How they took part in NC’s History

Transcribed From

Oxford Public Ledger

 Dated-January 27, 1926

       Granville's Proud Position In The Four Year's Struggle

The Part She Took In The War Between the States

Over 1,500 Troops Went From The County--A Noble Army Of Men

Who Did their Whole Duty--

A List Of Officers Of The Companies.

(Taken From Public Ledger Of January 3, 1890)

Would  that we had the truthful data of their heroic deeds today, and a pen pointed enough to write it so plainly and unmistakably that the historian might place it where it deserves to be, among the brightest pages of North Carolina history. Cold; unresponsive and uneducated must be the heart of the son of daughter of Old Granville that does the roll of the honored heroes of the old county.

We desire now simply to pass in review some of them as they recur to us this morning. If any escape us, or errors occur, we beg pardon in advance, for it will not be intentional, and written not from data, but from memory of what passed a quarter of a century ago.

Well, we believe the ranking officer was elected Major of the 13^th N. C., and at the re-organization was made Colonel of the same Regiment which then numbered the 23^rd.

He was every inch a soldier. He loved discipline, though kind hearted and humane, and was one of the finest drill officers in the Army of Northern Virginia. He served faithfully and gallantly until mortally wounded near Winchester, Va., at which place he died.

H. Eaton Coleman went out as Captain of the Townesville Guards and was made Colonel of the 12^th Regiment at the re-organization of the army. Probably his commission bore the same data as that of Col. Christie., Col. Coleman was perhaps one of the strictest disciplinarians in the arm. He was, we believe, a graduate of the Virginia Military institute. He had been on furlough, or at the hospital when the Federals made an attack on the bridge near Lynchburg. He went out nevertheless and took charge of a handful of troops defended the bridge in a desperate fight and received a wound which lamed him for life. He later went to Washington City where he was connected with the maps and surveys in one of the departments of the Government.

Charles Blacknall went into service as Captain of the Henderson Company, in the 13^th regiment, and was made Major at the re-organization and afterwards rose to the rank of Colonel. He was handsome, dashing, gallant, and extremely popular with men and officers. He run the gauntlet, we believe, without being seriously hurt until receiving his mortal wound near Winchester, Va. The town captured and he died inside the lines of the Federals.

Tom Smith went out as Captain of a Company from Oak Hill, and was assigned to the 55th regiment. He fell mortally wounded high up on the heights of Gettysburg gallantly leading his men in the thickest of that carnage. He was a blue blooded Presbyterian, as gentle as a woman, but battle had no dangers great enough to deter him when duty bade him go.

George Wortham was the first Captain of the Granville Grays: At the re-organization of the army he was made Colonel of the 50^th regiment and assigned to duty in Eastern Carolina. He figured in the retreat of Johnson’s Army from Charleston to the surrender at Greensboro. Col. Wortham was a genial, kind-hearted officer and greatly loved by his men. He lived upon his farm for several years after the war, but finally moved to Oxford and commenced the practices of law, and worked himself into a very considerable practice before his death a few years later. 

Robert Thomas went out as Lieutenant in Smith’s company and rose to be Lieutenant- Colonel of the 55^th Regiment. He received some severe wounds and made a fine soldier with out the advantages of a military education; he must have  rendered distinguished service to have risen to the rank of Lieutenant- Colonel. He retired to this farm after the war and proved to be one of the county’s best citizen’s.

T. B. Venable at the beginning of the war was commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant. Adjutant General of  North Carolina Troops. He was next made Lieutenant –Colonel of the 24^th, N. C. and did fine service under Floyd in his West Virginia Campaign. After thus he was given a commission of Major in the regular troops of the Confederacy and assigned to duty on General Whiting’s staff where he performed faithful service until the close of the war. Since that time he has been of the most-far-famed Oxford Bar.

T. L. Hargrove started as Captain of a Granville company in the 44^th Regiment, and at the organization of the Regiment he was made Lieutenant-Colonel. He distinguished himself in one of the fights in the Eastern part of North Carolina early in the war. He was detailed with his Granville company of 62 men to hold the South Anna Bridge against Spier’s raid with 1500 men. He kept them at bay for four long hours, repelling charge after charge until they succeeded in crossing the river below and getting in his rear, then came the hand to hand encounter with pistol, bayonet, and clubbed muskets. Only fifteen men of these sixty-two escaped, and they were only spared by the magnanimity of some Pennsylvania troops in coming up rain in between the Irishmen who had been filed with whiskey to do this bloody work, and this overpowered handful of Confederates. We have not the time nor the space to write of the deed as it should be. It will one day when the truth of history is written be placed on the brightest page of North Carolina history. Hargrove was the leader and his gallant Confederates were the heroes and south Anna was the Thermopylae of the Confederate struggles. After this Hargrove was taken to several worst Northern prisons, then carried on a board of a Yankee vessel and exposed to the fire of the Confederate Batteries on the coast of Florida. But he withstood all these trials and hardships, and came home. He was elected Attorney-General of North Carolina, and has since occupied a front position in the Oxford Bar.

N. A. Gregory started as a private in the Grays and was made 1^st Lieutenant of Captain Amis Company in the 23^rd Regiment. He was wounded at the Battle of Chancellorsville and was discharged from the army on account of wounds, but shortly afterwards volunteered his services to Gen Holmes (who had charge of North Carolina) and was made Captain of a company in the 1^st Regiment Junior Reserves, afterwards promoted to Major in the 2^nd Regiment and surrendered at Greensboro.

This we believe winds up the list of those who rose to the rank of field officers from the county, excepting the surgeons, Granville won distinguished honors in this department of the war.

Surgeons of Regiments and of Brigades were entitled to rank of Major, Dr. P. W. Young was the first Surgeon of the Granville grays. He was made Surgeon of the 12^th regiment, and afterwards promoted to be Surgeon of Scale’s Brigade. At the close of the war he soon became the leading physician of Oxford. He died a few years ago beloved and lamented by a larger practice than any physician ever enjoyed in Granville.

Dr. F. R. Gregory went out with the Granville Grays and was hospital steward of the 12^th Regiment. He was promoted to be Assistant Surgeon of Pender’s Brigade and was afterward’s  transferred to the 23^rd regiment in Iversion’s Brigade. He resigned this position and was made Captain of the Granville company of the Junior Reserves and was captured un one of the fights in Eastern Carolina and held till the close of the war. He settled at Sassafras Fork and is now the leading physician of Northern Granville.

Joseph B. Stovall graduated in medicine about the beginning of the war. He got a position as Assistant Surgeon in one of the Hospitals in Richmond. For his skill, efficiency and faithfulness to duty was soon promoted to rank of Surgeon and put in charge of one of the hospitals. His health failing he came home for rest and recreation, but never returned to his post again. The Messenger was sent and his gallant young spirit was soon winged for duty on High. He was one of the most promising young men of the county.  

Dr. William R. Wilson was First Assistant surgeon of the 24^th Regiment. He was made full Surgeon and then rose to the rank of Brigade Surgeon. We had cause to be proud of the record he made in the army. At the close of the war he settled at Townsville where he did an extensive country practice. Some years ago he moved to Texas where we understand is doing well.

Dr. Robert I. Hicks, at its organization was made surgeon of the 23^rd regiment. He served this command long and faithfully until promoted to surgeon of Brigade under Iversion. In this command he had four of the companies from Granville. Many and warm were the friends he made amongst the Granville boys—gratefully do those living remember him now. Had his modesty permitted it he would have been made surgeon of D. H. Hill’s division but he was not pushing or self-seeking and the honor was bestowed upon another. After the close of the war he settled near Williamsboro and did an extensive country practice. He married Miss Randoplh, of Virginia, and some years ago moved to Faquier county, Va., where he has been quite successful in his profession.

Dr. Thomas Wilkerson, the writer does not know and has been unable to gather a sketch of the services of Wilkerson. We believe the most of his time was at the hospitals where he performed distinguished service, and where he made an enviable reputation as a skilled and scientific operator. He held the rank of full Surgeon. At the close of the war he settled near his old home and has been doing a country practice, with now and then a brilliant surgical operation.

We endeavor now to give the names of the officers who started out with the companies as they were organized and left the county in 1861. First was the Granville Grays, who led the attack and captured Fort Macon.

There was one company of Junior Reserve’s   

 ?-Speed                        Captain

Robert Crews                 1^st Lieutenant

A. L. Thorp                      2^nd Lieutenant

Thomas Daniel                3^rd Lieutenant

©2002 to present Tina Tarlton Smith and Deloris Williams for the NCGenWeb Project. All Rights Reserved.  No portion of  any document appearing on this site is to be used for other than personal research.  Any republication or reposting is expressly forbidden without the written consent of the owners. Last updated 11/22/2021

| Top |