Irvin Wayne Johnson (abt. 1832 - 1865)

Born about 1832 in Alabama, United States

Husband of Martha (Roberts) Johnson — married 20 Jan 1851 in Marengo, Alabama, United States

Descendants

Died 15 May 1865 at about age 33 in Point Lookout, St. Mary's, Maryland, United States

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Biography

Private Irvin Johnson served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: April 5, 1862
Mustered out: Died in POW Camp, May 14, 1865
Side: CSA
Regiment(s): Company E, 43rd Regiment, Alabama Infantry

Irvin Johnson Died while a Prisoner of War at Point Lookout, MD during The United States Civil War.

Irvin was born in 1832. He passed away while in a POW camp during the Civil War, in May 1865. He was 32 or 33 years old.

Birth / Early Life

Irvin was the son of Benjamin Johnson and Martha McNair. Irvin's father died around 1840.^{[citation needed]}

In 1850, Irwin was 16 years old and was living with his paternal aunt's family in Marengo County, Alabama. ^[1]

The following information is from the Find a Grave Memorial: "Irvin W. Johnson was the grandson of Dr. William T. Johnson who died in 1823 in Marengo County Alabama. Irvin's father died before 1840 and Irvin was raised by Dr. W.T.J.'s daughter, Frances Ann (Johnson) Ivens." ^[2]

Marriage / Children

Irvin W. Johnson and Martha Roberts were married on January 20, 1851, in Marengo County, Alabama. ^[3]

The following is family information from Find a Grave Memorial. Note: some of this information does not contain source citations:

"Irvin Johnson and his wife Martha named a son William. He could have been named for William Roberts, father of Martha Roberts; but just as easily could have been named for Dr. William Johnson. They also named a daughter Frances Ann, obviously to honor Frances Ann Johnson Ivens, who was most certainly at least Irvin's surrogate Mother." ^[2]

Irvina and Marth's children were:

George W Johnston, M, 8, Marengo Co.

Frances A Johnston, F, 6, Marengo Co.

William T Johnston, M, 4, Marengo Co.

[[Johnson-127679|Virginia Johnston]

1860

In 1860, Irvin and Martha lived in Clarke County, Alabama. They had four children,George W (8), Frances A (6), William T (4) and Virginia (1). Irvin was a farmer. His real estate was valued at $200, and his personal property at $250.^[4]

Civil War Service

On April 5, 1862, Irvin W. Johnson enlisted as a private in Company E, 43rd Regiment, Alabama Infantry. He was age 30, married, with residence in Marengo County, Alabama. ^[5][6] On his military record, Irvin was noted as having a fair complexion, light hair and blue eyes. His height was 6 ft, 1 inch. ^[7]

The 43rd Alabama was organized in Mobile, Alabama, in April and May of 1962. Troops were recruited primarily from the counties of Marengo, Greene, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Jefferson, and Mobile. Company E, to which Irvin was assigned, consisted primarily of recruits from his home county of Marengo, Alabama.^[8]

Irvin was captured at Farmville, Virginia, on April 6, 1865. ^[7]

The battle of Farmville, concurrent with the battles of Sayler's Creek, took place at the end of the war. General Lee's Confederate forces abandoned positions at Petersburg and were attempting to evade General Grant's Army of the Potomac and link up with General Johnston's army in North Carolina. Nearly surrounded, the only direction to move was west. Fighting during the day and marching at night, the starving soldiers were attempting to reach Farmville, where food was to be arriving by rail from Lynchburg. On April 6, while on the march, a third of the column was captured when Union forces exploited a gap in the column and cut off a large section, capturing those Confederate forces. More soldiers were captured on April 6 than on any other one day engagement of the War. After this occurred, Lee was pressured to surrender, but replied, "Not yet." Three days later, he would surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. ^[9]

Irvin was taken to the POW Camp at Fort Lincoln, Point Lookout, Maryland. He died in camp on May 14, 1865, from chronic diarrhea, a common malady during the war. At the time he was captured, he was recorded in Union records as assigned to 3rd Alabama Infantry. However, all Confederate sources and pay records list 43rd Alabama. Further, his age at death was listed as 40, but based on numerous other sources he would have been 32 or 33 when he died.^[10]

The following facts are from the Alabama Civil War Soldiers Database:

Name: Johnson, I. W.

Birth Information: USA, Alabama.

Occupation: Planter

Marital Status: Married

Enlistment Date: 1862/04/05

Enlistment Information: Alabama, Morengo County.

Absent without leave: Huntsville, Tenn. , 1862/08/15.

Absent on detail Chickamauga, Ga. , 1863/09/20.

Absent sick: Knoxville, Tenn. , 1863/11/29 through Beans Station 1863/12/14. :Absent on Furlough: Half Way House, 1864/05/10 through Drurys Bluff, 1864/05/16.

Present at: Petersburg, 1864/06/14 through Petersburg during siege.^[11]

Burial

Irvin was buried at Fort Lincoln Cemetery, Brentwood, Prince George's County, Maryland.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ 1850 Census: "United States Census, 1850," database with images
   (FamilySearch Record: MH5Q-XF6 : accessed 15 May 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HT-6919-Y4T
   Irvin W Johnson (16) in Marengo, Marengo, Alabama, United States. Born in Alabama
   citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: M432; Line: 18; Digital film/folder number: 004187300_001_M9C4-KVM; FHL microfilm: 2352; Image number: 142; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N01175-3.

   Wm O Ivans M 40 New Jersey

   Francis A Ivans F 34 Alabama

   Linany Ivans F 10 Alabama

   Martha E Ivans F 6 Alabama

   Wm T Ivans M 5 Alabama

   Geo W Ivans M 2 Alabama

   Mary Ivans F 1 months Alabama

   Irvin W Johnson M 16 Alabama

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/44341586/irvin-w-johnson: accessed 24 January 2023), memorial page for Irvin W. Johnson (1832–15 May 1865), Find a Grave Memorial ID 44341586, citing Fort Lincoln Cemetery, Brentwood, Prince George's County, Maryland, USA; Maintained by Jo Roberts (contributor 47188400).
3. ↑ "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKZS-LQFB : 19 February 2021), Irvin W. Johnson and Martha Roberts, 20 Jan 1851; citing Marengo, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,293,864.
4. ↑ 1860 Census: "United States Census, 1860," database with images
   (FamilySearch Record: MHDZ-J4R : accessed 15 May 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GYBJ-5CQ
   Irvin T Johnston (27) in Clarke, Alabama, United States. Born in Marengo Co
   citing Page: 19; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: M653; Digital film/folder number: 005165577; FHL microfilm: 803006; Image number: 23; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N01684-5.

   Irvin T Johnston M 27 Marengo Co

   Martha Johnston F 28 So Carolina

   George W Johnston M 8 Marengo Co.

   Frances A Johnston F 6 Marengo Co.

   William T Johnston M 4 Marengo Co.

   Virginia Johnston F 1 Marengo Co.

5. ↑ Fold 3, "Civil War Service (Confederate)," citing Johnson, Irwin W. (https://www.fold3.com/image/16146632: accessed 25 Jan 2023)
6. ↑ Alabama Department of Archives and History, n.d. "Alabama Civil War Service Records Database," citing Johnson, I. W. (https://archives.alabama.gov/research/CivilWarSoldier.aspx?id=103048 : accessed 25 Jan 2023)
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Fold 3, "Civil War Service (Confederate)," citing Johnson, Irwin W. (https://www.fold3.com/image/1614663 : accessed 25 Jan 2023)
8. ↑ Family Search, 43rd Regiment, Alabama Infantry (https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/43rd_Regiment,_Alabama_Infantry : accessed 26 January 2023)
9. ↑ MyCivilWar.com, "The American Civil War: The Battle of Farmville," 2012. January 25, 2023. https://www.mycivilwar.com/battles/650407a.html
10. ↑ Fold 3, "Civil War Service (Confederate)," citing Johnson, Irwin W. Jan. 25, 2023. https://www.fold3.com/image/16146639
11. ↑ "Alabama Civil War Service Records Database," Alabama Department of Archives and History, Online database at (https://archives.alabama.gov/research/CivilWarSoldier.aspx?id=103048 : retrieved Aug 24, 2023) citing I. W. Johnson