James C Barrs War Between the States Story
By GG Grandson Al Barrs [email protected]

James C. Barrs was born 1821 on the Twiggs County Georgia plantation of his parents Arthur Barrs born 1792 in Lenoir County North Carolina and Nancy Elizabeth Campbell-Barrs born 1793 in North Carolina. Barrs was reported to be age 43, 5' 7" tall with dark skin and hair, and blue eyes.

James C. Barrs, along with his brother, William W. Barrs, was in the Brooks County Georgia Militia as part of the 81st Battalion during 1861-62. He then enlisted August 4, 1863 at age 42 in Quitman, Brooks County, GA in Captain Wiley W. Groover's 11th Georgia Calvary, Georgia State Guards of Company "D" Confederate States of America for a regular enlistment of six months, as did his oldest son James Henry L. Barrs (Born 1845 in Lawndes County Georgia.) and his brother William W. Barrs.

James C. Barrs was 5'7" tall, had dark skin and hair, and blue eyes. James C. Barrs then on May 6, 1864 enlisted again in Quitman, Georgia in Company E, 1st Regiment (Symon's) of the Georgia Infantry State Reserves CSA for the duration of The War. He was appointed 4th Sergeant. His Company served at the City Lines in Savannah, GA from May 6, 1864 through June 30, 1864. They then served at Camp Fleetwood from July through August of 1864. His Company's final billet was at Fort McAllister, GA from September until the fort was captured on December 13, 1864 by Union General Sherman's forces on their infamous “March to the Sea”.

He was admitted to Hospital #2, Savannah, GA on August 18, 1864 for a lengthy illness (Typhoid Fever). He was furloughed home on September 19, 1864. He was "demoted" to Private upon returning to his unit.

He was captured at twilight, along with the rest of the Fort McAllister garrison of 155 troopers, (55 were killed) on December 13, 1864 and sent to Hilton Head Provost Hospital with Typhoid Fever to be treated and await transport to a Northern Military Prison.

James C. Barrs had fortunately not been killed or wounded in battle. All captured CSA troops from Fort McAllister were sent to Hilton Head, South Carolina to await Union transportation to prisoner of war camps in the North. James C. Barrs was admitted to the Union Military Provost Guard Hospital in Hilton Head, SC with Typhoid Fever on January 10, 1865. He survived the Typhoid Fever and was sent to the Fort Delaware Union Prison. He arrived at Fort Delaware Prison on March 4, 1865. He was released from Fort Delaware Prison on June 16, 1865 after signing “The Oath” that he “would not bear arms against the United States of America ever again.” He was sent to New York, NY by way of Philadelphia, PA and put on a boat with 500 other released CSA prisoners and sent to Jacksonville, FL. One young CSA veteran, Samuel Lewis Moore, wrote a vivid account of the events that has since become a part of Jefferson County, Florida’s history records.