Willis Berry Cobb

Narrative:

     Willis Berry Cobb was born in 1836 in Eddyville, Kentucky.^4,5
     He was probably the male under age 5 listed in the household of his mother, Louisa Berry Long, in the 1840 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., Kentucky.⁷
     Willis has not been found in the 1850 or 1860 censuses, unless he was the "John C. Cobb," age 13, listed with his brother Gideon in his father's household in 1850. The listing appears as if "John" was Caleb's son, but why he might be listed by that name is a mystery.⁸

Civil War Service --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Willis enlisted as a private in Co. D, 3rd. Regiment Kentucky Infantry on 5 Aug 1861, at Camp Boone, Tennessee. The Regiment took an active part in the Battle of Shiloh where it reported 174 casualties. It lost 26 men at Baton Rouge, then participated in various conflicts around Vicksburg and Jackson. After Willis left the unit it was mounted and was then known as 3rd. Regiment Kentucky Mounted Infantry.^9,10
     Willis was charged with "conduct subversive of order and military discipline and contrary to army regulations" on 3 Jan 1862 while it Camp No. 4 near Bowling Green, Kentucky. The charge was that he had gotten drunk the prior Christmas morning and "engaged in sundry fights and was very riotous and boisterous in manner," and the same day had stuck another private with a hatchet with malicious intent. At a regimental court the following day he plead not guilty, but after the testimony of several witnesses, and making no defense, he was convicted of both charges. He was sentenced to be marched without arms from right to left and left to right in front of the regiment, guarded by a noncommissioned officer and a file of men at a charge bayonet.¹¹
     He was on sick leave from 12 Nov until 20 Dec 1862. It being "impractical to take rations in kind" he was paid 75 cents per day, a total of $27, as compensation. Near the end of 1863 he was charged $40 for the loss of 40 rounds and a carbine.¹²
     On 1 Feb 1864 Stephen R. Mallory, Secretary of the Navy, wrote to James A. Seddon, Secretary of War, stating that Willis had been appointed assistant paymaster in the Navy, and requesting his discharge from the Army. He said that Willis was then in Richmond, Virginia, on furlough and his services were required at once. The transfer was completed 5 Feb 1864.^13,14 His appointment to the rank of assistant paymaster was confirmed by the Confederate Senate on 2 Jun 1864.¹⁵
     Willis served on the C. S. S. Torpedo, an iron screw steamer, tug/tender, in the James River Squadron in 1864. On 16 Jul 1864 he wrote a letter to the first auditor explaining he had paid the mother of a deceased sailor from the Torpedo under orders from Commander Hunter Davidson, then learned he should have waited for an administrator to be sworn.^16,17
     Service records for Confederate Navy personnel have not survived, so we had few details about Willis's service in the Navy. It is clear that his role was a significant one. For example, the statement of his accounts for the second quarter of 1864 shows he received drafts from the Treasurer totaling $15,000 for "Pay for the Navy," of which he disbursed $8,600 including payrolls, clothing and small stores. He received a like amount for "Submarine Batteries" and processed vouchers exceeding that amount.¹⁸
     Willis was captured 3 Apr 1865 at Richmond, and paroled at Richmond 19 May 1865.^16,19

Moving to Texas? --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     According to family lore he moved to El Paso, Texas, and became a school teacher. Supposedly he ran for an office there and was insulted by his opponent. He then struck his opponent in the face, who in turn shot and killed him.³
     El Paso was a frontier town at the time, and no contemporary sources have been found to verify the story. A search of El Paso Co. tax lists from 1867 through 1881 failed to find him listed, nor does he appear in indexes of tax lists elsewhere in Texas, but neither has any further record of him been found in Kentucky or elsewhere.
     According to this same family records his death happened in 1870.
     There is a W. N. Cobb listed on the 1870 Federal Census of Dycusburg, Crittenden Co., Kentucky, in the household of his mother, who, except for the wrong middle initial, appears to be him. If it was him, at least the death date mentioned in the family lore would appear to be incorrect.²⁰
     Willis died about 1870 in El Paso, Texas, according to family lore.⁶