Spurlock Boys in Company "B"

As mentioned in my post earlier this week, three of Ransom Spurlock’s five sons enlisted in Company B of the 12th Louisiana Infantry. Nicknamed the “Arcadia Invincibles,” the unit was recruited in Bienville Parish, Louisiana, during July, 1861.

The eldest son, William G., enlisted on August 13, 1861, at Camp Moore, for a period of one year. His service record is scant, consisting of only three cards recording his appearance on muster rolls. He died on May 28, 1862, of typhoid fever at Camp Green.[i]

Marcus D.L. Spurlock, the 2^nd oldest son, enlisted at the same time as his older brother. Although his term of service was initially for one year, muster rolls indicate that he served at least into August, 1864. His service record indicates that in October, 1863, he was sick and hospitalized at Canton, Mississippi.  On February 10, 1864, he was granted furlough for 30 days by order of General Leonidas Polk; muster rolls for May through August indicate that he was sick in Barbour County, Alabama.[ii] In his application to the State of Texas for a pension, Marcus indicated that he had served until discharge at the close of the war and had been wounded during the course of the war; the physician’s statement indicates he was “shot in the right groin.” [iii]

George M. Spurlock first enlisted on February 25, 1862, and was discharged on July 31, 1862. He enlisted again on March 8, 1863, for a term of three years. Like Marcus, he was sick and hospitalized at Canton in October, 1863. He was wounded at the Battle of Franklin (Tennessee) on November 30, 1864, and was captured at Nashville on December 16, 1864. He was admitted to the hospital at Nashville on December 20 for treatment for, what appears on the record, to be a simple flesh wound on the left side caused by a cannonball. On March 8, 1865, George was received at the military prison at Louisville, Kentucky, and on March 10th was transferred to Camp Chase in Ohio. About two weeks later, on March 26, he was transferred to Point Lookout in Maryland, where he remained until his release on June 6, 1865, upon taking the Oath of Allegiance.[iv] George was only 36 years old when he died in Milam County, Texas, in 1880.[v] I wonder how much his military experience contributed to his early death.

Here is one image from each man’s compiled military service record:

William G. Spurlock

Marcus D. L. Spurlock

George M. Spurlock

---

[i] William G. Spurlock; War Department Collection of Confederate Records; Record Group 109; digital images, "Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Louisiana," Footnote (www.footnote.com : accessed 17 May 2011).

[ii] Marcus D. L. Spurlock; War Department Collection of Confederate Records; Record Group 109; digital images, "Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Louisiana," Footnote (www.footnote.com : accessed 17 May 2011).

[iii] Marcus D. L. Spurlock, Confederate Pension Application, File #10195, Texas State Archives.

[iv] George M. Spurlock; War Department Collection of Confederate Records; Record Group 109; digital images, "Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Louisiana," Footnote (www.footnote.com : accessed 17 May 2011).

[v] findagrave.com, digital images (www.findagrave.com : accessed 24 Feb 2010), G. M. Spurlock, Find A Grave Memorial# 13526096

© 2011 Denise Spurlock