| Notes |
- John is the son of Sarah Devins & Elisha Lawrence.
Two Lawrence brothers married two Kersey sisters:
John Rezeau Lawrence married Ann Kersey &
Isaac Huver Lawrence marred the younger sister Mary Kersey.
. 1855 - Lot 9, Con 2, Toronto Gore, Humber Post Office, 110 Acres, registered to John R Lawrence. Beside brother Isaac H Lawrence, 58 A.
Ref: York Co. Atlas, printed 1877.
> For a complete family history on the Devins, please see:
Abraham Devins & His Descendants in Canada & United States
May be found at the Richmond Hill Library, Yonge & Major MacKenzie Streets, Richmond Hill. CR 929.2 Devins.
. John Rezeau Lawrence raised shorthorn cattle on the northerly half of his father Elisha's farm.
Upon the death of both Mary & Isaac Lawrence's death, John & his wife Ann raised the youngest of his brother's children.
. 1866 Toronto Peel Directory Toronto Gore. N.D. Lawrence John R, Con 10, Lot 2.
. 1879 Apr 28 For W Riding & Vaughan Twp. Spring Fair - spring exhibition of horses, cattle & implements at Woodbridge:
Cattle: John Lawrence of Humber, obtained first for his 2 year old Durham bull.
Ref: Toronto Globe & Mail newspaper.
. 1883 Oct 25, West York & Vaughan Agricultural Societies: J R Lawrence, Durham heifer 1 yr old; Isaac Lawrence: Herd of Cattle, 1 male & 4 females.
. 1886 Oct 21, Thurs. Woodbridge Fair, Prize winner of West York & Vaughan Twps. Agricultural society's Fall Fair. John R Lawrence: Trotting or pacing Speed horse 3yrs old; Heifer 1 yr old Grade J; Durham bull calf under 1 year; Durham heifer 2 yrs; Poultry, Plymouth Rocks;
. 1887 Oct 27, Woodbridge Fair Prize list: John R Lawrence: Not imported Durham heifer calf under 1 year; Grade Heifer 1 year old.
. 1888 Oct 13 - Woodbridge Fair, Prize Winners: John R Lawrence: Cattle: Not imported Durham Bull 1 year old, 1s prize; Cow any age in milk; 2 yrs old Heifer, 3rd prize. Heifer 1 under year old 2nd prize; Fat Cattle Herd. (Jersey?) Grade Heifer 2 yers old 3rd prize; Herd of cattle 1 male & 4 families, 2nd prize..
Ref: York Herald newspaper.
. 1911 June 9th Census, Gore of Toronto:
John R Lawrence & wife reside on their farm at Con 9, Lot 2, with their children & grandchildren.
American Civil War
. John R Lawrence went to settle in Louisiana & then fought for the Confederacy in US Civil War. Prisoner of war of Union Army. Returned to Canada March 1863.
2nd Louisiana, Starke's Brigade, Commanded by Col. Jesse M Williams.
. Company G, 2nd Regiment Louisiana Infantry.
Organization 1st pt. of Oct. 1861.
Enlisted May 11, 1861, New Orleans, by J N Galt,
Period 1 year, Last paid by H Lemu ? to May 21, 186X? Present
John R Lawrence.
( Handwriting is too faint on this printed form. - PJA)
. Co. G Reg. Louisiana Engagements for 1862:
Seven Pines, May 30, 31; Williamsburg June 23, King's School House June 25, Malvern Hill, July 1; Manassas No 2, Aug 28-30; Chantilly, Sept; Harper's Ferry, Sharpsburg, Sept 17 - wounded.
Fredericksburg, Dec 13 & Chancellorsville May 1-3, 1863. Absent wounded.
* Confederate 1st (Nelligan's) Louisiana
J R Lawrence, B Lieut. - Roster of commissioned officers, dated near Port Royal, Dec 26, 1862.
Absent. Wounded severely at Sharpsburg, Sept 17, 1862. Leg amputated. Never Reported. Now on furlough to LA. Spotsylvania., wounded, 2nd Lieut.
John R Lawrence Lieut., Amputated left leg Nov 23, 1862, General Hospital Federick, Md.
. 1862 May 1, $42.47 Com. clothing pd. Shoes dedd(?).
wounded & Disabled Sep 1862. Residence Covington /Carrington, LA.
recommend to take advantage of Invalid Ace in Accord with Gent. orders. Feb 27, 1865.
. The men of 2nd Louisiana Volunteer Infantry participated in the capture of Harper's Ferry, September 12-15, 1862. After Harper's Ferry 2nd fought in the Battle of Sharpsburg, September 14 South Mountain & Shaprsburg the 17th Sept, 1862.
[Detailed Battle accounts, follows below]:
- . Details of Battle of Sharpsbury, Washington Co., Maryland ( In the North, more often called the Battle of Antietam) & South Mountain where John R Lawrence was wounded:
. The original officers of the 2nd Louisiana earned a reputation for drunkenness. The regiment was reorganized in May 1862 with J. T. Norwood as colonel and Williams as lieutenant colonel. he regiment was reorganized in May 1862 with Colonel J. T. Norwood & Lieutenant Colonel Williams who as wounded in the chest at Antietam in the fighting along the Hagerstown Road.
. 1862 Sept 17. The day was foggy, overcast, drizzly as Sunday's battle that gave way to sunshine that glinted off the bayonets & rifle barrels., 5 miles from Boonesborough on the Shepardstown Road to the high bluffs on this side of the Antietam River, a short distance beyond Sharpsburg the battle begun the evening before was resumed commanded by General Jackson. The fight at the center was terribly severe but the troops of General D.H. Hill resolutely & to the end maintained their ground. But it was of the utmost moment to the enemy to turn our right flank in order to cut off our communication with the Virginia…The battle continued uninterruptedly for 13 hours. Never have our troops, exhausted as they were, exhibited their courage & endurance to such advantage; never has the enemy contested a field so obstinately. Our loss in killed was not too great though we are called upon to lament the fall of several gallant and distinguished officers. The day succeeding the battle our troops were under arms. The dead were buried, the wounded removed to Shepardstown & with the night fall came the general order under which the trains and troops were sent across the river by the next morning's dawn without loss or casualty but the enemy did not attempt to cross the river. On the next morning, however, they advance of the enemy was heralded by heavy cannonading and subsequently one or two brigades attempted to cross the river. A part were suffered to ascend the bank upon this side to receive a very warm reception from the troops of Jackson.
Their column, thrown into confusion, attempted to re-cross the river when the grape of our masked batteries told a fearful tale of death and destruction.The troops were the flower of Burnside's division &the ford of the Potomac was filled with them. Few could have escaped.
Ref: 1862 Oct 15, North Carolina Standard Newspaper, Raleigh. {slightly abbreviated). -.-
. Battle of Antietam, Midday at Sunken Road, later remembered as Bloody Lane:
Under fire from sharpshooters and artillery, the first of French's brigades crested a little rise; less than 100 yards below them in a sunken farm road were 3 Confederate brigades of Maj. Gen. Daniel Harvey Hill's division. A sheet of flame erupted from the sunken road & the crest of the ridge was covered with a blue blanket of dead or wounded Union soldiers. The brigade fell back; another took its place, with the same result. The Irishmen engaged regiment had been sent to reinforce Hill. The men fought at a distance of 30–50 paces from each other, finally Hill's troops were were out numbered. At the crucial moment, Maj. Gen. A. P. Hill, wearing his red battle shirt, arrived from Harpers Ferry with the Light Division. Hill had driven his men - many of them wearing Union uniforms taken at Harpers Ferry - northward mercilessly, sometimes beating them with the flat of his sword to keep them moving at the double-quick. The Light Division fell upon Burnside's Union flank, disordering his men and convincing the cautious Union officer that he'd done enough for one day. The Battle of Antietam was, for all intents and purposes, over.
. The Battle of South Mountain, 38,00 Union Troops attached 12,000 Confederated.
The following highly interesting letter written by a soldier in the 2nd NCR to his wife & mother is dated Charlestown, Va., 21st Sept. [1862]:
We left our camp near Frederick City on Wednesday morning, 10th inst., and marched through the city in the direction of Hagerstown. As we passed through the city a respectable show of favor was shown to us by the lady secessionists of the burg but it was not very large and had the appearance of cordiality mixed with a lively fear of the consequences. We marched all day over a beautiful mountain turnpike that at times gave us beautiful views of the country & camped at night at South Mountain Gap of the Blue Ridge, having passed through during the day several little villages that lay nestled down among the valleys. The largest was Middleton, a village of perhaps 1,000 inhabitants, who showed by their signs that they were for the most part hostile to our cause.
Little did I think as I stood that night on picket duty on the mountain that in a few short days a battle would be fought on the very spot I then stood. I had a beautiful view of sun rise from the top of the mountain the next morning but was too sleepy to appreciate it. Soon we were again inline and trudged over the mountain gap & then down into the Allegheny Valley. The tops of the mountains could be seen away to the west. Here we rested on Friday & Saturday the first two days rest we had since leaving Richmond. I had a good opportunity while there to ascertain the sentiments of the people, two thirds of whom I found hostile to us. Indeed but few families did I find but had brothers or sons in the Yankee army. Here our army split divisions. D.H. Hill's division, remained. A report the enemy was advancing in force with a column of 20,000 men.
South Mountain is on the south side of the road and is entirely wooded. The north side of the road, is more or less open and for the most part, farmed. Away in the distance we could see the long lines of the enemy approaching. Artillery was put in position and by sunrise the reverberation of its thunder went rolling up over the cliffs. The enemy also opened and a sharp artillery duel was kept up for over an hour. Very soon the rattle of musketry was heard from the woods on the right.
In half an hour we heard firing which continued and a canopy of smoke hung over us in the vicinity of that place from which the sound of the musketry came. Still we were not attacked & I believe Hill began to think that the enemy threw their whole force on the right flank. He became restless & unease. We passed through lots of wounded limping down the mountain, trickling blood at every step, then again in stretchers containing some more desperately wounded.
Our artillery was retreating when, a galloping courier arrived & directed General Hill to change his front to his left. Quickly we faced to the left, marched through a growing field of corn. In a few moments I could see the advancing line of Yankees. of 3 heavy columns were approaching us as far as we can see. To oppose was Hill's weak little division, scarce one quarter as large & my very heart sank within me as I heard General Anderson say to one of his aids to hurry to the rear & tell General Hill for God's sake send reinforcements as it was hopeless to contend against the approaching columns. About 8:00 the battle had also begun on the right of our first position and Jackson was hotly engaged. Sharpshooters were sent about 50 yards to the front of us and our line ordered to lay down in the land and hold our fire until the enemy was close to us. Our little corps seemed doomed to destruction but not an eye flinched nor a nerve quivered & I then felt sure we would do honor to our noble old state though we would not life to see it again.
Our skirmishers began to fire on the advancing line & we returned to ours. Slowly they approached up the hill & slowly our skirmishers retired before them, firing as they came. Our men reloaded & waited for them to approach again, while the first column of the enemy met the second, rallied and moved forward again. They then approached the top of the hill cautiously & laying down we poured into them a shower of leaden hail for 4 long, mortal hours. The whole air resounded with the din of arms. Our men were protected by about 6 or 8 inches of the rear of the road but that is great protection but not complete. Many were shot as they took aim at the enemy & the groans of the wounded could be heard amidst the guns.
At last the order was given to fall back & the very few that remained uninjured fell back sullenly. The enemy, however, had been so badly punished that they were not able to follow us immediately. We rallied behind a stone fence & awaited their approach. Reinforcements arrived and the enemy approached but fell back in disorders. The day was ours but little won. Six to 8,000 of our brave boys lay around dead or wounded in the days fray. The Yankees left fully 4 only 100 out of the fight, just one third it carried in while other regiments suffered worse. The next morning the Yankees sent in a flag asking permission to bury their dead and all day that was devoted to that purpose & we took care of the wounded who are now in hospitals at Sharpsburg, Maryland, Harper's Ferry and Charlestown, Winchester and throughout the country on the Virginia side of the Potomac. I do not know what will happen next.
Now as I have given you an account of the battle I will give an account of myself. I was slightly wounded in the head & on the right foot about 1:00 by a bursting shell. I was able to get off the field myself and did so without being hit again; & many others tried it but I may the only one that I know of who attempted to leave the field wounded & was not shot again. I went to the rear & had my wounds dressed, hired a horse & knowing the vicinity of the battle field would be crowded with wounded came to this place. There are about 400 wounded in the hospitals here & they are treated as well as if they were at home. I would come home & see you but my wounds are not respectable enough to ask for a furlough. For 3 or 4 days before the battles, we suffered much. We had to lay out in the line of battle without blankets & take the sun, rain & dew & I never got a mouthful to eat but green corn from Saturday night until Wednesday night.
. Somewhere here John Rezeau Lawrence laid wounded & no doubt rueing the day he left the farm in the Gore of Toronto. - PJA. Transcription by P J Ahlberg 2015. - - -
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1830 - 1920 (89 years)