Alexander Winstead was E. D. Winstead's great grandfather. Alexander Winstead was born June 12, 1831 in Nash County, North Carolina to Dempsey Winstead and wife Catherine Vick.
Alexander enlisted April 27, 1862 in Nash County, North Carolina where he joined Company D, 47th Regiment North Carolina Infantry (State Troops) (and became a corporal). He participated in "Pickett's Charge" in Pettigrew's Brigade at the battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. (Alexander's brother Burton was with him in the same regiment in Pickett's Charge. A second brother William was very close in reserve in the 4th NC Regiment Infantry in Ramseur's Brigade. A third brother Kinsey was in JEB Stuart's cavalry, and Kinsey's regiment also took part in the battle at Gettysburg, arriving at Gettysburg about sunset of July 2, 1863, according to a 1901 article by a member of the regiment. Kinsey was the First Lieutenant of Company E of the 19th NC Troops (2nd NC Cavalry). All four brothers were prisoners of war at some time, e.g., Burton was captured on the retreat from Gettysburg and exchanged the following month. A fifth brother James was the youngest and enlisted two weeks after Gettysburg.)
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A great grandfather of E. D. Winstead's wife Jo was also at Gettysburg. Lawson Campbell was a member of Kinsey Winstead's company and was captured at Gettysburg on the same day as Pickett's Charge on July 3, 1863. Although no date of death is known for Lawson Campbell, he was in the 1870 census at Black Creek, NC, the birthplace of E. D. Winstead's wife Jo. |
Alexander was wounded and captured at Bristoe Station, Virginia October 14, 1863. He was paroled at Point Lookout, Maryland and sent to City Point, Virginia April 27, 1864 for exchange for Union POWs. He was captured again at Southerland Station, April 2, 1865 and released at Hart's Island, New York Harbor on June 19, 1865.
Alexander lived on a farm in Nash County, then moved to the town of Toisnot about 1875 where he was a carpenter and built houses. In 1881 he was a town Commissioner. An arm was amputated later in life. He died in 1905 in Nash County, North Carolina
Additional Notes:
What
happened to the five brothers who fought in the Civil War? One of the five
brothers was killed during the war, and the dates of death for the others were
between 1881 (Kinsey, buried behind Parkwood Mall in Wilson, NC) and 1914
(James). Alexander and his brother Burton enlisted on the same day, both were
in the same company in Pickett's Charge, and both survived Gettysburg. (Burton
was captured eleven days after the battle but was exchanged.) However, Burton
"was killed" (according to the official records) in battle a little over a year
later. Burton died October 27, 1864 as a result of the Battle of Reams' Station
(Petersburg and Weldon Railroad) two days earlier during the Siege of
Petersburg, VA. A note dated December 10, 1864 in his official record says
more information about Burton is available in the Adjutant's and Inspector
General's Office. Further checking shows him listed on the "Confederate Roll of
Honor" distributed by the adjutant's office December 10th. As indicated below
this was a list of the men awarded the CSA version of the Congressional Medal of
Honor. See a copy of the CSA congressional orders below and note that the
enlisted man's "badge of distinction" is determined by a vote of his comrades
for a particular battle as established by congress. The honor was awarded to
Burton Winstead specifically for the Battle of Reams' Station, and the widow
should have received the badge according to the regulations. (Burton enlisted
when he was 32 years old and had six children before the war.)
Confederate Roll of Honor
GENERAL ORDERS No. 93.
ADJT. AND INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Richmond, Va., November 22, 1862.
I. The following acts of Congress, having been approved by the President, are
published for the information of the Army:
No. 27.--AN ACT to authorize the grant of medal's and badges of distinction as
a reward for courage and good conduct on the field of battle.
The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the President
be, and he is hereby, authorized to bestow medals, with proper devices,
upon such officers of the armies of the Confederate States as shall be
conspicuous for courage and good conduct on the field of battle, and also to
confer a badge of distinction upon one private or non-commissioned officer of
each company after every signal victory it shall have assisted to achieve. The
non-commissioned officers and privates of the company who may be present on the
first dress-parade thereafter may choose, by a majority of their votes, the
soldier best entitled to receive such distinction, whose name shall
be communicated to the President by commanding officers of the company; and if
the award fall upon a deceased soldier the badge thus awarded him shall be
delivered to his widow, or, if there be no widow, to any relation the President
may adjudge entitled to receive it.
Approved October 13, 1862.
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