Private Joseph Henry Moss was born at the Bahamas on November 17th, 1845. In 1860, he was living with his mother Sarah at Key West.

He was mustered into service on November 27th, 1861 as seaman with Captain Henry Mulrenan’s Florida Volunteer Coast Guards. He remained in this unit until mustered into Confederate service on April 25th, 1862 when he was enlisted as a Private in Captain Smith’s Company (Key West Avengers), 7th Regiment Florida Infantry by Major R. B. Thomas at Tampa, Florida for a period of 3 years or the war.

He was present on all rolls, and listed on the Confederate Roll of Honor for “most conspicuous…gallantry and good conduct” at the Battle of Chickamauga.

He was transferred to the C.S. Navy while at Dalton, Georgia February 25th, 1864 when. He was assigned to CSS Savannah on March 3rd, 1864 and served in her until December 21st, 1864, when the vessel was fired and scuttled to avoid capture by General Sherman’s forces at Savannah.

He was sent to Battery Buchanan at Fort Fisher outside Wilmington, North Carolina on December 30, 1864, serving in the Confederate Navy Detachment with the rank of ordinary seaman (OS).

After the fall of Fort Fisher on January 15th, 1865, he and several others made their way to Richmond. They were assigned to the command of Captain John R. Tucker at Camp Beall at Drewry’s Bluff.

Moss was captured at the Battle of Sailor’s Creek on April 6th, 1865, and sent to Camp Hoffman at Point Lookout, Maryland. He was paroled on June 15, 1865.

He returned to Key West and took employment as a carpenter. He married Lydia Esther Pierce, at Key West, February 17, 1873. Prior to 1885, he became the assistant keeper at the Jupiter Inlet Light Station at Dade (now Palm Beach) County, Florida.

Joseph died there on May 22nd, 1885. He is buried at Key West Cemetery, Key West, Monroe County, Florida. Lydia applied for and was granted a Confederate Widow's Pension for her husband's service.

Josephus Moss