This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Curtis, Gibson, Randolph, Miller, Ingram Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/TmQ.2ACIB/2220.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: My mother, Carolyn Louise Ingram is the daughter of Elizabeth Belle Steele and William Ingram. Elizabeth Belle Steele is the daughter of Rosa Jane Curtis, who is the daughter of Joseph Preston Curtis, son of Joseph Curtis of England. I have mapped the trees of the families going backwards with some more current info as well. ---------------- Here is a bit of history on Joseph Curtis' enlistment during the war of northern aggression: Joseph Curtis' record includes the following info: Pvt. 1st Co. G. born England c. 1838. Enlisted Bath CH 6/6/1861. He was present and on muster roll for 6/6/1861 through 7/1/1861. It was not stated in his records if he was present or absent. On 7/13/1861 the record goes on to show that he surrendered in Beverly WVA and was paroled in Beverly Wva on 7/17/1861. He was described as 5'6", dark complexion, brown hair, and hazel eyes. His occupation is listed as a laborer residing in Bath Co. He was exchanged on 8/16/1862 where he enlisted in Capt. JB Moomau's Co. 25th Virginia Infantry in McDowell on 10/13/1862. He was listed as present 12/31/61 - 11/1/62 and applied for a discharge. His name appears on a petition of Captain Boggs Co. dated Warm Springs, Bath County, 11/30/1862 asking that he be permitted to join General Imboden's command. He may also have served later in the 2nd Co. B of the 31st Infantry. During the time of his enlistment, there was a huge level of unrest beginning to surface in West Virginia as the northern aggressors began to infiltrate southward through the mountains - stealing from the locals and vandalizing and/or completely destroying their homes and property. They were headed toward the Bath County area of Virginia through the Ohio valley and had progressed into an area known as Rich Mountain, (just north and west of Monterey) where fighting had begun just prior to Joseph's enlistment. Joseph's division was called the Bath County Grays. Organized in Bath county from the 81st Virginia Militia by Captain William D. Ervin, the Bath Grays enlisted for one year on June 6, 1861. The company was mustered into the service of the State of Virginia at Monterey a few days later. The Bath grays were designated Company G of the 25th Infantry. Nearly all of this company surrendered after the fight at Rich Mountain in July 1861. After being exchanged, the Bath Grays were assigned to the 62nd Virginia Mounted Infantry and later to the 18th Vriginia Calvary. Pegram's command went downhill from there. The troops suffered much from his ignorance and lack of tactical skill and planning. The men were understaffed, underpaid, fighting a war they didn't understand and most had little food or supplies. It was a time of cold wet rainstorms and they had very little ammo to fight with. Most were there only with their clothes and a spirit to fight and live through the event that would lend to the platoon and batallion captains touting the bravery of their men under harsh circumstances. Weapons were at a premium and not all soldiers had guns if they didn't bring the weapon to war with them. One battallion that met up with the southern forces for this particular battle were volunteers who had absolutely no guns at all, but did have fine tents & some food.. and were able to help support their comrads with housing needs during the freezing rainstorms that were to ensue during the course of the battle. The southern forces were under the local command of Lt. Colonel John Pegram of the Confederate Army. When Pegram arrived in the Rich Mountain area he and another Lt. Colonel had a long and drawn out dispute over who was going to run the whole shebang... the Lt. Col of the Virginia Volunteers or the Lt. Col of the Confederate Army. Pegram won out as the leader of the confederate army forces, and this did bring some dissent into the forces for his ostentatious stance that volunteers were worth less than regular confederate army soldiers. Pegram's own men were undiciplined and poorly trained.. he neglected his command and the welfare of his troops to the extent that if it were modern times he would be brought before a court marshall. Its a classic case of all that could go wrong would... He repeatedly neglected to send reinforcements to the frontlines when and where he knew they were needed.. his watch guards sneaked off back into their tents to sleep during the night when it was cold and rainy instead of standing watch.. and he was observed to be generally drunk and unconcerned as he left men who had to store their gunpowder in their pockets since no ammo pouches were issued.. and for those who had ammo, their supply was only enough for about 5 rounds to defend the entire mountain area from the vast forces of the north that were moving relentlessly southward. Many soldiers still fought with flintlock rifles, but in the rain the ammo was wet, the flintlocks wouldn't fire, and mostly it was hand to hand combat. Captains in command of troops attested to the men's bravery but troops so poorly equipped and ill-trained for the war at a time when the highest leadership available failed to support their efforts. The men had little hope of holding their positions - they were demoralized and many chose to flee the battlefields.. for those remaining, their only solution (to live) was to surrender to the federals. One of the battle flags, saved by a brave man who picked it up from fallen (shot) flag bearers, kept wrapped around his midsection the entire time he was held as prisoner. The flag is now in the museum of the confederacy in Richmond. Millboro Depot is now called just "Millboro". I grew up there. Joseph Preston Curtis, his wife, and several other relations are in unmarked graves in an unkempt family cemetery on Tunnel Hill just outside of Millboro. I have copies of the marriage and birth certificates/records and in some cases the death records as well, from the courthouse in Bath County, of several Curtis, Gibson, Randolph, Miller, and Ingram surnames (all of which are related). --Susan Leonard email: susan_leonard@rcs.rang.k12.va.us