The paternal
grandfather of Alia
Bazzle Oddenino was
Michael Bazzle, a Civil
War veteran.
Here is the only known photo of
Michael Bazzle:
Michael Bazzle served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War and his granddaughter Alia Bazzle Oddenino told me that she remembered how much she used to love sitting on her grandfather's porch listening to him tell her about his Civil War experiences. Michael Bazzle was in Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and was at Appomattox Court House when Lee surrendered to Grant. Below is an excerpt from Civil War records I copied at the extensive Civil War records department at Virginia Tech which boasts an impressive collection at the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies:
"Pvt. Michael Bazzle of Captain Brander’s Company of Virginia Light Artillery. Enlisted April 21, 1862 at Richmond, Virginia. Wagon driver.
Michael Bazzle appears on a report of officers and men detailed in the Quartermasters Department of the Ordnance Train, Artillery, 3rd Corps, Prisoners of War, belonging to the Army of Northern Virginia, who have been this day surrendered by General Robert E. Lee, C.S.A., commanding said army, to Lieutenant General U.S. Grant, commanding Armies of the United States. Paroled at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, April 9, 1865."
More Civil War records (also copied from records at Virginia Tech -- the links are added by me and obviously not part of the original report) of Michael Bazzle's activities during the Civil War are detailed below :
"Bazzle, Michael, (Letcher Artillery) Capt. Brander's Company Virginia Light Artillery formerly served as Capt. Greenlee Davidson's Battery Virginia LIght Artillery. Served also as Co. D in Walker's afterwards Pegram's Battery of the Artillery Corp., Army of Northern Virginia ."
Michael Bazzle’s unit participated in many of the major engagements of the Civil War:
“Capt. Brander’s Co. Virginia Light Artillery. Camped at Manassas.
The battery has been present at and engaged in the following battles, Mechanicsville, engaged with Rifle Pieces, Cold Harbor present but not engaged. Frazier’s Farm under fire but not engaged. Malvern Hill engaged and suffered severely, Cedar Run under fire but not engaged, Warrenton Springs engaged, Manassas Aug. 30 engaged.
The Company was ordered from the Camp of Instruction at Richmond to a point near Fredericksburg on the 24th of April 1862 and remained on that line with the division under General Joseph R. Anderson until the 26th of May when the division was ordered to Richmond and placed under the command of Major General A.P. Hill.
"The battery moved from Richmond with General Hill’s division and has remained with it up to this time – Greenlee Davidson, Captain Letcher Artillery, August 31, 1862. Camp near Bowling Green, Caroline County, Virginia.
Since the last muster the battery has been present at and engaged in the following battles, Chantilly under fire but not engaged, Harper’s Ferry engaged on two days – a section of the Battery participating in the final and successful assault on the enemy’s works. Shepardstown under fire but not engaged.
"After the battle of Groveton the battery moved with General A.P. Hill’s Division into Maryland and has remained with it since recrossing the Potomac – Greenlee Davidson Capt. Letcher Battery, 31 December, 1862.”
"Camp near Milford Station Caroline Co., Virginia.
The battery was actively engaged in the battle of Fredericksburg December 13, 1862 and suffered severely in men and horses. (This statement was accidentally omitted in making the last muster roll) Since the battle of Fredericksburg the battery has been stationed in camp on the Rappahannock in Winter Quarters at this point. — Greenlee Davidson Capt. Letcher Artillery"
"New Salem in Pennsylvania.
The battery was in action on 3, 4 May at Chancellorsville (See report to Col. R.L. Walker dated May 12, 1863) After the battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia the battery was camped at Bethel Church Caroline Co. Va. until 4 June when ordered to Hamilton’s crossing where it remained in position in front of the enemy until 14 June - 16 June. Left camp near Fredericksburg and marched via Culpeper C.H., Chester Gap, Shepardstown Va. and Hagerstown, Md. to New Salem, Pa. where it arrived on June 30."
"Madison Run.
Since the last muster the company has marched from Gettysburg, Pa to this camp and has been in the following engagements - July 1, 2, 3 – had eleven horses killed and fourteen men killed and wounded, three killed and eleven wounded. One Napoleon gun disabled and afterwards captured by the enemy while it was with the wagon train."
"Sept. Oct. 1863 – Brandy Station
Nov. Dec. 1863 – Camp Taylor
Jan. Feb. 1864 – Camp Taylor
March April 1864 – Field of Battle, Petersburg, Va.
May - June 1864 – Turkey Ridge
Nov. Dec. 1864 – Free Negro Battery
Jan. Feb. 1865 – In the field"
Michael Bazzle was in the hospital for 15 days during the war but was released in time to be with Lee’s Army when it surrendered at Appomattox Court House.
“M. Bazzle appears on a register of Receiving and Wayside Hospital for General Hospital No. 9 Richmond, Virginia. Admitted February 16, 1865. 15 days."
Here is a Civil War record showing that Michael Bazzle was at
Appomattox when Robert E. Lee surrendered:
Not surprisingly, the federal government did not provide pension assistance for Confederate veterans. The Commonwealth of Virginia did pass legislation to provide state assistance for its Confederate veterans through the Confederate pension acts. An elderly Michael Bazzle made application for assistance through the state of Virginia (note that number 16 asks, "When did you leave the service and under what circumstances?" Michael Bazzle indicates "Appomattox Lee's Surrender":
While it is established that the Bazzle family originally came to Madison County, Virginia
from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, their roots to Madison County go deep. Here is
the known family tree starting with Shelton Lee Bazzle:
More history on the Bazzle and Higgs families can be found in the book Mountain Valley People by Mary Arrington which explores the history of Rockingham County, Virginia from whence come both families.
Here are some old notes taken from a Bazzle family record:
More family records written on an interesting form from 1866 which allowed one to
insert the particular year after the pre-printed 186__ in the Date column.
Here is the death certificate of Michael Bazzle:
Michael Bazzle's son, Shelton Lee Bazzle, was the
of Alia Kile Bazzle Oddenino. Here is the
only known photo we have of Shelton Lee Bazzle:
The obituary for Shelton Lee Bazzle was printed in the Madison County Eagle on
Friday April 22, 1932 (Vol 9 Number 17) and reads as follows:
Shelton Lee Bazzle, sturdy and upright citizen, died following a long
illness, Sunday morning, April 17, 1932, at his home near Aroda. He was
66 years, 6 months and 21 days old.
Mr Bazzle was one of the best farmers in these parts. He took great
pride in keeping his place clean and productive and was successful in his
endeavors. He was a man who attended strictly to his own affairs and
devoted to his home and family.
He leaves besides his widow, who before marriage was Miss Lucy Seal,
three sons, Otis, Murray, and Dewey; three daughters, Mrs. Nancy Lohr,
Mrs. Alia Oddenino and Mrs. Mozelia Gibson; one sister Mrs. Mary
Tussing, and two brothers, Messrs. Frank and Willie Bazzle.
The funeral was held at Walker’s chapel Monday afternoon. The pall-
bearers were Cletus Tussing, Willie and Dewey Bazzle and Erbert, Robert
and Norman Seal.
Flowerbearers: Teresa Oddenino, Beatrice Irene and Elsie Tussing, Helen
and Ellen Seal, Reva Lohr and Hannah Johnston.
Mr. J.C. Clore funeral director.
Here is Shelton Lee Bazzle's death certificate:
