James A. Gilmer

He enlisted and mustered as Private, Company I, 37th Virginia Infantry on 5 August 1861 in Monterey, VA. He was promoted to Corporal at the reorganization on 21 April 1862 and to 2nd Sergeant in June.

He was slightly wounded in the arm in action at Sharpsburg on 17 September 1862.

He was admitted to the Camp Winder Hospital, Richmond, VA on 28 September and returned to duty on 7 November 1862. Meanwhile, he had been commissioned 2nd Lieutenant by brevet to date from 23 September 1862. He was in action again at Frederickburg, VA in December and at Gettysburg, PA in July 1863. He offered himself as a candidate for Clerk of the circuit court for Russell County, VA in February 1864, outcome unknown.

Cousin James A. Gilmer was killed in the breast works on the morning of the 12th of May [1864]. The same morning that we was captured. I have got his watch. I am a going to try to bring it through with me when we are exchanged.

His service from Rankin1, who was unaware of James' death. The last military record for him is an August 1864 Brigade Inspection Report (from his Compiled Service Record via fold3) which lists him "in the hands of the enemy." His Sharpsburg wound detail from a casualty list in the Abingdon Virginian of 3 October 1862 online from the Library of Congress. His 1864 candidacy and other details from a clipping from the Virginian of 26 February 1864.

His death event quoted above from a 19 September 1864 letter home from cousin William Reeves Gilmer, Corporal, Company I of the 37th, who was then a prisoner at Fort Delaware having been captured at Spotsylvania Court House, VA on 12 May 1864. I added capitalization and punctuation.

Some of the wartime Gilmer family letter collection is online thanks to Gregory Lepore. The originals are in the collection of the University of Virginia [finding aid], which has 148 items dating from 1856-1865.

c. 1842

05/12/1864; Spotsylvania Court House, VA