There are a few biographies that I'm struggling with and this one is one such case. I would be interested in others views and opinions as to the historical accuracy of this biography. Thx in advance
Private James B. NEWTON - Inscription on tombstone #2023 reads “J. B. NEWTON N.C. DET. CON. C.S.A.” Federal POW Records located at ancestry (38856) stated: He was taken prisoner at Salisbury, North Carolina on April 12, 1865.
The above citation listed him with the North Carolina Detailed Conscripts and listed his death at Camp Chase on June 3, 1865 due to scurvy and buried in grave 2023. However, James Newton has one page of Confederate Compiled Military Service Records at www.fold3.com located under the State of Tennessee with Crew’s Battalion, Infantry and Detailed Conscripts and is listed as James Newton.
His records stated he was with Company B of the Tennessee Detailed Conscripts and appears on a muster and descriptive roll of detailed conscripts in the service of Nitre and Mining Bureau, Dist, No. 7, State of Tennessee, employed making nitre. His physical description was age twenty-three; five foot and ten inches tall; a dark complexion; H eyes, which the compiler interprets as hazel; and black hair; and mentioned his former occupation as a farmer and had been living in the sixteen civil district in Sullivan County, Tennessee. At the bottom of his page it said the unit was organized on April 30, 1864 by Lieutenant John W. Pearce for the duration of the war. And under notes it said: “I certify that the above is a correct descriptive roll of conscripts sworn into the Confederate States service, on detail work in Nitre & Mining Bureau, & organized by me into a company for local defense in Sullivan County, Tenn., under authority from the Secy. Of War to Capt. T. J. Finnie, dated Oct. 2d, 1863, & March 5th, 1864; and also that the three Lieutenants were duly elected by the men, a majority being present, John W. Pearce, 1st Lieut, N.&M. Corps & Supt. In Charge, Dist. No. 7.”
In the compilers opinion it is highly unlikely that the State of Tennessee would transfer a soldier to the State of North Carolina. Interestingly James B. Newton’s POW Records are located in the 1st North Carolina at www.fold3.com Within his POW Records the clerks at the turn of the century also had issues with his unit. And lastly James M. Newton as located on www.fold3.com on page two of the miscellaneous has an eerie similarity to James B. Newton. The compiler notes that hazel eyes and blue eyes were many times interpreted differently depending upon the light. And there is only one inch in difference and the complexion could be explained as him being sick with the florid complexion.
The 1860 United States census listed a James Newton, born about 1839 living in Sullivan County, Tennessee in District 16 which coincides with his Confederate Compiled Military Service Records. It is the compilers opinion that he was a Detailed Conscript from the State of Tennessee and working in the Nitre mines for the Confederacy. As the war drew to its final closing months places like Saltville, Virginia where mining had occurred had already been taken over by the Federal government and the Confederates were pushed further and further back to isolated areas such as Salisbury, North Carolina. On April 12, 1865 Union General Stoneman made one of his last raids against Salisbury which offered a token of resistance and great numbers of Confederates were taken prisoners and one of the last remaining Confederate supply bases was captured. The Confederates had moved their Union prisoners of war to other locations weeks before the raid much to the disappointment of General Stoneman. If the compiler were making the tombstone it would read: “JAS. NEWTON CO. B DET. CON. TENN. C.S.A.”