Wesley Levi Bumgarner

According to the Wilkes Heritage Book, Vol. II Wesley died in the Civil War

Name: Wesley L Bumgarner ,

Enlistment Date: 07 September 1862

Distinguished Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

State Served: North Carolina

Unit Numbers: 129 129

Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 07 September 1862

Enlisted in Company H, 18th Infantry Regiment North Carolina on 07 September 1862.

POW on 12 May 1864 at Spotsylvania Court House, VA

Confined on 14 May 1864 at Point Lookout, MD (Estimated day)

Died Company H, 18th Infantry Regiment North Carolina on 15 August 1864.

Wesley was captured on May 12 1864 at Spotsylvania Courthouse,during the battle of the Wilderness..along with his friend and cousin James E. Bullis..James survived this ordeal and informed his family of his demise and the causes of it..

wesleys name is engraved on the Monument at Point Lookout maryland...

The official reason for death was Chronic Diarrhea,but james Bullis,who was there with him said he was starved to death...Wesley was buried in a mass grave near the prison camp in an area noted only as 1004 B,how many men were buried there is unknown,because the union prison Guards were notorious liars...They wanted to hide the exact numbers of deaths that occured in the Northern prison camps Most of which came from intentional starving.. Richard J Rash, June 6 2000

Letter written By Wesley L. Bumgarner to his Father dated 26 Oct. 1863.

From "A Genealogy Of Stephen Bungarner" By Flora Bumgarner Friend;

Dear Father,

I once more take the opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that I am well, and have got back to my Regt. once more after so long a time. I got here yesterday evening, which was the 25th Ins.,and I sincerely hope when this few lines comes to hand they may find you all well and up. I forgot, I must say something about my travels through Virginia. I think I was at every gard house in Va. and Castle thunder was the head of all. and I will give you a small joke. When I was lying in Castle Thunder one night I heard a fuss and jumped up and lit a lamp. I thought it was one man trying to rob another and after I came to find out, it was 2 lice fighting over a beef`s  legbone. and after all my travels I got here and I don`t think they will do anything with me,and after all they didn`t make much off of me. I got a long ride on tops old bull. I can tell you I saw Henry Adams, Martin Faw at Salisbury in the Guard house.So I will tell you the fare is tolerable good here now, only we don`t get quite enough flour. We get plenty of meat, at least James Bullis says so, and so I can tell you I got here with as much honey as James could eat, and as much money as I stsrted from home with. it is all out. I had to spend it for something to eat and then had to do without 2 days before I got here so I want you to write soon and give me all the news. So no more at present only I remain your son until death.

W.L. Bumgarner
Stephen Bumgarner