Cicero Fidello Turner, Private, Company D, 66th North Carolina Infantry

Author's Note: Cicero Fidello Turner, brother of my great-great grandfather, Lysander Turner, was my great-great-great uncle.

 A son of James Patrick Henry Turner and Margaret Elizabeth Hunt Turner and brother of Lysander Turner, Cicero Fidello Turner, known as “Roe” to family members, was born in 1845.  Enlisting on September 20, 1863, at the age of 17, in Granville County, North Carolina, for the duration of the War, Cicero served as a private in Company D of the 66th North Carolina Infantry.  Cicero was listed absent without leave on the company muster roll for September and October 1863. On September 30, 1864 he received a sick furlough at the General Hospital at Camp Winder, Richmond Virginia; his destination was listed as "Kittrells," North Carolina.

Captured by the Union near Kinston, North Carolina on March 10, 1865, following the Battle of South West Creek (March 8-10, 1865), Cicero arrived at New Berne, on March 16, 1865, and was transferred to Point Lookout, Maryland. He was released at Point Lookout on June 21, 1865 after taking the Oath of Allegiance.

George M. Rose, Adjutant of the 66th North Carolina, described the engagement of March 10, 1865:

 

On the 10th another attack was made upon the enemy's left flank, at or near Wise's Fork. For some reason our lines were not extended sufficiently far to our right and his left, and an order was given too soon to charge the enemy's line, and when the charge was made we found that the enemy had prepared for us with his breastworks facing both ways, and the same protected by small pines, which had been cut down, lapped over each other and their limbs trimmed and pointing in our direction. When the Sixty-sixth was within about fifty yards of the enemy, it was ordered to lie down to protect itself from the galling fire from the breastworks. The troops on the left of our line did not seem to take in the situation, and did not come to our support, and we were compelled to fall back, leaving a large number of the men of the regiment dead and dying on the field. How many were killed or how many were taken prisoners, we were never able to find out.  We only know that at least one-half of the regiment was left upon that fold, and the balance of it, under the command of Major Davis, was cut off from the rest of the army and was in the rear of the enemy's position.

Cicero married Roxanne Jane Cunningham on May 4, 1870. According to the Census of 1870, they lived in the home of Roxanne's father, George Washington Cunningham, at Kittrell. Their children were Lillian Turner, Margaret Sue Turner, Joseph Henry Turner, Effie Gray Turner, and George Marvin Turner. The Census of 1910 indicates that there was a sixth child that was deceased. The 1880 Census lists Cicero's occupation as a wood carpenter; in 1900 and 1910, he was listed as a farmer.

On July 1, 1901, Cicero submitted an application for a Confederate pension which was disallowed. A subsequent application, on July 7, 1902 was approved. According to Cicero:

Hip dislocated at Kinston during the war. Leg cut in knee joint with ax in 1872 leg stiff and unable to work hard.

According to Dr. N.C. Daniel, Cicero:

Had no wounds during service except slight flesh wounds. Had wound in knee since the war which caused stiffness of the joint and atrophy of the muscles of the whole leg. Suffers from varicose veins on left leg. Disability one half[.]

Cicero died in November 1914. According to Roy Grimm, Cicero may have been originally buried in the Cunningham family cemetery near Kittrell; his body was later moved to Elmwood Cemetery at Oxford. On July 5, 1921, his wife, Roxanne, applied for a Confederate Widow's Pension which was subsequently approved.