Charles Evans Ussery (1838 - 1923)

Born 30 Oct 1838 in Heath Springs, Lancaster County, SC

Ancestors

Husband of Martha Jane (Bailey) Ussery — married 1 May 1870 in Hart County, GA

Descendants

Died 29 Mar 1923 at age 84 in Bowersville, Hart County, GA

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Biography

Note: Charles Evans Ussery is mentioned in the will of his great aunt, Rachael Payne Leigh (d. 1849) from Kershaw County, SC. Here is the entry from her will:

Item. I give and bequeath to RICHARD SAMUEL USSERY AND CHARLES EVANS (sons of MUMFORD USSERY) one hundred dollars to be divided equally between them and their heirs.

Charles' family moved to Franklin County (later Hart County, GA) and he seems to have stayed there for his lifetime and was a farmer. He fought in the Civil war for a number of years, and information about his service and experiences are listed below:

Pvt./Corp., Co. H., 15th GA Inf.: Enlisted July 13, 1861, Hart Co., GA by W.R. Poole, for three years or the war. Absent, wounded, in the hospital, Oct. 1864. Absent, wounded furlough, Dec. 1864, Transferred to Camp Winder, Oct. 13, 1864. Transferred to Jackson Oct. 16, 1864. Typhoid Fever. Returned to duty Aug. 13, 1864. Wounded in face severely, Oct. 13, 1864.

Charles E. Ussery, Bowersville, Hart Co., GA, 1895, application for Indigent Pension. Resident of GA for 46 years. Born Lancaster Co., SC Oct 30, 1841. Farmer. Enlisted July 13, 1861, Hart Co., Co. H, 15th GA. Wounded Oct. 13, 1864, at Junction of Barby Town Road in VA. Died March 29, 1923?

Mrs. C.E. Ussery, Hart Co., GA 1910, application for widow's pension. Married May 1, 1870 in Hart Co. At surrender, was at home. Widow died Feb. 19, 1928.

The following information was obtained from "Ussery, My Cup Runneth Over" . . . Reunion 1992:

Shortly before he died in March 1923 he related all about his experience here to his granddaughter Mrs. Clyde (Ruth) Young:

• Camp Winder, GA from Jul 13 1861 until early fall 1861

• Fought in northern Virginia early fall 1861 until 1862

• Developed typhoid fever Sept 16, 1861 and was sent to hospital at Richmond VA. He continued in hospital until May 4, 1862 when he was sent to Camp Winder, GA.

• He was sent back to northern Virginia shortly after July 1862

• Fought in many battles in VA in 1862 and early 1863

• Fought in Battle of Gettysburg, PA Jul 1-3, 1863. He told of being surrounded and needing water and drinking water from a small creek only to discover the next morning that it was filled with dead horses and men.

• He fought with Bennings Brigade led by General Henry Lewis Bennings, a former Georgia Supreme Court member.

• Fought in Battle of Chicamuga, summer of 1863, after Gettysburg

• Fought at Battle of Missionary Ridge and it was here that he was surrounded by Union troops and their only means of escape was to delay advancing Union troops. They delayed them by prizing up a large rock on Missionary Ridge, making the rock roll down the hill and scaring their horses. By prizing up the large rock they found a spring which is still flowing.

• Fought in battled in northern Virginia in winter of 1863.

• Developed malaria or some other fever July-Aug of 1864.

• He was promoted to Corporal May 4, 1864.

• He was seriously wounded Oct. 13, 1864 by a mini-ball going though his left cheek and coming out his left ear. He was left for dead and his men were making a second check to see for sure who was dead and they detected life by the use of a mirror. He was wounded at junction of Barleytown Road near Petersburg, Virginia.

Sources

"Georgia, County Marriages, 1785-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKHZ-BSDC : 7 February 2020), Charles E Ussery and Miss Martha J Bailey, 1 May 1870; citing Marriage, Hart, Georgia, United States, Georgia Department of Archives and History, Morrow, FHL microfilm 382,523.