James McCarley was born in Fayette County, Tennessee, in about 1840. He was the son of Mary Barrett by her first husband, Dean McCarley. Mary was the sister of early Texas settler, John W. Barrett and was the first cousin of John D. G. Whitten, and of Ellen Whitten, wife of M. A. McCrory.
James moved with his mother and stepfather, John R. Parker, to Houston County, Texas, in about 1845 and lived near his Barrett grandparents. From there, he moved to Madison County prior to 1855, at which time he was enumerated on the 1855 school census of the county. He was listed as a carpenter's apprentice, living with his stepfather and family on the 1860 U. S. census of Madison County. His mother had died in February of the census year.
James was twenty when he joined the militia unit, the Danville Mounted Riflemen, the day it was formed in Montgomery County, May 4, 1861.
On October 10, at the age of twenty-one, he was enrolled in Captain B. F. Oliver's Company I, Ninth Texas Infantry (Nichols') at Montgomery, Texas, by T.W. Smith. Nichols' was a six- month regiment which was formed to build fortifications at Galveston in preparation for a possible Union invasion of the port.
His muster-out roll on April 24th, 1862, shows that he was absent on furlough and has the notation, “Reenlisted.”
When the Riflemen joined the Texas Lancers (later becoming the 24th Texas Cavalry) James enlisted as a private. He enlisted at Galveston on April 16, 1862, along with several others from the Madison County area. They had been in a regiment which was building fortifications in preparation for a possible Union invasion of the port.
Also serving in the same company, Company B, was Henry Parker, his half brother.
James was mustered in at Camp Carter near Hempstead on April 28th and then rode with the other Texas Lancers to Arkansas. He was dismounted at Camp Holmes and sent to Arkansas Post as infantry. James fought in the battle at Arkansas Post, January 11, 1863.
Gratiot Street Prison, St. Louis
He was apparently wounded, and he was sent with some of the other captured Confederates to Gratiot Street Prison, St. Louis, Missouri. He died in City General Hospital in St. Louis, of a “shell wound,” on February 8, 1863. (Note that the date of February 20 is given in the company records, but February 8th in the hospital records.) Sadly, both sons of Mary Barrett Parker died in service; twelve days later, his half-brother, Henry Parker, died at the same hospital.
James McCarley has a stone at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, but the date given is February 9, 1863. The plot number is 22-0-5208.
Thank you to Scott McKay for sharing this photo of the marker of James McCarley. Scott researches the Tenth Texas Infantry, which was brigaded with the 24th Cavalry through most of the War.
You may view Scott McKay's other photos of Jefferson Barracks markers for men of the 24th Regiment Texas Cavalry.
For further information and records of all Confederate soldiers of Montgomery County, Texas, as well as histories of the regiments they served in, see Montgomery County, Texas, CSA by Frank M. Johnson. The book may be purchased by visiting Frank's website at frankmjohnson.net or by contacting Frank at [email protected].
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Karen McCann Hett
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© Karen McCann Hett All Rights Reserved 2003-2014
This biographical sketch was compiled from my family records and from the compiled service records, housed at the National Archives. James was the son of my 4th-great-aunt, Mary Barrett.
Content Used with Permission on © Barrett Branches
Counter June 14, 2007
