David Nowlin Collie was born in Pittsylvania County, Virginia November 3, 1826. He married Mary Ann Pruett August 26, 1846. David's oldest son was William H. Collie. William was born some time in 1845. It is likely that William was from a previous marriage and that his mother died soon after his birth. The 1860 Census lists David's occupation as farmer and William's as farm hand.
David enlisted in Captain William S. Penick's Company, Montague's Battalion Virginia Infantry on September 11, 1861 at Pittsylvania Court House. Lieutenant Ross Carter enlisted him for a term of one year. Penick's Company was also known as the Logan Guards or Davy Logan Guards. It was mustered into Confederate service in Richmond on August 31, 1861. This company was joined with other companies to form Montague's Battalion. The 53rd Regiment Virginia Infantry was formed in December 1861 by consolidation of Tomlin's Battalion, Montague's Battalion, and Waddill's Company. After consolidation Penick's Company was redesignated Company G.
David's service record shows that he was on sick furlough for most of January 1862. In February he returned to duty and served as a camp guard. He was present with the regiment for all of March and through June 1862. The record shows he was paid for service on April 30. David was again sick and absent during most of July and August.
The Confederate Conscription Act was passed on April 16, 1862. By this act all white males between 18 and 35 were drafted into military service for three years. David was given a discharge on September 5, 1862, under terms of this act, since he was over 35 years old. He was paid $45.83 for his service since April.
In February 1863, the ages for conscripted men were changed to 17 and 50. On October 14, 1864, David re-enlisted as a private in Company A, 38th Virginia. Records show he was present with his regiment from October through February 25, 1865. On March 6, David was admitted to Chimborazo Hospital Number Three, Richmond, for Bronchitis. He was transferred to the C.S.A. General Hospital in Danville March 16. He arrived in Danville March 20 and had contracted Diarrhea by this time. He was sent home to recuperate from March 28 to April 7. Mary Ann must have been a good nurse because David's service record shows he was returned to duty on April 11, 1865, two days after Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House.
William H. Collie was 16 in 1861 when his father went off to serve in the confederate infantry. William enlisted in Company A of the 38th Virginia Infantry on March 8, 1862 in Kentuck, Pittsylvania County as a private by Captain Daniel C. Townes. William was reported sick in March and admitted to Chimborazo Hospital Number One, Richmond, on March 30 1862. He had Rubella measles and died in hospital on April 10. He was credited for service of 1 month and 4 days. David received $12.46 from the Confederate States, as William's only kin.
The service record of William contains some additional clues to identify his mother. On October 19, 1863, David appeared at the Pittsylvania County Court House to make two affidavits. One was a Power of Attorney and the other was a Claim to be recognized as William's only Heir. These two documents clearly establish that William was a deceased soldier from the 38th Virginia and that David was his father. On September 22nd 1863, David had also filed an application in court for administration of William's Estate. On that date two men appeared with David and posted a bond as surety on the oaths. These men were Carter Collie and William H. Hall. Carter Collie was David's uncle and 14 years older. Carter married Gideon "Giddy" Hall March 21, 1844. Giddy was the daughter of William H. and Judith Shelton Hall of Pittsylvania County. Carter's oldest son was James Henry Collie, born April 13, 1845. James Henry was William Collie's 2nd cousin, though the two were born within twelve months of each other. In September 1862, James Henry would join the 38th.
George T. Richardson was born September 15, 1824. He was David's Cousin and William's 2nd cousin. George enlisted in the 38th Virginia in June 1861. In October 1861, George was in Richmond's Chimborazo Hospital #4; his illness is not recorded. By January, George was returned to duty with his regiment. By March, the regiment was in the Richmond area. By this time George's younger brother Henry, born 1836, had joined the 38th Virginia. In April, George was again in Chimborazo Hospital #3. At this time, Henry was also ill in Chimborazo Hospital #2 and died on May 9, 1862 of Rubella and Bronchitis and Typhoid. Another cousin, Reuben B. Ricketts, born 1832, joined the 38th Virginia in March 1862 in Danville. Reuben's parents farmed land adjoining the land of George's parents.
Reuben, Henry, and William joined the 38th in March 1862 and soon contracted measles while the regiment was on the Peninsula. It is likely that William followed his cousins Reuben and Henry in joining the regiment. Perhaps Reuben and Henry, being cousins and near in age, were well known to each other. Henry went off to join his older brother George. Cousin William, much younger at 16, and no doubt admiring the older men, followed probably expecting to find his father as well.
From the court papers, we know that David had a close relationship with Carter Collie, his uncle, and William H. Hall, Carter's father-in-law. Carter's wife, Giddy was born September 15, 1826, just two months before David. The affidavit suggests that William H. Hall was William H. Collie's Grandfather. Giddy probably had a sister, very close in age, who married David at about the same time Giddy and Carter were married. William's mother then died when he was born or very soon after. All of these men were uncles or cousins, closely related and very familiar to each other. In the small and isolated communities of that, day it was common that families were very close and cousins were often best friends. Most likely Giddy and her sister were close friends as well as sisters, and perhaps David and Carter were close in spite of the age difference. It seems very natural then, that the "Hall Ladies" would marry the "Collie Men."
George Richardson, his brother Henry, and Reuben Ricketts were William H. Collie's 2nd cousins. These men were in fact cousins to William's father and close relations, and probably well known to David and William, and being a good deal older, must have had a relationship rather like an uncle to William. David was away from home in the army in March 1862. Henry Richardson, Reuben Ricketts, and William all joined the 38th Va. in March 1862, having enlisted in Pittsylvania county and joined the Regiment in the Richmond area about that time. The basic information supports the idea that these men were well known to each other. They must have gone off together to the army.
The Confederate Conscription act was the first in American history; the Yankees not having one until March 1863. In April 1862, the first act was for drafting men 18 to 35. It was by this act that David could be discharged in Sept 1862 since he had served out his one-year term and was over 35. In fact, very few confederate soldiers were actually drafted. The mores of that day meant that any man who waited to be drafted was a shirker or worse, a coward. The honorable thing to do was to volunteer and 80 or 90 percent of all confederate soldiers were in fact volunteers. David first volunteered in August 1861 when the southern men were still flushed with the adventure of leaving home and beating those Yankees. After being away from home for a year, being sick in hospital twice, sleeping on the ground with no tent, marching, fighting, seeing friends and neighbors killed, and his own first born son die far from home, David knew that war was no adventure.
In September 1862, the draft age was raised to 18 to 45, and again in February 1863 the limits raised to 17 to 50. David again enlisted in the 38th Va. in Oct. 1864. By this time confederate manpower was so scarce that David must have felt a strong obligation to family and community to leave home again, this time with no romantic ideas. His experience was much the same as before, harsh conditions in camp, poor food, and again falling out sick for a time.
William left home when David was away. His stepmother Mary Ann was unable to overcome the boy's natural urge for adventure and to be seen as fulfilling his duty as the other men in his family were. Although the lower draft limit was 18, William chose to volunteer as so many boys did in those early days of the war. William surely never dreamed that, less than two months after leaving home he would die in the army. He probably never saw his father since, in March and April 1862, the 38th Va. was in Garland's Brigade of Hill's Division and David's, regiment the 53rd Va., and was in Armistead's Brigade of Huger's Division. Being in different divisions meant that there was little chance for direct contact. The 38th did not join Armistead's Brigade until July or August 1862 when the Brigade was transferred to R.H. Anderson's Division.
Carter Collie and William H. Hall posted a $300 bond on David's affidavit. This was a large sum in those days and it seems more likely that there was more than a casual relation between all of these men to post such a bond. It must have been an important event in David's life and he would have certainly sought assistance of his closest relations for material and moral support.
William H. Hall would have to put great trust that Carter's nephew was worthy. Its true that many men from the area would have been away in the army and there simply would be few men available to perform the task. The basic requirement would not change; David would have to find some trusted and familiar person to post the bond. The absence of a large number of men would more likely delay the task not change the basic qualifications of the persons performing the duty.
In reference to the dates of William's enlistment into the confederate army and his date of death; William's service record makes clear that he enlisted in March 1862, served 1 month and 4 days and died in Chimborazo Hospital in Richmond on April 10, 1862. While confederate service records are never perfect, any lapse of information generally tends to be more in the form of omissions than mistaken information. The date of death was recorded at the hospital at the time. The enlistment date was recognized as information worthy of careful recordation. David's affidavit was that William died on April 10. David would take care to give correct information if he was to take an oath on it and ask his uncle and uncle's father-in-law to take oaths and post bonds on the information. Unless we have some very strong evidence, to the contrary these dates may be taken as the most reliable.
David being away from home in April 1862 means he likely did not even know of William's death for some time, perhaps not until he returned home in August 1862. An old saying among soldiers is " a soldier knows little beyond his company and nothing beyond his regiment." Because the private soldier was daily occupied with the routine and regimentation of military life he rarely had information beyond his own immediate experience and little time to keep up on the events outside his own duties. David would not have had any chance to begin the process of settling Williams's estate until after his discharge in 1862. Even today, it is not unusual for probate to take well over a year. Its far more likely that the delay in settling William's estate was simply the result of the circumstances of the time and the fact that David had neither the time nor complete information to begin the process until the fall of 1862. Remembering the Courts of this day did not sit every day and that David's case would need to be docketed in advance and then wait to the appointed date to be heard, it seems in no way improbable that William's case may have taken from April 1862 to September 1863 to be completed.
William's service record shows that the date of death was not immediately reported back to the regiment. On the regimental return for May 1862 the following entry was made: "Died at Richmond but have not been appraised of the date." This makes clear the William had been reported as dead in the regiment by May 1862 but the date was not known. We get the full information from the Hospital register that William was admitted on March 30 and died on 10 April.
The suggestion that William H. Hall was the grandfather of William H. Collie is entirely speculative at this time, but is at least suggestive of a line of research that may be followed.
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