William Hill, Company H

A comparison of their pension applications and Compiled Military Service Records (CMSRs) confirms that it was this soldier — not Henry Hill, Company E, 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry — who was shot and killed by his commanding officer.

According to his CMSR, William Hill was born in “Carrol, N.C.” (possibly “Corolla” in Currituck County, North Carolina. Although one of the cards in the CMSR stated he was 35 years old when at enlistment, other documents in his CMSR reported he enlisted at age 27. He was promoted to Sergeant about a year into his service but he was demoted for “over staying pass and for incompetency. Shot while in act of mutiny by Lt. Spencer, June 23d 1864.”

Widow – 167,048 / —–, Nancy Hill

Widow’s Claim for Pension, Nancy Hill, 22 October 1868
40 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va.; post-office address, Portsmouth, Va.
“widow of William Hill … Company H … she was married to said William Hill on or about November 1846 at Portsmouth in the County of Norfolk and State of Virginia … said marriage having taken place according to the customs existing among colored people in the State of Virginia — without a license or the services of a minister of the Gospel … She further declares that said William Hill was killed … at Bermuda Hundred”
“Also personally appeared … Edward Berry and William Tatom, residents of Portsmouth, Norfolk County, and State of Virginia”

Memo by M. Boubin [sp?], Assistant Adjutant General, War Department, 1 September 1883
“Co. Descriptive Book shows [William Hill] shot while in the act of mutiny by Lt. Spencer, June 23/64. Alexander M. Spencer was 1st Lt. of the Co. No record of trial of Lieut. Spencer on file. The name Henry Hill is not borne on the rolls of that Co.”

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Jacob Lockhart, Company A & Company H

The applicants were among the children whose father died in the war and whose mother died shortly after the war ended. Witnesses had grown up with the enslaved couple on adjoining plantations in Northampton County, North Carolina. They described how the couple was allowed to marry and ultimately had eight children. They also named Jacob’s enslaver, his parents, and his parents’ enslaver. They also identified Sarah and her enslaver Before enlistment, the 42-year-old husband and father worked as a hog feeder.

Minor — 393,113 / 292,364, Annie Lockhart etal

General Affidavit, Isaac Lockhart Gee, 28 May 1889
60 years old; post-office address, Garysburg, NC
“That in the year 1846 Jacob Lockhart … was a slave, the property of Wm. Lockhart’s widw … and that Sarah Ellis was at the same time a slave, the property of D.L. Ellis … [Gee] heard the said Jacob Lockhart ask for and obtain the consent of D.L. Ellis that he should take the said Sarah Ellis as his wife.”

General Affidavit, London Ellis, 28 May 1889
61 years old; post-office address, Garysburg, NC
“That in the year 1846 … this affiant was a slave belonging to D.L. Ellis … Sarah Ellis was … a slave belonging to D.L. Ellis … affiant was personally present when Jacob Lockhart asked for and obtained the consent of said D.L. Ellis to his marriage with said Sarah Ellis”

General Affidavit, L.J. Norwood, 15 June 1889
60 years old; post-office address, Garysburg, Northampton Co., NC
“That he was born and had all his life lived in Northampton Co., NC That he knew said Jacob Lockhart and his wife Sarah Ellis before and after their marriage, that before their union, they were both virtuous people … marriage was about the year 1847.”

General Affidavit, William Bradley, 15 June 1889
“That he has lived in Northampton Co., NC for the last 60 years of his life”

General Affidavit, London Ellis, 16 July 1889
60 years old; post-office address, Garysburg, Northampton Co., NC
“Has lived in Northampton County, NC all his life, that he was born a slave to D.L. Ellis until the end of the war was 1861-65 … Jacob Lockhart and Sarah Ellis (who lived on the same plantation, belonged to the same master, and whom this affiant knew all his life also) were allowed to marry.”

General Affidavit, Wm. Bradley, 16 July 1889
73 years old; post-office address, Garysburg, Northampton Co., NC
“That he was a slave belonging to W.H. Gray who was a neighbor of D.L. Ellis, that he married a girl belonging to D.L. Ellis”

General Affidavit, London Ellis and William Bradley, 16 September 1889
[Ellis] 60 years
[Bradley] 73 years
post-office address, Garysburg, NC
“They were well acquainted with said Jacob and Sarah Lockhart … that no physician attended at the births of any of them, as in slavery times it was always customary to have only an old ‘granny’ woman in attendance, that they believe such midwife or midwives are long since dead.”

General Affidavit, London Ellis, 9 December 1889
60 years old; post-office address, Garysburg, NC
“That he knew Jacob Lockhart and his wife Sarah Ellis, before and after their marriage, that he lived in the same place with said Sarah … that he was present at the births of all their children, and helped in attending to their mother.”

Deposition, Annie Lockhart, 20 April 1891
about 30 years old; post-office address, Garysburg, Northampton Co., NC
“I understand I was born in June 1862 … I am the daughter of Jacob & Sarah Lockhart. They are both dead. Jacob, my father died in US Army & my mother Sarah Lockhart died here at this place since the war, the year I cannot give.”
“My father was a slave of Joseph Lockhart & my mother was a slave of Daniel Ellis near this place. Both of them are dead.
“I ask a pension as the minor child of my father who was in the army. My brothers & sisters are:
Penny is the oldest,
Cornelius,
Samuel, he’s at Franklin, Va.,
Jacob, somewhere in Halifax Co., NC. Sam knows.
Nellie,
Nancy,
Bettie – Sam knows where she is, I don’t —
Annie – that’s me
I don’t know the ages of any of them. I was too young to know anything of my parents.
My father’s father was named Jacob.
My father’s mother was named Milley.
They are both dead, died near here. My father had no sisters or brothers.
I never heard of Mary Lockhart, do not know any such person. I never knew Henry Wilson & Moses Lester.”

Deposition, Cornelius Lockhart, 21 April 1891
43 years old; occupation, farmer; post-office address, Garysburg, Northampton Co., Va.
“I am the son of Jacob & Sarah Lockhart. They are both dead. My mother died the 2nd year after the war. My father Jacob Lockhart was in the 1st US Col Cavly & died there…. My father’s father was Jacob Road [sp?].
“Penny was my oldest sister born some time before I was. I was born Sept 15th 1849; Samuel is not 12 months older than I am. He was born Aug 10th 1850; Nellie was born Nov 6th, 1854; Jacob came before her, he was born July 20th, 1852; Nancy – Oct 10th 1856; Bettie – Apl 20th 1858; Annie, June 10th, 1862. These ages I got from the older colored persons, they will be here, we have no better way of getting them. There is no record & I don’t know any white people who can tell you about our ages as all are dead who knew.”

Deposition, Nancy Lockhart, 21 April 1891
35 or 36 years old; post-office address, Garysburg, Northampton Co., Va.
“I am the daughter of Jacob & Sarah Lockhart. Both are dead.
“My grandparents on my father’s side are Jacob & Milly Lockhart. They were slaves of Col. Wm. Lockhart, near this village. All of them are dead.
“There were eight children born to my father Jacob Lockhart by my mother Sarah.
Penny — the oldest
Cornelius,
Samuel, P.O. Franklin, Va.,
Jacob, Sam knows. I don’ t know his P.O.
Nelly,
Nancy – that’s me
Betty, Sam knows her post office
Annie
I don’t know the ages of any of them.
My father had no brothers or sisters. I do not know Mary Lockhart, or Polly, or John Lockhart, never heard of them before. “

Deposition, Penny Lockhart, 21 April 1891
45 years old … “that’s what I was always told was about my age”; post-office address, Garysburg, Northampton Co., NC
“I am the oldest child… I am about two years older than Cornelius & there is about that time between each of us — two years.”

Deposition, Nellie Lockhart, 21 April 1891
“I am about 37 or 38 years of age”; residence, Garysburg, Northampton Co., NC
“I never heard of Mary Lockhart or Henry Wilson or Moses Lester.
My father & mother had 8 children. … I do not know their ages, or the years any of us were born. All were born here in at Garysburg, NC.”

Deposition, Lewis J. Norwood, 22 April 1891
63 years old; occupation, carpenter & preacher; post-office address, Garysburg, Northampton Co., NC
“I remember Jacob Lockhart, a slave of Col. Wm. Lockhart. I also knew his wife, Sarah Ellis, she was a slave of Daniel Ellis, knew them from boyhood up…. I remember Jacob & Sarah Lockhart had eight children of which Penny is the oldest. I remember perfectly the day [they] became man & wife with the consent of their owners. That was in the year 1847 I am sure. I was married in 1849 & I know it was 1847 in that way, two years before I got a wife. Jacob was a little older than I was. I think they had been man and wife about a year when their first child came. Her name was Penny. Then they had a boy two years after Penny named Cornelius. There is about two years between them all except Cornelius & Sam and there was hardly a year between them……The parents of Jacob Lockhart were Jacob Rhodes & Milly Lockhart. I never knew Polly Lockhart or John Lockhart or Mary Lockhart. “

Deposition, William Bradley, 22 April 1891
76 years old; occupation, farmer; post-office address, Garysburg, Northampton, NC
“I was a slave of Mr. Wm. Gray, his farm was adjoining farm to Daniel Ellis near Garysburg, NC. I knew Sarah Ellis very well. She was a slave of Daniel Ellis & I had a wife also a slave of Daniel Ellis. So when I went to see my wife I saw Sarah Ellis. … I think it was at least 15 yeas before the war Sarah Ellis became the wife of Jacob Lockhart with the consent of her owner … They had eight children, Penny, Cornelius, Sam, Jacob, Nelly, Nancy, Betty, Annie. these were all they and & they came in the order I have given you. I do not know where they were born … [Jacob Lockhart’s] parents belonged to Col. William Lockhart. All are now dead. … Jacob Lockhart was some 42 years old when he left home for the war…. I cannot write my name.”

Deposition, London Ellis, 23 April 1891
60 years old; occupation, farmer; post-office address, Garysburg, Northampton Co., NC
“I was a slave of Mr. Daniel Ellis who is now dead… Jacob [Lockhart] belonged to Joseph Lockhart I was right there & heard Jacob Lockhart ask Mr. Ellis to give Sarah Ellis to him for his wife & Mr. Ellis told him all right … they became man & wife in that way just as slaves were married in that day … I can’t read or write”

Deposition, Henry E. Pate, 23 April 1891
61 years old; occupation, farmer; post-office address, Garysburg, Northampton Co., NC
“I remember Jacob Lockhart very well, born & raised 3/4 of a mile from my house… [He named Jacob’s enslaver, his parents, and his parents’ enslaver. He also identified Sarah and her enslaver– Leslie]
“I knew all of the Lockhart slaves… [Jacob Lockhart] had no brothers or sisters…. I was my father’s car driver & I was with Jacob Lockhart a great deal as he was the hog feeder… Jacob Lockhart I heard died in the army… Jacob Lockhart was some five years younger or more old than I was. My father at one time was the overseer for Col. Wm. Lockhart.”

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Barney Hutchins alias George Wilmer, Company H

The soldier and his brother John Hutchins alias Levin Wilmer served in the same company. Born free men in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland, they worked as watermen on the Chesapeake Bay. The brothers were with a friend Alexander Hazleton alias William Fortney when a group of men attempted to kidnap and enslave them. The three men escaped and enlisted under assumed names. They returned to Maryland’s Eastern Shore at war’s end.

Invalid — 1,137,020 / 1,138,640
Widow — 1,034, 690 / 782,665, Susan Hutchins

General Affidavit, Solomon Price and Elias Bryson, 5 August 1895
[Price] 67 years old;
[Bryson] 69 years old;
“citizens of the town of Centreville, County of Queen Anne, State of Maryland … We have known him for a long while and we know that before he went into the Services of the U.S. he was a strong healthy man and we often met during the war and after the war our intimacy has been kept up for we all have lived together or rather very near each other … this affidavit has been written for us … by Alfred Tucker, at Centreville, Queen Anne County, Maryland “

General Affidavit, Boswell Griffin, 27 December 1895
57 years old; citizen, Wye Mills, Queen Anne’s County, Maryland;
“I am personally acquainted with George Wilmer … We were both in the army but in the same Regt. … We frequently met while we were at Brazos and Brownsville, Texas …”

Questionnaire, Barney Hutchinson, 25 March 1901
[birthplace] near Queenstown, Md
[place of enlistment] Onancock, Va.
[previous residence] in Queen Anne Co., Md
[occupation] laborer
[enslaved] “I was born free.”
[place of discharge] Brazos Santiago, Texas
[residence since discharge] Queen Anne Co., Md.
[occupation] “I work on farms when able.”
[physical description] 5’6″, brown skin, smallpox marks
[a different name in service] no
[different name in pension application] no
[current name] Barney Hutchins

Form 3-442, Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions, K.C. Kniffen, Chief, Record Division, 27 January 1909
Please furnish the names and post-office addresses of officers and comrades of Co. H, 1st Reg’t U.S.C. Vol. Cav.

Theophilus H. Butler		Surry C.H., Surry Co., Va.
George Goodson		Waterway, Princess Anne Co., Va.
Jeremiah Locker		Great Bridge, Norfolk Co., Va.
Ferdinand Ohlenberger	2d Lieut	c/o Aug. Limberger, San Antonio, Tex.
Albert Page		Oak Tree, York Co., Va.
Richard Pierce	Sergt	c/o J.W. Hosier, Suffolk, Va.
Alfred Simpson		#28 1/2 Lincoln St., Nofolk, Va.
Joseph Scott		Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va.
Jerry White		#243 Lincoln St., Hampton, Va.
John H. Williams		Mapleton, Princess Anne Co., Va.

Deposition, Barney Hutchinson alias George Wilmer, 8 September 1909
“65 years, July 8 last” post-office address, Wye Mills, Queen Anne Co., Md.
“I was born in this immediate locality in Queen Anne Co., Md. was about 20 years old when I enlisted, farm laborer … I had no measles scars or marks before I enlisted except scars from smallpox, which I had in Feby 1864.
“I have but one brother John H. Hutchins who served in the same co and regt with me. I have five sisters and half-sisters living. They are:
Sarah Emory wid[ow] of John Emory who lives not far from Centreville.
Tamsey Hurd – widow of Oliver Hurd – lives in the road from Centreville to Wye Neck.
Ann Maria Curtis – 1135 W. Saratoga St., Baltimore, Md.
Rachel Griffin [illegible] Bazwell Griffin lives near here.
Lizzie Saulsbury – wife John Saulsbury – no his widow – she lives in Baltimore, Md. but I cannot give her street address. I lived here until just before I enlisted. Then I went to Baltimore accompanied by my brother John. After we got to Baltimore a man fooled us and got us in a boat to dredge for oysters and took us down the Chesapeake Bay.
“When we got down the Bay – we left the boat – ran away and landed on the Va. shore near a place called Pungoteague – went from there to Onancock, Va. where we met a recruiting office who offered us three hundred ($300) bounty so we enlisted and we were taken to Cherrystone, Va. then by boat to Norfolk County then to Newport News, Va. where we got our money for enlisting and our uniform.
“We did not send the money home we kept it and spent it.
“Q. Anything out of the ordinary happen in the Regt?
A. One man whose name and co. I cannot recall was hung at Ft. Lincoln for killing a man before we got to the Regt. while his co. was in Norfolk.
“Butler and Parker of my co. – given names forgotten – deserted – were caught – tried by court martialed [sic] – put on duty but never received any pay …
“Q. Name the officers of the co.
A. Lt. xx Waterman commanded the co. until we went to Texas. Then he was made Provost Marshall and after that Lt. Whitsell commanded the co. We also had a Lt. xx Smith with us for a time.
No Captains was with the Co. while I was in the Regt.
The Sgts. were Odly. xx Boyd, Sgt. xx Williams, Sgt. xx Scott, Sgt. xx Wright. Copl. xx Butt, Copl. xx Hardess, Copl. xx Wright.
I cannot give first names of any of these men or address.
“I remember the following members of the Co. Levin Smith, John Williams, “Bob” Furby, Arthur Webb, Isaac Gardner, xx Wingfield, Bob Hughes, xx Albert. I think he was made Copl. while we were in Texas. Noah [illegible], Abraham Henry. I do not know where any of these men are — never saw them before I enlisted, have not seen one of them since. They were mostly from Va. Copls. Butt — and Sgt. Boyd did live in Norfolk — so they said — before they enlisted.
“I saw no one from Queen Anne Co., Md while I was in the service …”
“Q. Why did you change your name when you enlisted. Because I had run away from the oyster boat and was afraid I might be caught. I do not know why I selected the name George Wilmer rather than some other alias. I knew plenty of people named Wilmer in this section of Md. I was freeborn.”

Letter from Special Examiner, 17 September 1909
“In connection with this claim I have also investigated the claim of John H. Hutchins alias Levin Wilmer … a brother of the pensioner George Wilmer; the report in both cases being mailed at the same time.
“The evidence in these two claims should be considered together.
“I intended to have taken both [statements] the same day so that they might not have an opportunity to coach or communicate with each other but Barney was away from home and it was almost night before he could be located — too late for me to return to the locality and secure his brother’s testimony on the same day.
“Barney is the brightest of the two brothers and seemed to be able to give a finely detailed history of his service, considering he was called upon without warning. He cannot read or write and there is no roster and there is no roster or other history of his Regiment on the peninsula so far as I can [illegible].
“I am therefore inclined to believe the statement he has made is based upon his memory alone.
“While he states he met no one of his former acquaintances and friends in the army except his brother John H. and Alex Hazleton alias Mr. Fortney.”
“He is an encyclopedia of information about soldiers who enlisted from Queen Anne Co., Md. but he was never given information adverse to a claiamant and sometimes his information is not correct so I do not know how much reliance to place in his testimony in this case.
“The Eastern Shore of Va. locality described by Hazleton I know well and the George Powell he refers to was a local merchant … Powell died some ten years ago. I did not have pensioner and his brother go with me to Hazleton as they are poor, John very poor and disabled … Hazleton is not a pensioner, nor an applicant and seemed unbiased in his manner.”

Declaration of Pension, Barney Hutchins, 27 May 1912
67 years old; residence, Carmichaels, Queen Anne, Maryland; post-office address, Carmichaels, Queen Anne, Maryland
“that he is the same person who enrolled at Nan Cock [sic], Va. under the name of George Wilmer … that he was born July 8th, 1844 … his several places of residence have been Queen Anne County, Maryland … ”

Declaration for Widow’s Pension, Susan Hutchins, 26 September 1914
65 years old; “she is the widow of Barney Hutchins … who died on the 10th day of September A.D. 1914 … that she was married under the name Susan Little … in January 1889 by Rev. _____ Lee … at or near Carmichael, Q.A. Co., Md.
“Also personally appeared Frederick Nichols, residing at Centreville, Md, and Daniel Hutchins, residing at Carmichael, Md. … an acquaintance with her of 40 years and all his life, 40 years, respectively … “

General Affidavit, John H. Hutchins and Rachel E. Griffin, 6 [8?] October 1914
[Hutchins] 72 years old; of Queenstown
[Griffin] 65 years old; of Centreville
“citizens of the County of Queen Anne, State of Maryland …
That they were intimately acquainted with Barney Hutchins and Susan Little from the time said parties became of marriageable age up to the time of their marriage … that said parties were married about the year 1869 in Queen Anne County, Maryland by a minister named Lee …”

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John Hutchins alias Levin Wilmer, Company H

The soldier and his brother Barney Hutchins alias George Wilmer served in the same company. Born free men in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland, they worked as watermen on the Chesapeake Bay. The brothers were with a friend Alexander Hazleton alias William Fortney when a group of men attempted to kidnap and enslave them. The three men escaped and enlisted under assumed names. They returned to Maryland’s Eastern Shore at war’s end.

Invalid — 1,132,138 / 917,423

General Affidavit, Robert Scott and Frank Moore, 5 June 1893
[Scott] 57 years old; citizen of Wye Mills, Queenanes [sic], Md. … I have been knowing Levin Wilmer for forty years …
[Moore] 50 years old; citizen of Wye Mills, Queenanes [sic], Md. … have been knowing Levin Wilmer for the last twenty years …”

Questionnaire (Form 3-402), Louisa Wilmer, 4 June 1898
[married] yes, Louisa Wilmer Louisa Scott
[when, where, by whom] April 1864; Rev. M Smith; Centreville
[record?] had no children; consent of master
[previously married] no
[living children] no

Deposition, Barney Hutchins alias Geo. Wilmer, 8 September 1909
65 years old (July 4 last); post-office address, Wye Mills, Md.
“I served under the name of George Wilmer. My correct name is Barney Hutchins. My brother John H. Hutchins enlisted at the same time I did in the same co & regt under the name of Levin William … We served together – were discharged together – and came home together – and this has been our home ever since we changed our names because we were afraid the captain of the oyster boat would capture us.
“He is two years and four days older than I am – somewhat shorter than I am … my [enlistment] certificate is all right except as to place of birth”
[Note: Two witnesses were Effie Hutchins and Fannie Hutchins — Leslie]

Deposition, Laura Hutchins, 9 September 1909
“I don’t know my age” … post-office address, RFD Queenstown, Md. “I am the wife of John H. Hutchins … during the war I remember he left in fall of the year … and I never heard anything more of him until after the war had closed when he came back home wearing citizens clothes but had his army clothes with him.
“[He and his brother] had been wanting to go in the army before they left.”
[Note: A witness was Lorenzo Griffin — Leslie]

Deposition, Rachel F. Griffin, 9 September 1909
“I don’t know my age. I was about 12 years of age when the war commenced.
“P.O. RFD is Queenstown, Md.
“I have two brothers living, John H. Hutchins and Barney Hutchins. Both live near me. Both born and raised and always lived in this locality except when they were in the army.”
[Note: Two witnesses were Richard E. Stansberry and Larenzo Griffin — Leslie]

Deposition, John H. Hutchins, 9 September 1909
67 years old (July 4 last); post-office address, Wye Mills (or Queenstown, Md).
“I have not had my discharge certificate for years — some man came around here said he could get bounties for me and I gave him my discharge certificate and I have not seen it since.
“The man’s name was William B. Hill, W. Fayette St., Baltimore, Md. I do not know his number. He got my discharge just after I returned from the army.
“I never received any bounty, cannot say if Hill collected bounty for me or not. I wrote him several times, but could get no reply.”
“I was born near here in Queen Anne Co., Md. Lived here in this neck until just before I enlisted then I went to Baltimore, Md. where a man got us drunk and said he would take us to the “West Indies” but instead he got us in an oyster boat, and took us down the Chesapeake Bay to [illegible]
“We remained on the boat until Saturday night when we stole one of the [illegible] small boats and rowed ashore and went to Onancock, Va., then we met a recruiting office who offered us $200 to enlist.
“We thought the captain of the oyster boat was after us so we changed our names and enlisted.
“Q. Who do you mean by ‘we’?
A. My brother Barney Hutchins who enlisted as George Wilmer and another man who left here with us, got in the oyster boat and enlisted with us.
“This third man was Alex Hazleton he enlisted as William Fortney. My correct name is John H. Hutchins and I am known by that name by everybody in this locality.
“Q. Why did you choose the name Levin Wilmer as your alias instead of some other name.
A. Because I used to go with a boy named Levin Wilmer (dead) before I enlisted. He and I were chums and I thought of his name as a good one to go by when I enlisted

“The three of us — my brother and Alex Hazleton and I were sent to Norfolk, Va. where we were given our uniforms and then sent to Ft. Magruder, Va. We remained there until the spring, then we went somewhere “on the side” of a R.R. in Va.” and while there Lee surrendered, then we went to Richmond after the “vaccination [sic] of Petersburg” We then went to a place called “Camp Lincoln” and lay there until the “25th Corps” including my Regt. was sent to Texas.
“Our Rgt. was shipped from Ft. Monroe on the ship ‘Meteor‘ to Brazos Santiago, Texas the summer of 1865.
“This was headquarters until we were ordered home to be discharged.
“We came home on the ‘Evening Star’ to City P’t. ,Va. when we were discharged and paid off. I came directly back here by way of Baltimore, Md. and this has been my home ever since.
“My brother, and Alex Hazleton, were the only ones in my Regt. I had known before my enlistment.
“Alex Hazleton came back here with us, remained around here several years, and I have seen him a few times since he left here.
“The last I heard of him he was in Cecil Co., Md. somewhere about Sassafras.
Q. Have you seen any other membes of your co. since the war?
A. I met Bill White who was visiting in Baltimore, Md. but I do not know his address and I met another member of the Co. in Baltimore. but I cannot call his name, this was just after the war.
“Q. Who were the officers of your co?
A. We had no captains. Lt. ____ Waterman — he was promoted to Provost Marshall. Then Lt. ____ Whiteman took command of the Co. in Texas and was in command until our discharge.
I cannot recall the name of the other Lt. He was an Irishman.
The sgts. were. Odly Sgt. ____ Boyd [or Byrd?], Asst. Sgt. Bill White, Sgt. ____ Scott, Sgt. ____ Wright, Sgt. ____ Shorts.
The Crpls were Butts, Wright, Williams — I cannot give first names of these officers and do not know where any of them is.
“The others in the company I can think of ____ Winfield — he was my tentmate. My brother Barney Hutchins – alias George Wilmer also tented with me. I had another tent mate, his name I cannot recall.
A man name ____ Gordon was in the tent next to me.
A man named ____ Bush, and Bob Hughes drilled next to me.
There was a Sgt. Bill Reed who was reduced to the ranks.”
[Note: Two witnesses were Richard E. Stansbery and Lorenzo Griffin — Leslie]

“My mother and father are dead. I have but one brother living — have three full and two half-sisters living. My brother is Barney Hutchins. My sisters are Rachel S. Griffin, Anna Maria Curtis, 1135 W. Saratoga St., Baltimore, Md., Lizzie Salisbury, Balto., Md. My half sisters are Alphonzie Hand and Sarah Emory. …
“I never saw Fred Nichols in service. … The co. was made up almost entirely of natives of Va…. I was freeborn … … I was not quite 22 when I enlisted… I told the recruting office not to let “them dredge men” the oystermen catch us or they would kill us. .. I am married — have been married just once. My wife’s maiden name was Louisa Scott. She was not married before she married me.
“She and I were married in Wye Neck near here by a white preacher whose name I can not recall in Easter holidays 1864. I do not suppose there is any record of this marriage because colored people could not then get license to marry and I do not recall if there is a church record. I think the minister was Episcopalian.

“I made a mistake when I said my wife had not been married before I married her. My wife was the widow of Ben Hicks when I married her. They parted and he died some five or six years ago.”
“I have heard the testimony of my brother Barney Hutchins read — do not desire to cross-examine him.”
[Note: Two witnesses were Richard E. Stanbery and Lorenzo Griffin — Leslie]

Deposition, Frederick Nichols, 10 September 1909
63 years old; post-office address, Catonsville [?], Md. … “I knew [John H. Hutchins] well before his enlistment. We lived in the same section of the county…. I think I had seen him before that at Deep Bottom, Va. when John Ewing of the 39th, his brother-in-law, called my attention to him and his brother Barney.
“When I met them in service, they both had on a cavy uniform and were with the 4th U.S.C. Cav.”
[Note: The document reported that the brothes were with the 4th US Colored Cavalry. I don’t know if the witness misstated the fact or if the clerk recording the testimony made a mistake — Leslie]

Deposition, Alexander Hazleton, 16 September 1909
post-office, Balt, Md.; post-office address, Sassafras, Kent Co., Md.
“I gave my age when I enlistd as eighteen — but in fact was but fifteen. I was born and raised in Queen Anne, Md. near Wye Mills, Talbot Co., Md. … [John H. and Barney Hutchins and Hazleton] were ‘playboys’ together, raised together, enlisted at the same time … served together … discharged at the same time – and came home together and lived near neighbors for about four years after my discharge.
“Since I have been here I have occasionally visited them — have occasionally corresponded with them.
“Saw them last about four years ago. Here from them last, through correspondence, about one year ago. … Barney has had smallpox and his face is marked.”
“[After we deserted the oyster boat] we went with George Powell to Pungoteague where we were offered $300. We did enlist but we only got $200. From Pungoteague we were sent to Norfolk, via Cherrystone, Va.
“We enlisted at Norfolk … I enlisted and served as William Fortney. … I am not a pensioner. I never applied for a pension.”

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Robert Wilson, Company H & Company K

The soldier’s surviving brother was serving as a coal heaver on a U.S. Navy vessel in the Pacific Ocean when he applied for pension benefits on behalf of himself and his sister. The Civil War soldier died of consumption in 1865. 

Minor — 320,917 / —–, Junius Wilson etal

Declaration for Pension of Dependent Brothers or Sisters, Junius Wilson and Indianna Wilson, 30 October 1884
24 years old and 28 years old; residence,101 Green st cor; post-office address, Portsmouth, Virginia
“… are over the age of 21 years and require no legal guardian and that they are brother and sister of Robert Wilson … who enlisted under the name of Robert Wilson, at Newport News … who died from consumption which was caused by exposure during the late war at Isle of Wight County, Va. in the early part of the year 1865, that he left neither widow, minor child … the mother survived but died about 1881… that said brothers and sisters were the issue of the parents of said soldier, as follows, the dates of their births being as herein stated:

Indiana Wilson	child of Irena Wilson and Henry Wilson	born about June 1856
Junius Wilson	“	April 15, 1859
Mary Wilson	“	about 1862

“The parents were slaves …. Also, personally appeared, David Turner, residing, in Effingham street, in the City of Portsmouth, Va., and George Garner, residing in London st extended, Norfolk County, Virginia”
[Note: There’s a handwritten note in the margin “There was one other sister Mary Wilson [torn page] about five years since & during that time we heard nothing from her” — Leslie]

Memo, Norman Cassell, Notary Public, Portsmouth, Virginia, 13 August 1885
“This day personally appeared Junius Wilson, before me Norman Cassell a Notary Public for the City of Portsmouth in the State of Virginia after being duly sworn, states that Harry Wilson the father of Robert Wilson, is dead, and that he died about 23 years since.”

Letter from Junius Wilson to Commissioner of Pensions, No Date
“Dear Sir — In reply to the enclosed letter dated Aug 9th, 1889 I will say that owing to the lapse of time I have forgotten the name of the company in which I heard my brother say he served. I am sure it was the First U.S. Col. Cav.  I heard him tell my mother but it was when I was a very small boy and my recollection may be at fault.”

Letter from Junius Wilson, USS Flagship “Brooklyn,” to Col. J.C. Black, US Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, DC, 5 January 1888
“Sir: Some time ago I filed a claim for pension during [illegible] of my sister Indianna Wilson and myself. The claim is based upon the death of our brother Robert Wilson, 1st US Colored Cavalry, who died at Smithfield, Va. in 1865, having left the hospital at Newport News but a short time previously.
“By the last mail I received a letter from my wife, Alice Wilson saying that in a communication from you I had been instructed to file an answer to certain papers within near hundred days from Nov 2, 1887.
“My wife did not make it clear to me what the nature of these papers is.
“I am serving as a coal heaver in the U.S. Navy on board the Flagship Brooklyn, Asiatic Station, and it will be impossible for me to do anything more within the hundred days than to request that any adverse action of the Pension Bureau in my case due to lack of ordnance of the usual forms — may be withheld until my return to the United States which will be in about a year.
“My sister Indianna Wilson of Portsmouth, Va. is fully cognizant of all the facts in the case and any action she may take in my absence will be satisfactory to me.”
“Very respectfully,
Your ob’t servant,
Junius Wilson
Coal heaver, US Navy”

Letter from Junius Wilson to U.S. Pension Commissioner, 24 May 1889
“Dear Sir:  I inclose [sic] the evidence desired. I enlisted in the U.S. Receiving Ship Franklin at Gosport Navy Yard, Va. on the 6th Jany 1886 & was sent to the U.S. Receiving Ship Vermont at N.Y. about July 15th 1886, & from the Vermont to the USS Brooklyn at NY about the 1st of Aug 1886. The Brooklyn left NY about Aug 12th 1886 for the Asiatic Station where I stayed upon the Brooklyn until it arrived at NY about the 14th day of April 1889 at which time I was discharged. The above explanation is the cause of delay in furnishing evidence required hoping you will see fit to re-initiate my pension claim should the same has been dismissed.
“I am respectfully
Junius Wilson
#101 Glasgow St., Ports., Va.”
[Note: The letter’s handwritten on letterhead of “V.O. Cassell & Son, Attorneys and Counsellors-at-Law, Commissioner in Chancery, Commissioner of Deeds for North Carolina and Notaries Public, Special Attention Given to Collections, Address: 434 High Street, Portsmouth, Va.” — Leslie]

Declaration for Pension of Dependent Brothers and Sisters, Junius Wilson and Indianna Wilson, 23 May 1891 
31 years old; residence, Portsmouth, Norfolk Co., Va.
“brothers and sisters were the issue of the parents of said soldier, as follows, the dates of their birth being as herein stated:
Junius Wilson, child of Harry Wilson and Arena Wilson, born April 15, 1859
Indianna Wilson, child of   ”       ”      and     ”          ”      , born 1850 supposed”

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