On May 4, 1861, male students attending the University of Mississippi ("Ole Miss"), as well as many of the professors, joined in the defense of Southern independence.
Known as the "University Greys" because of the gray color of the men's uniforms and from the fact that almost all of the Greys were students at the University of Mississippi, these 135 young men enlisted as Company A of the 11th Mississippi Volunteer Infantry Regiment CSA. This was nearly all of the student body. In fact, only four students showed up for class the following fall, so the University closed for a time.
The 11th Infantry Regiment was organized at Corinth, Mississippi, in May, 1861, and mustered into Confederate service at Lynchburg, Virginia. Its companies were recruited in the counties of Neshoba, Yazoo, Monroe, Coahome, Noxubee, Chickasaw, Lowndes, Lamar, Carroll, and Lafayette.
The University Greys fought with the 11th Mississippi in the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in nearly every engagement of the Civil War, and participated in Pickett’s Charge on Cemetery Ridge at the Battle of Gettysburg, where they sustained a 100% casualty rate, in that everyone was either killed or wounded -- the Greys penetrated further into the Union position than any other unit. Following Gettysburg, what was left of the University Grays merged with Company G, the Lamar Rifles, and fought with them until the end of the war.
Private James Robert Montgomery was the son of Allen Verner and Ellen Montgomery, all of them residents of Mississippi. He was a 22 year old Law Student who enlisted along with his classmates for 12 months service on Friday, April 12, 1861 at Oxford, Mississippi. Along with his other classmates, he was later mustered into Company A, 11th Mississippi Volunteer Infantry Regiment as a private under Captain William B. Lowry on Monday, May 13, 1861 at Lynchburg, Virginia.
Montgomery later served in the C.S.A. Signal Corps, Heth's Division, 3rd Corps, Army of Northern Virginia, C.S.A in March & April 1862. Later he was detailed in J.R. Stuart's Signal Corps in June & July of 1862.
He became a prisoner of war in March of 1863 and was confined for a short time in Old Capitol Prison, Washington City (later Washington D.C.) then paroled and exchanged by the end of the month at City Point, Virginia. Montgomery then transferred back into Signal Corps in March of 1863.
Montgomery would be shot in the shoulder and mortally wounded near Talley's Mill in the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House in May 8-21, 1864. This is a transcription of his last letter to his family. That is his blood stains on the letter pictured.
Spottsylvania County, Va.
May 10th 1864
This is my last letter to you. I went in to battle this evening as Courier for General Heth. I have been struck by a piece of shell and my right shoulder is horribly mangled & I know death is inevitable. I am very weak but I write to you because I know you would be delighted to read a word from your dying son. I know death is near, that I will die far from home and friends of my early youth but I have friends here too who are kind to me. My friend Fairfax will write you at my request and give you the particulars of my death. My grave will be marked so that you may visit it if you desire to do so, but is optionary with you whether you let my remains rest here or in Miss. I would like to rest in the grave yard with my dear mother and brothers but it’s a matter of minor importance. Let us all try to reunite in heaven. I pray my God to forgive my sins & feel that his promises are true that he will forgive and save me. Give my love to all my friends my strength fails me. My horse & my equipments will be left for you. Again a long farewell to you. May be meet in heaven.
Your Dying son,
J. R. Montgomery
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He was buried in an unmarked grave at the Spotsylvania Confederate Cemetery in Spotsylvania County,
Virginia,
USA.
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