If you have hung out on the blog for any time, you have probably figured out that I have a strange passion for cemeteries. I’m one of those folks who believe they every soldier, whether Confederate or Union, deserves to have his grave marked in some fashion. This past Saturday, I had the honor of the traveling to Ashe County to participate in the dedication of a stone to Pvt. Hamilton Bare of the 37th North Carolina Troops. Bare’s grave was marked only with a field rock until a 90+ year old descendant informed fellow historian Tar Heel Clint Johnson just who was buried there. Johnson took the lead, and procured a VA stone for Bare.
Hamilton Bare was conscripted into service on August 15, 1862. He was just 18 years old. He served throughout the war, save for a period between May and September 1863 when he was absent without leave. Bare was captured on April 2, 1865, and spent three months as a prisoner of war at Point Lookout, Maryland.
Saturday’s service included a biography on Hamilton Bare, made by one of his many present descendants. I gave a talk on the history of the 37th NCT, and then reenactors from the 26th North Carolina Troops and the 37th North Carolina Troops fired three volleys over the grave. Just one more of North Carolina’s 125,000 Confederate graves is now marked.
Many thanks to Clint Johnson for making this happen, and for his invitation to speak.
Hamilton Bare had a brother in the 37th North Carolina Troops, Farrow Bare. His final resting place is still unknown, and might be at the same cemetery that Hamilton is interred in. If you have any information, please drop me a line.
Joseph Farron “Farrow” Bare was my 3rd great-granduncle. I saw this post the other day and had to write something. “Farrow” as he was called, was the son of Elias Lewis and Lucinda Bare. Farrow had three brothers, who also served in the Civil War.
ReplyDelete1: Leander “Lee” Bare who served in Co. A, 26th NC Inf. And was KIA at Gettysburg, PA. July 1, 1863.
2: Absolom Bare who served in Co. A, 37th NC Inf. He was MIA before the Battle of the Wilderness which took places on the 5-6 of May 1864. I read that he was seen by his first cousin Jesse Bare, but was never heard from again. I found he later served in the 97th NC Militia until injured in 1864.
3: Hamilton “Little Ham” “Slicky” Bare as in this article was born in May 1841. He served in Co. A, 37th NC Inf. He deserted on May 19th 1863 and returned to duty on Sep. 1st 1863. He was taken POW at Petersburg, VA on April 2nd 1865 and sent to Point Lookout, where he was held until paroled on oath on June 23rd 1865.
Farrow Bare was was also taken as a POW at Gettysburg, PA on July 4-5th 1863. He was sent to Fort Delaware on July 7th 1863, and then to Point Lookout on Oct. 15-16 1863. He was paroled on Feb. 18th 1865, and exchanged on Feb 21st 1865 at Boulware's Wharf. James River, VA. Shortly after the war in December of 1865, Farrow married Rebecca Sheets. Five years later in October of 1870, Farrow was killed in a shooting accident at Cicero Bare's House. Alot of this family was burried in Freel Bare Family Cemetery, near Wagoner, Ashe County, North Carolina. I think Freel was short for their brother Freeland Bare.
Damian Rippberger