The Confederate Congress passed an Act of 27 September 1862 that changed the conscription law. He returned home to await further developments and tend to his family and farm. However, Irby was discharged on orders of the Secretary of War, as he was over 35 years of age. The 53rd Virginia remained there, training and drilling for the next several weeks.Īn outbreak of measles in the camp in May led to the discharge of many members of Irby’s unit. So, while Irby was not subject to conscription, he enlisted as a Private in Company I, 53rd Virginia Infantry in Suffolk, Virginia, on April 21, 1862, even though he was 43 years old. In April, the Confederate Congress passed the Act of 16 April 1862, which permitted the drafting of all white males aged 18-35 years. Shortly afterward, on April 13, 1862, Irby wrote his wife that “we went out last Thursday to Lambots Point to see a fight in the roads The merimack went out with several other vessels but the Yankees would not come in range of our guns the merimack captured two brigs and a scooner and had them towed in by the Patrick Henry they then went down near Hampton in order to draw out the yankies but seeing the merimack in the midst they took the hint and kept their distance.” He would carry the map throughout his wartime service. Within the inside front cover, he wrote: “Bot in the city/ of Norfolk/ April 8, 1862/ price 75 cts./ Wm. The map is a folding pocket map with hard covers. While in Norfolk, Irby had an opportunity to purchase a copy of the New Map of Virginia compiled from the latest Maps.
In a letter to Phoebe written on March 30, 1862, he writes that “a large number the forces here will volunteer if they are allowed to do so.” He goes on to write that “we are expecting a fight here at almost any time and while I am writing this letter the cannon are roaring like thunder in the direction of old point. They settled on a farm in Pittsylvania County.įollowing the outbreak of the Civil War, William Irby took leave of his wife and child and reported to Norfolk for military duty. Raised on a farm, he married Phoebe Ellen Hubbard, the daughter of the Reverend Joel Hubbard, in 1858. William was one of 11 children born to the couple.
William Henry Irby was born on November 6, 1819, in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, to Thomas W.
Now, thanks to information and images provided by the family, I can relate the story of his Civil War service. In my last blog, I wrote about a rare Confederate imprint map that was donated to the Museum by descendants of William Henry Irby.
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