Seth was a Confederate in the Civil War. Co "D" 12th MS Vol. Regt. Private. Enlisted August 16, 1861. Muster roll for Dec. 31, 1864. Age 23.
Union Prisoner of War records show he was captured on April 2, 1865 at Petersburg.   Took Oath of Allegiance at Point Lookout, MD. June 29, 1865.   Name appears on roster of Refugees and Rebel Deserters. Transportation home furnished to Jackson, MS. I have copies of his War Pension Card showing the previous information. Have a copy of the CSA Index Card.   Company D was mustered in at Corinth by Colonel Posey and sent to Iuka. Company D -- Pettus Relief, aka Pettus Rifles (raised in Copiah County, MS)

The companies for the organization of this regiment were assembled at Camp Clark, near Corinth, the post being under the command of Gen. Charles Clark, Army of Mississippi.. Balloting by companies for regimental officers began May 16, and seven ballots were taken before all of them were chosen. Capt. Henry Hughes, of the Claiborne Guards, was the favorite of a large part of the regiment for Colonel. Finally the selections were: Colonel, Griffith; Lieutenant-Colonel, Taylor; Major, Dickens. After the regiment was ready for service it was sent to Union City, Term., to cooperate in General Polk's campaign against St. Louis, but the imminence of conflict in Virginia caused its transfer to that department. On July 9, 1861, telegrams were sent to General Polk and General Clark, asking that the regiment be sent to Lynchburg without delay. It started July 16, and did not arrive in time for the battle of Manassas. . The regiment was posted in northeastern Virginia, and during the winter of 1861-62 was quartered near Centreville, attached to the Alabama brigade under General Rodes. President Davis planned to make the Twelfth part of a Mississippi brigade, which was to be under the command of Gen. Charles Clark. But Clark was needed in the West, and Colonel Griffith, who had been Adjutant of President Davis' regiment in the Mexican War, and also a General in the State army, was promoted as Brigadier-General and assigned to command of the First Mississippi Brigade. It appears to have been the President's plan to form two Mississippi brigades to be part of a division for Major-General Van Dorn, but General Johnston opposed this as impracticable at that time, and it was never effected. The Twelfth did not become a part of the brigade of which its first Colonel was commander.

The first battle of the Twelfth was fought as part of Rodes' brigade, after the army had been transferred to Richmond to meet the advance of McClellan from the Peninsula. Under Col. W. H. Taylor they began the attack of Rodes' brigade in the battle of Seven Pines and supported by the Fifth Alabama pressed forward under heavy fire into an abatis, and from there into the Federal rifle pits, where they heroically held their ground between the Confederate and Federal batteries. General Rodes mentioned specially the gallantry of Colonel Taylor, Captain Hastings (Company H) and Sergeant Robert Hall. After General Rodes was wounded in this bloody fight Col. John B. Gordon took command of the brigade. The brigade of four regiments carried 2,200 men into action and lost 241 killed and 853 wounded. The loss of the Twelfth was 41 killed and 152 wounded.

In the Mississippi Archives is a roll, evidently prepared in Virginia before the Peninsular campaign, in which the Twelfth is credited with "1,013 men, rank and file." It was one of the largest regiments at Seven Pines.

In June, 1862, the Second Mississippi Brigade was formed, under Gen. W. S. Featherston, including the Twelfth, Nineteenth and Taylor's battalion. In the opening of the battle of Savage Station, June 29, on the York River Railroad, General Griffith, in command of the First Brigade, received a mortal wound. He was borne from the field and died the next morning.

The Twelfth was in battle June 27 (Gaines' Mill or Cold Harbor) on Beaver Dam creek and on the Chickahominy near Gaines' house. Under heavy artillery fire they charged up a hill, driving the Federal line through a forest and capturing a battery. Maj. W. H. Lilly, in command, was wounded at the head of his regiment, and Captain Thomas then took command. June 30, in the battle of Glendale or Frazier’s farm, the brigade went into battle at five in the evening and sustained the attack of a large force of the enemy. The casualties of the regiment in the two battles were 34 killed, 186 wounded and 5 missing. Among the killed were Capts. J. Dobbins and J. E. Vawter, and Lieuts. T. W. Crump and W. B. Thomas.

In the second Manassas campaign the brigade was in Wilcox's division of Longstreet's corps. General Wilcox reported the gallant action of the Twelfth and Sixteenth, near Kelly's ford on the Rappahannock, August 21. Supported by the other regiment the Twelfth repulsed the charge of a large body of Federal cavalry, the deadly fire of the Mississippians throwing the enemy into great confusion. In the battle of August 30 the brigade had a gallant part fighting in the vicinity of the stone house, and the brigade loss was 26 killed, 142 wounded.

The brigade took part in the capture of Harper's Ferry and the battle of Sharpsburg, September 17, 1862, but there are no official reports of the regiment. The casualties were 6 killed, 53 wounded. (See Sixteenth Regiment.)

In the battle of Fredericksburg, December, 1862, the regiment, under Col. W. H. Taylor, were three days and nights in line of battle, under artillery fire, which caused them the loss of eight men wounded.

In January General Posey took command of the brigade, which was a part of Anderson's division, Longstreet's corps. They remained near Fredericksburg, with occasional picket duty on the Rappahannock River, until posted at the United States ford in February.

When the Federal army began to cross near Fredericksburg and above, the two brigades moved to Chancellorsville, leaving a guard at the ford. From Chancellorsville Anderson withdrew them to the crossing of the old Mine and Plank roads, where they threw up intrenchments and were reinforced. On the morning of May 1 General Jackson came up and Posey's brigade joined him in the flank movement, arriving near the Federal entrenchments around Chancellorsville about midnight. Next day, in the evening, Posey's brigade attacked the enemy, appearing in strength at the furnace and "gallantly maintained its position against great odds," and during the night constructed breastworks. On the 3d the brigade took its place in line of battle, "pressed forward with spirited impetuosity," and drove the enemy from his entrenchments around Chancellorsville. Next day they marched to Fredericksburg and aided in the defeat of the enemy there also. "Where all performed their part with so much zeal and courage it is almost impossible to make a distinction, but Brigadier-General Posey and his brave, untiring, persevering Mississippians seem to me to deserve especial notice," wrote General Anderson. "Their steadiness at the furnace on Saturday evening, when pressed by greatly superior numbers, saved our army from great peril, while their chivalrous charge upon the trenches on Sunday contributed largely to the successes of that day. After three days of incessant occupation, Saturday night was again passed by them in hard work upon entrenchments in front of the furnace, while the others had an opportunity to take some rest." The Twelfth fought as skirmishers for the brigade May 1, and in this gallant action with the Federal skirmish line Lieut.-Col. M. B. Harris, commanding the regiment, was severely wounded. Major S. B. Thomas commanded in the charge on the 3d. The loss of the regiment was 3 killed, 38 wounded, 23 missing.

At Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Posey's brigade was in the attack of A. P. Hill's corps upon the Federal positions in the peach orchard and toward the heights of Little Round Top and the Devil's Den. The Mississippi brigade was ordered to support Wright's Georgia brigade. "Wright's men bore the starry cross on their standards to the crest of the ridge, which they held for ten memorable minutes." They believed that if they had been supported the victory was won. But through some fatality they were not supported in that extreme advance. In fact, Posey had been instructed to send only two of his regiments. The Twelfth was held in reserve through the battles of the 2d and 3d. The casualties of the regiment were seven wounded.

With the brigade the Twelfth was in line of battle near Hagerstown, a week or more, and then, with the army, fell back into Virginia and behind the Rapidan. From a two months' rest near Orange Courthouse they were called in October to thwart the maneuvers of General Meade. The flank movement of Hill's corps across the Rappahannock was effective, but while the brigade was under the fire of artillery at Bristoe Station, on the 14th, General Posey was mortally wounded. Colonel Harris, of the Nineteenth, was promoted to the command. They were in line of battle on Mine Run in November, passed the weary winter of 1863-64 on the Rapidan, and left their camp May 5 to go into the battle of the Wilderness. They advanced from the plank road, charged and repulsed two Federal columns that threatened to outflank the brigades of Davis, Perry and Law, and then, in line with these brigades, Harris' men fought through the day, repelling all attacks and capturing many prisoners. Many brave men fell in the gallant charge with which the day's work was begun. After the trying quick-time march to Spottsylvania Courthouse, }lay 9, the regiment was in battle at the Po River bridge, but its main fight, one memorable in the annals of America, was with the brigade in the Bloody Angle, May 12-13. The casualties of the regiment May 6-12 were 13 killed, 32 wounded, 13 missing. They moved from their station across the Po River to recover the line that Johnston had lost to Hancock, were led toward the point of greatest danger by Lee himself, until they prevailed on the General to go back, and they, with the help of other brigades, closed the dangerous gap in the line with their bodies, and held it from seven in the morning of the 12th to three in the morning of the 13th, without food, and always in danger of being without ammunition, for it was worth a man's life to leave the shelter of the earthworks and the ditches running with water from a steady rain. Lieutenant Bow was among the killed, whose gallantry was conspicuous. It was almost a continuous battle or its equivalent from May 5. They fought on the North Anna May 24, skirmished on the Totopotomoy later, took position on the lines, close to the Federal line at Cold Harbor June 3, and there was engaged in constant battle under fire of sharpshooters and artillery. There Captain Hannegan, an accomplished officer and brave soldier, was mortally wounded by a mortar shell. The brigade marched into the Petersburg lines June 18, and was in battle in front of that line on the 22d, on the Weldon Railroad on the 24th, and then returned to the trenches where, on the next day, Col. M. B. Harris was shot by a sharpshooter in the head, the character of the wound being such as to deprive his regiment and country permanently of his efficient and gallant services. A casualty report in June showed 10 killed, 20 wounded, 8 missing. They were under heavy fire in the battle of the Crater July 30, took part in the battle of Derbytown Road, north of the James, August 18; and in the battle of Ream's Station on the Weldon Railroad, August 21, the Twelfth and Sixteenth entered the new Federal entrenched line across the railroad, and being overwhelmed many were captured. The Federal command attacked was Gen. E. S. Bragg's brigade of Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan regiments, posted on the left of the railroad fronting the Vaughan road. He reported the capture of six field officers, fifteen line officers and 101 enlisted men, two stands of colors and a number of wounded men. Among those wounded and captured were Col. S. B. Thomas, Major Bell, Adjutant Howard McCaleb and Captain Joseph Johnson, of the Twelfth. In August, up to and including this battle, the regiment reported 4 killed, 26 wounded, 63 missing.

The next battle was at the Hatcher's Run bridge for the defense of the Boydton plank road, and again on this road, at Burgess' Mill, the brigade fought in support of Gordon's corps February 6, 1865. This was part of a campaign of seven days, in intensely cold weather, in which great endurance and determined courage were shown by the men.

The brigade served on the Swift Run line and at the time of Sheridan's raid in Richmond. From the former position they marched early in the morning of April 2 to Petersburg, whence they were sent at double quick to the place where the line of General Wilcox had been broken. Reporting to Wilcox near the Newman house on the Boydton plank road, they saw the Federal troops as far as the eye could reach, moving in great and imposing force to seize the advantage gained. The Mississippians actually went into line of battle to meet this demonstration so adroitly as to give an impression of considerable numbers, when they were not stronger than one full regiment, if as strong. But an order soon reached Harris not to sacrifice his men, but occupy the earthworks near him. The Twelfth, under Lieut.-Col. James H. Duncan of the Nineteenth, who had been assigned to command it, and the Sixteenth, in all about 150 men (Harris' Diary), were put in Battery Gregg and the other two regiments in Battery Whitworth.

Gen. John Gibbon, commanding the Twenty-fourth Army Corps, reported: "At 6:50 A. M. an order was received from Major-General Ord directing me to send all my available force to the support of the Sixth corps, which had broken through the enemy's line near Fort Welch. I at once ordered the whole of Foster’s division and two of Turner's brigades to move to the right, and almost immediately afterward Harris' (West Virginia) brigade of Turner's division carried the enemy's line in front of them and, pushing down forward Birney's division, we occupied the enemy's line and met the Sixth corps coming down from the right, sweeping everything before them. Harris' brigade was now pushed up toward Petersburg, followed by that portion of the Sixth corps which had come down the line and by Birney's division. On reaching the vicinity of Fort Welch, where the Sixth corps had broken through, I found Foster (three brigades Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and New York regiments) already in line of battle perpendicular to the enemy's old line and confronting two strong works, Forts Gregg and Baldwin (Whitworth), which the enemy had erected to protect his right of the town. Harris' brigade was formed on Foster's left, and as soon as they arrived Turner's two other brigades were formed in rear of Foster. As the Sixth corps came up it went into position, two divisions on my left and one on my right, and as soon as they reached within supporting distance Foster's line was ordered to charge the works in its front. The troops moved steadily and rapidly forward, under a very heavy fire of both artillery and musketry, and gained Fort Gregg, to find it surrounded by a deep, wide ditch partially filled with water and flanked by a fire from both right and left. Turner's two brigades were pushed rapidly up in support from the second line, whilst Harris at the same time rushed against Fort Baldwin. The enemy made a most desperate resistance, and it was not until Fort Gregg was almost entirely surrounded and our brave men had succeeded in climbing upon the parapet under a most murderous fire, that the place was finally taken by the last of several determined dashes with the bayonet, Harris and a portion of the First division at the same time carrying Fort Baldwin. This assault, certainly one of the most desperate of the war, succeeded by the obstinate courage of our troops, but at a fearful cost. Fifty-five of the enemy's dead were found inside Fort Gregg, whilst my own loss during the operations of the day, most of which occurred around these two forts, was 10 officers and 112 men killed and 27 officers and 565 men wounded. We captured two pieces of artillery, several colors and about 300 prisoners." Gen. Robert S. Foster reported the capture of Fort Gregg "with two guns and the entire garrison of 250 officers and men," and he said, "The fighting on both sides at this point was the most desperate I ever witnessed, being a hand-to-hand struggle for twenty-five minutes after my troops had reached the parapet. Fifty-seven of the enemy's dead were found inside the work."

It may be surmised that a large part of the regiment was not in Fort Gregg. At least forty, according to Rietti's Annals, were surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse. under command of Sergt. William Brown, Company K, after all the attrition of the Appomattox campaign.

Organized June 8, 1861 at Corinth, Mississippi, Colonel Carnot Posey commanding.   Reorganized April 28, 1862.   Surrendered with General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, April 9, 1865.

Colonel Carnot Posey, 16th Mississippi Infantry Regiment.

Colonels-Carnot Posey, promoted Brigadier-General, mortally wounded at Bristoe Station; Samuel L. Baker, killed at Bloody Angle; Edward C. Councill, mortally wounded at Weldon Railroad.

Battles:
Skirmishes Centreville, and Fairfax Court House, Virginia, Oct. 10-17, 1861

Skirmishes Warrenton Station, and Kelly's Ford, Virginia March 15-23 , 1862

Battles of Front Royal, and Winchester, Virginia, May 23-25, 1862

Operations against Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, May 28-30, 1862

Battle of Cross Keys, (Union Church), Virginia, June 8, 1862

Battles before Richmond, at Cold Harbor and Malvern Hill, Virginia, June 27-July 1, 1862

Skirmish at Stevensburg, Virginia, August 20, 1862

Battle of Second Bull Run (Manassas), Virginia, August 30, 1862

Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam), Maryland, September 17, 1862

Skirmish at Hazel Run, Virginia, Nov. 9-11, 1862

Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Dec. 11-15, 1862

Battle of Chancellorsville, and Second Fredericksburg, Virginia, April 29-May 6, 1863

Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 2-3, 1863

Skirmish at Falling Waters, Maryland, July 14, 1863

Skirmishes near Culpeper Court House, Virginia, August 1-4, and September 12-14, 1863

Skirmish Bristoe Station -near Broad River, Virginia, October 14, 1863

Battle of Mine Run, Virginia, November 25-December 3, 1863

Skirmishes along the Rapidan, Virginia, February, 1864

Battle of the Wilderness, Virginia, May 6-7, 1864

Battle of Spottsylvania, Virginia, (Po River, Mule Shoe), May 9-17, 1864

Skirmish at North Anna River, (Jericho Mills), Virginia, May 26, 1864

Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia, June 2-11, 1864

Skirmishes near Weldon Rail Road, Virginia, June 21-July 30, 1864

Battle of Fussell's Mills, Virginia, August 18-19, 1864

Skirmishes South of Petersburg, Virginia, September 10-Dec. 7, 1864

Skirmishes near Belfield, Dinwiddie Court House, Burgess's Mills, Virginia, January 25- February 7, 1865

Skirmishes at Swift Run and Richmond, Virginia, February 28-April 1, 1865

Battle of Fort Gregg, April 2, 1865

Surrender with Gen Robert E. Lee, Appomattox Court House, Virginia, April 9, 1865

Notes:
Cross Keys, Virginia, June 8, 1862.   General Trimble's Brigade (which included 21st Georgia, 15th Alabama, 21st North Carolina and the 16th Mississippi) slaughtered the 8th New York Infantry. Hidden behind a rail fence bordering a small patch of woods Trible's Brigade awaited the 8th New York. In a double battle line the 8th New York marched unknowingly toward the fence. Five hundred Union troops against nearly thirteen hundred Confederate troops.   The Confederates were prone behind the fence with their weapons sticking through the spaces between the rails.   The bottom two rail spaces had been stuffed with leafs to hide the men from view.   The 16th Mississippi was carrying the Harpers Ferry Musket loaded with ball and three buckshot. At forty yards the command for men in the rear of the Confederate line to stand was given.   Swiftly they rose and then the command to fire was heard.   A sheet of fire ran along their line, followed by a crash that resounded through the woods.   The deadly volley killed 80 men and more than 100 wounded.   The Confederate brigade sprang across the fence, shouting and firing as they went.   The Southerners captured another 74 as the surviving Union troops fled.   The 16th Mississippi continued across the field and attacked the 27th Pennsylvania and Buell's battery of artillery.   Colonel Posey was wounded in this attack. The Mississippian's were being stopped and taking heavy losses when the 21st Georgia arrived and both units attacked the Union line causing it to retreat.

Fort Gregg, Petersburg, Virginia, April 2, 1865. Portions of the 16th and 12th Mississippi, Brig. Gen J. Lane's North Carolina, one rifled cannon manned by the New Orleans Washington Artillery, and one rifled cannon manned by the 4th Maryland Artillery, a total of 214 men, were asked to man Fort Gregg. The time   was urgent.   Robert E. Lee and his army was about to be destroyed and they needed the men at Fort Gregg to hold of the Union army for two hours to allow General Lee to escape with his army intact.   What faced the Mississippians that day were nearly 8000 union assault troops and heavy artillery.   Fort Gregg held out for three hours against four heavy assaults.   When finally the Union troops surrounded the fort and climbed over it's walls.   Then there was another 30 minutes of savage hand to hand fighting in which all manor of weapons were used from bayonets and clubbing rifles to bricks gathered form chimneys toppled by artillery fire.   Finally the Confederates surrendered.   Inside the fort lay 55 dead Confederates, nearly 40 forty being killed after they surrendered, 129 wounded.   Only 30 Confederates survived any injuries.   Outside the fort nearly 700 Union troops lay dead or wounded.   General Lee and his army (which included the rest of the 16th Mississippi) escaped to Appomattox Court House.

References:
Grandfathers Journal, Austin C. Dobbins, Morningside, 1988.
Conquering The Valley, Robert K. Krick, William Morrow and Company, Inc., New York, 1996.
Last-Ditch Stand at Petersburg, By Ronald E. Bullock, America's Civil War Magazine, May 1997.
A Mississippi Rebel in the Army of Northern Virginia, David Holt, Thomas D. Cockrell and Michael B. Ballard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Univ. Press, 1995.
The Bloody Acute Angle, A. T. Watts, Galveston News, July 15, 1893. Baltimore: Press of the Friedenwald, Co., 1897.
Historical Sketch of the Quitman Guards, Company E, 16th Miss. Reg., New Orleans, LA, Isaac T. Hinton, printer, 1866.
 

Castle Thunder Prisoner of War Camp

Camp and Years: Confederate 1862-1865?
Area: Petersburg, Virginia
There were 2 Castle Thunder's in the South. The camp in Petersburg was called Castle Thunder because of the constant thunder heard from the nearby battles.
The camp was first set up as a temporary prison to relieve overcrowding from other established prisons in the region.
The camp was the prison type of using existing older buildings and converted into a prison.
There isn't very much information on this prison camp.
 
 
 

Photo from Jefferson County MSGenWeb site
 

1880 Jefferson County MS., Union Church:   Beat 1, Jefferson County., MS:
Source:  FHL Film 1254651, National Archives Film T9-0651, Page 151B

                                   Wife, Frances Adalaide "Addie" Faris Martin                                       Martin family
                         dau of John Green Faris and Elizabeth "Betty" Kelley            L to R dau Katherine Schwarz, Seth, Addie
                                                                                                                              Two persons in back unknown to me

Seth Samuel  MARTIN was born on  21 Aug 1838 in MS. He died on 11 Mar 1902 in Axtell, McLennan Co., TX.
His father was Francis Abram Martin and mother was Mary "Polly" Granberry of MS.  Member Masonic Lodge 204 in Mt.Calm, TX

Seth married Francis Adelaide FARIS  on 15 Jan 1874 in Union Church, Jefferson Co., MS.  Addie was born on 11 Oct 1851
and died 14 Aug 1934 in Waco, McLennan Co., TX.  Her father was John G. FARIS and her mother was  Elizabeth KELLEY.

Seth and Addie's children were:

John Granberry MARTIN born 1875 in MS, died 07 Oct 1950

Elizabeth MARTIN born 1877 in Jefferson Co., MS., died 29 Jan 1937 in Jefferson Co., MS

Lovdy Mildred MARTIN born 08 Feb 1880 in MS.,  died  in Waco, McLennan Co., TX

Mid Frank MARTIN born abt. 1885

Katherine Tommie MARTIN born 03 Jul 1892 in Jefferson Co., MS.,  died  21 Mar 1979 in Waco, McLannan Co., TX

Ann Pearl MARTIN born abt. 1893
 

The Olive Branch Baptist Church Cemetery is located
between Leroy and Axtell
 
 

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