Ralph G. Adkins

  General Notes:

See general notes on his father, Anderson Adkins, for 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 census facts.

Ralph Adkins enlisted as a Private in Company E (The Pig River Grays), 57th Infantry Regiment Virginia on July 1, 1861. He was promoted to Full Corporal on May 7, 1862 and wounded on July 1, 1862 at Malvern Hill, VA (In leg). He was then noted as absent July 2, 1862 due to being wounded. He is again marked absent, sick on February 15, 1863. Ralph marched with the 57th into Pennsylvania and fought in the Battle of Gettysburg where he was captured and became a POW on July 3, 1863 at Gettysburg, PA during Pickett's Charge. He was confined on July 12, 1863 at Fort Delaware, DE and on October 27, 1863 moved to Point Lookout, MD. On February 18, 1865 he was exchanged and then made his way home.

The 57th Virginia Infantry was organized on September 25, 1861 when five companies were added to the five extant companies of Major Elisha Keen's battalion. Keen's command was never officially recognized by the Confederate Adjutant and Insepctor General's Office.
Colonel Lewis Addison Armistead was chosen as the first regimental commander and he served until he was promoted to brigadier general on April 1, 1862. Elisha Ford Keen briefly succeeded Armistead, but he resigned on July 31, 1862. Keen was followed by Colonel David Dyer who also resigned on January 12, 1863. Colonel John Bowie Magruder was next in command of the regiment and he served until he was mortally wounded at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on July 3, 1863. George W. Carr also served as commander of the 57th for a short period of time in 1863. Colonel Clement R. Fontaine was promoted to command the regiment in 1864 and served until the end of the war.
The regiment was composed of 10 companies, lettered from A to K (no J). The unit reorganized under the provisions of the Confederate conscription law on May 7, 1862. The companies comprising this regiment were:
Company A - Jeff Davis Guard - from Powhatan County, formerly Company F, 20th Virginia Infantry. This company enlisted on May 29, 1861.
Company B - The Franklin Sharpshooters - from Franklin County, enlisted on June 15, 1861.
Company C - The Franklin Fire Eaters - from Franklin County. This company was enlisted on June 21, 1861 as part of Keen's Battalion.
Company D - The Galveston Tigers - from Danville, Pittsylvania County, Virginia. This company enlisted on June 22, 1861.
Company E - The Pig River Grays - This company was formerly Company B, Keen's Battalion, and was enlisted on June 29, 1861.
Company F - The Henry and Pittsylvania Rifles - This unit was originally commanded by Captain Vincent O. Witcher, and enlisted on July 10, 1861.
Company G - Ladies' Guard, formerly Company E of Keen's Battalion, enlisted on July 13, 1861 from members of the 195th Virginia Militia (Franklin County).
Company H - The Rivanna Guards, enlisted on July 22, 1861 as Captain John B. Magruder's Company. This unit was from Fluvanna County.
Company I - The Pittsylvania Life Guards, formerly Company D, Keen's Battalion Virginia Infantry, enlisted on July 17, 1861 from members of the 42nd Virginia Militia (Pittsylvania County).
Company K - The Botetourt Guards, was organized on July 20, 1861 in Botetourt County, Virginia.
The 57th's first assignment was with the Army of the Kanawha in November 1861. In April 1862, the regiment was assigned to Armistead's Brigade, Anderson's Division, Army of Northern Virginia. After the Seven Days Battles (east of Richmond) Lee would react to the performances of his subordinates by a reorganization of his army. In July 1862, Anderson's Division was assigned to the 1st Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. In September 1862, Major General George Pickett assumed command of the division. The regiment served with Pickett until October 1863. At that time the 57th Virginia was transferred to Barton's Brigade in the Department of North Carolina. In February 1864 Barton's Brigade was reassigned to the Department of Richmond. In May, Barton's Brigade was attached to Robert Ransom's Division. In May 1864, Barton's Brigade was returned to Pickett's Division, 1st Corps Army of Northern Virginia and served there until the end of the war.


The 1900 Federal Census for Callands, Pittsylvania Co., VA, Dist 71, page 225B records Ralph Adkins (Dec 1836) with wife Hersy A. (Dec 1839) and son Boss E. (Aug 1879). Ralph and Hersy have been married 39 years with 4 children of which 3 are still living. Also in the household is Ralph's sister-in-law Susan A. Reynolds (Jan 1838). Next door are Ralph's sons and their families: John T. Adkins (Aug 1873) and his wife Ada (April 1879) with their children Hubbard [Herbert] L. [Lee] (June 1896) and John (March 1900); and William H. Adkins (Aug 1869) and his wife Mary M. (Jan 1875) with their children Mary (Sept 1892), Clifton (Aug 1894), Rhoda (Sept 1896), Rudie (May 1898), and Sallie (Dec 1899).

The 1910 Federal Census for Callands, Pittsylvania Co., VA, Dist 89, page 75B records Ralph Adkins (74) with new wife Missie L. (34) and their children Ruth M. (6) and Janie E. (4). This is a second marriage for both Ralph and Missie who have been married for 7 years with 2 children. Also in the household is a daughter of Missie's by a previous marriage, Mary E. Adkins (15). Next door is Ralph's son William and his family: William H. Adkins (41) with wife Mary M. (37) and children Mary B. (17), Henry C. (15), Rhodie L. (13), Rudy M. (11 - son), Gilbert (10 - son), Russell (8), Garnett (7), Virgie G. (3), and Pearl (1). Also in the household is Aunt Susan A. Reynolds (72-single) and cousin Henry G. Adkins (18). The other side of Ralph shows his brother, Henry G. Adkins (48) and his new wife, Lelia M. (42), and children.

By 1920 Ralph has passed away and the census record, while not recording Missie, does reveal Ralph's daughter by Missie, Ruth, living with his married daughter by Hersy, Mary: The 1920 Federal Census for Callands, Pittsylvania Co., VA, Dist 140, page 79A records Ruth Adkins (16 - sister) in the home of her married [step] sister Mary E. [Adkins] Oaks (25) and her husband Ford Oakes (27) and their children Mary Elsie (7), Herman R. (5), and Minnie E. (3/4). Nearby is Ralph's and Hersy's son, William, and his family.

  Research Notes:

Specific dates and names for births, marriage, deaths, etc. of this individual and spouse were presented to this researcher by Violet Nadine Adkins Richards in a letter in January 2007.

Ralph married Hersy Ann Reynolds, daughter of John Philpott Reynolds and Rhoda Smith, on 15 Jan 1861 in Pittsylavania Co., VA. (Hersy Ann Reynolds was born on 9 Dec 1839 in Pittsylvania Co, VA, died on 6 Apr 1901 in Pittsylvania Co, VA and was buried in Adkins-Oakes Cemetery, Pittsylvania Co., VA.)

  Marriage Notes:

http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/va/pittsylvania/vitals/marriages/60-69a.txt
ADKINS, Ralph Jr., (no information given)to Herry Ann Reynolds, (no information given). 15 January 1861. Married by William L. McDowell.

Ralph next married Missie (Minnie) Lee Mahan, daughter of Living and Living, on 29 Apr 1903 in Pittsylvania Co, VA. (Missie (Minnie) Lee Mahan was born on 16 Mar 1874 in Pittyslvania Co., Virginia and died on 28 Aug 1931 in Callands, Pittsylvania Co., VA.)