James Merritt Adkins was born to Sylvester Adkins and Elizabeth Mays in 1841[1]. James had seven brothers and three sisters[2], and the family of thirteen lived in Wayne County, Virginia[i]. James enlisted into the army on November 17, 1862 at the age of 21. Adkins was killed in action on September 19, 1864[3] and was not married, and therefore had no children.

Adkins spent a majority of his military service in the 45 Battalion Virginia Infantry, Company F[4], led by William B. Hensley[5]. Before serving in the 45 Battalion, Adkins served in the 1 Kanawha Regiment[6], the 8 Virginia Calvary, Company F[7]and the 4 Virginia State Line, Company G[8]. On December 21, 1863, Adkins was organized into the 45 Battalion, fighting alongside his father, Sylvester[9]. Company F fought various battles in West Virginia and in Kentucky, most notably those in Cloyd’s Mountain, Piedmont, Kernstown, Winchester, Harrisonburg, Cedar Creek, and Waynesboro in Virginia, as well as Wyoming County, Cabell County, and Fayetteville in West Virginia[10]. Adkins was killed in action on September 19, 1864 in the Third Battle of Winchester, or the Battle of Opequon[11]. While multiple other members of the 45 Battalion Virginia Infantry Company F were considered prisoners of war in the battle[12], James was the only soldier of Company F to die in the battle[ii].

At the time of his death, Adkins was listed as a Sergeant for his Company[13]. He died as the Confederate forces attempted to stop Union general Sherman’s campaign to capture the Shenandoah Valley. James was 23 at the time of his death, and he left behind no wife or children, but did leave behind ten siblings[14].

[1] Leavell, Jane. Adkins Family of Virginia. 2013. http://littlecalamity.tripod.com/Genealogy/AdkinsFamily.html (accessed June 5, 2016).

[2] Leavell, Jane. Adkins Family of Virginia. 2013. http://littlecalamity.tripod.com/Genealogy/AdkinsFamily.html (accessed June 5, 2016).

[3] Historical Data Systems, Inc. 45 Va Infantry Battalion. n.d. http://civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?Muster?804&C (accessed June 5, 2016).

[4] White, June. 45 Battalion, Va Inf., Confederate. n.d. http://files.usgwarchives.net/wv/wayne/military/45.txt (accessed June 1, 2016).

[5] White, June. 45 Battalion, Va Inf., Confederate. n.d. http://files.usgwarchives.net/wv/wayne/military/45.txt (accessed June 1, 2016).

[6] White, June. 45 Battalion, Va Inf., Confederate. n.d. http://files.usgwarchives.net/wv/wayne/military/45.txt (accessed June 1, 2016).

[7] Historical Data Systems, Inc. 45 Va Infantry Battalion. n.d. http://civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?Muster?804&C (accessed June 5, 2016).

[8] White, June. 45 Battalion, Va Inf., Confederate. n.d. http://files.usgwarchives.net/wv/wayne/military/45.txt (accessed June 1, 2016).

[9] Leavell, Jane. Adkins Family of Virginia. 2013. http://littlecalamity.tripod.com/Genealogy/AdkinsFamily.html (accessed June 5, 2016).

[10] Leavell, Jane. Adkins Family of Virginia. 2013. http://littlecalamity.tripod.com/Genealogy/AdkinsFamily.html (accessed June 5, 2016).

[11] NPS. Opequon or Third Winchester. July 17, 1995. https://www.nps.gov/abpp/shenandoah/svs3-12.html (accessed June 10, 2016).

[12] White, June. 45 Battalion, Va Inf., Confederate. n.d. http://files.usgwarchives.net/wv/wayne/military/45.txt (accessed June 1, 2016).

[13] Historical Data Systems, Inc. 45 Va Infantry Battalion. n.d. http://civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?Muster?804&C (accessed June 5, 2016).

[14] Leavell, Jane. Adkins Family of Virginia. 2013. http://littlecalamity.tripod.com/Genealogy/AdkinsFamily.html (accessed June 5, 2016).

[i] Wayne County, formerly Cabell County, was considered to be part of Virginia at the time of Adkins’ birth. When the state split in to West Virginia and Virginia, Wayne County was considered part of West Virginia.

[ii] James’ father, Sylvester, who fought alongside James in Company F of the 45 Battalion Virginia Infantry, survived the war and returned to his home in Wayne County at the culmination of his service.

James M Adkins