Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - Bushrod Bell

4^th ALABAMA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized:  April, 1861 Dalton, GA
Mustered In: 4/281861 Dalton, GA
Surrendered/Mustered Out:  4/9/1865 Appomattox Court House, VA

25^th ALABAMA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized: 12/1861 Mobile, AL
Mustered In: 1/8/1862 Mobile, AL
Surrendered/Mustered Out: 4/9/1865 Smithfield, /Greensboro, NC

REGIMENTAL HISTORY:  (4^th)

The 4^th was a Confederate infantry regiment during the American Civil War (ACW). Serving from 1861 to 1865 it was assigned, primarily, to the eastern war theater, but in 1863/’64 it also served in the west.

Immediately following being mustered into the service of the Confederate States of America (CSA), the 4^th proceeded to Virginia. There, it fought with distinction at Manassas/First Bull Run (7/18/1861).

In 1862 the 4^th saw action at Seven Pines/Fair Oaks Station, VA (5/31 – 6/1/1862) and Second Manassas/Second Bull Run, VA (8/28 – 30/1862). It then moved to Sharpsburg/Antietam, MD (9/17/1862).

July, 1863 found the 4^th at Gettysburg, PA. (7/1 – 7/3) and Boonsboro, MD (7/8) It then fought at Chickamauga, GA (9/18 – 20/1863).

May, 1864. Back in Virginia, the 4^th saw action at The Wilderness (5/5 – 5/7) and Spotsylvania (5/8 - 21). Mid-year and onward it fought in the battles around Richmond and Petersburg.

When, on 4/9/1865 Confed. Gen. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia the 4^th numbered but two hundred and two men.

REGIMENTAL LOSSES:
Loss Numbers Not Available

REGIMENTAL HISTORY: (25^th)

The 25^th was a three year Confederate infantry regiment. It spent its period of service in the western theater of the American Civil War (ACW).

First combat for the 25^th was Shiloh/Pittsburg Landing, TN (4/6 & 7/1862). Other early actions in Tennessee included Farmington (5/9/1862) and Bridge Creek (5/28 & 29/1862. It then moved into Kentucky, but did not take part in any serious clashes with the enemy in that state.

At Murfreesboro, TN (12/31/1862 – 1/3/1863), the regiment suffered severe losses of both officers and men. The unit was at Chickamauga, GA (9/19 – 20^/1863) and at Missionary Ridge Chattanooga, TN (11/23 – 25/1863).

During 1864 the 25^th fought in the Georgia Campaign protecting Atlanta. It was particularly praised   for its brilliant record at New Hope Church (5/25 – 26).

In Confed. Gen. Hood’s first sortie from Atlanta (7/22/1864) and the second to Ezra Chapel (7/28/1864) the regiment lost half of its force. It was then engaged in the Tennessee battles of Columbia (11/29/1864), Franklin (11/30/1864) and Nashville (12/15 – 16/1864).

1865. In North Carolina the 25^th fought at Kinston, (3/14) and Bentonville (3/19 &21). About 4/9 as four years of bloody civil war ground to a close it was consolidated  with three other Alabama units before surrendering and disbanding.

REGIMENTAL LOSSES:
Loss Numbers Not Available

SOLDIER:  (4^th)
Residence:  Inf. Not Avail.   Age: 19 yrs. Est.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 4/26/1861   Rank: Pvt.
Mustered In: Inf. Not Avail.
Mustered Out: 2/25/1862
Highest Rank: Cprl. (est.)
Rank At Discharge: Cprl. (est.)

SOLDIER: (25^th)
Residence: Inf. Not Avail.   Age: 20 yrs. Est.
Enlisted/Enrolled:  Promotion 2/25/1862 (est.)   Rank: 2^nd Lieut..
Mustered In:  Inf. 2/25/1862
Mustered Out: 7/20/1865
Highest Rank: Captain
Rank At Parole: Captain

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:

NOTE: The birth - to - death biographical profile of Bushrod Bell was created in August, 2022 near the end of the Covid-19 medical pandemic. It contains less depth of detail than many other biographies within this website because military service, pension and other veteran-related files housed in Washington, D.C.'sNational Archives were not available. At a later time those documents may be obtained and the data contained therein added to the narrative which follows.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
As best as can be determined, Bushrod Watson Bell was born 10/8/1841. One source, however, indicates the year was not 1841, but 1842. His place of birth was Talladega Springs Talladega County, AL.

It would later be noted that Bushrod Watson’s father, at one time, owned the entire Talladega Springs town site. Further, on 9/11/1828 he was appointed Sheriff of the region.

Bushrod Watson Bell’s parents were Major** Bushrod Washington Bell (b. 1796 VA – d. 8/26/1845 Talladega County, AL) and Eliza Lavinia (nee. McMeans b. 8/16/1816 Hamilton County, TN – d. 12/1/1902 Montgomery, Montgomery County, AL) Bell.  Eliza was The Major’s second wife. 

It appears that our Bushrod had two siblings. They were: James Sidney Bell (b. unk.) and Sally Bell (b. 1847).

In 1861 Bushrod Watson Bell went to war. His original unit was the 4^th Alabama Infantry as private on 4/26/1861. Bell left that Unit on 2/28/1862 as a Corporal. He transferred to 25^th AL Infantry on 2/28/1862 as a promotion to 2^nd Lieut. He was again promoted to Captain and served out his service until 7/20/1865.

Other noteworthy incidents while in the 25^th included his being absent sick in September, 1864 and, on another undetermined date in 1865, being captured by Federal forces. As a result of the capture, on 5/20/1865, in Montgomery, AL Captain Bushrod W. Bell signed an oath of the United States of America.

At the time of his allegiance oath we gain a glimpse of Captain Bushrod the physical man. He was 5’ 10” in height, had light hair, hazel eyes and a light complexion. Where did you get the description I have 5 10.

As Bushrod transitions from army life back to that of a civilian we drop back a bit to note that on 11/2/1864, in Montgomery, Montgomery County, AL he wed.

Bushrod’s bride was May Bellinger. All we know about May is that she had been born in 1844.

During their years together Bushrod and May produced at least five children. They were: Lillie Lee Bell (b. 11/19/1865 Montgomery, Montgomery County, AL), Sallie Ann Bell (b. 11/5/1869 Montgomery, Montgomery County, AL), Bushrod Washington Bell (b. 4/5/1872 AL), Carnot “Caroll” Bellinger Bell (b. 1/1878 AL) and William Bellinger Bell (b. 9/26/1883 Montgomery, Montgomery County, AL).

Tragically, May died in 1/1891. She was/is buried in Montgomery’s Oakwood Cemetery.

As noted by the birth state of the Bell children and where May died and was/is buried, after The War Bushrod and May settled in Montgomery, Montgomery County, AL. There, in the U.S. Census of 1880, Bushrod noted his occupation as Commission Merchant.

 Bushrod did not stay single for long. On 2/29/1892 in Harris, Texas he remarried.

The second Mrs. Bushrod Bell was the previously wed Katherine Ferguson. “Kate” had been born on 10/26/1850 on board a ship at sea. Where that vessel had come from and where was bound at the time of her birth are unknowns. Other unknowns are how, when and where she and Bushrod had met. While together Bushrod and Kate produced no children.

The fact that Bushrod and Kate were married in Texas would seem to point to him moving there sometime after May’s death. Why he moved there and when he arrived in Texas remain unknowns.  However, the U.S. Census for 1900 noted he and Kate residing in San Antonio Bexar County, TX.  At that time Bushrod noted he was employed by the U.S. Secret Service.

How and when Bushrod became connected with the secret service are other unknowns, but the following is, in part, drawn from his Seattle Post-Intelligencer obituary dated Monday, 11/16/1908.:

CAPT. B. W. BELL, NOTED DETECTIVE, CALLED BY DEATH

Former U.S. Secret Service Officers Passes Away Suddenly

“Capt. Bell, during the years that he was an officer of the secret service, gained the reputation among his associates of being a fearless man, and for unusual bravery and success in bringing to justice a number of important federal criminals.

Two years ago, he was promoted. It was only a few a few weeks after he received notice of his promotion that he determined to sever his connection with the service and engage in business.  He was elected to the presidency of the Puget Sound Wood Products Company, but three months ago he (re)entered secret service work and founded the Bell – Church Secret Service Agency, with offices in the People’s Savings Bank building.”

The obituary notes that Bushrod became a resident of Seattle – perhaps transferred to the Puget Sound region of the Pacific Northwest by the Secret Service - some ten years prior to his death. Noting, however, that he was in San Antonio, TX in 1900 he was in the Northwest somewhat less than ten years.

Bushrod Watson Bell died in he and Kate’s Seattle apartment home on 11/15/1908, Again, quoting from his Seattle P-I obituary:

Captain Bell “died suddenly…at the Manatawn, 403 Terry Avenue, at 9 o’clock last night, while chatting with his wife. Death was due to hemorrhage of the brain. He was 66 (67.2) years of age” His cremated remains were interred in the Columbarium located in Seattle’s   Mt. Pleasant  cemetery located on that city’s Queen Anne Hill.

And Kate? After Bushrod’s death it appears she moved to Dallas, TX to live with a married daughter – from her first marriage – and family. She died there on 6/30/1940. Burial was/is buried in Dallas’ Forest Lawn Cemetery.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

* American Civil War Research Database notes name in this unit as being BUSH W. BELL

** The elder Bushrod Bell reportedly gained his military commission on 8/29/1840. No other details available.

Posted: 9/18/2023
Updated: 

Buried at Queen Anne Columbarian AKA Wright Crematory