James Moore (b. circa 1828 - d. 1865)
MSA SC 3520-3199
USCT Soldier, Talbot County, Maryland

Biography:

    James Moore was born a slave around 1828 (36 years old at time of enlistment) in St. Michael's, Talbot County, Maryland.¹ James Moore was owned by James Harrison, a property owner near Royal Oak located in St. Michael's.² As a slave, James Moore married Susan Ann Webb who was owned by a different slaveowner.³ Susan Ann Webb mentioned in a pension affidavit that James Moore was owned by James Harrison and she was owned by Major John Dawson.⁴ James Moore and Susan Ann Webb were married on May 8, 1852 at St. Michael's, Maryland by Reverend James Massey.⁵ The couple had six children together prior to James Moore entered the service between 1854 and 1864.⁶

    His wife stated that he was in good health at the time of his enlistment on March 31, 1864.⁷ He enlisted at Queen Anne's County, Maryland as a private in Company K of the 39th regiment.⁸ The 39th regiment began accepting enlistments from March 22 to 31, 1864 and included all colored Marylanders.⁹ The regiment faced battles including at Petersburg, Wilderness, Federal point, Bermuda Hundred, Hatcher's Run, and Fort Fisher.¹⁰ From the surrender of the Confederate Army in April 1865 until December 1865, the regiment performed garrison duty in the Southern States.¹¹ However, James Moore was taken to a "Post Hospital, New Bern, N.C. Aug. 17, 1865, from Ambulance Train for treatment for Remittent Fever, and died Aug. 20, 65."¹² His muster out record shows that at 40 years old he died "from disease" on August 20, 1865.¹³ James Moore was buried in row 5 of the "colored lot"under gravestone number twenty on August 21, 1865.¹⁴

    After his death, his wife who was living near Royal Oak, Talbot County eventually decided to move to Baltimore. His wife and six children moved to Baltimore at 34 Wayne Street.¹⁵ All of their children were under the age of sixteen making them eligible for a pension increase.¹⁶ She was able to secure $8.00 per month pension starting on August 20, 1865 and an additional $2.00 per month for each of the children starting on July 25, 1866.¹⁷ Susan Ann Moore described her husband as a man of "integrity and truth" and a "member of the church."¹⁸ She also stated that he was "greatly respected by the white people of the entire neighborhood."¹⁹ Moore had endured slavery, but took full advantage of having the opportunity to fight for his freedom. It was an unfortunate circumstance that led to his death while on garrison duty in North Carolina. 

For a visual representation of James Moore's journey from slavery to freedom, please click here. Users must have access to Google Earth in order to utilize this file, which includes landmarks(pins) in Moore's life from around 1826 to 1865. You may take the tour and investigate individual sites under the "Places" tab on the left of the screen, or you may navigate using the slider and cursor on the map itself.

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