George Boardman Battle was born 1845 in Wilson, NC, the 7th of 9 known surviving children born to Rev. Amos Battle and his wife, Margaret Hearn Parker.
He was descended on both sides of his family from prominent North Carolinians. He was the paternal grandson of Col. Joel Battle and Mary Palmer Johnston; and the maternal grandson of Weeks Parker and Sabra Irwin Hearn, all of Edgecombe County.
George's life was cut short by the Civil War. At the outbreak of the war, he left school and enlisted in the NC 4th with his older brother, Walter. He was only 16 years old. It is not known how he managed to accomplish the enlistment at such a young age without his parent's approval, but it is known he was big for his age, and mature beyond his years. His father would try fruitlessly to have him released because of his age, but George felt compelled to stay and fight for the cause.
The 4th Infantry Regiment State Troops were ordered to Virginia following training and one of the first major battles the unit participated in was the Battle of Seven Pines. George was wounded in the battle and died from his wounds in a Richmond hospital on June 6, 1862, without ever regaining consciousness.
Upon the news of the death of his son, Rev. Amos Battle journeyed to Richmond to retrieve his son's body and return him to Wilson where he was laid to rest.
Letters written home by George and his brother, Walter, were later contained in the book "As You May Never See Us Again, The Civil War Letters of George and Walter Battle, 4th North Carolina Infantry," and show a brave young man, proud to be serving his country. The letters are mainly reassurances to his mother that he is well, and an almost child-like concern for his dog.
In his letter of November 2, 1861, from Manassas Junction, VA, he wrote his father, who was attempting to get George released from service due to his very young age. George wrote quite eloquently of his patriotism and the belief he was fighting for liberty. He wrote, "I am a minor in age, as you say, but I am a man in size and everything else, and fully able to be a soldier. Nothing would afford me greater pleasure than to be of service to you, but the confederacy also needs my services."
His brother Walter suffered greatly over the death of George. He remained with the NC 4th, barely surviving the war as a P.O.W. at the notorious Point Lookout prison in Delaware. He would remain in poor health following the war, and died at home in 1869.
He was descended on both sides of his family from prominent North Carolinians. He was the paternal grandson of Col. Joel Battle and Mary Palmer Johnston; and the maternal grandson of Weeks Parker and Sabra Irwin Hearn, all of Edgecombe County.
George's life was cut short by the Civil War. At the outbreak of the war, he left school and enlisted in the NC 4th with his older brother, Walter. He was only 16 years old. It is not known how he managed to accomplish the enlistment at such a young age without his parent's approval, but it is known he was big for his age, and mature beyond his years. His father would try fruitlessly to have him released because of his age, but George felt compelled to stay and fight for the cause.
The 4th Infantry Regiment State Troops were ordered to Virginia following training and one of the first major battles the unit participated in was the Battle of Seven Pines. George was wounded in the battle and died from his wounds in a Richmond hospital on June 6, 1862, without ever regaining consciousness.
Upon the news of the death of his son, Rev. Amos Battle journeyed to Richmond to retrieve his son's body and return him to Wilson where he was laid to rest.
Letters written home by George and his brother, Walter, were later contained in the book "As You May Never See Us Again, The Civil War Letters of George and Walter Battle, 4th North Carolina Infantry," and show a brave young man, proud to be serving his country. The letters are mainly reassurances to his mother that he is well, and an almost child-like concern for his dog.
In his letter of November 2, 1861, from Manassas Junction, VA, he wrote his father, who was attempting to get George released from service due to his very young age. George wrote quite eloquently of his patriotism and the belief he was fighting for liberty. He wrote, "I am a minor in age, as you say, but I am a man in size and everything else, and fully able to be a soldier. Nothing would afford me greater pleasure than to be of service to you, but the confederacy also needs my services."
His brother Walter suffered greatly over the death of George. He remained with the NC 4th, barely surviving the war as a P.O.W. at the notorious Point Lookout prison in Delaware. He would remain in poor health following the war, and died at home in 1869.
George Boardman Battle was born 1845 in Wilson, NC, the 7th of 9 known surviving children born to Rev. Amos Battle and his wife, Margaret Hearn Parker.
He was descended on both sides of his family from prominent North Carolinians. He was the paternal grandson of Col. Joel Battle and Mary Palmer Johnston; and the maternal grandson of Weeks Parker and Sabra Irwin Hearn, all of Edgecombe County.
George's life was cut short by the Civil War. At the outbreak of the war, he left school and enlisted in the NC 4th with his older brother, Walter. He was only 16 years old. It is not known how he managed to accomplish the enlistment at such a young age without his parent's approval, but it is known he was big for his age, and mature beyond his years. His father would try fruitlessly to have him released because of his age, but George felt compelled to stay and fight for the cause.
The 4th Infantry Regiment State Troops were ordered to Virginia following training and one of the first major battles the unit participated in was the Battle of Seven Pines. George was wounded in the battle and died from his wounds in a Richmond hospital on June 6, 1862, without ever regaining consciousness.
Upon the news of the death of his son, Rev. Amos Battle journeyed to Richmond to retrieve his son's body and return him to Wilson where he was laid to rest.
Letters written home by George and his brother, Walter, were later contained in the book "As You May Never See Us Again, The Civil War Letters of George and Walter Battle, 4th North Carolina Infantry," and show a brave young man, proud to be serving his country. The letters are mainly reassurances to his mother that he is well, and an almost child-like concern for his dog.
In his letter of November 2, 1861, from Manassas Junction, VA, he wrote his father, who was attempting to get George released from service due to his very young age. George wrote quite eloquently of his patriotism and the belief he was fighting for liberty. He wrote, "I am a minor in age, as you say, but I am a man in size and everything else, and fully able to be a soldier. Nothing would afford me greater pleasure than to be of service to you, but the confederacy also needs my services."
His brother Walter suffered greatly over the death of George. He remained with the NC 4th, barely surviving the war as a P.O.W. at the notorious Point Lookout prison in Delaware. He would remain in poor health following the war, and died at home in 1869.
He was descended on both sides of his family from prominent North Carolinians. He was the paternal grandson of Col. Joel Battle and Mary Palmer Johnston; and the maternal grandson of Weeks Parker and Sabra Irwin Hearn, all of Edgecombe County.
George's life was cut short by the Civil War. At the outbreak of the war, he left school and enlisted in the NC 4th with his older brother, Walter. He was only 16 years old. It is not known how he managed to accomplish the enlistment at such a young age without his parent's approval, but it is known he was big for his age, and mature beyond his years. His father would try fruitlessly to have him released because of his age, but George felt compelled to stay and fight for the cause.
The 4th Infantry Regiment State Troops were ordered to Virginia following training and one of the first major battles the unit participated in was the Battle of Seven Pines. George was wounded in the battle and died from his wounds in a Richmond hospital on June 6, 1862, without ever regaining consciousness.
Upon the news of the death of his son, Rev. Amos Battle journeyed to Richmond to retrieve his son's body and return him to Wilson where he was laid to rest.
Letters written home by George and his brother, Walter, were later contained in the book "As You May Never See Us Again, The Civil War Letters of George and Walter Battle, 4th North Carolina Infantry," and show a brave young man, proud to be serving his country. The letters are mainly reassurances to his mother that he is well, and an almost child-like concern for his dog.
In his letter of November 2, 1861, from Manassas Junction, VA, he wrote his father, who was attempting to get George released from service due to his very young age. George wrote quite eloquently of his patriotism and the belief he was fighting for liberty. He wrote, "I am a minor in age, as you say, but I am a man in size and everything else, and fully able to be a soldier. Nothing would afford me greater pleasure than to be of service to you, but the confederacy also needs my services."
His brother Walter suffered greatly over the death of George. He remained with the NC 4th, barely surviving the war as a P.O.W. at the notorious Point Lookout prison in Delaware. He would remain in poor health following the war, and died at home in 1869.
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