Jesse William James (1837-1901)

Jesse William James (1837-1901)

Ada Belle James (1870-1955) married Elijah Johnson Moorefield (1868-1937). Her father, Jesse William James (1837-1901), served as a Confederate soldier during the Civil War.

On December 15, 1861, in Orange County, North Carolina he enlisted as a private for a term of three years in Company A, 13th Battalion, North Carolina Infantry (called Wright's Battalion). On October 2, 1863, this unit was consolidated with others to become Company A ("Orange Boys"), 66th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry (State Troops). The unit was stationed in Wilmington, North Carolina, but moved to Virginia in May 1864. It fought at Cold Harbor, was placed in the trenches of Petersburg.

The details of his service between enlistment December 16, 1861, and May 20, 1864, are not known. However, on this latter date he was "[w]ounded in action at Howlett's Farm" and furloughed. He apparently never returned to active duty and mustered out as a private October 2, 1864.

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The reference to Howlett's Farm is an area between Richmond and Petersburg, Virginia, that was involved in the Battle of Ware Bottom Church, a one day encounter on May 20, 1964. See the map. On that date eight Confederate brigades under General Beauregard attacked General Butler’s advance picket lines near Ware Bottom Church. Approximately 10,000 soldiers clashed near the church, resulting in 1,400 casualties. After the battle, the Confederates built the Howlett Line, a series of strong defensive works (including trenches) from the James River to the Appomattox River, effectively trapping Butler's army on the Bermuda Hundred peninsula.