| James Gideon
Allen was born in 1840 in Johnston County, North Carolina. Before
the War Between the States, he was a farmer and a woodsman.
On June 12, 1861, at age 20, James G. Allen enlisted as a private
in the Smithfield Light Infantry, which became Company I of the
24th North Carolina Infantry. His commanding officers reported him
present or accounted for at every unit roll call for nearly the
entire four-year service of his company.
The 24th North Carolina Infantry, originally the 14th North Carolina
Volunteers, was organized at Weldon, North Carolina, in July 1861.
Its companies hailed from the counties of Halifax, Onslow, Johnston,
Cumberland, Robeson, Person, and Franklin. The regiment first saw
service in western Virginia with the Army of the Kanawha then returned
to its native state to serve at Murfreesboro. Soon the 24th joined
Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia and fought in all the battles
of that army from the Seven Days to Fredericksburg. Returning again
to North Carolina, it fought at Plymouth in early 1864 then at Drewry’s
Bluff, here in Chesterfield County, during Butler’s Bermuda
Hundred Campaign in the spring of 1864. The 24th remained with Lee’s
army throughout the Petersburg Campaign of 1864-65 and surrendered
with the army at Appomattox Court House in April 1865. |
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Private Allen did not
make it to the surrender at Appomattox, however. Captured during the
fight at Fort Stedman, near Petersburg, on March 25, 1864, he was
confined at the federal prisoner of war camp at Point Lookout, Maryland,
until released on June 22, 1865, after taking the oath of allegiance.
After the War, James Allen married Esther Ann Lee, who died in
1909. James died in 1915 at the age of 75. He is buried in the Allen
Family Cemetery in Johnston County, North Carolina.
The memory of Private James Gideon Allen of Company I, 24th North
Carolina Infantry, is perpetuated in this camp by his great-grandson,
Compatriot Ronnie Aaron Allen.
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