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Contributed by: Roger A. Sadowski Son of Newsom Edwards and Mourning Davis Birth date: August 14, 1835 in Johnston County, NC Death date: September 7, 1916 in Selma, Johnston County, NC Buried: Peedin Cemetery, Selma, NC Enlisted: May 30, 1861 at Garysburg, NC into the North Carolina 5th Regiment Infantry, Company C Rank: Private Larkin was a farmer in Johnston County, NC. When North Carolina seceded from the Union, he joined at the age of 26 and fought for the Confederacy until captured. He saw action in many of the major battles of the Civil War, including Manassas, The Peninsula Campaign, The Seven Days Battle, Antietam, and Gettysburg. During the Battle of Oak Hill (Gettysburg) on July 1, 1863, almost 60% of his regiment were killed, wounded or taken prisoner. On Sept. 19, 1864 during the Battle of Winchester, he was captured and sent to Point Lookout Prison Camp, MD. Due to the fact that conditions in the prison camps at this point in the war were so unbearable and that the prisoner exchange programs had just about come to an end, Larkin took the Oath of Allegiance. He joined the Union on Oct. 12, 1864 and was assigned to the U.S. Volunteer Infantry, 4th Regiment, Company E. The U.S. Volunteer Infantry was composed of about 6000 Confederate prisoners. They were later known as “THE GALVANIZED YANKEES”. Their purpose was to serve the Union in the West, where they protected settlers from Indians, restored stage and mail service, rebuilt telegraph lines and helped to protect the railroad supply trains. On June 18, 1866, he was mustered out of Union service. After the war, Larkin came back home to Johnston County, NC, where he raised his family and continued to farm. |