This is the story of the only two sons of a Mississippi family in Natchez, Mississippi who went off to war and when the brothers returned home for a short time they were different soldiers and Felix stated "Oh what a time we had." As far as I know they never returned home again after 1865.

Through the records at the National Archives Felix's secret has been revealed for the first time in 150 years.

Using the 1860 census we begin the story of the two brothers Felix H. and Hamilton R. Hadsell. Without question Felix was the smarter of the two and was the older brother by about three years. The 1860 census shows the two brother living in the household of Jobe and Mary Hadsell although their name was spelled on the census as Hadsel. The family was living in Natchez, Mississippi located in Adams County. Felix H. was listed as 19 years old in 1860 and his occupation was a drayman. According to Wikipedia "A drayman was historically the driver of a dray, a low, flat-bed wagon without sides, pulled generally by horses or mules that were used for transport of all kinds of goods." A good job to have in the port city of Natchez. Some old flat bed semi truck drivers at times were referred to as drayman's back in the day. Hamilton R. Hadsell was listed as 16 years old and a carpenter by occupation. Depending upon the source the father Jobe had been born either in New York or Canada. The mother Mary however has been consistent as being born in Mississippi.

Hamilton Randolph Hadsell was the first of the two brothers to enlist in the Confederate army. According to Confederate CMSR's he enlisted with Company D 16th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry on June 11, 1861 at Corinth, Mississippi at age 18 and Confederate CMSR's listed his surname as being spelled as Hadsall. Company D was known as the "Adams Light Guards." Hamilton R. Hadsell has a sub-standard record within the Confederate military. He was with Hill's Corps; Anderson's Division; Posey's Brigade during the Gettysburg Campaign. (June 3 - July 24, 1863) Confederate CMSR's reflected him as having a few hospital visits and he was present for duty with one report as absent without leave on his July and August 1862 Confederate CMSR's however he was noted as being paid on August 30, 1862 which would have been the 2nd day at 2nd Manassas. On his company muster roll he was listed as falling out on the march during the retreat from Gettysburg and taken prisoner and as taking the oath of allegiance to the United States government on his July and August 1863 muster rolls.

Federal POW records reported him as a prisoner during the Gettysburg Campaign and among a list of captured Confederate soldiers who were desirous of joining the Union Army dated August 30, 1863 at Fort Delaware and transferred to the 3rd Maryland Cavalry and told Union authorities he had been conscripted into the Confederate army and had been born in Pennsylvania. Hamilton R. Hadsall became a Union volunteer on September 18, 1863 at Fort Delaware and was mustered into U. S. government service with Company G, 3rd Maryland Cavalry on September 24, 1863 at Baltimore. He told Federal authorities that he was 19 years of age, born in Adams County, Pennsylvania, and a farmer prior to the war. Federal enrollment officers described him as having blue eyes, light hair, a ruddy complexion and standing 5 feet 6 and one half inches tall.

Either the Fort Delaware clerks made a mistake or Hamilton R. Hadsell had a little jab at the Union clerks by telling them he was from Adams County, Pennsylvania. After all Gettysburg was located in Adams County, Pennsylvania.

Felix H. Hadsell enlisted in the Confederate army with Company G 12th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry on September 25, 1861 at Memphis, Tennessee for one year or the duration of the war. Like his brother Felix H. Hadsell he had a sub-standard Confederate service and was listed as absent without leave on August 30, 1862. He was with Hill's Corps; Anderson's Division; Posey's Brigade during the Gettysburg Campaign (June 3 - July 24, 1863) Posey's Brigade was made up of four Mississippi Infantry Regiments; they were the 12th and 16th and 19th and 48th Mississippi Regiments and many times they enjoyed close proximity to each other thus probably allowing the brothers to be close contact with each other.

Confederate CMSR's reported Felix H. Hadsell (spelled as Hadsall on his Confederate CMSR's) as deserting on June 20, 1863 on the march toward Gettysburg. Somehow he eluded capture and stayed in hiding. When he told the Federal pension office ""Now for your query. I was not in Fort Delaware and have never been in prison an hour since my birth. My brother Hamilton R. Hadsell enlisted in the 3rd (Maryland Cavalry) from Fort Delaware a prisoner of war his company I think was company G and he is now dead." Felix never mentioned the fact to the Federal bureau of pensions that he had been a former Confederate soldier and the government never connected the dots. Felix must have listened carefully for news of his brother for he enlisted on November 14, 1863 at Baltimore, Maryland in Company G of the 3rd Maryland Cavalry but used the alias Frank H. Harrison. His comment to the Federal government forever tied him to Hamilton's brother. Frank H. Harrison's Union CMSR's can be found on fold 3. As stated earlier he was a little smarter than his brother as he had missed a major battle and remained hidden until the location of his brother was found and enlisted as a citizen thus allowing him to receive a $100.00 bounty as compared to Hamilton who sat in prison and received a $25.00 for enlisting. Felix H. Hadell alias Frank H. Harrison physical description according the his 3rd Maryland Cavalry CMSR's was hazel eyes, black hair, fair complexion, 5' 8" tall and age 23. Felix H. Hadsell also may have been thinking ahead knowing if he were captured by Confederates it might be to his advantage to use an alias name. Hamilton Randolph Hadsell used his real name when enlisting in the 3rd Maryland Cavalry.

Hamilton R. Hadsell was promoted to sergeant in late 1863 and reduced in rank to private for disobedience of orders. Hamilton would eventually be promoted to corporal on September 1, 1865 just days before his discharge. Felix would remain a private and found himself in the position of delivering mail from Woodville, Mississippi to Fort Adams in 1865. Fort Adams was located in Natchez, Mississippi his hometown. Both would be discharged from the Union army in September 1865 at Vicksburg, Mississippi.

After the war Felix H. Hadsell moved to Martin's Ferry located in Belmont County, Ohio but not before enlisting in United States various units after the war. He and his wife are found on the 1880 census as living in Belmont County, Ohio. He would marry Mary Fast and they couple had several children. He would die on December 25, 1914 and has a civilian type of headstone with no mention as either serving the North or the South. His tombstone reads as Hadsell and born on December 30, 1840. Find A Grave memorial number 80152823 shows a photograph of his tombstone.

Hamilton moved to Hamilton County, Ohio and can be found there in the 1880 census as working for an ice company. He would marry a woman named Alice and apparently they moved to Belmont County in 1880 or 1881. His reason for moving was thought to be out of hardship because he died on March 23, 1881 and was buried in the County Home graveyard and at one time the County Home sat across from the County Home Cemetery. His birth was recorded as March 16, 1844. Find A Grave listed his surname as Hadsall; memorial number 25689193. He also has a Confederate plaque over his grave and does mention his service with Company K 3rd Maryland Cavalry. On December 9, 1864 the 3rd Maryland Cavalry was consolidated into one battalion and he was transferred to Company K which is correct. However his rank should reflect that of a corporal and not a sergeant and the 3rd Maryland Cavalry Regiment should be listed as a United States unit in my opinion.

The 3rd Maryland Cavalry left Fort Adams in late August of 1865 for Vicksburg, Mississippi. The two brothers probably did have what Felix had described "Oh what a time we had." in their hometown of Natchez, Mississippi. And now we also may understand why they may have never returned home after 1865. There is more information to these short biographies however I don't want to make it too long.