As I strolled through the serene grounds of Oakwood Cemetery in Gastonia, North Carolina, I couldn’t help but pause at the grave of Private James Daniel Moore, whose epitaph seemed to beckon me to delve deeper. Born to the hardworking farming couple of Carroll and Sarah Moore on January 5, 1846 [1], in the rural expanse of Caldwell County, young James, affectionately known as “Jimmie,” [2] had a modest upbringing and limited formal education. However, he more than made up for what he lacked in academic pursuits with his exceptional proficiency in the art of farming, honed through years of toiling alongside his parents in the fields.
Jimmie’s boyhood days were a tapestry of joyous outdoor adventures as he reveled in the simple pleasures of swimming, hunting, and fishing, immersing himself in the beauty of nature surrounding his family’s homestead. However the tranquility of his youth was soon shattered by the ominous rumblings of the American Civil War. This conflict would abruptly curtail his carefree pastimes and thrust him into the harsh realities of the battlefield. On July 15, 1861[3], the young Jimmie, driven by a sense of duty and patriotism, enlisted and was mustered into the “F” Company of the 26th North Carolina regiment as a private. He then embarked on a journey that would test his mettle and indelibly shape the course of his life.
Amid the chaos and carnage of the Seven Days Battles, Private Moore stood his ground, his youthful resilience and unwavering resolve on full display. At the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg, where the 26th North Carolina played a crucial role, Jimmie’s bravery and sacrifice would be etched into the annals of history. As part of the Color Guard on the first day’s fight, he found himself among the 85 [4] men wounded, his body bearing the scars of the relentless struggle, a testament to his unwavering dedication to the cause he had sworn to defend. He recounted his story in an 1897 interview for the “The Morning Post” (of Raleigh, NC.):
“I was wounded at the top of the hill (Cemetery Ridge) from which the last line of the enemy had been driven. At that time there was only three of us left, and I was congratulating myself that I was safe, when I was knocked insensible (senseless) by a piece of a shell striking me on the neck, and at the same time a ball passed through my leg.” [5]
He would lay there in the hot July sun for hours, losing blood and suffering from thirst before being rescued by his comrades.
Moore would recover in the hospital before being sent home on a furlough. While at home, he had to “fight off “bushwhackers,” northern sympathizers, who “prowled like wolves around those loyal valley homes, ready whenever they could rush in to kill and rob the unprotected.” [6] He would return to the 26th in time to join them for the Battle of the Wilderness. Here, he was with Lieutenant Colonel Jones when Jones was mortally wounded. Private Moore attended to Lieutenant-Colonel Jones and watched him draw his last breath. Due to the pain of his leg wound, Private Moore was declared unfit for infantry duty and was transferred to Company D, 1st North Carolina Cavalry. He joined them near Petersburg in September 1864.[7]
A friend and fellow member of the 1st wrote:
“he (Pvt. Moore) came to the regiment splendidly mounted on a beautiful dark mare, and from that time till the close of the war was with the regiment in the various cavalry battles and skirmishes in which it was engaged, including, among others, Boisseau’s farm. Gravelly Run, Wilson’s farm, Hampton’s cattle raid, and Bellfield.” With this cavalry troop, he served as General Wade Hampton’s courier until the close of the war, doing his full part in the exploits by which Hampton’s cavalry won imperishable fame for Southern arms.” [8]
After the war, Moore moved to Winamac, Indiana, to avoid further trouble with the bushwhackers. Here, he would be employed as a store clerk, and he believes he met the man who shot him at Gettysburg.
“One evening, while talking to several Union veterans in the store, one, whose name was Hayes, remarked that he was in the Battle of Gettysburg, and from his account of himself and his location and command, I satisfied myself that he was with the troops we fought at Gettysburg on the first day.” [9]
They would remain friends during Moore’s time in Indiana. Moore would move back home to North Carolina in February of 1868[10]. Once at home, he would reconnect with Martha Lewis, they would marry on September 25th, 1870; [11] together, they would have eight children. Moore worked for his brother-in-law in Dallas, North Carolina, then moved to Gastonia to establish a cotton mill. He would become the secretary and treasurer of the Modena Cotton Mills. Moore would become one of the most successful businessmen in the county. He would die on August 6, 1905[12], after suffering from a brief illness. Businesses across the county closed, and hundreds attended his funeral. He was laid to rest at Oakwood Cemetery; his epitaph reads,
“And I Heard A Voice From Heaven Saying Unto Me, Write Blessed Are The Dead Which Die In The Lord From Henceforth: Yea, Saith The Spirit, That They May Rest From Their Labours; And Their Works Do Follow Them.” [13]
[1] “James Daniel Moore: Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming,” Internet Archive (Gastonia, N.C.: Martha J. Moore, January 1, 1970), https://archive.org/details/jamesdanielmoore00gast/page/n5/mode/2up, Pg. 21.
[2] Ibid. Pg. 15
[3] James Daniel Moore Soldier History. “Historical Data Systems, Inc”, 2024. https://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?C&156013.
[4] ccwinslow394, “James Daniel Moore, Company F 26th NC : The First Day At Gettysburg,” NC Civil War History Center of Fayetteville, March 6, 2019, https://nccivilwarcenter.org/james-daniel-moore-company-f-26th-nc-the-first-day-at-gettysburg/.
[5] Ibid
[6] “James Daniel Moore: Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming,” Internet Archive (Gastonia, N.C.: Martha J. Moore, January 1, 1970), https://archive.org/details/jamesdanielmoore00gast/page/n5/mode/2up, Pg.16.
[7] ccwinslow394, “James Daniel Moore, Company F 26th NC: The First Day At Gettysburg,” NC Civil War History Center of Fayetteville, March 6, 2019, https://nccivilwarcenter.org/james-daniel-moore-company-f-26th-nc-the-first-day-at-gettysburg/.
[8] “James Daniel Moore: Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming,” Internet Archive (Gastonia, N.C.: Martha J. Moore, January 1, 1970), https://archive.org/details/jamesdanielmoore00gast/page/n5/mode/2up, Pg. 16.
[9] ccwinslow394, “James Daniel Moore, Company F 26th NC: The First Day At Gettysburg,” NC Civil War History Center of Fayetteville, March 6, 2019, https://nccivilwarcenter.org/james-daniel-moore-company-f-26th-nc-the-first-day-at-gettysburg/.
[10] Ibid
[11] Ibid. Pg. 26
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid. Pg. 61
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