JAMES M. BOYD

Company "A" 6th West Virginia Infantry

Researched & Compiled by Linda Fluharty

1850 Marshall County Census
BOYD (1298)
Levi...Cooper...33-M...PA
Mary...25-F...VA
James M...5-M...VA
Reuben G...3-M...VA
Daniel W...1-M...VA

1860 Marshall County Census
BOYD (1274)
Levi...44-wm...carpenter...PA
Mary...35-wf...VA
James...15-wm...day laborer...VA
Reuben G...14-wm...VA
Daniel W...12-wm...VA
Robert H...8-wm...VA
Adaline A...6-wf...VA
William C...2-wm...VA

Service Record: At age 18, joined for duty & enrolled on Aug. 6, 1861 at Fairmont; mustered in the same day at Grafton. "Laborer born in Marshall County, W.Va." In Jan. & Feb. 1862 he was "sick in hospital at Grafton." He was then present until he deserted on Sept. 6/8, 1863 at Fairmont. "Supposed to have gone to Cameron, Marshall Co., W.Va." "Apprehended Oct. 23, 1864 in Marion Co., W.Va. by Henry C. Wright Pvt. Co A. 6 W.Va. Vol. Infty and now held in arrest. Per Special Order, it was decided that James would return to duty and make up for the time he missed. "Reported deserted April 8, 1863 [error?] on muster out rolls of original organization. Apprehended on and restored to duty without trial per S.O. No. 25, Hd. Qrs. Dept W.Va., Feby 19, 1865. Hanged at Piedmont, W.Va. April 5, 1865." One card said “Killed.”

Newspaper articles vary in the description of events that led to the death of James Boyd but he and comrade, John Riley, were both at a party on April 4. There was an altercation and Boyd shot and killed Riley. Boyd was under guard but others of the company managed to get to Boyd, at which time they took him out and hanged him from an apple tree. The articles depict Riley as a well-liked soldier and said that Boyd had behaved badly at the party. – In the record of John Riley, it simply says he was shot & killed; details unknown.

James was the son of Levi and Mary Boyd, found in the Marshall County 1850 & 1860 census records. In 1860, James was 15, so he may have overstated his age in order to enlist. His siblings in 1860 were Reuben, Daniel, Robert, Adaline and William. Reuben served in Company “A” 12th W.Va. Infantry and was Killed in Action at Piedmont, Augusta Co., Va., on June 5, 1864.

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