- John Jackson “Jack” Griffin: My Great-Great Grandfather was a private
in
Company I, the Berrien Light Infantry. John Jackson Griffin was born in
Irwin County Georgia 18 April 1832. He was the son of Benjamin Daniel
Griffin and Sarah Henderson. He first married Martha Giddens on 16 September
1856 in Berrien Co., Georgia. Martha was born 3 October 1841 in Lowndes Co,
Georgia the daughter of Jacob Giddens and Ann Sirmans. Martha died on 2
July 1860 in Berrien Co., Georgia. Three years to the day, John Jackson
Griffin would be fighting for his life in Gettysburg.
Griffin enlisted as a private on 22 August 1862 at Calhoun, Georgia by
Major J. Dunwody. This was eight months after his second marriage on 19
December 1861, to a Martha Mathis (1884-1925), daughter of Thomas Mathis and
Eady Register. His enlistment was for a three-year period or to the end of
the war, whichever came first
John Jackson Griffin received training beginning in Calhoun, Georgia.
The 50th was then later sent to the Savannah, Georgia area. On 17 July 1862
Major General J.C. Pemberton ordered the 50th from Savannah via railroad to
Richmond to join forces with General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern
Virginia. Griffin was in the first Maryland campaign, serving at the Second
Battle of Manassas, at Boonesborough (South Mountain) 14 September 1862,
Crampton Gap, Harpers Ferry, Sharpsburg (Antietam) 16-17 September 1862, and
Sheperdstown Ford. During October 26-November 10 1862 he participated in
operations in Loudon, Faquier, and Rappahannock Counties in Virginia.
John Jackson Griffin is found on the Clothing Receipt roll for the 4th
quarter of 1862 October-December, on the January-February 1863 Payroll by
Major J.E. Davis Q.M. through 31 December 1862 and a receipt roll for
clothing, 1st Quarter 1863, date of issue 11 March 1863. A notation was made
that he was absent, sick when the roll was made. Griffin would now be on
line for the Second Maryland Campaign and next battling at Fredericksburg
and later Chancellorsville.
On 2 July 1863 we find John Jackson Griffin fighting with his regiment
in the Wheat field area in Gettysburg, in opposition to the Union Fifth
Corps including the 1st brigade of Colonel William Tilton (18th & 22nd
Massachusetts, 1st Michigan, and 118th Pennsylvania) and 2nd brigade of Col.
Jacob Sweitzer (9th & 32nd Massachusetts, 4th Michigan, and 62nd
Pennsylvania), and John C. Caldwell Division from Second Corps of four
brigades in reserve.
A union musket ball hits Griffin slightly above the
left knee,
shattering the lower femur bone. This is 3 years to the day of the
anniversary of the death of his beloved first wife. Family lore states that
he was attempting to rescue a fallen comrade when he himself was struck
down. As he lay in agony from his wound, he was taken as a prisoner of war
by union troops. His wound required that the left leg be amputated above
the knee. One entry dated stated 5 July 1863 while another entry states 2nd
of July as the capture date. Since two researched entries are in conflict
of each other the exact date can not now be determined. I believe that the
5 July date was an error indicating the day the form was filled out rather
than the date of actual capture. If the July 2nd date could be verified, it
would indicate that Union surgeons might have amputated his leg. There is
reference that the leg was amputated by Union surgeon 2-3 July 1863, pg 249,
Vol XI of Medical & Surgical History of the Civil War. #338 is Griffin, JJ,
Private, Co I, 50th GA, age 27, left flap amputation, recurrent hemorrhage,
exchanged 12 Nov 1863. Also see Table XXXII "Primary amputation of the lower
third of the femur for shot fracture. This would indicate that he was taken
from the battleground late in the day and later treated at a Union Hospital.
The operation occurring during the 2nd of July, but not completed until the
early hours of July 3rd.
Griffin appears on a roster of sick and wounded in hospitals in and
about
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania after the battle of July 1-3, 1863. For the
complaint listed there is the notation of leg amputated; remarks secondary
hemorrhage occurred twenty times between July and August, checked by
phosphate of Iron. He is also found on Pennsylvania Register 556 Gettysburg
page 28.
Appearing on a roll of prisoners of war at Seminary Hospital,
Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania 10 August 1863, Griffin is listed as captured at Gettysburg 5
July 1863, remarks state amputation of right leg, a mistake made by recorder
as it was actually the left leg. He is later transferred as we find him on
a hospital entrance admission to Camp Letterman US Army General Hospital in
Gettysburg Pennsylvania admitted 4 September 1863, complaints listed wounds
above left knee, amputation at thigh, sent to General Hospital 14 October
1863.
Griffin next appears on a Roll of Prisoners of War in Hospitals in and
about Gettysburg, captured July 1-3 in Gettysburg County with the remarks,
transferred to General Hospital Baltimore, 3 November 1863. A letter
accompanying this roll is dated 2 December 1863.
John Jackson Griffin was paroled by the Federal Government on 17
November
1863 and appears on a Roll of Prisoners of War at Wests Buildings Hospital
Baltimore Maryland on 12 November 1863 and then transferred to City Point,
Virginia Hospital, with the where captured listed as Gettysburg 2 July 1863.
The rolls endorsed "received City Point, Virginia, 17 November 1863 of Major
John E, Mulford, 2nd Infantry New York Volunteers commander under flag of
truce." Griffin was one of 350 paroled confederate prisoners of war, less
one dead.
Griffin was admitted to 2nd Division General Hospital, Camp Winder,
Richmond, Virginia 18 Nov 1863. He was listed as furloughed on 28 November
1863 with time saying 60 days for furlough remarks were marked P.P. for
paroled prisoner. Griffin is found on a Hospital muster roll of sick and
injured 2nd Division General Hospital, Camp Winder, Richmond, Virginia
November 1863 and on a receipt roll for clothing 2nd Division General
Hospital, Camp Winder, Richmond, Virginia, 19-20 November 1863 listed as a
paroled prisoner granted furlough until exchanged.
The last lists for Griffin on the Company Muster Roll shows
Griffin on
February 29-August 31 1864 last paid by H. Hegan though June 30 1863, as
absent-sick, wounded, September- October 1864 last paid by H. Hegan through
June 30 1863, as absent-sick, wounded, November-December 1864 last paid by
H. Hegan though June 30 1863, as absent-sick, wounded and January-February
1865 last paid-Unknown, was absent-sick, wounded.
John Jackson Griffin is home with family in the Berrien-Irwin County,
area of Georgia for Christmas of 1863. Again family lore says he walked
much of the distance with his crutches. The desire to return home to South
Georgia along with the kindness received from many folks on his long journey
home allowed this wounded solider to endure much suffering. Griffin
continued to live on the farm in Berrien County Georgia until his death on 1
July 1889, 26 years after the start of the battle of Gettysburg. He was
called a faithful solider of the Confederacy by neighbors and friends who
remembered him
John Jackson Griffin is buried on his father's old home-place in Irwin
County, Georgia. This is referred to as the Old Ben Griffin Cemetery about
9 miles South of Ocillia, off of the Lax-Ocillia road, (Highway 90).
Heading towards Ocilla (north) the cemetery is on the right hand side of the
road just before crossing the Willachooche Creek Bridge. The cemetery is
about 1/2 mile behind a home near the highway. It is on the west end of the
field behind the house. The cemetery has a chain link fence surrounding the
graves.
John Jackson Griffin is buried next to his father Benjamin Daniel
Griffin. His mother Sarah (Henderson) Griffin lies next to her husband
Benjamin. There are many marked (10-15) graves of family members and
several unmarked (10-15) graves are reported in the same area including
John's first wife Martha Giddens. John Jackson Griffin's headstone reads:
"J.J. Griffin, Died July 1, 1889, Rest in Peace." It is an inverted
arrowhead type design.
On 23 March 1997 a special dedication ceremony was held by the SCV
camps of Moultrie (J.K. McNeill Camp #674) and Ocilla (Jefferson Davis
Cowboys Camp #682) Georgia to honor John Jackson Griffin. A government
headstone and an SCV Iron Cross grave marker were installed in his final
resting-place. National Archives Microfilm Box, Roll, and Record: 000226,
0025, 00000227
John Griffin, Zillah, WA
[email protected]
http://members.nbci.com/jagriffin/JAG.htm
JK McNeill SCV Camp #674, Moultrie, GA
http://members.nbci.com/scv674
Thank you,
John