This porbably should be on the South Carolina Board, but since the inquiry started here we'll stay for the reply.

William James Nelson Hammett was killed on 31 May 1862 at Seven Pines (actually where he was engaged was at Fair Oaks, about half a mile north of the York River Railroad and to the East of the Nine Mile Road). The Federals held that portion of the field after the battle and buired the Confederate dead on the field, many in shallow mass graves, and at least some were, accroding to reports, buried in a well.

His son, James Harbey (or Hervey) Hammett, born in 1847, MAY have died in Yazoo City, but informaiton recently obtained casts some doubt on that. He graduated from Davidson College in 1872, attended Columbia Theological Seminary for two years but apparently did not graduate, was a newspaper editor, like his deceased father, for one year, then was an educator. He was ordained a Presbyterian minister in 1891, and that may be the source of his title "Doctor," nor as a physician. He was President of the Pikeville (Ky) Female Seminary in 1891; that is the last I have definate word on him.

I have a fair amount of information on this family, including James Harvey's older sister, Venezia (or Venetia). Contact me direct at Sturkey@wctel.net.