HENDERSON COUNTY, NC - MILITARY - Military Records of Captain Balis (Baylus) McKendrick Edney --------------¤¤¤¤¤¤-------------- A Chronological extract of the Confederate military records of Captain Balis (Baylus) McKendrick Edney of the 25th Infantry Regiment, North Carolina Volunteers, Confederate States of America. The records show that the "company was successively designated as Captain Edney's Company, Company B, and Company A, 25th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, State Troops." (The condition of the documents is too poor to be reproduced in a legible fashion, and makes for difficult transcription.) June 20, 1861: "Baylus M. Edney, Captain, appears on Company Muster-In Roll of Captain Baylus M. Edney's Company (Edney Greys), 25 Reg't North Carolina Inf. (State Troops), from Henderson County, transferred to the Confederate States service on twenty-ninth of September, 1861, roll dated at Camp Davis near Wilmington, NC. [Prior to this, the Edney Greys were a state, not a confederate, regiment.] July 1861: Company Muster Roll: "Absent, sick." August 1861: Company Muster Roll: "Absent, sick." September 2, 1861: "Headquarters 25th Regiment, NC Volunteers. Special Orders No. 1, Asheville, NC. Capt. B.M. Edney of the 25 NC Reg. of Volunteers will proceed to Raleigh by the first opportunity... {signed} T.L. Clingman, Col. Cmdg." October 28, 1861: "Office of Assistant Quarter Master, Raleigh, NC. Sirs, You will furnish transportation from Raleigh to Goldsboro for Captain Edney and 13 privates, and upon returning this authority with the annexed certificate filled up and signed by the Officer in command, the same will be paid. {signed} M.A. Bledsoe" The bottom of the certificate is noted: "I certify that transportation has been furnished, as directed above, as follows: For officers: 1; For men: 13: Baggage, Horses. {signed} B.M. Edney, Officer in Command." "The State of North Carolina, To Capt. B.M. Edney, From 2nd of Sept. to 15th of Sept 1861, For mileage from Asheville to Raleigh and back, being 600 miles at 10 cents per mile....$60.00. {signed} B.M. Edney, Received at Raleigh." October 1861: Company Muster Roll: "Absent on detached service, per special order 385, Adjutant General's Office. Left Company September 27, 1861." November 21, 1861: An officer's pay voucher: "The Confederate States of America. To Capt B.M. Edney, From May15 to October 31, 1861, 5 months, 15 days, at $130 dollars pay per month. Amount paid $715. I hereby certify that the foregoing account is just; that I have not been absent without leave during any part of the time charged for; that I have not received pay, forage, or received money in lieu of any part thereof, for any part of the time therein charged; that the horses were actually kept in service and were mustered for the whole of the time charged; that for the whole of the time charged for my staff appointment, I actually and legally held the appointment and did duty in the department; that I have been a commissioned officer for the number of [months] stated in the charge; that I am not in arrears with the Confederate States, on any account whatsoever. I acknowledge receipt this 21st day of November 1861, the sum of Seven Hundred & fifteen dollars. {signed} B.M. Edney, Capt. of Company A, 25th Regiment, NC Volunteers." November 22, 1861: "Headquarters of the 25th Regiment, Camp Lee. Capt B.M. Edney is detailed to proceed to relief and obtain from the Quarter Master there certain articles of clothing necessary for the use of the 25th Regiment of North Carolina Volunteers. {signed} T.L. Clingman, Colonel, Commanding. Capt. Edney is also authorized to go to Richmond if necessary to obtain Enfield rifles in exchange for their guns now in the possession of my Regiment. {signed} T.L. Clingman, Col. Cmdg." November 1861, Regimental Return, Camp Lee, South Carolina: Baylus M. Edney, Capt, Co. A, Absent on detached service. December 1861: An expense voucher: "The Confederate States to B.M. Edney, Capt, Co. A, 25th N.C. Infantry. December 22nd to December 26th: For expenses incurred for transporting of self & allowance for baggage and porterage in traveling from Richmond VA to Camp Lee SC under annexed order. $25.00" December 1861: Company Muster Roll: "Absent on detached service." January 1862: Company Muster Roll: "Present, sick." February 1862: Regimental Return: Present at Camp Lee; sick. April 30, 1862. "Baylus M. Edney, Captain, discharged by order General Ransom, Apl 30, 1862, having refused re-election in the company." Throughout the war, each regimental company, comprised of the enlisted men, was entitled to "elect" their commander. Since Baylus had organized the company in Henderson County, they "elected" him their commander when the Edney Greys were assigned to the Confederate States of America, and were no longer just a state of North Carolina organization. When he refused re-election, he basically made the statement to his commanders he was no longer interested in leading his men, so he was discharged from service. Some Edney family researchers have stated that he served for a much longer period, until 1864 or later, but his military files indicate nothing to that effect. His discharge reportedly arose from a very severe argument with his commanding officer, Colonel Thomas L. Clingman. Interestingly enough, in a Spring Term 1847 court case in Henderson County, Colonel Clingman, then Attorney Clingman, represented Balis in a suit to recover $200 from Jacob Snyder, Jeptha Wikle and James M. Bryson of Cherokee County, NC. May 5, 1862: A military requisition which gives the standard issue for a Confederate soldier: "Requisition No. 40, Capt. B.M. Edney, near Kinston, NC, Special Requisition for Clothing, etc. For five caps, five cap covers, five coats, five pair pants, ten flannel shirts, ten pair drawers, ten pair socks, five leather stocks, five great coats, five blankets, one camp kettle, five mess pans, five canteens, five straps, five knapsacks, five haversacks, one axe, one pick axe, one hatchet, ten __?__ and five blankets, five tents." "I certify that the above requisition is correct; and that the articles specified are absolutely requisite for the public service, rendered so by the following circumstances: Five men have enlisted for three years or the war, and have not received the clothing, etc., which they are entitled to. Requisition by {signed} M.N. Love, 1st Lieutenant, 25th Regiment, Company A, Company Commander." The requisition was filled by the Quarter Master, but not to the extent asked for, and gives an indication of the shortage of supplies and equipment which faced the men in Grey. Some things were not available at all, and some items were not in sufficient quantities to allow five. Lieutenant Love signed for these articles: "5 coats, five caps, 5 pair pants, 10 shirts, 5 pair drawers, 5 pair socks, 3 blankets [two would do without], 1 camp kettle, 2 mess pans [to be shared by five soldiers at meal-time], 5 canteens and straps, 1 hatchet." [No coats, no knapsacks, no axe, no pick axe.] ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Marshall Styles ___________________________________________________________________