Charles' father, Needham, was a farmer and he tended on Tishomingo County soil until 1842 when Needham and his family moved back to South Carolina, his birthplace. The "unsettling West" was something both Needham and Phobe were not accustomed to may have been one factor in their decision. Another may be the homesickness of South Carolina living. In any event, the family decided to move back to where I can determine his father lived, in Pickens County. Sometime around 1843, the family moved again to Shelby County, Alabama where Needham purchased 40 acres of land from Phobe's brother, Marshall Burr Smith. In 1854, Needham purchased another 40 acres. In 1855, 280 acres were bought. Farmers did not grow cotton in Shelby County but instead wheat, corn, peas, beans, potatoes, and livestock were the hot commodities. Fruit orchards were common sights in this county as well as tending to beehives. Three varieties of apples were grown in Shelby County: Pennsylvania Wine Sap, Fowler's Winter Pearman, and the Gold Pearman (also known as Fowler's Yellow Pippin).
At the age of 23, Charles enlisted in the military on 7 Jan 1863 in Talladega (Talladega County), Alabama. He was a Corporal in Company 'C', 25th Alabama Infantry which was better known as the "Shelby Confederates". The Shelby Confederates was organized on 1 Sep 1861 at Columbiana, Alabama and was accepted in Confederate service on 9 Sep 1861. It later became Company 'C' of Loomis' 1st Alabama Infantry Battalion. On 8 Jan 1862, the 1st Alabama Infantry Battalion and McClellan's 6th Alabama Infantry Battalion combined to form the 25th Alabama Infantry Regiment.
Charles then served under the command of Neil Reever for three years before being capture at Big Shanty, Georgia on 15 Jun 1864. It was here Charles became a Prisoner of War under the command of Union forces and the commander, Major General Thomas, Department of the Cumberland Gap. Holding at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., a small note is attached to Charles' military records from a Confederate soldier (legibility difficult to read as to who wrote it) which reads:
Charles N. Day
Oct 64
Charles N. Day
Corp C - 21 Ala Inf
Cap Big Shanty Ga
Jun 15/64, conf, Rock Island Ill
June 24/64 & released Oct 14/64
Charles was transferred to Captain S.E. Jones in Louisville, Kentucky on 20 Jun 1864. Then, on 24 Jun 1864, he was taken to Rock Island, Illinois and served time for approximately four months. Rock Island, Illinois, located on the Mississippi River, was designated a national arsenal in July 1862. As the number of Confederate prisoners grew, it was selected as an ideal location for a prison camp.
Charles later joined the Union Army on 13 Oct 1864, teaming up with Company 'H', 2 US Volunteer Infantry commanded by Captain Nathorne. No facts could be found as to why Charles decided to join the Union Army. The epidemic of measles and living conditions at Rock Island Prison were atrocious to many. Charles probably made this decision in exchange for better living. After he enlisted in the Union army, Charles served for a little over a year and mustered out at Fort Leavenworth, KS on 7 Nov 1865.
It can be speculated that during his transformation from the Confederate Army to the Union Army, Charles and Company 'H' went to Kansas to fight several Indian skirmishes. This was not uncommon. Union officials would give these "new" soldiers this duty to ward off any spies that may try to infiltrate the Union army in battle. According to his military papers held at the National Archives, Washington, D.C., his participation with Company 'H' on 13 Oct 1864 at Rock Island Barracks was for the purpose of "frontier service." There were no medical cards or personal papers within his file.
During his military service, Charles married W.L. Smith. This happened on 14 Sep 1863 in Shelby County, Alabama. Very little is known about this woman. Charles then married Isabella Elizabeth "Libby" Reid on 9 Jul 1867 in St. James (Phelps County), Missouri.
Charles death was a result of a fatal accident. He was hauling wood to the Merimac Iron Works (now the Merimac State Park) when his team of horses he was riding became spooked and started to run. The front wheel of his wagon hit a tree stump, pitching Charles off the loaded wagon. As he fell to the ground, the wagon ran over his head and chest. Charles lived for three days.
At the age of 23, Charles enlisted in the military on 7 Jan 1863 in Talladega (Talladega County), Alabama. He was a Corporal in Company 'C', 25th Alabama Infantry which was better known as the "Shelby Confederates". The Shelby Confederates was organized on 1 Sep 1861 at Columbiana, Alabama and was accepted in Confederate service on 9 Sep 1861. It later became Company 'C' of Loomis' 1st Alabama Infantry Battalion. On 8 Jan 1862, the 1st Alabama Infantry Battalion and McClellan's 6th Alabama Infantry Battalion combined to form the 25th Alabama Infantry Regiment.
Charles then served under the command of Neil Reever for three years before being capture at Big Shanty, Georgia on 15 Jun 1864. It was here Charles became a Prisoner of War under the command of Union forces and the commander, Major General Thomas, Department of the Cumberland Gap. Holding at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., a small note is attached to Charles' military records from a Confederate soldier (legibility difficult to read as to who wrote it) which reads:
Charles N. Day
Oct 64
Charles N. Day
Corp C - 21 Ala Inf
Cap Big Shanty Ga
Jun 15/64, conf, Rock Island Ill
June 24/64 & released Oct 14/64
Charles was transferred to Captain S.E. Jones in Louisville, Kentucky on 20 Jun 1864. Then, on 24 Jun 1864, he was taken to Rock Island, Illinois and served time for approximately four months. Rock Island, Illinois, located on the Mississippi River, was designated a national arsenal in July 1862. As the number of Confederate prisoners grew, it was selected as an ideal location for a prison camp.
Charles later joined the Union Army on 13 Oct 1864, teaming up with Company 'H', 2 US Volunteer Infantry commanded by Captain Nathorne. No facts could be found as to why Charles decided to join the Union Army. The epidemic of measles and living conditions at Rock Island Prison were atrocious to many. Charles probably made this decision in exchange for better living. After he enlisted in the Union army, Charles served for a little over a year and mustered out at Fort Leavenworth, KS on 7 Nov 1865.
It can be speculated that during his transformation from the Confederate Army to the Union Army, Charles and Company 'H' went to Kansas to fight several Indian skirmishes. This was not uncommon. Union officials would give these "new" soldiers this duty to ward off any spies that may try to infiltrate the Union army in battle. According to his military papers held at the National Archives, Washington, D.C., his participation with Company 'H' on 13 Oct 1864 at Rock Island Barracks was for the purpose of "frontier service." There were no medical cards or personal papers within his file.
During his military service, Charles married W.L. Smith. This happened on 14 Sep 1863 in Shelby County, Alabama. Very little is known about this woman. Charles then married Isabella Elizabeth "Libby" Reid on 9 Jul 1867 in St. James (Phelps County), Missouri.
Charles death was a result of a fatal accident. He was hauling wood to the Merimac Iron Works (now the Merimac State Park) when his team of horses he was riding became spooked and started to run. The front wheel of his wagon hit a tree stump, pitching Charles off the loaded wagon. As he fell to the ground, the wagon ran over his head and chest. Charles lived for three days.
Charles' father, Needham, was a farmer and he tended on Tishomingo County soil until 1842 when Needham and his family moved back to South Carolina, his birthplace. The "unsettling West" was something both Needham and Phobe were not accustomed to may have been one factor in their decision. Another may be the homesickness of South Carolina living. In any event, the family decided to move back to where I can determine his father lived, in Pickens County. Sometime around 1843, the family moved again to Shelby County, Alabama where Needham purchased 40 acres of land from Phobe's brother, Marshall Burr Smith. In 1854, Needham purchased another 40 acres. In 1855, 280 acres were bought. Farmers did not grow cotton in Shelby County but instead wheat, corn, peas, beans, potatoes, and livestock were the hot commodities. Fruit orchards were common sights in this county as well as tending to beehives. Three varieties of apples were grown in Shelby County: Pennsylvania Wine Sap, Fowler's Winter Pearman, and the Gold Pearman (also known as Fowler's Yellow Pippin).
At the age of 23, Charles enlisted in the military on 7 Jan 1863 in Talladega (Talladega County), Alabama. He was a Corporal in Company 'C', 25th Alabama Infantry which was better known as the "Shelby Confederates". The Shelby Confederates was organized on 1 Sep 1861 at Columbiana, Alabama and was accepted in Confederate service on 9 Sep 1861. It later became Company 'C' of Loomis' 1st Alabama Infantry Battalion. On 8 Jan 1862, the 1st Alabama Infantry Battalion and McClellan's 6th Alabama Infantry Battalion combined to form the 25th Alabama Infantry Regiment.
Charles then served under the command of Neil Reever for three years before being capture at Big Shanty, Georgia on 15 Jun 1864. It was here Charles became a Prisoner of War under the command of Union forces and the commander, Major General Thomas, Department of the Cumberland Gap. Holding at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., a small note is attached to Charles' military records from a Confederate soldier (legibility difficult to read as to who wrote it) which reads:
Charles N. Day
Oct 64
Charles N. Day
Corp C - 21 Ala Inf
Cap Big Shanty Ga
Jun 15/64, conf, Rock Island Ill
June 24/64 & released Oct 14/64
Charles was transferred to Captain S.E. Jones in Louisville, Kentucky on 20 Jun 1864. Then, on 24 Jun 1864, he was taken to Rock Island, Illinois and served time for approximately four months. Rock Island, Illinois, located on the Mississippi River, was designated a national arsenal in July 1862. As the number of Confederate prisoners grew, it was selected as an ideal location for a prison camp.
Charles later joined the Union Army on 13 Oct 1864, teaming up with Company 'H', 2 US Volunteer Infantry commanded by Captain Nathorne. No facts could be found as to why Charles decided to join the Union Army. The epidemic of measles and living conditions at Rock Island Prison were atrocious to many. Charles probably made this decision in exchange for better living. After he enlisted in the Union army, Charles served for a little over a year and mustered out at Fort Leavenworth, KS on 7 Nov 1865.
It can be speculated that during his transformation from the Confederate Army to the Union Army, Charles and Company 'H' went to Kansas to fight several Indian skirmishes. This was not uncommon. Union officials would give these "new" soldiers this duty to ward off any spies that may try to infiltrate the Union army in battle. According to his military papers held at the National Archives, Washington, D.C., his participation with Company 'H' on 13 Oct 1864 at Rock Island Barracks was for the purpose of "frontier service." There were no medical cards or personal papers within his file.
During his military service, Charles married W.L. Smith. This happened on 14 Sep 1863 in Shelby County, Alabama. Very little is known about this woman. Charles then married Isabella Elizabeth "Libby" Reid on 9 Jul 1867 in St. James (Phelps County), Missouri.
Charles death was a result of a fatal accident. He was hauling wood to the Merimac Iron Works (now the Merimac State Park) when his team of horses he was riding became spooked and started to run. The front wheel of his wagon hit a tree stump, pitching Charles off the loaded wagon. As he fell to the ground, the wagon ran over his head and chest. Charles lived for three days.
At the age of 23, Charles enlisted in the military on 7 Jan 1863 in Talladega (Talladega County), Alabama. He was a Corporal in Company 'C', 25th Alabama Infantry which was better known as the "Shelby Confederates". The Shelby Confederates was organized on 1 Sep 1861 at Columbiana, Alabama and was accepted in Confederate service on 9 Sep 1861. It later became Company 'C' of Loomis' 1st Alabama Infantry Battalion. On 8 Jan 1862, the 1st Alabama Infantry Battalion and McClellan's 6th Alabama Infantry Battalion combined to form the 25th Alabama Infantry Regiment.
Charles then served under the command of Neil Reever for three years before being capture at Big Shanty, Georgia on 15 Jun 1864. It was here Charles became a Prisoner of War under the command of Union forces and the commander, Major General Thomas, Department of the Cumberland Gap. Holding at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., a small note is attached to Charles' military records from a Confederate soldier (legibility difficult to read as to who wrote it) which reads:
Charles N. Day
Oct 64
Charles N. Day
Corp C - 21 Ala Inf
Cap Big Shanty Ga
Jun 15/64, conf, Rock Island Ill
June 24/64 & released Oct 14/64
Charles was transferred to Captain S.E. Jones in Louisville, Kentucky on 20 Jun 1864. Then, on 24 Jun 1864, he was taken to Rock Island, Illinois and served time for approximately four months. Rock Island, Illinois, located on the Mississippi River, was designated a national arsenal in July 1862. As the number of Confederate prisoners grew, it was selected as an ideal location for a prison camp.
Charles later joined the Union Army on 13 Oct 1864, teaming up with Company 'H', 2 US Volunteer Infantry commanded by Captain Nathorne. No facts could be found as to why Charles decided to join the Union Army. The epidemic of measles and living conditions at Rock Island Prison were atrocious to many. Charles probably made this decision in exchange for better living. After he enlisted in the Union army, Charles served for a little over a year and mustered out at Fort Leavenworth, KS on 7 Nov 1865.
It can be speculated that during his transformation from the Confederate Army to the Union Army, Charles and Company 'H' went to Kansas to fight several Indian skirmishes. This was not uncommon. Union officials would give these "new" soldiers this duty to ward off any spies that may try to infiltrate the Union army in battle. According to his military papers held at the National Archives, Washington, D.C., his participation with Company 'H' on 13 Oct 1864 at Rock Island Barracks was for the purpose of "frontier service." There were no medical cards or personal papers within his file.
During his military service, Charles married W.L. Smith. This happened on 14 Sep 1863 in Shelby County, Alabama. Very little is known about this woman. Charles then married Isabella Elizabeth "Libby" Reid on 9 Jul 1867 in St. James (Phelps County), Missouri.
Charles death was a result of a fatal accident. He was hauling wood to the Merimac Iron Works (now the Merimac State Park) when his team of horses he was riding became spooked and started to run. The front wheel of his wagon hit a tree stump, pitching Charles off the loaded wagon. As he fell to the ground, the wagon ran over his head and chest. Charles lived for three days.
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