150 years ago today, four members of my family tree were taken as POW at the fall of Vicksburg.

As most native southerners, I have many names on my family tree who saw service during the Civil War. So far I have identified at least nine soldiers in my lines (both Confederate and Union) and three on Jimmy's lines.  There may be more who yet to be identified.  Four of the names I have identified fought during the siege of Vicksburg and were taken as prisoners of war at the surrender.  They were:    

Richmond J. (Jake) Peavy, Pvt. Co. K  40th AL (first husband of my great-grandmother,  Mary Frances Mundell and father of James Edward and Joseph L. Peavey)

W. A. Warner, Pvt. Co G 40th AL (husband of Frances T. “Fannie” Wiggins and brother-in-law to my grandfather, Richard W. Wiggins)

Lemuel B. Pollock, Pvt. Co A 35 MS  (GG-grandfather of my late husband, James E. Petty)

John F. Burkhalter,  Corporal Co. K 38 MS Cav  (son of my GGG-Grandfather, Elias Burkhalter)

All four of these men signed the Oath of Allegiance after which they were released.  By signing this oath, they promised not to take up arms against the United States until an exchange of prisoners had been executed.  But most of the men who signed these oaths immediately rejoined their companies to go on fighting elsewhere. Some were even taken prisoner again in other battles and send to prisoner of war camps. 

Jimmy's GG-Grandfather was one of those who was captured again.  The second time was at the battle of Resaca, GA.  He was sent to Camp Douglas, Illinois, where he remained until after the end of the war.

Back when Alise was little and before John and Anne had joined the family ranks, Jimmy and I took Alise to Vicksburg to see the military park.  It was a hot summer day much like the weather during the siege. Re-enactors were outside the visitor center in a simulated artillery post.  While we were there they fired the cannon.  Jimmy took pictures of the men resting in the little shelter from the sun, loading the cannon and firing the cannon.  We were miserably hot that day in our cool summer clothes.  I got a taste of what the heat must have been like for those soldiers as they held out from May until the city fell on July 4, 1863.

 

 

Jimmy's Doughboy Grandpa

Albert Petty June 19, 1919, one month after discharge. Original in the possession of the author.

Albert (Buddy) Petty and Nona Pollock at the Neshoba County Fair August 1919.  Original in the possession of the author

There are as many stories of the origin of the nickname, "doughboy", for American soldiers during World War I as there are days on a calendar.  In fact, the soldiers in WW I weren't the only soldiers to be called doughboys.  I will leave it to you and your preferred search engine to chase some of those stories.  I just know that Jimmy's paternal grandfather, Albert Petty, was a doughboy who saw action in Europe.

Albert Petty in WW I uniform, June 19, 1919. Original in the possession of the author.
 

Buddy, as the family called him, was inducted on the 19 of July, 1918, three days after his 23rd birthday.  He was inducted in his home county of Neshoba in Mississippi.  The clerk who typed his statement of service card must not have been familiar with Neshoba County and its county seat of Philadelphia, because he entered Philadelphia, Pa. as the place of induction.  Soon he was on his way to Camp Shelby south of Hattiesburg, MS.  By the 5th of October, Buddy was officially listed as serving overseas.  During his time in Europe he served in France and England.  I don't have any details of his experiences while in Europe.  I do know that he did not receive any injuries while he was there. 

 

When he was discharged he was issued one hat, one pair shoes, 4 pair stockings, one overcoat, one poncho, one shirt, one undershirt and one pair drawers "in compliance with W. D. cir. no. 166, 1919".  I notice that pants were missing from the list of clothing.  Was that another typist error?  I hope so.  He is certainly wearing uniform pants in these photos.  He was still in uniform when he went to the Neshoba County Fair in August a few weeks later with his wife to be, Nona Pollock.  That uniform may have been the best clothes in his wardrobe or it may be that the returning soldiers were still basking in the glory of victory.  Or maybe the fair offered free admission to veterans in uniform. 

 

It would be several more years before Buddy and Nona eloped and married in Meridian, MS. But that is another story for another day.