Stephen D. Price by Matthew Gurule

Stephen D. Price may not have known what he was getting himself into when he enlisted for the war on April 1, 1862. He was 34 years old, and was about to partake in the the war with the most American casualties to date. This is a paper about his recorded experiences in the war based on limited primary source documents.

Price’s paper trail starts at the 1860 census. He was 32 years old, and married to Nancy Price who was 35 years old. They had a one year old named Chas H. Price. They lived in the South Western District of Franklin, Virginia. Franklin is in southern Virginia, just above North Carolina. The value of their estate at the time was 1500 dollars, which is equivalent to $42,857 today.

The paper trail picks back up when he enlisted at Pittsylvania Court House April 1, 1862. He was enlisted by Gafe Flouronoy and placed in Virginia Cavalry company P. He was first paid on April 30, 1862. He was present at his first muster role in May and June 1862. He was also present on his next muster role in November and December of 1862, but he was absent from his muster roll in January and February of 1863. He was on a 15 day furlough, presumably with his family. Then things took a turn for the worse. On July 4, 1863, he was absent from his muster roll once again, and recorded captured at Fairfield, as a casualty of the Gettysburg campaign. His paper trail picks back up on a report of wounded and sick rebel prisoners of war received at DeCamp General Hospitals, Davids Island, New York Harbor in July of 1863. He was clearly wounded or sick and transported North quickly after his capture. It is unfortunately where his paper trail ends. The report states he was captured at Gettysburg, one of the largest and most famous battles in American history.

Confederate General Robert E Lee set up his defenses at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and waited for the Union General Meade. The two sides clashed on July 1, 1863. Reinforcements backed up both sides, and the confederates pushed back the Union on the first day. On the second day, the Union outnumbered the Confederates, and defended from the high ground. Full scale assaults ensued, and the Union held their ground. On the third day, the famous Pickett’s charge occurred. 12,000 confederate soldiers charged at the Union line, this resulted in heavy losses from both sides. Ultimately, General Lee retreated. Over 50,000 soldiers were captured, wounded, or killed during that battle, with Stephen Price being one of those statistics. Four months after the battle, President Lincoln gave his legendary Gettysburg Address.

Stephen D. Price was a husband, father, and soldier. He was captured in one of the most famous war campaigns in American history, and these primary source documents give us a peek into his amazing story.

Bibliography

Year: 1860; Census Place: South Western District, Franklin, Virginia; Roll: M6531346_; Page: _70_; Image: _74_; Family History Library Film: _805346_

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<http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/gettysburg.html

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Stephen D Price