John Ashley Boyett and his son Edward J. Boyett, both captured at Fort McAllister Georgia by Shermans march to the sea campagign were transprted to Point Lookout Union Prison Camp which was located on the tip of a low lying wind swept coastal peninsular in Maryland and was very overcrowded, clothing, housing and food was poor and inadequate and it was cold and humid during the winter months. John Ashley Boyett's age and deteriorating physical condition may have been one of the reasons he was pardoned and exchanged in early February 1865. He was exchanged at Coxe's Landing on the James River, Virginia on February 13, 1865. He was transported directly to Richmond, Virginia and admitted to the Receiving & Wayside Hospital, General Hospital No. 9 on February 15, 1865. The next day he was transferred to the Jackson Hospital, Richmond, Virginia where he was diagnosed with "Febris Int." (Intermittent Fever). His intermittent fever was probably Typhoid Fever. He died on March 1, 1865 in the CSA Jackson Hospital. GG Grandfather John Ashley Boyett was buried on March 2, 1865 in the nearby Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond City Virginia under the name ‘A. S. Bagat section W, lot 580.’ His two oldest son's Francis M. and William N. Boyett, both members of Company K, 50th Georgia Infantry Regiment, were also wartime casualties who were interred in the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond City Virginia.

The Hollywood Cemetery burial detail in Richmond recorded Francis M. Boyett under the name ‘Bagot, F. M. K 50 Geo. June 13, 1863 section T, lot 437’. They recorded William N. Boyett under the name ‘Bowett, W. N. K to Geo. March 24, 1863 section T, lot 53’. We know these are our Boyett family members because a search of military muster roll of CSA military records show that there was no ‘A. S. Bagot’ (Ashley Boyett) in Company E, 1st Georgia Reserves, no ‘Bagot, F. M.’ (Francis Boyett) in Company K, 50th Georgia Infantry and no ‘Bowett, W. N.’ (William Boyett) in Company K, 50th Georgia Infantry.

We don’t know the circumstances of the deaths of Francis and William Boyett. We don't know if they were wounded or sick. We do know the date of internment of Ashley, Francis and William Boyett: Ashley buried March 2, 1865; Francis buried June 13, 1863 and William Boyett buried March 24, 1863.

Edward J. Boyett is the only Boyett family soldier who lived through the War Between the States. He was the 3rd oldest son of Ashley and Nancy Boyett of Brooks County Georgia and served in the Confederate 8th Regiment, Florida Infantry. A fourth son, John Boyett was to young to serve and remained with his mother and sisters in Brooks County Georgia. One of his sisters, Mary Elizabeth Boyett-Barrs was my Great Grandmother and we were born the same month and day...March 11th.

Al Barrs
albarrs@wfeca.net