Subject: AVERY FRANKLIN'S WAR SERVICE From: "Avant Kathleen F GS-07 643 ELSS/CXEA" <Kathleen.Avant@Gunter.AF.mil> Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2006 08:16:54 -0500 To: "On" <scedgefi-bounces@rootsweb.com> The following is information I culled from the Internet, AOL Civil War History Ancestors & Genealogy Board, from Mr. Frederick Sineath, Civil War historian. The information pertains to the 6th SC Cavalry in which Avery Franklin was enlisted. Further information shows he was listed as serving in the 22nd SC Infantry when he was captured and taken POW at the Bermuda Hundred Campaign to serve time in Point Lookout MD, where he subsequently died o/a 6 Dec 1864. 1. The 6th South Carolina Cavalry Regiment, was organized in January 1863, by increasing the former 16th SC Cavalry Battalion (a.k.a.: 1st SC Partisan Rangers, and: Aikens Partisan Rangers) to regimental strength, then it was redesignated the 6th SC Cav Regiment. The 6th SC Cavalry served mostly in SC from Jan 1863 - May 1864. ( a few companies {A&F} were on detached service in Florida till May 1864) Moved to Virginia and served in the Army of Northern Virginia from May 1864 - Jan 1865, when it was moved into North Carolina, where it remained and later surrendered with the Army of Tenn Apr 26 1865. 2. Some additional information.: The 6th SC Cav Regt, were engaged in the following: Willstown Bluff SC (Jul 10 1863) Wilderness VA (May 5-6 1864) Spotsylvania CH VA (May 8-21 1864) North Anna VA (May 23-26 1864) Cold Harbor VA (Jun 1-3 1864) Siege of Petersburg (June 1864 - Jan 1865) Vaughan Road (Oct 1 1864) Carolina campaign (Feb - Apr 1865) Darlington (Feb 27 1865) Solomons Grove (Mar 9 1865 Monroes Crossroads (Mar 10 1865) Surrendered Apr 26 1865 with Army of Tenn 3. Bermuda Hundred: This is an area on the eastern side of Chesterfield County Virginia, located about 8 miles or so south of Richmond City. It was basically halfway between Richmond and Petersburg, slightly to the east. It is still called Bermuda Hundred, and also today known as "Enon". The area was in a large bend of the James River, The area was first settled in the early 1600's, not long after Jamestown. It are reminded one of the early explorers of Bermuda, and the area was divided into 100 acre tracts, henceforth the name "Bermuda Hundreds" and attempts were made to get settlers to come up river and settle there. The area didn’t really take off very well, and most had moved on or back down river within a few years. The indians in the massacre of 1622 took out most of what remained. Many confuse Bermuda Hundred, which was an area, with that of Bermuda Hundred Landing, which was a particular place within that area, and a river landing. In the 1860s, it was a sleepy little farming area, sparsely populated, and the main north-south rail line was nearby, and an extension of the rail line (side line) went over to Port Walthal on the river, and was a popular river landing for awhile This is just a short basic synopsis: The "Bermuda Hundred Campaign" was in May-June 1864. With Grant and Lee slugging it out at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania. Grant sent Gen Ben Butler and his Army of the James, to stab at Richmond while most of the Confederate forces were occupied with Grant’s forces. Confederate Gen P.G.T. Beauregard assembled a force to confront Butler; most of this force were units from the defenses of Richmond and a few others. A brigade of Tenn troops under Bushrod Johnson, and South Carolina troops under Hagood, were brought up from the deep south to assist, as well some others. The resulting battles that occurred between these two forces were: Battle of Walthal Junction, Battle of Swift Creek (a.k.a.: Arrowfield Church), Battle of Chester Station, and came to a head with the Battle of Drewry’s Bluff (May 16 1864). The Confederate forces were the victors in this campaign. Gen Butler’s main camp was in the Bermuda Hundred area, and he withdrew there. There was also a great deal of daily skirmishing and little fights going on much of the time between the larger engagements. Both sides were held tight, and stared at each other for the remainder of May, and early June. When the forces of Grant and Lee came down into the area, this set the stage for the Siege of Petersburg. This little known engagement and campaign was overshadowed by the larger, more popular battles during the same time frame. It was a serious threat to Richmond in May 1864, and if it had failed for the south, it could have shortened the war by almost a year (by the capture of Richmond anyway). Many of the scars of 1864 still cover the landscape in that area. Most of the Confederates that were captured during the Bermuda Hundred Campaign, were held there at Butler’s camp for a short time then sent by ship down to Fort Monroe, in Hampton, and held at "Camp Hamilton" until they were sent north to other prison camps. Most went to Point Lookout, then some were transferred from there up to Elmira in NY or Fort Delaware. (NOTE: The following is new information (17 Nov 97) concerning the regiment and company Avery was in at the time of his capture. It may have been that he was transferred to the 22nd SC Infantry after serving in the 6th SC Cavalry, since we have copies of his enlistment papers that show that he enlisted in Charleston in the 6th SC Cavalry, Co. B.) I think the research tracks may have been crossed somewhere, as to your ancestor being with the 6th SC Cav, or he could have been detached from it at the time or something. During the time frame of the primary fights in the Bermuda Hundred area (May to early June 1864), the 6th SC Cav was active in the engagements of Wilderness/Spotsylvania/North Anna. These are nowhere near Bermuda Hundred. I checked the name you gave against those listed as having died at Point Lookout Prison and there was listed an "A. Franklin", but he was listed as being in the 22nd South Carolina Infantry Regiment, Co. A.. I checked several other files I have, and found this same A. Franklin listed in the same 22nd SC Infantry Regiment. This person is stated to have been captured and later died in Point Lookout Prison on Dec 6 or 7 1864. The 22nd SC Infantry was present and active in the fights at Bermuda Hundred VA. I could find no other Franklin from SC listed amongst those that died at Point Lookout, or mentioned in affiliation with the 6th SC Cavalry. I believe this person in the 22nd SC Infantry, may very well be the ancestor you’re looking for, there are too many parallels here. Let me know if you need further assistance. Respects Frederick