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The Walter Stewart Family and the Civil WarForty-one Stewart grandsons and grandsons-in-law answered the call to arms and wore the Confederate Grey. In addition, one son, 6 Rev. Clark Berry Stewart, served as Domestic Missionary (Chaplain) to the Army of Northern Virginia under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church, Presbytery of South Carolina. Of the 41, four died of disease and nine died of wounds or were killed in action. Twenty-nine served in various South Carolina units as follows: 17 in Kershaw's Brigade, 4 in McGowan's Brigade, 4 in Hampton's Legion; and 1 each in the following units: Hagood's Brigade; 1st Reg., SC Infantry; 4th Batt., SC Infantry; and Batt. of State Cadets. The remaining 12 served in other states: Georgia 9, Alabama 3. Stewarts were present at and took part in the following major battles as well as numerous minor engagements: Charleston (1861) and Port Royal in South Carolina; 1st Manassas (Bull Run), Washington Court House, Chancellorsville, Petersburg, and Richmond-Fredericksburg in Virginia; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Sharpsburg, Maryland; Vicksburg, Mississippi; Chickamauga-Chattanooga-Missionary Ridge, Tennessee; Kennesaw Mountain, Atlanta, and Savannah in Georgia; and Bentonville, North Carolina. There were 2 officers, 4 non-commissioned officers, and 35 privates. In regard to the casualties, 3 were from the House of Samuel, 3 from the House of John, 5 from the House of Robert, and 2 from the House of James; total 13, or 31.7% of 41 serving. Overall casualty rate for combined North and South forces was about 15%, by one estimate. The Civil War has long been recognized by historians as the bloodiest in American history. The casualty rate among American troops serving in World War I was about 8%; in World War II, 4.5%. Specific details of each man's service will be found in that individual's biographical data. It should be noted that sometimes apparent discrepancies appear in public records in state and national archives, and also between public records and old family records, i.e. letters, family traditions, Bible entries, etc. The primary source for the data presented here was the Alphabetical List of Confederate Soldiers compiled by the National Archives in Washington, DC (copy in State Dept. of Archives and History, Columbia, SC); and Roster of the Confederate Soldiers of Georgia, State of Georgia. - 31714 William F. Rawlinson, 1982 Walter Stewart Family Civil War ServiceEach soldier is listed by their Stewart code in their respective houses.House of Samuel
111 JOHN P. McKELVEY, Private, Co. A, 56th Reg., Georgia Infantry. House of John
24 WILLIAM WASHINGTON STEWART, Private, Co. A, 1st Reg., SC Infantry.* House of Robert
31 WILLIAM STEWART, Captain, Co. D, 4th Batt., SC Infantry. House of James
42 WALTER WASHINGTON STEWART, Sgt., Co. K, 41st Reg., Georgia Infantry. House of Walter, Jr.
52 WILLIAM CLARK STEWART, Private, Co. D, 20th Reg., SC Infantry (Hampton's Legion). House of Clark
6 REV. CLARK BERRY STEWART, Domestic Missionary (Chaplain) to the Army of Northern Virginia, appointed by the Presbytery of South Carolina. House of David
71 ALEXANDER MALLARD, Private, Co. D, 5th Reg., Georgia Cavalry. * Killed in action or died of disease Source: 1st Appendix in the Walter Stewart Clan History. |