John Nimrod Ferguson

In 1860 he was a 21 year old farmer on his parent's place at Griffin in Spalding County, GA. He enlisted there, probably as a Private, in Company C, 13th Georgia Infantry on 8 July 1861. He was elected 2nd Lieutenant on 27 August (or 9 September) 1862.

He was wounded in action at Sharpsburg on 17 September 1862 and promoted to First Lieutenant the same day.

In December he was on furlough at Griffin, GA and his recover was "doubtful." He was on furlough through at least April 1863 but did return to duty, and was promoted to Captain on 3 June 1864.

He was wounded by a pistol shot through the left side of his neck at Monocacy Junction, MD on 9 July 1864 and captured near Frederick, MD the next day. He was in a US Army hospital in Frederick to 27 July, in the hospital in West's Buildings in Baltimore until 30 August, transferred to Fort McHenry, then on to Point Lookout, MD. He was sent to Fortress Monroe, VA for exchange on 29 September 1864. He was listed as absent without leave in Griffin, GA to February 1865 with no later military record.

In 1870 he was a farmer in Griffin, GA but moved to Union Parish, LA in about 1871. He was elected constable at Shiloh, LA sometime after 1880 and was murdered there in December 1887. Two men were convicted of his murder about 12 years later.

His service from Henderson1 and his Compiled Service Records,2 online from fold3, both as J.N. Ferguson. Personal details from family genealogists and the US Census of 1860 and 1870. His gravesite is on Findagrave.

He married Martha Rebecca Weldon (1843-1915) in March 1862 and they had 15 children by 1884.

See a photograph of John and his family in about 1870 over on the blog.

There's a fine description of the circumstances surrounding his murder online, from Wesley Harris of the Piney Woods Journal.

10/02/1838; Butts County, GA

12/16/1887; Mt Tabor, Union County, LA; burial in Shiloh Cemetery, Bernice, LA