It is obvious what comes next. The Civil War tore apart the country in the 1860s, devastating the South, of course. H. J. Agee (Hercules Joseph Agee) of Winston County, Mississippi served the Confederacy as a private in Co. G of the 5th Mississippi Infantry. I don't have his exact dates of service, but this is what I found about these troops:
The 5th Infantry Regiment, organized in the spring of 1861, contained men from Pike, Amite, Lauderdale, Winston, Noxubee, and Kemper counties. After serving in Florida it took an active part in the fight at Shiloh under General Chalmers. Later it was assigned to J.K. Jackson's, Gist's, and Lowry's Brigade, Army of Tennessee. The 5th was involved in the campaigns of the army from Murfreesboro to Atlanta , endured Hood's winter campaign in Tennessee, and fought in North Carolina. It lost forty-seven percent of the 170 engaged at Murfreesboro and thirty-three percent of the 225 at Chickamauga . In December, 1863, the unit totalled 395 men and 283 arms. At the Battle of Atlanta there were 11 killed, 44 wounded, and 11 missing. Only a remnant surrendered on April 26, 1865.
What we do know is that Hercules survived! I cannot even imagine the hardships endured by these soldiers, as well as by those family members left at home to fend for themselves. A sort of "Gone with the Wind" saga, I suppose.
A few short years after the war, there were interesting developments. The family had moved once again, but not far this time. They were in Smith County, Mississippi, Post Office: Sylvarena. Hercules was then 48 years old and I imagine he had aged considerably during the preceding 10 years. He was certainly reduced in circumstances in 1870, sharing the fate of Southerners in general. The Agee real estate was worth $2425. and the personal estate was but $1777, still not poor, in comparison to others in that time, but it was a fraction of their former worth.
Living in the home in 1870 with Hercules and Elizabeth, was; son Junius, a 21 year old farm laborer (no more slaves to do the work!); teenaged daughter, formerly reported as "Oreander," now written "Orraannah;" Elizabeth, formerly reported as named Sarah, later known as "Lizzie;" and a son of 7 years of age, William, probably born just before Hercules went off to war, or while he was away. Conspicuously absent are Cornelia, and little sister Mary. Mary would be about 17 years old and could have been married, or she may have been living elsewhere, such as with relatives or away at school somewhere. I lose track of Mary here, not finding marriage records or death records, so it's hard to know.
There are some wonderful surviving letters about what had been happening with Cornelia during this time. These letters were submitted to the Gowen Research Foundation's electronic newsletter. There are a couple of items that require comment, such as a death date mentioned for Cornelia. I will address these after the article.
Wayne Gowin, CSA Veteran
Persistent, Successful Suitor
By Col. Michael O. Beck
On June 13, 1865, Wayne Gowin took the Oath of Allegiance to the United States, while a prisoner of Federal soldiers at Point Lookout, Maryland. He had been a prisoner of war less than two months then, having been captured along with 250 other men of his unit, the Sixteenth Mississippi Volunteer Infantry Regiment at Battery Gregg in the gallant defense of Petersburg, Virginia. There he had fought his last battle of the war to buy Robert E. Lee and his shadow of an army, 28,000 men, precious time in their final withdrawal toward a meeting with destiny at Appomatox Courthouse April 9, 1865. His military service was distinguished by many of the greatest battles of that tragic civil war--Bull Run, Antietam, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, to name a few. His record shows he served his cause continuously over four years, except for one brief furlough. The fact that he survived continuous battle for that long is remarkable. On June 23 he was released from prison for "Transportation to Jackson, Mississippi."Wayne's first priority after the war was to resume a relationship with Cornelia Agee, 24 years old and new to the community when he joined the Confederate army.
In the first of 10 love letters of Wayne and Cornelia that survive, he wrote from his home in Smith County in October 1866:
I respectfully ask for an interview next Saturday morning. In justice to you and alsow [sic] to my self wee [sic] should come to a tacit understanding owing to the impresion [sic] that is prevalent in the county that we will marry. I hope you will grant the desired interview when I hope to know my fate.Seven months later, May 19, 1867, Wayne wrote again to his sweetheart, a student at Sylvarena Female Institute in Sylvarena, Mississippi reiterating an earlier marriage proposal:
Miss Cornie,
After compliments the undersigned would respectfully ask the pleasure of an interview for next Saturday, the 26th at 5 pm.
Miss Cornie, I hope you have given my interrogatories sufficient thought to give me an answer or at least to give me some data from which I may form some idea of your intentions. This I assure you is no matter of secondary importance but one that has caused great anxiety. Indeed my future happiness depends on it to a greater or less extent. And I hope you will weigh the matter well in all of its lights and shades, and if I should be the happy recipient of your love, I will excert [sic] my humble ability to make you happy in the position.
Yours as ever,
Wayne GowinCornelia graduated from the Institute and delivered the valedictorian address there in July of 1867. In December 1867, Wayne wrote from Shubuta, Mississippi:
My Dear Miss Cornie,
I write you a few lines this morning to inform you that I have reached home in good health and with whole bones. Times were very dull here during Christmas. Nothing but egg nogs and turkey dinners though we are anticipating quite a nice time here New Years night. The Shubuta Cowbellions are all gowing [sic] to turne [sic] out in mask or disquise [sic] and march all over town with a band of music and transparent lights. At twelve o'clock they will throw off their masks and welcome New Year in and have a nice supper to which every body is invited. After supper is over they will spend the night in dancing or any other way they see right and proper. I wish you could be here to witness it.
May Heaven's blessing attend you. Come, come, soon.
Your devoted WayneWayne was still courting Cornelia in March of 1868, but the relationship was upon rocky shoals at his writing on the 19th:
Dear friend,
Your letter notifying me of your change of mind was received on the return of Mr. and Mrs. Welch [sister of Cornelia] from Smith. In reply I will say your will bee don [sic]. I have lived for a different state of things but it has bin [sic] to no purpose. In the future we will meet only as friends. I think I understand the whole. In conclusion, I will say if you love mee [sic] you will marry and risk the consequence. May the lamp of heaven guide you through this life and finally bring you safely to the Haven of Eternal Rest is the prare [sic] of a friend.
WayneThe relationship was patched up by the start of the New Year for they were married shortly afterward. Their first child, Charlie V. Gowin was born December 11, 1869 in Shubuta. A second son was born to them July 25, 1872, according to the family bible.
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