Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Biographies.....Gillette, Joseph E., 1863 

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JOSEPH EZRA GILLETTE 

  Of all the military outfits raised in Southampton County during the War 
Between the States none made a finer record than that of the Southampton 
Cavalry, later Co. A, 13th Virginia Cavalry, of which the first captain was 
Joseph Ezra Gillette, many of whose descendants reside in the county.  After 
the battle of Fredericksburg in December, 1862, Captain Gillette was promoted 
to Major, his successor being Irvin Cross Wills of the Delaware neighborhood.

CIVIL WAR 

Cavalry Captain born Cedar Lawn farm 

by Dan Balfour 

  About three miles west of Franklin, off to the right from the Courtland 
highway, stands a stately old home.  Called "Cedar Lawn" because of the 
several cedars bordering the lane and scattered about the yard, for nearly 
a century it was the home of the Gillette’s, one of Southampton County's most 
prominent families.

  On June 26, 1827, Joseph Ezra Gillette, the subject of this sketch, was born 
to Mr. and Mrs. Ezra Gillette.  At the age of 22 on October 4, 1849, Joseph E. 
Gillette married Edith Emeline Worrell, daughter of Lewis Worrell of another 
well-known Southampton family.

  Joseph E. Gillette and his wife Edith Emeline, had six children.  Their 
fifth child, a boy, was born on April 9, 1861, the War Between the States 
having begun three days before, the boy was named Jefferson Davis Gillette, 
after the president of the new Confederacy.

  For the next two months "Cedar Lawn" was the scene of great activity.  Here, 
under the leadership of Joseph E. Gillette, was organized as the Southampton 
Cavalry.  It later became Company A of the 13th Virginia regiment.  The eager 
volunteers, wearing civilian garb or non-descript uniforms, assembled at 
"Cedar Lawn" to drill, each man riding his own mount and bringing his own 
weapons.  By the middle of July the rookies had been whipped in to some 
semblance of a military unit; and before they left for the rendezvous at 
Smithfield they gave a demonstration of their prowess in Franklin, the nearest 
village, Captain Gillette receiving a bouquet from Miss Mary Barrett and the 
other members acknowledging the salutations of acquaintances who had come to 
witness the parade and to wish them Godspeed.

   The Southampton Cavalry continued its training near Smithfield during the 
summer and fall of 1861; and in the first half of 1862 saw hard service in 
north-eastern North Carolina.  Later the unit was brought back to Virginia to 
fight in the battles around Richmond and in northern Virginia.  Captain 
Gillette led his men gallantly, he and the company making a fine reputation 
for themselves.  After the Battle of Fredericksburg in December, 1862, Captain 
Gillette was promoted to Major.

  During the battle at Brandy Station on June 9, 1863, 18 days before his 36 
birthday, Major Gillette received a wound in the chest.  The wound was of such 
a serious nature that he was invalided home, where some months later he 
succumbed to his injury.  He was buried at Cedar Lawn. 


Major Joseph Ezra GILLETTE, commander of the Southampton Cavalry, 
b. 26 Jun 1827, "Cedar Lawn," d. of wounds 1 Nov 1863, at home, "Cedar Lawn," 
interred in the GILLETTE family cemetery*, "Cedar Lawn," near Isaac Xrds., 
"Tidewater News" (Franklin, VA), Dec. 8, 1955 
- Golden Anniversary Historical Edtion 1905 - 1955 

*Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project, 
   Miscellaneous Cemeteries, Vol. 2 (II-51):
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/miscvol2.txt 

Find a Grave Mem. #27511270 

The regimental history (p. 77 &c.) gives the following: 
    7 May 1861 enlisted at Jerusalem; elected Capt. 
   20 Feb 1863 promoted to Major 
    9 Jun 1863 1st Brandy Station; Lt.Col. Phillips wounded; 
               Gillette raised to regimental commander 
   30 Jun 1863 shot in neck at Hanover, PA 
      Aug 1863 returned to duty 
   11 Oct 1863 wounded at 2nd Brandy Station 
               sent to Hosp. #4, Richmond, then home 
    1 Nov 1863 d. at home of wounds 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), 
and re-formatted by File Manager. 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/bios/g430j1bi.txt