Sgt Ivy Ritchie was born in 1839 in Montgomery County (now Stanly County) North Carolina. He enlisted as a private in the Stanly Marksmen, Co H, 14th North Carolina Regiment the first unit in Stanly County,on May 5, 1861. On May 23, 1861 the Stanly Marksmen marched out of Albemarle as young women stood on a second-floor hotel balcony, singing the state song.
He was captured at Sharpsburg. Md., Sept. 17, 1862. and held at Fort Delaware until he was exchanged at Aiken’s Landing, Va., Nov. 10, 1862.
He was wounded at Chancellorsville on May 10, 1863 and promoted to Corporal two days later.
Ivy was promoted to Sergeant July 1, 1864.
On April 9th, 1865, during the charge of Cox's Brigade Ivy was killed by cannon firing canister shot. The same shot wounded several others. Ivy was identified by his younger brother, Marvel, who was a member of the 28th NC. Ivy was the last soldier to die under General Lee's command. In 1923 Marvel wrote a letter claiming that nobody had ever disputed that fact.
Ivy's body was taken to Petersburg VA where he was buried in the Popular Grove National Cemetary, grave number 4824. The head stone reads: J Ritchie, Sgt, Co H 14th NY INF, Died april 9th 1865. Popular Grove Cemetary is supposed to be redone sometime between 20101 and 2013, when the headstone will be corrected.
I found this information when I was researching my family tree. It was interesting to me, at least!
