SUBMITTED BY: Jean Finch Inscoe (edited and vetted by Cheri Todd Molter; transcription by Cheri Todd Molter and Carolina Echeverri)
John Lindsey Shearin was born in 1842 in Warren County, North Carolina. He worked as farmer in Warren County and enlisted in the Confederate Army on Aug. 16, 1861. John served in Company B, 30th Infantry Regiment (North Carolina). He was “discharged due to disability” on May 22, 1862 and reenlisted in the same company and regiment on Jul 16, 1863. John was taken prisoner on Nov. 7, 1863 at Kelly’s Ford, Virginia, and confined at Point Lookout in Maryland a few days later. He was exchanged on May 8, 1864 and returned to serve in Company B of the 30th in September of that same year. He was wounded in April 1865 at Appomattox Court House and paroled on April 21st at Farmville, Virginia.
John married Sarah E. Pike in 1869 in Warren County. Sarah was the youngest daughter of Samuel Pike and Mary Shearin Pike. They had at least six children.
(Sources: North Carolina Troops 1861-65, A Roster, 1993; Warren County, N.C. Census Records)
The following transcription is of a letter that was written to John L. Shearin in 1907. It was written on stationary that advertised jeweler W. G. Lynch’s business. In this letter, the writer, George Fitts, recounts his memories of John the last time he saw him, which was after John was wounded at Appomattox Court House. According to military records, there was a George Fitts of Chatham County, North Carolina, who had served in the Confederate Army in Company E of the 26th Infantry (North Carolina) and was present at the surrender on April 9, 1865 at Appomattox; perhaps, this writer was the same George Fitts. [There were two other “George Fitts” who fought for the Confederacy listed but neither of them were at Appomattox in April 1865.]
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Transcription of the original:
W. G. LYNCH, Jeweler,
Dealer in
JEWELRY, WATCHES, CLOCKS,
Musical Furnishings, Novelties, &C.
Special Attention Given to All Mail Orders.
Roanoke Rapids, N. C., May 14th 1907
Mr. John L. Shearin
My Dear Sir
I read yours of May 8th several days since. Will cheerfully give you a written statement as near as I can recollect about the battle at Appomatox [sic] on April 9th 1865 when you were so badly wounded, it has been so long ago I cannot remember what time of day it was but I do remember how you looked when you were stretched out there at the hospital waiting to be attended to by the doctor. I tried to make you as comfortable as possible. I thought you would die.
You looked as if the lower part of your jaw was shot away the blood pouring from your mouth. When the doctors come along and saw you they stopped, looked at you and one said to the other he will be dead in a few minutes we had better attend to some of these others that we can save. [I]t seemed to arouse you and you raised yourself up on your elbows and mumbled out to them as best you could that you were not going to be dead no such a blamed thing. The doctor turned around and looked like he was utterly astonished and said to the others I believe we can save him he is so plucky, and they went to work on you at once. [T]hat was the last I saw of you until you got home after the war, I will try to meet you at Richmond at the reunion and we can talk over the old times that tried mens [sic] souls.
I will now close with many good wishes for you & yours
Your Friend
Geo. [?] Fitts
Transcription with modern spelling and punctuation:
W. G. LYNCH, Jeweler,
Dealer in
JEWELRY, WATCHES, CLOCKS,
Musical Furnishings, Novelties, &C.
Special Attention Given to All Mail Orders.
Roanoke Rapids, N. C., May 14th 1907
Mr. John L. Shearin
My Dear Sir,
I read yours of May 8th several days since. I will cheerfully give you a written statement as near as I can recollect about the battle at Appomattox on April 9, 1865, when you were so badly wounded. It has been so long ago I cannot remember what time of day it was, but I do remember how you looked when you were stretched out there at the hospital waiting to be attended to by the doctor. I tried to make you as comfortable as possible. I thought you would die.
You looked as if the lower part of your jaw was shot away, the blood pouring from your mouth. When the doctors come along and saw you, they stopped, looked at you and one said to the other, “He will be dead in a few minutes. We had better attend to some of these others that we can save.” It seemed to arouse you and you raised yourself up on your elbows and mumbled out to them as best you could that “you were not going to be dead, no such a blamed thing.” The doctor turned around and looked like he was utterly astonished and said to the others, “I believe we can save him. [H]e is so plucky!” And they went to work on you at once.
That was the last I saw of you until you got home after the war, I will try to meet you at Richmond at the reunion, and we can talk over the old times that tried men’s souls.
I will now close with many good wishes for you & yours.
Your Friend,
George [?] Fitts
