Key Facts

Snapshot:	farmer; Confederate soldier and POW
Parents:	180William Black 181Juda Thompson
Born:	17 July 1826 Jefferson County, Georgia
Last known record:	7 January 1905 Johnson County, Georgia
Buried:	unproven; see below

90Benjamin Burton Black was born 17 July 1826 in Jefferson County, Georgia1 to parents 180William Black and 181Juda Thompson.2 I have no photo of him, but in 1863 he was described as "height 5 ft. 7 3/4 in. Complexion light; eyes dark; hair brown." 3

90Burton's pension application, in which he states when and where he was born.1

The 1830, 1840, and 1850 censuses all show (or imply) that 90Burton was living with his father in Warren County, Georgia.2,4,5 The 1850 census shows that 90Burton had attended school and (unlike his father) could read and write.2

90Benjamin married 91Elizabeth Sutton in Warren County, Georgia on 17 June 1850.6

90Benjamin's and 91Elizabeth Sutton's marriage certificate. Full page.7

Somewhat strangely, two months later the newlyweds still lived in 90Benjamin's father's house.2

1850: 90Benjamin's household in Warren County, Georgia. Full page.2

90Burton's family seems to have moved somewhat frequently during his early to middle adulthood. In 1860 we find him in Washington County with four children, plus another family living with them.7

1860: 90Benjamin's household in Washington County, Georgia. Full page.7

The American Civil War began the following year. Strangely, 90Burton seems to have enlisted twice:

•

The name "Benj. B Black" is on a muster roll dated 14 September 1861 for the Jackson Guards,8 which became company A of the 59th Georgia Infantry. The company formed in Washington County, where 90Benjamin was living in 1860.7 Excerpts from the muster roll are copied below. 90Benjamin's mention here is enigmatic—I've found his role documented literally nowhere else, not even in the National Park Service's excellent Civil War soldier database nor other indices like this one. Furthermore, 90Benjamin doesn't mention the 59th Georgia in his later pension application.1

Excerpts from a muster roll showing that 90Benjamin enlisted in the Jackson Guards, i.e. company A of the 59th Georgia Infantry. Full pages: 1, 2.8

•	On 11 July 1862 90Burton enlisted for the Confederacy in the 48th Georgia Infantry, company A9—but as a substitute for another man named Charles H. Kitchens.10

Early in the war, draftees could avoid serving by hiring someone else to take their place. Unfortunately, after receiving payment many substitutes would desert as soon as practical, while others were barely physically fit enough to fight in the first place. Not surprisingly, then, Confederate substitutes had a generally bad reputation. Like many other substitutes, 90Burton eventually deserted, but during his period of active duty, the 48th Georgia participated in several battles. Some are listed below, along with their respective start dates and who commanded the 48th Georgia.

	29-30 August 1862: Second Manassas (a.k.a. Second Bull Run) — in Wright's Brigade, R. H. Anderson's Division, under Longstreet
	17 September 1862: Sharpsburg/Antietam — in Wright's Brigade, Anderson's Division, under Longstreet
	11-15 December 1862: Fredericksburg — in Wright's Brigade, Anderson's Division, under Longstreet
	30 April 1863: Chancellorsville — in Wright's Brigade, Anderson's Division, under Lee

By 30 June 1863, 90Burton was "absent sick" 11 and on 22 July 1863—about three weeks after the Battle of Gettysburg—was noted as a "straggler" who was "absent without leave." 12

His desertion didn't last long. On 6 August 1863 he was arrested in Winchester, Virginia by the 8th Virginia Cavalry,3 and on 11 August 1863 was sent to Camp Chase, Ohio.13 (This is a somewhat confusing turn of events, since he seems to have been arrested by Confederates yet was sent to a Union-run POW camp. Perhaps I've misunderstood something.) Camp Chase is a rather notorious POW prison camp. Starvation and disease killed hundreds of Confederates during the winter of 1863-1864 while 90Burton was imprisoned there. The dead were buried in a nearby cemetery, which is now the only portion of the camp that remains in its original form.

Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery, the only remaining part of the POW camp where 90Burton was imprisoned during the winter of 1863-1864.14

He left Camp Chase on 29 February 1864, was transferred to Fort Delaware, and arrived there on 4 March. Fort Delaware was another, even worse Union-run POW camp. Fellow inmate Revered Isaac W. K. Handy described the conditions:

It has not been uncommon here for our half-clothed, half-fed Confederates at the barracks to be ordered about in the coarsest and roughest manner by their inferiors, and to be knocked on the head with sticks, or to be stuck with bayonets, for the slightest offences; and, sometimes (for no crime whatever), men have been shot at or cruelly murdered by sentinels, who bore malice, and justified themselves upon the plea that they were trying to prevent escapes. Sick men have been kept at the barracks until perfectly emaciated from diarrhea, without the necessary sick vessels, and have been obliged to stagger, through the quarters, to the out-house on the bank of the river, with filth streaming upon their legs; and then, unable to help themselves, they have fallen upon the pathway, and have been found dead in the morning—victims of cruel neglect. Barefooted, bareheaded and ragged men, tottering with disease, have been left to suffer long for the necessary clothing or medicines, which might have been abundantly supplied [...] 15

While imprisoned at Fort Delaware, 90Burton probably slept in barracks similar to this reconstruction at Fort Delaware.16

In a December 1864 roll, he took an oath of allegiance to the United States and presumably was released soon thereafter.17 His pension application notes that he was discharged during the Confederate surrender at Appomatox,1 although it's doubtful that 90Burton was actually present.

Abraham Lincoln's "Oath of December 8, 1863." 18 90Burton probably took an oath similar to this one.

90Benjamin's compiled service record—the source of much of the information you just read—is copied on the National Archives' website.3

In 1867 the U.S. Congress passed several Reconstruction Acts. These Acts divided the former Confederacy into several military occupation zones, which were ruled by Union military commanders. The Acts also directed the commanding officers to register Southerners who wanted to vote in upcoming elections. One registration requirement was to swear an oath of loyalty to the United States; the obvious intent was to disfranchise any lingering Confederate resistance. 90Benjamin signed his oath on 24 July 1867.19

90Burton's Reconstruction-era voter registration oath.19

By 1870 he was back in Washington County, Georgia.20 You may be interested in his 1870 farm schedule listing (pages 41 and 42)21 along with the corresponding template.

1870: 90Benjamin's family in militia district 96 (map), Washington County, Georgia. Full page.20

In 1880 he lived in Glascock County.22

1880: 90Benjamin's family in militia district 1234 (map), Glascock County, Georgia. Full page.22

All subsequent records show that he resided in Johnson County. First is an 1890 tax digest, which also shows that 90Burton apparently had fallen on hard times: His total net worth was only $15,23 whereas in 1870 just his farm alone had been worth $450.21

1890: 90Burton paid tax as a resident of militia district 1201 (map), Johnson County, Georgia.23

1900: 90Burton's family in Johnson County, Georgia. Full page.24

By 1898 he had taken up work as a basket-maker.1 (Notice that the 1900 census also shows "basket-maker" as his occupation.24) Unfortunately, though, his worsening physical ailments probably made work difficult: In 1898 he was ""suffering with hernia[?] + chronic Bronchitis," 25 and in 1901 was "nearly Blind and completely worn out." 26 His pension application mentions his infirmity, poverty, that he could earn very little from his work, and that he was dependent on his daughters.1

He signed a document on 7 January 1905, and that is the last record I have found of him.27

A book by the Johnson County Historical Society claims that 90Burton is buried in an unmarked grave in Dude-Sumner Cemetery, whose location is described as "about six miles from Wrightsville off Hwy. 15 South. Turn right at Snell Bridge Road and go one fourth miles to old field road on the left. The cemetery is about one mile up the field road in the woods." 28 I think that the "old field road on the left" is at coordinates N32.660 W82.703, although I can't discern much of a road after that. I haven't visited the location in person. Unfortunately, the book offers no evidence to prove that 90Burton is indeed buried there.

Sources Cited:

1: Georgia Confederate pension office, RG 58-1-1. Application for B. B. Black, page 2. Georgia Archives Virtual Vault record ID USAMILCONFEDGA_182689-00461, <https://vault.georgiaarchives.org/digital/collection/TestApps/id/93149/rec/4545>, accessed 27 January 2020. Hereafter abbreviated as "Pension application."

2: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Warren County, Georgia. Page 130B, dwelling 62, family 62, William Black household. NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 86. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-XCML-2N?cc=1401638&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMZY6-7VC>.

3: Compiled Confederate service record of Private Benjamin B. Black of Company A, 48th Georgia Infantry, page 11. NARA microfilm publication M266, roll 489. National Archives Catalog, <https://catalog.archives.gov/id/78875216> et seq., accessed 23 February 2020. Hereafter abbreviated as "Service record."

4: 1830 U.S. Federal Census. Warren County, Georgia. Page 229, Wm Black household. NARA microfilm publication M19, roll 21. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYY1-FC1?cc=1803958&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXHGB-LFJ >.

5: 1840 U.S. Federal Census. Warren County, Georgia. Page 22, line 51, William Black household. NARA microfilm publication M704, roll 53. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YTB-9SY2?i=2&cc=1786457&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXHBN-YFK>

6: Warren County, Georgia. Marriage book for the years 1848-1873, page 50, marriage of Benjamin Black and Elizabeth Sutton. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9BZ3-ZLB?cc=1927197&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AKXJK-6C7>, accessed 27 January 2020.

7: 1860 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Washington County, Georgia. Page 203, dwelling 334, family 326, Benjamin B Black household. NARA microfilm publication M653, roll 140. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBT-8KT?cc=1473181&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMZM4-P1W>.

8: Muster roll dated 14 September 1861 for the Jackson Guards, Washington County, Georgia. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, U.S., Civil War Muster Rolls, 1860-1864" / Washington / images 20 and 21 or 54), accessed 8 May 2023.

9: Service record, op. cit., page 2.

10: Lillian Henderson, Roster of the Confederate Soldiers of Georgia, 1861-1865, volume 5 (Longina and Porter, Hapeville, Georgia 1959), page 103.

11: Service record, op. cit., page 6.

12: ibid., page 7.

13: ibid., page 12.

14: Judson McCranie. "Camp Chase, Columbus, OH, US (08).jpg." Photograph. Wikimedia, <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Camp_Chase,_Columbus,_OH,_US_(08).jpg>, accessed 28 January 2020.

15: Isaac W. K. Handy, United States Bonds; or Duress by Federal Authority: A Journal of Current Events During an Imprisonment of Fifteen Months, at Fort Delaware (Turnbull Brothers, Baltimore, 1874) pages 201-202.

16: Wikimedia user Brahmslover. "Inside of reconstructed Prisoner Barracks, Fort Delaware.jpg." Photograph. Wikimedia, <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Inside_of_reconstructed_Prisoner_Barracks,_Fort_Delaware.jpg>.

17: Service record, op. cit., page 16.

18: Statutes at Large, Treaties, and Proclamations of the United States of America, volume 13 (Boston, 1866), page 738.

19: Georgia's 1867-1868 Voter Registration Oath Books. Volume 125 (Hancock County Book A), page 97, entry 193, Benjamin B. Black. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, Returns of Qualified Voters and Reconstruction Oath Books, 1867-1869"). Although I copied the image from Ancestry.com, the corresponding microfilm at the Georgia Archives is microfilm 296/45.

20: 1870 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Militia district 96, Washington County, Georgia. Page 23, dwelling 191, family 187, Burt W. Black household. NARA microfilm publication M593, roll 182. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DTBS-4YM?i=22&cc=1438024&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMCQ9-CYW >.

21: 1870 U.S. Federal Census (Agriculture Schedule). Washington County, Georgia. Pages 41 and 42, entry 29, Burt N. Black farm. NARA microfilm publication T1137, roll 8. The NARA provides a helpful template.

22: 1880 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Militia district 1234, Glascock County, Georgia. Enumeration district 32, page 29, dwelling 261, family 261, Berton Black household. NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 148. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYYT-99NZ?i=6&cc=1417683&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AM8GM-1T9 >.

23: Johnson County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1890, militia district 1201, pages 2 and 3, B. B. Black. Ancestry.com (“Georgia Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892” / Johnson / 1890 / images 3 and 4 of 130), accessed 24 October 2021.

24: 1900 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Johnson County, Georgia. Enumeration district 53, sheets 41B and 42A, dwelling 752, family 776, Burton B Black household. NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 207. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-D1K9-F1K?i=81&cc=1325221&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AM3J8-FMP>.

25: Pension application, op. cit., page 3.

26: ibid., page 5.

27: ibid., page 11.

28: Johnson County Historical Society, Searching for Our Ancestors Among the Gravestones: A Cemetery Record of Johnson County, Georgia, 2nd edition (Johnson County Historical Society, 2000), pages 212-213.