"The Buckle" by Jeffery D. Murrie

 The Buckle! 

For many years I assumed it was a copy, because how would anyone be in possession of a buckle that belonged to their gg grandfather [William Washington Murrie]? Well, after being "lost" at my parents house for a few years it finally reappeared about 12 years ago and I decided to take "guardianship" of the item. I searched online for information and was surprised with its rarity and value, thus again assuming it must be a copy.

I searched for an appraiser who would look and everyone said Rafael Eledge from PBS "Antique Roadshow" would be the only person to trust in authenticating and he only does that in person. As luck would have it, Mr. Eledge was attending the annual Civil War show in Charleston, SC and I asked by email if he would take a look at something for me and he agreed. So, off to Charleston I drove to meet Mr. Eledge!

He was not hard to locate due to his popularity on "Antique Roadshow." I approached him and introduced myself and presented him with a small box. Inside rested the buckle. He held the unopened box in his hand and asked how I came to have it. I explained that W. W. Murrie was my great-great-grandfather and it was in the possession of his grandson, Fran Thomas Murrie until it came to me. He opened the box and took the buckle over to a digital scale and nodded in the affirmative! He then measured the buckle, again nodding in the affirmative! His last procedure was to take out a jewelers loop to examine the back and again nodded in the affirmative! He handed me the buckle and smiled saying "You have an authentic buckle and you are very lucky to have something that connects you to your great-great grandfather."

My question was how was he so sure? Mr. Eledge said it had the correct weight and measurements and the back still had particles of the tar that was applied to the back when the buckle was made and for him the evidence of the tar was definitive. Needless to say, I was a very happy person! He then asked what else I had that may have belonged to W. W. Murrie and I started to name them: His coin silver pocket watch, c1870, three images, a coin silver match safe, part of medal (visible in the case with the buckle) and a ribbon from a veterans reunion c.1921. His parting words where, "Do you know how many people at this show would like to own just one item from a Civil War ancestor and you possess so many?"

I am just the caretaker for the time being and glad to share.

Jeffery D. Murrie

Florence, South Carolina

May 13, 2020

Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records

Name: William W Murrie

Age: 19

Birth Date: abt 1842

Enlistment Date: 6 Jun 1861

Enlistment Place: Yanceyville

Rank: Private Military

Unit: Sixth Infantry

North Carolina Civil War Soldiers

Name: W. W. Murrie

Side: Confederate

Regiment State/Origin: North Carolina

Regiment: 6th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry

Company: H

Rank In: Private

Rank Out: Corporal

Film Number: M230 roll 28

Missing in action since November 7, 1863.

Captured at the Second Battle of Rappahannock Station that took place on November 7, 1863, near the village of Rappahannock Station, on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, between Confederate forces under Maj. Gen. Jubal Early and Union forces under Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick as part of the Bristoe Campaign of the American Civil War. Exchanged March 14, 1864.

W.W. Murrie, Private and promoted to Corporal on Oct. 1, 1862. Present and accounted for until captured at Rappahannock Station, VA on November 7, 1863. Confined at Point Lookout, MD until paroled and transferred to Boulware's Wharf, James River, VA, where he was received March 16, 1865 for exchange. source: North Carolina 1861-1865 A Roster, Complied by Weymouth, T. Jordan, Jr.
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6th Infantry Regiment State Troops was organized at Camp Alamance, near Company Shops (Burlington), North Carolina, in May, 1861. The men were from the counties of Mecklenburg, Orange, Burke, Catawba, McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey, Alamance, Rowan, Wake, Caswell, and Chatham. 

Ordered to Virginia the unit fought under General B. E. Bee, then spent the summer and winter in the Dumfries area. Its brigadiers during the conflict were Generals Whiting, Law, Hoke, Godwin, and W. G. Lewis. The 6th was prominent in the campaigns of the army from Seven Pines to Mine Run, then was active in the battles of Plymouth and Cold Harbor. It fought with Early in the Shenandoah Valley and later in the Appomattox operations.

This regiment reported 23 killed and 50 wounded at First Manassas, and in April, 1862, contained 715 effectives. It lost 115 during the Seven Days' Battles, 147 at Second Manassas and Ox Hill, 125 in the Maryland Campaign, and 25 at Fredericksburg. Of the 509 engaged at Gettysburg, thirty-six percent were disabled. At the Rappahannock River in November, 1863, it lost 5 killed, 15 wounded, and 317 missing, and there were 6 killed and 29 wounded at Plymouth. It surrendered with 6 officers and 175 men of which 72 were armed.

The field officers were Colonels Isaac E. Avery, Charles F. Fisher, William D. Pender, and Robert F. Webb; Lieutenant Colonels William T. Dortch, Charles E. Lightfoot, and Samuel M. Tate; and Major Richard W. York.