Lt. Col. Charles James Munnerlyn

Lt. Colonel
Charles James Munnerlyn
(14 Feb 1822 - 17 May 1898)

Charles James Munnerlyn, born 14 Feb. 1822 in Georgetown, SC, died 17 May 1898. Son of Charles Lewis and Hannah Shackelford. He went as a child to Gadsden County, FL and then in 1837 his father, Charles Lewis Munnerlyn, brought property in Decatur County, GA. He was educated at Emory College, studied law and was admitted to the bar but never practiced law. He inherited his father large plantation, “Refuge” that was located south of Bainbridge near the Florida line. He was elected to Secession Convention in January, 1861, where he voted for immediate secession. When the war began he volunteered as a private in the First Georgia Volunteers and saw service at Pensacola and in West Virginia. Because of health reasons, he resigned and returned home. In November 1861, he was elected to represent his district in the Confederate Congress. He campaigned for reelection in 1863 but was defeated. He reenlisted in the army, this time as a private in the Calvary. President Davis, hearing this, had him commissioned as a major and ordered him to Florida to serve collecting and forwarding supplies, primarily cattle, to the Armies of VA. This battalion, 1st Battalion Florida Special Cavalry became known as "Munnerlyn's Cattle Battalion". On December 13, 1864, major C. J. Munnerlyn was conferred to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States. After the war he set about to rebuild his fortune. Even though he had lost over 200 slaves he was able to retain most of his land and successfully make the transition to free labor. He was involved in the building of the Savannah, Florida, and Western Railroad. He and family moved to Bainbridge, GA after the plantation house burned. The "Refuge" mansion was totally destroyed in a fire on Nov 28, 1883. The loss was estimated from $10,000 to $12,000 with no insurance. In 1884 he was elected ordinary of Decatur County, which necessitated his living in Bainbridge.

He married his 1st cousin, Harriet Eugenia Shackleford on February 20, 1845 in Charleston, SC. They were parents of the following children: Mary H., Charles James, Jr., James Shackleford, Harriet Cowdrey, Eugenius Calhoun, Eugenia Shackleford, Elma, John Paul, and Florida. His wife Harriett died 10 years prior to his death on May 17, 1898. He was buried in the family cemetery near the site of the old plantation home called “Refuge”.

Descendant Relation:
James Sr.>Capt. John>Charles Louis>Charles James Sr. MUNNERLYN

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