John Jeremiah Gulledge

Col. I.I. Fox – From the Colleton, S.C. Democrat of April 26, 1878John J. Gulledge was born in May of 1827 in Chesterfield County, SC. He was a child of Obidiah Gulledge and Rebecca McLean. I have yet to determine the exact date of his birth. The record of his life is still rather sketchy, but hopefully time will serve to rectify this situation.

The census of 1850 shows John J. Gulledge working as an overseer near Pageland, SC. On November 16, 1854 he married Nancy Ann Morris, the daughter of John Morris and Phereby Smith. John and Nancy had three sons, John A., William, and Charles. Two of these sons eventually married sisters, and I am descended from the son John A. (Albert) Gulledge.

John J. Gulledge enlisted in the service of the Confederacy on May 21, 1863, in Chesterfield County at the then rather ripe age of 36. It would be interesting to hear the discussions on the home-front concerning a man, approaching middle age, married, and with 3 young sons, enlisting in the Army. His sentiments must have been rather strong indeed. John J. Gulledge served as a private in Company H, 1st (Butler’s) Regiment South Carolina Regulars, (Artillery). He was garrisoned at Charleston and served in the defense of this strategic port city. He remained in and near Charleston until the evacuation of the City by the Confederate troops. His assignment was changed to infantry and he marched into North Carolina and fought with Gen. Joseph E. Johnston’s Army. There is some speculation that he may have been wounded either in late 1864, or in the spring of 1865. Possibly he was wounded at either Averasboro or Bentonville, but the record is unclear. There is some evidence that he was on medical leave for at least a month, though the specific dates are unclear as well. Due to the vagaries of this information at present it is uncertain whether he was present at the surrender of Gen. Johnston’s Army at Bennett Place, near Durham, NC. It is believed though at any rate that wherever and whatever his wound, that he never fully recovered and that it was a contributing factor to his eventual death in 1869 at the age of 42.

Unfortunately, there is no known existing photograph of John J. Gulledge. Hopefully the passage of time will shed more light as to his life, and if so, I shall update his record accordingly.

John Jeremiah Gulledge is the maternal Great Great Grandfather of Secession Camp 4 Compatriot Ray Swagerty.