polly Ray Mountain, 
that they may not be forgotten.  At this time, partly due to defective roster records in the latter 
stages of the war, all RAYs and MCFADYENs are not listed.  Also RAYs who certainly are of the clan 
represent duplicated names of cousins of about the same ages and cannot be assigned to the proper 
family in some cases.  RAYs in the regiments contracted camp fevers and died at home.  RAYs of Wake 
County may belong to the Wake families or be of Donald Ray of Black River, or other RAYs of our clan 
in Eastern Harnett.

The War of the Lost Cause left tragedy in all the families of the countryside, whether RAYs or 
not, and it is to be hoped that such havoc in human lives will never again occur.

These RAYs who were cut off as young men and forgotten of but dimly seen in North Carolina are 
vividly new to Canada RAYs who now learn of them with shock and regret.  And to honor them and 
memorialize them, their names are repeated now. They are listed in the order of the Roster.

George D. Ray, enlisted in the Co. B of the 5th Battalion of light artillery on March 1, 1862.  
His parentage has not yet been found, but in 1850 he acted as Sawyer for Archibald Ray, son of John RAY 
of the Puppy Creek Mill on the Mill Creek Branch in Hoke near Longstreet.  He was born in 1827.  The 
record closes without further detail.

John R. Ray enlisted in Co. A, 1st. Battalion, Artillery, on November 13, 1862, and was of Cumberland 
County, but not identified from present records.

Gilbert Carmichael Ray enlisted in Co. B, 5th Battalion of Light Artillery on May 11, 1863.  The 
roster gives no further detail.  However, he survived, married Nancy Powell, is interred with her at Galatia 
churchyard, and was a son of Islay-born Archibald RAY, 1792, a great-grandson of Gilbert the Exile.

David J. Ray, First Lieutenant of the Armory Guard attached to Fayetteville Arsenal, may have been 
the son of Archibald Ray, 1811, of Sandy Grove, and Janet Finlayson, Archibald the Tailor being usually 
applied to him as a Sobriquet.

Gilbert G. Ray, of Cumberland, enlisted April 18, 1861, in Co. B of  the Armory Guard.  Not yet 
identified, and no record in the Roster.

Duncan H. Ray, of Cumberland, enlisted in Co. D of  this same 6th. Battalion, the Armory detail, on 
September 15, 1863.  Not yet identified.

Junior Reserves were organized in 1864, and one Calvin Ray enlisted who may have been from Alamance.  
No roster detail.  A Calvin RAY, 1837-1900, in Antioch Church Cemetery on the Raft Swamp, south-east of 
Raeford, may not be this Calvin RAY of the Junior Reserve, "the Seed Corn of the Confederacy."

N.A. Ray, of Harnett, enlisted in this Junior Reserve on June 1, 1864.  It is likely that he was the son 
of Duncan Ray, 4 miles east of present Lillington.  He survived, and married Amarintha Black, having a 
family of nine children.

The Senior Reserves formed in 1864 also had in Co. B a John RAY from Richmond and Robeson counties.  
John RAY is not identified.

A. Ray of Cumberland or Harnett enlisted in August, 1864, in Co. E of the Senior Reserves.  He might 
be either an Angus or an Archibald Ray, and is not yet identified.  The roster gives no record.

John D. Ray from Wake enlisted on April 27, 1864, has no roster data, might possibly be of our Black 
River RAYs.  He joined Co. I, 2nd. N.C. Inf.

Archibald Black Ray, 1832-1862, son of Nevin of Thagard's Pond, Moore County, joined Co. B, 3rd. N.C. 
Inf. On July 15, 1862, and died from Fever on September 15.

John C. Ray, son of Patrick Ray, 1806 and Mary A. Clark Ray, 1814, of Jackson Springs, Moore County, 
and born in 1838, enlisted with Co. C of the 3rd. N.C. Inf. On July 20, 1862, and was killed at Sharpsburg.

Archibald Alexander Ray, 1838, son of Niven the Surveyor of Devils Gut, born 1800, and a son of 
Archibald of Jackson Springs, Moore County, joined Co. C, 3rd. N.C. infantry on the same day, and died 
June 29, 1863 at home from camp fever.

A.J. Ray / Angus J. Ray, son of Angus Ray, 1794, and born in 1833, enlisted also in Co. C of the 
3rd. N.C. infantry on July 18, 1862, and was captured on May 14, 1864.  No further data in roster.  Angus 
RAY is not identified, but lived near Longstreet.

Neill W. Ray, of Cumberland, apparently a son born in 1834 to Daniel Ray, 1800, from Scotland, was 
commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant of Co. D, 6th. N.C. Inf., on May 16, 1861, promoted to 1st Lieutenant, and 
then to Captain, Jan. 1, 1863.  He was wounded on May 3, 1864, and was probably Mayor of Fayetteville about 
1889.

D.H. Ray, of Cumberland, enlisted in the ill-fated Bethel Regiment, first regiment to enter battle, 
on May 17, 1861.  Probably he was the Duncan H. Ray detailed to the Armory Guard in 1863.  He was in Co. H 
of this regiment.

Alexander Ray, born 1831, a son of William Ray, 1795-1848, of Longstreet, and a prize-winning sharp-
shooter in rifle contests at Fayetteville preceding the war, also joined Co. H of the Bethel Regiment on 
May 17, 1861.  No further roster details.

Angus Ray, of Robeson, enlisted in Co. G, 24th. N.C. Inf. On February 10, 1863.  He is not identified.

Archibald Ray of Robeson, enlisted in Co. G of the 24th. Regiment on May 1, 1862.  No added details.

Calvin S. Ray of Robeson enlisted in Co. G, 24th infantry, on June 4, 1861.  He may be the Calvin RAY 
interred in Antioch Cemetery near Raeford.

A Daniel N. Rea, name spelled r-e-a, enlisted in this Co. G of the 24th? Infantry on December 1, 1864.  
No roster data.

N.A. Ray of Moore, son of Scotland-born Alexander Ray, 1790, of McDeed's Creek, and born in 1838, 
joined Co. H of the 26th. N.C. Inf. on June 3, 1861.  Roster gives no further data.

Hugh M. Ray, son of Nevin Ray of 1792 and Euphemia Black Ray of Thagard's Pond, born 1834, enlisted 
in Co. H. of the 26th N.C. infantry of Moore on June 3, 1861 and was killed at New Bern on March 14, 1862.

William B. Ray of Wake, joined Co. D of the 30th. N.C. Infantry on August 10, 1861, and was promoted 
to Corporal.  He was born in 1825.  His parents were Duncan and Janet Blue Ray, and it appears probable that 
he was of Harnett origin.

Nevin Ray, of Harnett, son of Malcolm Ray 1777, and born 1827, enlisted October 30, 1861, in Co. F, 
31st N.C. Inf. and re-enlisted in Co. H, 50th. N.C. Inf. In Nov 1863.  He raised an important family, and 
died in 1910.

A.C. Ray of Robeson, not yet identified, enlisted in Co. K, 31st. N.C. Inf. On May 13, 1863.  No 
roster data.

David Ray, Moore, enlisted in Co. D, 34th. Inf. on March 4, 1863.  He was the son of Archibald Ray, 
1802, Jackson Springs, and Flora Clark Ray, born in Scotland.  No data in the roster.

Joseph Ray, Moore, brother of David, and born in 1835, enlisted in Co. D, 34th inf., on the same day.  
No roster data.

Hugh Ray, Moore, joined Co. D, 34th inf. on March 4, 1863,  Not identified, but appears to have been 
taken by camp fever.

Joseph A. Ray, of Moore, not of record otherwise, joined Co. K, 34th. Inf. and was wounded at 
Gettysburg on July 5, 1863.  A possible son of Malcolm Ray 10 miles south of Jackson Springs at the 
Drowning Creek Bridge.

Malcolm Ray of Moore, enlisted September 12, 1861 in Co. C, 35th N.C. Inf., commissioned 2nd Lt. 
Dec. 27, 1862, and wounded July 1, 1862, previous to promotion.  Not identified.

Malcolm RAY, son of Niven Ray of Thagard's Pond, was born in 1825, enlisted in Co. C, 35th infantry, 
of Moore County on September 12, 1861.  He was wounded at Malvern Hill and died in July 1862.

Archibald Alexander Ray, born in 1838, son of Niven the Surveyor, Devils Gut, enlisted in Co. C, 35th. 
Inf. on May 1m 1862, and was wounded at Sharpsburg on September 17, recovered, and made corporal in 1864.
We now approach the supreme tragedy of the war. Co. K of the 38th. N.C. Inf., from Cumberland County mostly, 
and from Longstreet vicinity in particular numbered in its listings nine RAY young men, happily of more than 
one family.     

In the family of Neill Ray, 1785-1883, son of Duncan Ray, 1738-1822, four sons at least enlisted in this 
company.  They were as follows:

John Smith Ray, enlisted November 2, 1861, and was promoted to 2nd Lt. in February 1863.  He was 
wounded at Ellyson's Mill, at Mechanicsville and at Gettysburg, where he was taken prisoner and transported 
to Johnson's Island, Sandusky, Ohio, as a prisoner of war.  He was promoted to captain in October in absentia.  
He died in November, 1863.

Archibald Ray, enlisted in the Company on November 9, 1861.  He was killed on June 26, 1862 at 
Mechanicsville.

James Franklin Ray, brother of Archibald Ray, and one of the RAY twins born in 1825, also enlisted 
on November 9, 1861, is posted officially as missing, but was killed before Gettysburg.  The news arrived 
at Longstreet by courier the next day, and his mother Flora Blue Ray expired within a few hours.

 David Ray, Sr., brother of the other three RAY young men also enlisted in this company on November 
9, 1861, was wounded at Mechanicsville, and died of the wounds on July 7, 1862.

A Neil Ray enlisted also on this fatal date of November 9, 1861, in this ill-fated company, but 
carried no record.  He cannot yet be identified, as he may be any of three possible Neill Ray's of the 
area living at that time.

Daniel Ray, born 1840, son of Daniel RAY, Scotland born in 1800, enlisted also on November 9, 1861, 
and died at home in 1862.

David Ray, born 1844, another son of Daniel Ray, enlisted May 5, 1862, and was wounded at Mechanicsville 
on July 7, 1862,  
     
Laughlin Ray, born 1833, another son of William Ray, 1795, of Longstreet, enlisted in the company on 
November 9, 1861, and was killed November 18, 1862, at Mount Jackson.

Gilbert Ray, possibly a son of John Ray, 1804, born, 1846, enlisted February 15, 1862 and died from 
fever.
     This single company saw hard fighting during the entire war.  Of the eight RAY brothers and cousins only 
one was left.
     
William D. Ray joined the 41st. N.C. Calvary on July 15, 1862. Co. D to which he belonged was one 
largely composed of Harnett men, while he came from Wake, he possibly was of descent from RAYs of the Black 
River area belonging to the clan.  No further data in roster, and otherwise not identified.

William A. Ray, born in 1834, son of Nevin of Thagard's Pond, Moore, joined the Moore company, Co. D, 
49th.  N.C. Inf., on March 13, 1862, and died February 20, 1863.

A certain Neil Ray in Person County joined Co. A of the 50th N.C. Inf. on April 20, 1863, and might 
have belonged to the Black River Rays of Harnett.  No further record on the roster and not identified.

John Ray of Harnett, born in 1830, son of Malcolm Ray, 1777, joined Co. H of the 50th N.C. Inf. on 
March 24, 1862 and happily passed through the way; he was the father of the late Duncan Patterson RAY, J.P., 
of Lillington, who died in 1936.

David Ray, born in 1824, son of Duncan RAY, 1778, 3 miles west of Lillington, joined the Harnett 
Co. H of the 50th Inf, on March 24, 1862.  He married Catherine Autry Darroch, and reared a family of Harnett.

Alexander Ray, son of William, 1795, already mentioned as being in the Bethel regiment in May 1861, 
evidently was wounded in this regiment or was demobilized at the time of its dissolution.  He re-enlisted 
in Co. D of the 53rd. N.C. Inf. on March 1, 1862, with the rank of 1st Lieutenant, and was promoted to Captain 
on May 15, 1863.

Gilbert Carmichael or Gilbert Christopher Ray, one of the Galatia and already mentioned, the other 
of Longstreet area, enlisted on Co. A of the 63rd. Calvary on May 14, 1862.  The only Gilbert Christopher RAY 
of immediate record was born in 1842, and would be only 20 years old at time of enlistment.

Martin Luther Ray, known to be of the clan but not yet identified, and descending from Sandy Grove 
RAYs, was detailed to the 63rd. Calvary, and this same Co. A on May 22, 1862.  It is understood that he lived 
in Laurinburg, and later moved to the far South.

These fifty RAYs of the clan descended from the five brothers were in the battles of the Confederacy, and 
are here recorded among approximately 175 RAYs in North Carolina regiments of all RAY stocks.

Of these RAYs not of the clan, Co. A of the 9th Calvary had thirteen men in one company, and Co. B of the 
29th Infantry had 9 RAYs from Yancey.  RAYs of the clan fought also in the troops of South Carolina and 
Georgia, and are not of record at this time.  Nobody can accuse any of the RAYs of  being slackers, and to 
enter battle is a portion of their racial inheritance.

In the present war, the RAY descendents in Canada have already lost Squadron-Leader Richard C. Prooter of 
the Royal Canadian Air Force, shot down at 29 in September 1940 off Vancouver, British Columbia, with a sea-
plane crew of four.  Many other RAY descendents and husbands of RAY women are in the Canadian forces.  
     
Let those who gave their lives not be forgotten.