James William Hiler

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Aug 24 2018, 23:13:22 UTC

Hyler, James and Thomas General Hospital No. 13, March 24, 1864 Petition for Pardon Sentenced to be shot March 25, 1864 for desertion-say that they returned to their companies voluntarily. Signed Pickett, Adjt. Gen. Is anything known of these cases? This petition was not received until April 1, 1864. Burton N. Harrison, Private Secretary Source: footnote.com

Commandant’s Office Danville, VA March 28, 1864 To His Excellency Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States Letter from R. E. Withers, Colonel William Hatcher of Henry County, Va. requested I write Concerning Thomas A. Hiler, James W. Hiler, and William M. Overby of the 57 Va. Regiment Who are to be shot for desertion They are guilty but there are extenuating features Ask that you mitigate (lessen) the sentence because They voluntarily returned and express deep penitence for their misconduct And will submit to any punishment short of death They surrendered to Mr. Hatcher who accompanied them to their post.

Affidavit of Peyton Hatcher regarding Thomas A. Hiler, James W. Hiler, & William M. Overby 29 March 1864: I Peyton J. Hatcher of the County of Pittsylvania Va. make the following statement on oath in regard to the cases of Thomas A. & James W. Hiler & William Overby of the 57 Regt. Va. Vols. now under conviction ……for desertion. Thomas Hiler volunteered in 1861 and the other in 1862 in said Regt. They all have wives & families of young children, entirely dependent . I am a Comm. for the distribution of supplies to the families of indigent soldiers & thus know their circumstances. They are very ignorant men and no doubt easily deluded ... Saw the father of the Hilers, Jas. Hiler Sr. who is also father in law of (Wm. M.) Overby, advised him to urge his sons and son in law to return to their Regt., was satisfied from conversations with him that the only reason they did not do so was the fear of Capital Punishment. They at length sent me word through their father, who is quite an aged illiterate man that if I would only arrange it so that they would not be shot for their desertion, they would return to duty with their Regt…………… I then went to see Col. Withers the commandant of the Danville Post told him all the facts in my possession in regard to these men. He told me he had no idea if they would come in and return to duty properly that they would be shot or severely punished. That he had often been in court martial and had never known a case of capital punishment under such circumstances advised me that I get them to come in. I went home some twenty miles from Danville saw their father James Hilar, Sr. told him what Col. Withers had told me on the subject urged him to use his influence with his sons and son-in-law to report for duty telling them they might feel afraid from what I learned from Col. Withers that they would not be shot. …..etc. Signed Peyton J. Hatcher Affidavit notarized 29 March 1864 by S. S. Hall, N.P.

Evidently the sentence was mitigated. T. A. Hyler Co. D 57 Regt. VA List of Prisoners confined in EDM Prison Who volunteered in the Winder Legion for the defense of Richmond Against the Sheridan Raid in 1864, and who were pardoned by the President. Richmond, Aug. 3, 1864 Source: footnote.com

Thomas A. Hilar Private Co. D 57 VA Infantry Company Muster Roll for Sept and Oct. 1864 Dated Oct 31, 1864 Enlisted July 1, 1861 Batchelors Hall, Pittsylvania County, VA By Capt. Smith For duration of the war Last paid by Capt. Compton June 30, 1864 Present Bounty due $50 Source: footnote.com

Thomas A. Hiler Co. D 57 VA Infantry Receipt Roll for clothing Nov. 30, 1864 In the field Signed Thomas A. Hiler Source: footnote.com

Thomas Hiler Co. D 57 VA Infantry Receipt Roll for Clothing For 2 qr 1864 Date of Issue May 14, 1864 Signature: T. Hiler Prison Castle Thunder

Thomas A. Hyler Private Co. D 57 VA Infantry Parole of Prisoners of War Who served in the Army of Northern Virginia Parole dated Headquarters 2nd Div., 6 Corps, April 25, 1865 Dated May 2, 1865 Source: footnote.com