Samuel
Thomas "Hardluck" Reams
1815-1905
It
was once said "If weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at tall."
. My name is Samuel Thomas Reams and I was born in the summer of Year of our
Lord 1815, in
Dinwiddie County
,
Virginia
. My parents, Jessie and Sara Reams were simple farmers and good Christian
people. In 1789 my father moved the family from outside of
Charleston
,
South Carolina
, where he had met my mother in 1789. Pa was a merchant there. Pa wasn’t much
for working in a mercantile store and so purchased a 40 acres farm just south of
Dinwiddie Court
house in
Virginia
. Pa believed in hard work and strict Christian upbringing. I have three younger
brothers and one older sister.
From
the beginning Pa had his hand full with me. I didn’t cotton much to being a
farmer. I had read stories of the adventures of Daniel Boone and Davey Crockett.
I was always off exploring some part of the farm or woods there about. I dreamed
about being a mountain men and what it was like to be with Lewis and
Clark
and the land they explored. A big and wondrous land they say. Abounding with
much beauty and open space.
Well
when I turned 17 I left home. I packed up my person belongings, what little I
had, and headed to
Illinois
. There I farmed and did little odd jobs to make money to head to St. Louis in
order to join up with the mountain men heading West. Well it so happened in
1832, the leader of the Saulk and Fox Indians a feller named Black Hawk, decided
he didn’t cotton to settlers in Illinois. I join the
Illinois
militia in the summer of ‘32 as the pay was good. I lied about my age to the
recruiter to get in. After the Black Hawk war, I moved to
St. Louis
,
Missouri
. It was here, in 1833 at the age of 18, that I joined the 1st
dragoons, at Jefferson Barracks,
Missouri
. I was finally going to see this great country I had heard and read so much
about.
And
see it, I did. When my outfit wasn’t exploring, mapping, or patrolling mail
routes, we were fighting the Indians. We got into a whole lot of trouble up in
the
Washington
Territory
against the Spokane Tribe. But that’s another story.
Then
came the Mexican War, there’s a lot of stories, but I will keep them for
another time. In the fall of 1859, I received word I need to come home. Pa had
taken ill and ma needed my help with my younger brothers. So I headed back to
Dinwiddie
County
. I raised what crops that would pay the most cotton and tobacco to help raise
my family. Pa died later that year.
Ma
and I sent Timothy, my younger brother, to college as he was interested in Law.
I was not as well versed in politics as my younger brother and so we had many
heated arguments. I couldn’t get him to realize that I didn’t cotton to
someone living in
Washington
DC
to tell me what I can grow and to whom I can sell it to or for how much.
When
the first shots were fired at
Fort
Sumter
and after many long discussion with my brother I headed south, and my younger
brother headed North to join up with the
Union
. I joined the fight to protect my families land and my family. In 1862, I had a
friend of mine from the old days who suggested we join up together, and enlist
in a newly reorganized cavalry unit. The Unit is called the 14th
Virginia Regimental cavalry. It was the reorganization of all of the scattered
units here into one Army. I and my pardner are in company G, 14th
Virginia Regiment Cavalry.
I
will be fighting friends, family, brothers. Some of whom I served with while out
West and in the Mexican War. I ask almighty God that I do not have to face my
brother on the field of battle. I heard he is a Captain in an infantry unit. The
war will come home. My family will feel it most during the Richmond-Petersburg
Campaign of 1864. But again that’s another story.
