Wiley Brewer, Private, Confederate States of America

Many of us can trace our lineage to Wiley Brewer (1832-1864).  Unfortunately we have no picture of Wiley.  Wiley and his family moved from Chatham County, NC to Alexander County, NC about 1861.  He enlisted in the Army of the Confederate States of America in Wake County, NC on Oct. 26, 1863, became a private, and never returned home.  Wiley was captured at Spotsylvania Court House, VA on May 12, 1864 and confined at Point Lookout, MD. He was transferred on August 10, 1864, to Elmira, NY where he was confined as a POW until his death on Nov. 15, 1864 from dysentery.  He was one of 3,000 POWs who died in that prison under horrid conditions. Wiley was buried that same day in what is now the Woodland National Cemetery in NY. The first photo shows his tombstone. The second shows a portion of the Civil War section at Woodland.