Company E, 16th Arkansas Infantry Regiment. Enlisted 19 Oct 1861 at Carrollton--Discharged Mar 1863 due to minor age--Reenlisted and was captured at Port Hudson.
Previously served in Company K, 4th Arkansas Infantry Regiment, State Troops. Brother of James Henderson Berry, Governor of and U. S. Senator from Arkansas.
James Marion Bailey memoir: ". . .Billy Berry, under sixteen years of age. . . had been discharged from the service a short time before the beginning of the siege, but who voluntarily remained to take part in the defense of the place. Having his discharge papers, he was permitted by the Federals to go at will." [Jul 1863]
James Marion Bailey Memoir: [1864]
". . . to our left and a little in front, not over fifty yards away, we saw a company of dismounted men, twenty-one in number, waiting to receive us. There were only seven of us in the pursuing party, but every man reined his horse's head in the direction of the enemy and opened fire, which was promptly returned. Bullets from the rifles of these mountain men flew thick and close. My young friend Berry, who sat on his horse only a few feet away, called to me saying he was shot and asked me to take him from his horse. Dismounting, I took him in my arms and laid him down behind a tree. Rolling over he continued firing at the enemy, who were now retreating. By this time the welcome sound of horses' feet told us that our friends were coming. Owing to the steepness of the hill and the rough nature of the ground, most of the Federals escaped. Four were killed and one taken prisoner. Most of their arms, and all of their horses, twenty-one in number were captured. Returning from the chase, I found my young friend lying where I had left him. Bending over to change his position, he put his arms around my neck, looking up in my face and said, 'I love you.' Words are inadequate to express my feelings at that moment. After these long years, the memory of the incident touches my heart with the deepest emotion. Knowing the end was near, yet he uttered no word of complaint, and scarcely a groan escaped his lips. He met the last enemy, death, like he had met the enemies of his country, bravely and fearlessly. Among the hills of North Arkansas, in the Crooked Creek Valley, the 'boy soldier' is sleeping his manhood away. But his memory will ever be dear to me. As an evidence of the close shooting of these mountain men, I will state that in addition to the wound received by my young friend, his horse was also shot, and a ball passed through a coat tied behind his saddle."
Son of James McFerrin Berry 1807-1871 & Isabella Jane Orr 1815-1860.
Previously served in Company K, 4th Arkansas Infantry Regiment, State Troops. Brother of James Henderson Berry, Governor of and U. S. Senator from Arkansas.
James Marion Bailey memoir: ". . .Billy Berry, under sixteen years of age. . . had been discharged from the service a short time before the beginning of the siege, but who voluntarily remained to take part in the defense of the place. Having his discharge papers, he was permitted by the Federals to go at will." [Jul 1863]
James Marion Bailey Memoir: [1864]
". . . to our left and a little in front, not over fifty yards away, we saw a company of dismounted men, twenty-one in number, waiting to receive us. There were only seven of us in the pursuing party, but every man reined his horse's head in the direction of the enemy and opened fire, which was promptly returned. Bullets from the rifles of these mountain men flew thick and close. My young friend Berry, who sat on his horse only a few feet away, called to me saying he was shot and asked me to take him from his horse. Dismounting, I took him in my arms and laid him down behind a tree. Rolling over he continued firing at the enemy, who were now retreating. By this time the welcome sound of horses' feet told us that our friends were coming. Owing to the steepness of the hill and the rough nature of the ground, most of the Federals escaped. Four were killed and one taken prisoner. Most of their arms, and all of their horses, twenty-one in number were captured. Returning from the chase, I found my young friend lying where I had left him. Bending over to change his position, he put his arms around my neck, looking up in my face and said, 'I love you.' Words are inadequate to express my feelings at that moment. After these long years, the memory of the incident touches my heart with the deepest emotion. Knowing the end was near, yet he uttered no word of complaint, and scarcely a groan escaped his lips. He met the last enemy, death, like he had met the enemies of his country, bravely and fearlessly. Among the hills of North Arkansas, in the Crooked Creek Valley, the 'boy soldier' is sleeping his manhood away. But his memory will ever be dear to me. As an evidence of the close shooting of these mountain men, I will state that in addition to the wound received by my young friend, his horse was also shot, and a ball passed through a coat tied behind his saddle."
Son of James McFerrin Berry 1807-1871 & Isabella Jane Orr 1815-1860.
Company E, 16th Arkansas Infantry Regiment. Enlisted 19 Oct 1861 at Carrollton--Discharged Mar 1863 due to minor age--Reenlisted and was captured at Port Hudson.
Previously served in Company K, 4th Arkansas Infantry Regiment, State Troops. Brother of James Henderson Berry, Governor of and U. S. Senator from Arkansas.
James Marion Bailey memoir: ". . .Billy Berry, under sixteen years of age. . . had been discharged from the service a short time before the beginning of the siege, but who voluntarily remained to take part in the defense of the place. Having his discharge papers, he was permitted by the Federals to go at will." [Jul 1863]
James Marion Bailey Memoir: [1864]
". . . to our left and a little in front, not over fifty yards away, we saw a company of dismounted men, twenty-one in number, waiting to receive us. There were only seven of us in the pursuing party, but every man reined his horse's head in the direction of the enemy and opened fire, which was promptly returned. Bullets from the rifles of these mountain men flew thick and close. My young friend Berry, who sat on his horse only a few feet away, called to me saying he was shot and asked me to take him from his horse. Dismounting, I took him in my arms and laid him down behind a tree. Rolling over he continued firing at the enemy, who were now retreating. By this time the welcome sound of horses' feet told us that our friends were coming. Owing to the steepness of the hill and the rough nature of the ground, most of the Federals escaped. Four were killed and one taken prisoner. Most of their arms, and all of their horses, twenty-one in number were captured. Returning from the chase, I found my young friend lying where I had left him. Bending over to change his position, he put his arms around my neck, looking up in my face and said, 'I love you.' Words are inadequate to express my feelings at that moment. After these long years, the memory of the incident touches my heart with the deepest emotion. Knowing the end was near, yet he uttered no word of complaint, and scarcely a groan escaped his lips. He met the last enemy, death, like he had met the enemies of his country, bravely and fearlessly. Among the hills of North Arkansas, in the Crooked Creek Valley, the 'boy soldier' is sleeping his manhood away. But his memory will ever be dear to me. As an evidence of the close shooting of these mountain men, I will state that in addition to the wound received by my young friend, his horse was also shot, and a ball passed through a coat tied behind his saddle."
Son of James McFerrin Berry 1807-1871 & Isabella Jane Orr 1815-1860.
Previously served in Company K, 4th Arkansas Infantry Regiment, State Troops. Brother of James Henderson Berry, Governor of and U. S. Senator from Arkansas.
James Marion Bailey memoir: ". . .Billy Berry, under sixteen years of age. . . had been discharged from the service a short time before the beginning of the siege, but who voluntarily remained to take part in the defense of the place. Having his discharge papers, he was permitted by the Federals to go at will." [Jul 1863]
James Marion Bailey Memoir: [1864]
". . . to our left and a little in front, not over fifty yards away, we saw a company of dismounted men, twenty-one in number, waiting to receive us. There were only seven of us in the pursuing party, but every man reined his horse's head in the direction of the enemy and opened fire, which was promptly returned. Bullets from the rifles of these mountain men flew thick and close. My young friend Berry, who sat on his horse only a few feet away, called to me saying he was shot and asked me to take him from his horse. Dismounting, I took him in my arms and laid him down behind a tree. Rolling over he continued firing at the enemy, who were now retreating. By this time the welcome sound of horses' feet told us that our friends were coming. Owing to the steepness of the hill and the rough nature of the ground, most of the Federals escaped. Four were killed and one taken prisoner. Most of their arms, and all of their horses, twenty-one in number were captured. Returning from the chase, I found my young friend lying where I had left him. Bending over to change his position, he put his arms around my neck, looking up in my face and said, 'I love you.' Words are inadequate to express my feelings at that moment. After these long years, the memory of the incident touches my heart with the deepest emotion. Knowing the end was near, yet he uttered no word of complaint, and scarcely a groan escaped his lips. He met the last enemy, death, like he had met the enemies of his country, bravely and fearlessly. Among the hills of North Arkansas, in the Crooked Creek Valley, the 'boy soldier' is sleeping his manhood away. But his memory will ever be dear to me. As an evidence of the close shooting of these mountain men, I will state that in addition to the wound received by my young friend, his horse was also shot, and a ball passed through a coat tied behind his saddle."
Son of James McFerrin Berry 1807-1871 & Isabella Jane Orr 1815-1860.
