This 21-year-old enlistee was born free in Nansemond County, Virginia. He worked as a woodcutter. The soldier was charged with mutiny, “confined to Hard Labor Prison in Norfolk, Virginia,” and “ordered to wear a ball and chain weighing twenty (20) pounds attached to his left leg.”
Invalid -– 608,514 / 543,484
Widow -– 1,025,911 / —– , Adolph Babb
War Department, Adjutant General’s Office, 19 January 1888
“General Order No. 40 Head Quarters Desk of Eastern Va., Norfolk, Va., Dec. 18, 1864 show him tried by General Court Martial on
Charge 1st – Disobedience of Orders;
Charge 2nd – Conduct prejudicial to good order & military discipline;
Charge 3rd – Threatening the life of superior officer.
“Findings of the 1st and 2nd Charges and specifications: “Guilty;”
Of 1st specification of 3rd charge: “Not guilty;”
of 2nd specification of 3rd charge: Guilty;”
Of 3rd Charge: “Not guilty.”
Sentence: “To be confined at hard labor at such place as the Commanding General may direct for the balance of his term of enlistment: to wear a ball and chain weighing twenty (20 pounds) attached to his left leg, and to forfeit to the U.S. ten (10) dollars per month of his monthly pay for the same period.
“Proceedings, findings, and sentence approved & confirmed and will be carried into effect at the Jail at Norfolk, Va.
“Special Order No. 76 …”The unexecuted portion of the sentence of Genl. Ct Martial promulgated in G.O. No. 40 dated Dec. 15, 64 …is hereby remitted.
“He will be released from confinement at hard labor prison, Norfolk, Va. & furnished transportation to Richmond, Va. to enable him to report to Chief Mustering Officer for discharge, his regiment having been mustered out of service.
“He was furnished a discharge by Chief Mustering Officer of Dept of Va. at Richmond, Va. April 7, 1866.
“Records on file furnish no evidence of disabilities alleged or of any other disability during his service….
“Requested Hospital Records, gave Surgeon’s Numerical Morning Reports, which furnish no information are not on file.”
General Affidavit, J.D. Wilson, 12 March 1892
37 years old; post-office address, Deep Creek, Norfolk Co., Va. “I live in the immediate neighborhood the claimant and see him almost every day, have known him for 16 years and he is in my opinion unfit for manual labor.”
General Affidavit, Jerry Edlow, 17 April 1897
50 years old; post-office address Portsmouth, Va. … “I was a member of the same company with the claimant, and while in Camp Hampton [?] the said Lemuel Babb received a fall from a horse which greatly disabled him…”
General Affidavit, Abner Lamb, 19 April 1894
50 years old; post-office address Hickory, Va. … “ …member of the sd company … I saw the sd Babb thrown from a horse…. And the sd Babb also received ingers [sic] at the explosion of the crater in front of Petersburg, Va.”
Deposition, Warren Jordan, 24 November 1894
40 years old; farmer; post-office address, Indian Creek, Va. … “I know Lemuel Babb the clt. I first met him in the spring of 1867 or 1868. He lived in my neighborhood about 2 years and afterwards while he was living at Deep Creek, Va. we worked together 4 or 5 months for Mr. Wallace now dead. I don’t remember the year in which I worked with him ….”
Deposition, Lemuel Babb, 8 July 1895
56 years old; post-office address Deep Creek, Norfolk Co., Va.; farmer … “I was born and raise [sic] in Nansemond Co., Va. between Holy Neck and Sumpter. I was free born. I came to Portsmouth, Va. about a year before I enlisted and waited on Lt. Mayhan of the 11th Pa. Cav. Judge Advocate. Jordan Jones and Robt. Rawls knew me well before enlistment … I enlisted in Portsmouth …”
Deposition, Henry White, 8 July 1895
48 years old; post-office address, King St near Pine St, Portsmouth, Va.; laborer … ”I served in Co A, 1st US C Cav as Sgt, 1st Sgt and Pvt. I enlisted Dec 22, 1863 and was discharged Feb 4, 1866, as near as I can recollect the dates….”
“I know the clmt Lemuel Babb, he served as Pvt in the same Co and Regt for a part of the period of my service….”
Deposition, Jordan Jones, 10 July 1895
58 years old; grocer; post-office address, High St., near Godwin, Portsmouth, Va. … “I have known the clmt Lemuel Babb from boyhood. He served with me in Co. A, 1st USC Cav.”
Deposition, John Wright, 11 July 1895
51 years old, post-office address, 822 Griffin St, Portsmouth, Va. …”I am acquainted with the clmt Lemuel Babb. I first met him in the Army …”
Deposition, Lemuel Babb, 3 November 1902
60 years old, Deep Creek, Va., residence, 1½ miles east of post office; farmer … “I was free born in Nansemond Co, Va. … I don’t know my father’s name. My mother was named Edna Babb and I have never been known or called by any other name.
“I was discharged by myself at Richmond, Va. I recall that it was in 1865 or 1866. I know my company was discharged before I was…
“I was sent from my Company to Norfolk, Va. and was there in jail for 3 months. Then I was made stable boss at the “Hard Labor Prison” Norfolk, Va. This imprisonment took place shortly before my company moved to Texas and I never did my duty with my company afterward….
“I have lived in Norfolk Co., Va. ever since my discharge from the Army. I have no brothers or sisters. Hansom Lee and Tom Dundall, P.O. Bowers Hill, knew me before the war.”
Soldier’s Application for Increase or Additional Pension, Lemuel Babb, 25 July 1904
“He was born on or about March 4th 1842”
Soldier’s Application for Increase or Additional Pension, Lemuel Babb, 22 May 1905
“He was born on the 14 day of March 1842.”
Sworn Statement, March Corprew & George Hurlsen, 3 January 1914
[Corprew] 77 years old; Berkley, Va., R.F.D No. 3
and [Hurlsen] 67 years old; Portsmouth, R.F.D. No. 3
“have known the soldier Lemuel Babb for more than fifty years” and Alef Babb his widow was “never married until they were married to each other …”
Declaration for Widow’s Pension, Adolph Babb, 11 April 1914
67 years old; Deep Creek, Norfolk Co., Va. … “[S]he was married under the name of Adolph Corprew to said soldier at Hickory Grounds, on the 5th day of Jany 1873 by Jno. D. Berryman, that there was no legal barrier to the marriage; that she had no (sic) been previously married; that the soldier had not been previously married.”
Letter from J.M. Johnson, Notary Public, Norfolk Co., Virginia, to Bureau of Pensions, 24 August 1914
“Personally appeared before me in my County and State aforesaid this the 24 day of Aug 1914 W.H. Creekmore Register of Births & Deaths for Deep Creek Magisterial District and states on oath that Lemuel Babb died on the 23rd day of March 1914. Sworn to before me in my county & State. This is the 24 day Aug 1914.”
Sworn Statement, March Corprew & Geo. Harrlson, 20 October 1914
Both knew Lemuel Babb and Adlph Babb his widow since they were very young and that they were never married before they were married to each other and that they have lived as man and wife until the death of the soldier (Lemuel Babb)”
Sworn Statement, Geo. H. Wilson, 10 November 1914
“I am sixty-eight (68) years of age and I think I have known Adolph Babb for forty-eight years. She was about 20 years of age. And that I have known the late soldier Lemuel Babb for forty-eight (48) yeas when he came out of the late war in 1866.”
Sworn Statement, March Corprew, 10 November 1914
Has known the widow Adolph Babb all of his life and that he is 77 years old “having been born on 2nd day Jany 1837” and that he knew the late soldier Lemuel Babb for about 52 years.
1st U.S. Colored Cavalry 