But by March 1865 Matthew found himself in fierce fighting during the siege of Petersburg, VA. During the predawn hours of March 25, 1865 Confederate forces under General John B. Gordon attacked the Union lines around Fort Stedman. The attack was a failure and Matthew received severe wounds. He was wounded in his left arm & thigh which required amputation of his left arm below his elbow.
The rest of his life Matthew lived at his farm in Deepstep in Washington County Georgia where he died on November 2, 1920. He is currently buried at the Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery in Washington County, GA.
One thing that the events of this summer with the killings in Charleston as well the fight over the Confederate Battle flag have taught us is that history matters. I've always believed that it's dangerous to both glamorize and demonize the past and historical figures. Did Matthew Oliver Leverett own slaves? I honestly don't know. I'm sure with extra research I could find out. I used to think that the Leverett's didn't own slaves because I'd never met any black Leverett's but that notion was quashed after meeting black Leverett cousins. If Matthew did have slaves then it was a smaller number judging by his farm. But even if he didn't I'm sure I have ancestors that did. That's the problem with history, it's a little messy and not always pretty but it's part of who we are.
Matthew Oliver Leverett (notice the left arm amputated)
Emery Leverett with his father Matthew Oliver Leverett
Fort Stedman, VA site of bloody fighting near the last days of the Civil War
Leverett Rd in Deepstep. Now this is the location of a large kaolin mine.
Friendship Baptist Church in Washington County, GA
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI ran across this. My father was Bryant Oliver Leveritt, his father was Wylie Oliver Leveritt, and his father was Mathew Oliver Leveritt. I had heard the spelling changed due to an error on Mathew's military papers. As a child, I heard the stories of Mathew getting shot in the Battle of Cowpen Creek, then losing his arm. I also ran across the same information in a set of volumes entitled "Soldiers of the Confederacy", I believe, in the school library where I attended in Jones County. Wylie, Buena, and two of their sons, Helton (Bud) and Harris (William) are buried at Friendship. Their other son, my father Bryant, is buried in Statesboro. It has been a long time since I saw or heard from any of the people in that area. What part of Georgia are you in now?
Hey, My grandfather was Hubert Ray Leverett and his father was Emory Leverett, Matthew's son. I believe Emory is buried at Friendship.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of a Civil War battle called the Battle of Cowpens Creek. There is the Battle of Cowpens but it was a Revolutionary War battle in upstate SC. The official record has him losing his arm at Fort Stedman near the end of the War.
we do have a Leverett/Leverette/Leveritt Facebook page if you're interested in making connections.
I was born and raised in Macon although my father was born in Sandersville. But I live in Louisiana right now.