Samuel J. Cramer, substitute soldier for James M. Lankford

I recently spent time scanning unindexed records in the Greene County, Georgia Deed Books section of the Family Search website when I came across a record showing the name of the substitute furnished by my 3rd great-grandfather, James Meriweather Lankford, during the Civil War. I always knew he served as a private in Company C of the Third Regiment Georgia Infantry, also known as the Dawson Grays.

I also knew James mustered out early after furnishing a substitute thanks to a witness form submitted by Joseph O. Boswell and Edward S. Powell when Caroline B. Hobbs Lankford filed a widow’s pension application. 

Excerpts from the Questions for Witnesses filled out by J. Boswell and E. Powell (click to enlarge)

Now, thanks to this record, I know the name of the substitute—Samuel Joseph Cramer.

Lankford to Creamer [sic]

State of Virginia, County of Norfolk. This agreement made and entered into this twenty-first day of August Eighteen hundred and sixty-one, between James M. Lankford of the County of Greene and State of Georgia of the one part and Samuel J. Creamer of the said County and State of the other part. Witnesseth, that for and in consideration of the fact that the said Samuel J. Creamer having this day voluntarily consented to become the substitute for the said Jas. M. as a member of Company C, 3rd Regiment Geo. Volunteers now stationed at Camp Gwynn, Portsmouth. The said James M. Lankford doth by these presents relinquish all interest he now has or may hereafter have in the Government of the Confederate States of America, whether in money, lands or any bounty or annuity of whatever kind or description to S. J. Creamer.

How if the said Samuel J. Creamer shall will and truly perform all the duties of a volunteer soldier in Company C, 3rd Regiment Geo. Vols. as substitute for James M. Lankford who has been regularly mustered into the service of the Confederate States, and the said James M. Lankford is hereby released, and thereby permitted to return home to his family in Georgia, which will fully appear by the Military Records of the Confederate Government, then this obligatory agreement to be of full force and effect, otherwise to be null and void.

Given under my hand and seal at Camp Gwynn, Portsmouth, Va., Aug. 20th, 1861.

James M. Lankford

Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of

James R. Sanders, 1st Lieut.

Dennis N. Sanders, 3rd Sergt.

Robert L. McWhorter, Capt. Co. C, 3rd Regt. Geo. Vols.

Recorded this 7th day of February 1862.

Isaac R. Hall, Clerk

(click to enlarge)

Now you might think James went back home to Penfield, Greene County, Georgia to his many business ventures after mustering out of the Dawson Grays, but that was not the case. Instead, he mustered into Company C of the Ninth Regiment Georgia State Guards where he stayed the remainder of the war.

I did wonder why James left the Dawson Grays though. The company was formed in Penfield so one would assume it contained many of his friends. Perhaps a clue can be found in the remarks section of an 1863 State Troops muster roll. As you can see in the image below, two lines that read “Detailed to bring horses of Regt from” were crossed out but followed by “Atlanta to Rome and to Savannah 20 days.” If you look closely, you also see a faint “*” to the right of the second line and then at the bottom in very faint print “*as on roll.” Unfortunately, I do not have a copy of the roll to know what that means.

James was a horse man. We know that from the many news articles and advertisements found in the historical newspapers. We also know he was a horse doctor and wrote a book about horses. Perhaps he found it made more sense to work with horses vs. fighting on the battlefield during the war. That would be on my list of questions if I could talk to James.

Now, how did Samuel fare during the war? Samuel suffered a gunshot wound and was captured at Gettysburg on July 2, 1863. He spent the next year in captivity and hospitals until his retirement to the Invalid Corps on July 26, 1864. He died an invalid in Texas in 1925 at the age of 80.

War Department letter detailing Samuel's service record (click to enlarge)

References

• Caroline B. Lankford, Widows Indigent Pension Application.
• James M. Lankford, Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Georgia.
• Lankford to Creamer, Greene, Deed Books 1852–1857, 1857–1862; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK2-DSXH-9?view=explore&groupId=TH-909-71712-66070-8 (free account required to view). 
• Samuel J. Cramer, Alabama, Texas and Virginia, U.S., Confederate Pensions, 1884–1958.
• Samuel Joseph Cramer, Alabama, Texas and Virginia, U.S., Confederate Pensions, 1884–1958.