According to an article on the Lewis Johnson family published in Volume 1 of The Heritage of Henderson County, James Harper Johnson was the one of the 6 children born to Lewis Johnson and Martha Holcombe. He was born on 23-July-1834 and married Mary E. Fowler. He died n 1917. This is further supported by the Johnson bible and the Death Certificate for Harper Johnson which states that he was a farmer and buried at Pleasant Hill Cemetery on January 22, 1917. A family member has requested a military marker for this gravesite in July 2021.
Military Service – Excerpts from Civil War National Archives Confederate Military Records for James Harper Johnson who served as as a C.S.A. Private soldier in Company G & A of the 56th North Carolina Infantry. His available military records include the following documents. Mr. Johnson was both wounded and a prisoner of war.
Company Muster-in and Descriptive Roll dated May 23, 1862 at Camp Mangum shows that James H. Johnson enrolled for active service on April 12, 1862 in Hendersonville as a Private in Capt. Henry E. Lane’s Company (Henderson Blues), North Carolina Volunteers. It shows that he was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina and was 26 years, his occupation was a farmer and his height was 5 feet 4 inches. He could not write and marked his Oath of Allegiance to the State of North Carolina with an “x.”
Company Muster-in and Descriptive Roll dated July 28, 1862 at Camp Mangum shows that James H. Johnson Mustered into service of State of North Carolina on July 28, 1862 and that he enrolled for active service on April 12, 1862 in Hendersonville by Capt. H.E. Lane as a Private in 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry (State Troops). It shows that he was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina and was 26 years, his occupation was a farmer and his height was 5 feet 4 inches. He made an Oath of allegiance to State of North Carolina. It shows he mustered into service on May 23, 1862 at Camp Mangum by H. G. Watson. Remarks state “Transferred from Capt. Lane 15 July” to Company A.
Company Muster Rolls:
Company Muster Roll dated April 12 to August 31, 1862 show James H. Johnson enlisted April 12, 1862 in Hendersonville by H. E. Lane and he was a Private in Company G., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops. Remarks state “Transferred to Co. A “56” N.C. T. July 15 by order Col. H. B. Watson.”
Company Muster Roll dated July and August 1862 shows that James H. Johnson enlisted April 12, 1862 in Hendersonville by Capt. H. E. Lane for a period of 3 years and he was Present as a Private in Company A., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops. Remarks state “Transferred from Co. G. 56 N.C. Tr. July 15, 1862.”
Company Muster Roll dated September and October,1862 shows that James H. Johnson enlisted April 12, 1862 in Hendersonville by H. E. Lane for a period of 3 years and he was Present as a Private in Company A., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops. Last paid by Capt. Levine to August 31, 1862.
Company Muster Roll dated November and December,1862 shows that James H. Johnson enlisted April 12, 1862 in Hendersonville by Lane for a period of 3 years and he was Present as a Private in Company A., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops. Last paid by Capt. Devine to August 31, 1862.
Company Muster Roll dated January and February,1863 shows that James H. Johnson enlisted April 12, 1862 in Hendersonville by H. E. Lane for a period of 3 years and he was Present as a Private in Company A., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops. Last paid by Capt. Barnes to December 31, 1862.
Company Muster Roll dated March and April,1863 shows that James H. Johnson enlisted April 12, 1862 in Hendersonville by H. E. Lane for a period of 3 years and he was Present as a Private in Company A., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops. Last paid by Capt. Barnes to December 31, 1863.
Company Muster Roll dated May and June,1863 shows that James H. Johnson enlisted April 12, 1862 in Hendersonville by H. E. Lane for a period of 3 years and he was Present as a Private in Company A., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops. Last paid by Capt. Barnes to February 28, 1863.
Company Muster Roll dated July and August,1863 shows that James H. Johnson enlisted April 12, 1862 in Henderson by H. E. Lane for a period of 3 years or the war and he was Present as a Private in Company A., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops. Last paid by Capt. Barnes to June 30, 1983.
Company Muster Roll dated September and October,1863 shows that James H. Johnson enlisted April 12, 1862 in Henderson by H. E. Lane for a period of 3 years or the war and he was Present as a Private in Company A., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops. Last paid by Capt. Barnes to June 30, 1863.
Company Muster Roll dated November and December,1863 shows that James H. Johnson enlisted April 12, 1862 in Henderson by H. E. Lane for a period of 3 years or the war and he was Present as a Private in Company A., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops. Last paid by Capt. Barnes.
Company Muster Roll dated January and February,1864 shows that James H. Johnson enlisted April 12, 1862 in Henderson by H. E. Lane for a period of 3 years or the war and he was Present as a Private in Company A., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops. Last paid by Capt Barnes.
Company Muster Roll dated February 29 to June 30,1864 shows that James H. Johnson enlisted April 12, 1862 in Henderson by H. E. Lane for a period of 3 years and was Absent from Company A., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops. Last paid by Capt. Barnes to August 31, 1863. Remarks state “In Hospital at Salisbury wounded 20, May, 1864.”
Company Muster Roll dated July and August,1864 shows that James H. Johnson enlisted April 12, 1862 in Henderson by H. E. Lane for a period of 3 years or the war and was Absent from Company A., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops. Last paid by Capt. Barnes to August 31, 1863. Remarks state “Absent wounded since April 20, 1864.”
Company Muster Roll dated August to December, 1864 shows that James H. Johnson enlisted April 12, 1862 in Henderson by H. E. Lane for a period of 3 years or the war and was Present as a Private in Company A., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops. Last paid by Capt. Noustan to August 31, 1864.
Roll of Honor for James H. Johnson shows that he served in Company G., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops as a Private. It shows Henderson County, date of entrance into service was April 12, 1862, age 26, and was a Volunteer. Remarks state “Transferred to Co. A. Dec. 1, 1862.”
Roll of Honor for James H. Johnson shows that he served in Company A., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops as a Private. It shows Henderson County, date of entrance into service was April 12, 1862, age 27, and was a Volunteer.
James H. Johnson appears on a roll of Prisoners of War at Point Lookout, Md. It shows that he arrived at City Point on March 28, 1865 and that he was captured in Petersburg, Virginia on March 25, 1865 and was released on June 28, 1865. He served as a Private in Company A., 56th Regiment North Carolina Infantry State Troops.
James H. Johnson name appears as signature to an Oath of Allegiance to the United States subscribed and sworn to at Point Lookout, Maryland on June 28, 1865. He was a Private in Company A., 56th Regiment of North Carolina Infantry State Troops. His place of residence was Henderson County, North Carolina, complexion light, hair light brown, eyes hazel and his height was 5 feet 5 inches. Note: Released at Point Lookout, June 28, 1865, by G.O. No. 109, A. G.O.
Additional Military Record Information – According to Terrell T. Garren in his book Measured in Blood James Harper Johnson was wounded in the thigh between 4-18-1864 and 4-20-1864 at the Battle of Plymouth in Washington County, N.C., captured 3-25-1865 at the Battle of Fort Stedman during the Appomattox Campaign, a prisoner at Hart’s Island, New York Harbor and Point Lookout, Maryland and released on 6-28-1865.
