Rufus Marcus (abt. 1835 - aft. 1863)

Born about 1835 in Burke, North Carolina, United States

Husband of Caroline (Hogue) Marcus — married 11 Dec 1854 in Macon, North Carolina, United States

Descendants

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Biography

Rufus Marcus was born in Appalachia, in North Carolina.

Private Rufus Marcus served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: 23 July 1862
Mustered out: April 1863
Side: CSA
Regiment(s): 69th North Carolina Regiment aka "Thomas' Legion of Indians and Highlanders"

Rufus was born about 1835. We know this from the 1860 Census, which has him in DeHart's District, living with his wife, Caroline, Candice (recorded as "Kansas"), age 4, and baby Dewitt.^[1]

In 1854, Rufus married Carolyn Hoge in Macon County, NC.^[2][3] The couple settled in DeHart's District of Macon County (which is now Swain County).^[1] They had three children:

Candice (b. 1855 )

Dewitt (b. ~1859)

William (b. ~1861)

In April 1861, North Carolina joined the Confederacy and young men throughout the state began to enlist. Like many in Macon county, Rufus enlisted in Thomas's Legion, serving in Company H. His was not a rush to war; he enlisted 23 July 1862, over a year after North Carolina seceded.^[4]

For much of that time, Thomas's Legion was in eastern Tennessee. In September 1862, they saw their first fighting at Baptist Gap, Tennessee.^[5] Rufus had been with the unit a little less than two months at that point.

His records for January and February 1863 are marked "deserted," but a note below that says, "a name appears in column of names present."^[4] It is unclear if Rufus was present or not by February 1863. However, this was a boring time for the Legion. Major William Stringfellow, who also served in the Legion, wrote an account of the war and described the period from September 1862 to June 1863 saying there was "'little to break the monotony of camp life and provost duty' as the Thomas Legion enforced conscription, pursued saboteurs and insurgents, and guarded bridges, block houses, and railroads. It 'was hard, disagreeable work,'"^[6]

Whether it was the tedium of this period, the horrors of war, or some other cause, in April 1863, Rufus Marcus deserted in Sevier County, TN^[4] This is the last record I have been able to find for him. He seems to have just disappeared.

In 1870, his wife and children are living in Haywood, NC.^[7] Frustratingly, this is not a census that records marital status -- so there is no indication of whether or not Caroline said she was married or a widow. It is possible that Rufus died before 1870 -- or that he either abandoned his family along with the CSA or needed to be elsewhere, as persona non grata in North Carolina after his defection.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDDY-93D : 18 February 2021), Rufus Markus, 1860.
2. ↑ "North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8YK-DYT : 14 February 2020), Rufus Marcuss, 1854.
3. ↑ "Marriage Bond document image, 11 Dec 1854, Ruphus Marcuss, Macon, North Carolina, United States Records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C91Z-KSD2-4 : May 23, 2023), image 282 of 442; Macon County (North Carolina). Register of Deeds.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} "Marcus, Rufus," Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers who Served in Organizations from the State of North Carolina, The National Archives, https://www.fold3.com/image/56837413, Accessed 22 May 2023.
5. ↑ Anderson, William L. "Thomas's Legion," NCpedia, https://www.ncpedia.org/thomass-legion, accessed 22 May 2023.
6. ↑ "William Holland Thomas' Legion (1861-1863)," ThomasLegion.Net, http://www.thomaslegion.net/shotsfired.html, accessed 22 May 2023.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MW83-972 : 29 May 2021), Candace Marcus in entry for Caroline Marcus, 1870.