Saturday, July 10, 2010

John Adam Abe Goes To War 10-017

     It's uncertain if he made it home for Christmas or even for New Years Day but John Adam was a free man again. After nearly 4 months at the Camp Chase Prison Camp I'm sure he wasted little time heading back to the home place. It would be good to settle back in to the regular family routine on the farm. A time to ponder what happened and what was ahead.
     Prisoners were usually transported to the closest point near their home that was accessible by train or boat. With Camp Chase located at Columbus, Ohio it would be pretty easy to put him on a train to Cumberland, MD. Rail traffic went west from Cumberland through southern Ohio to Cincinnati and also north from Cumberland to Pittsburg, PA and then west to around Columbus and then southwest to Cincinnati.
     I wonder what went through his mind when he found out that older brother Philip had enlisted with the Confederate Cavalry. How did his parents and the rest of the family feel about the whole Civil War situation since his arrest? More importantly, what feelings were now bottled up within his own mind?
     We don't know of any events that took place after his release on (73)December 22, 1862 to December 31, 1863 but on (34)January 1, 1864 Adam started the new year off by enlisting in the 11th Virginia Cavalry at Mt. Jackson, VA. He arrived with his own horse and may have been lucky enough to ride him his whole military service. The records listed below don't show him as losing one in battle. This was the same military division that Philip had enlisted in on October 15, 1862.

(34)(11th Virginia Cavalry, 2nd Edition, 1989, by Richard L. Armstrong -
The Virginia Regimental Histories Series lists the following military information)
      John Adam Abee - Pvt., Co. D. b.c. 1845. Prior service, Co. C, 77th Va. Militia. Arrested as a citizen, for aiding the rebels, 8/8/62. Desc. 8/8/62: age 17 1/2, 5’8”, dark comp., dark hair and black eyes, a farmer residing in Hampshire Co., W. Va. Enl. Mt. Jackson, 1/1/64. Had his own Horse. Present 1/1/64-4/30/64. Paroled, New Market, 4/20/65. Desc.: age 20 5’8”, dark comp., dark hair and gray eyes. Brother to Frederick and Michael Abe. NFR. (pg. 117)
     Pvt. Co. D. Correct spelling of name is Abe. b.c. 1845. Age 15, Patterson Depot, Hampshire Co., W. Va. 1860 census. Brother of Philip Abe. (pg. 211)


     He served with the cavalry group until April 20, 1865 when he was paroled at New Market, VA at about the age of about 19 or 20. Now all he had to do was to travel about 75 miles to get back home.

     UPDATE:  (115)New John Adam Abe 11th Va. Cavalry Records and (116) P.O.W. records are now posted for your viewing.  These records add to but do not change anything already published.

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