R.W. joined the CSA Army as a Junior Reserve at age 15. He was ranked as a Private when he left the Army. He never lived at home with his mother and sister after he elisted.

His unit was taken prisoner after the Battle of Petersburg VA in April 1865 just days before the Surrender at Appomattox.

They were marched to Point Lookout, Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay where they remained as POW's until the war ended. Conditions were terrible at Camp Lookout and over 4,000 CSA soldiers died while held captive there. Point Lookout is now a Maryland State Park.

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Researchers: Note that year of death on CSA marker at his grave shows 1902 but correct year of death was 1903 as shown on his original marker. The original marker may have been removed when the CSA marker was installed. This was either a clerical error from the manufacturer that went uncorrected or the granddaughter who ordered the CSA marked for him may have given the date of death incorrectly.

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His first wife was Annis Bathenia Hernden Baker, widow of Noah Baker (1843 - 1867) whom is said to have served in CSA Army along with Robert Wainwright Connelly. Robert and Bathenia married in Alexander County NC on 27 Dec 1868. She died in1869. Her two children with Baker were Sarah Caroline and Noah Franklin Baker who lived with Robert and Bathenia. After Bathenia's death, her parents took the children and finished raising them. The children are shown living in their Hernden grandparents' home in the 1870 Federal Census. When Robert remarried, he named his oldest daughter Caroline in honor of his stepdaughter Sarah Caroline Baker.

His second wife was Mary "Polly" McRee, daughter of David & Lavina Deal McRee, and they married in Alexander County NC on 28 Sept 1871 or 1872. There are conflicting records on their year of marriage. Their marriage record in Alexander County shows 1872 but Polly wrote 1871 in the family Bible. Their oldest child, Lavina Caroline, is shown in the same family Bible as being born 28 Nov 1872 and that date was written in her mother's hand. Some later records on Lavina Carolina show a year of birth as early as 1870. Lavina Carolina married at age 14 and may have used an earlier year of birth in order to marry at that early age.

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On 28 Feb 1893, D.S. Davidson, Administrator of the estate of Robert W. Connelly's older sister, Harriet Ann Kerley, in Alexander County NC filed a Summons for Relief from a Judge to be relieved of his duties as Administrator. The summons was filed against Robert W. Connelly and Amanda Hubbard who is believed to be the daughter of Harriet Ann Kerley.

Sources:
Federal Census records for 1850, 1860, 1870
North Carolina, Marriage Records, 1741-2011
North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998
U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006
Family Bible of Robert Wainwright Connelly and wife, Mary McRee Connelly