Biography of P. H. Mayo

The National Archives biography for Peter Mayo only covers his service as an officer. My biography is below, with my entries and all references in blue.

   Peter Helms Mayo was born just east of Richmond in May 1836. In the 1860 Census, he was living where he was born with his parents. His father, R. A. Mayo, was a tobacconist, with real estate worth $40,000 and personal property (probably including slaves) worth $10,000. Peter was also listed as a tobacconist.
   P. H. joined the Governor's Mounted Guard company at its organization in February, 1860. The unit was organized by J. R. Anderson, owner of Tredegar Iron Works. The company became Company I, 4th Virginia Cavalry on May 8, 1861. He was discharged on November 1, 1861 as a corporal, upon the summons of the Secretary of War. Upon arrival in Richmond, he was assigned to the Department of Transportation (for Richmond), being organized by Major D. H. Wood. He remained in that Department for the rest of the war.
   Mayo and wife Isabella Burnwell (born 1841) were married in October, 1861, and had 4 children, though only two reach adulthood. They remained in Richmond after the war and rebuilt the family's tobacco business, being the owner of P. H. Mayo & Brothers. He introduced cigarette manufacturing to Richmond and, by 1872, had become one of the city's richest men. Mayo bought a house that still stands and is one of the most opulent in the city.
   Isabella died in 1912 and P. H. in 1920, both in Richmond. P. H. wrote a very readable autobiography in about 1916 which is available at the University of North Carolina.
May 8, 1861 Governor's Guard Company in Richmond entered Confederate service.
October 31, 1861 Discharged as corporal, Company I, 4th Virginia Cavalry. Afterward Clerk and special agent. 
1862 Took charge of one of two sections of the Transportation Department in Richmond
June 14, 1862 Requests position on QM General's staff in Richmond
NA, QMR 6-14-62
December 1, 1863 Appointed Special Agent in QM Department, under Major Wood
NA, QM 12-1A-63
December 3, 1863 Ordered to implement freight plan at three locations
NA, QM 12-3B-63
Mid to December 1863 Devised a new freight voucher plan, as Chief Clerk, and toured the South to introduce it
October 6, 1863 Listed as Clerk in Transportation Department (in Richmond) with a substitute provided
NA, RRB 10-6-63
October 19, 1863 Was recommended for commission
NA, QMR 10-19-63
1863? Organized method of loading troops onto trains
January 10, 1864 Received letter of introduction for B. B. Lewis
NA, RRB 1-10A-64
January 20, 1864 Reported as appointed a Special Agent
NA, RRB 1-20B-64
January 28, 1864 Appointment requested for him as an assistant QM
NA, QMR 1-28E-64
February 19, 1864 Notified his position is not exempt from conscription
NA, QMR 2-19A-64
March 12, 1864 Appointed Captain & A. Q. M., to report to the Quarter Master General. Order was vacated by virtue of non-confirmation.
March 15, 1864 Ordered to report to Major D. H. Wood for duty (in the Richmond Transportation Office)
March 28, 1864 Reports himself on duty in Transportation Office, Q. M. Department, Richmond, signing as Captain and AQM. 
April 16, 1864 Asks for commission as AQM
NA, QMR 4-16-64
June 10, 1864 Signs as Captain & AQM, Transportation Office, Richmond
June 15, 1864 Duties reported to Inspector General
NA, QM 6-15B-64
August 10, 1864 Reports on case of improperly granted personal transportation
NA, QMR 8-10B-64
September 11, 1864 Reappointed Captain  AQM, to rank from June 15, 1864, reporting to Major D. H. Wood
October 11, 1864 Reported as sick
NA, QM 10-11A-64
November ?, 1864 A Medical Examining Board recommended his duties be changed, for the benefit of his sight, which was very seriously injured in the service.
December 10, 1864 Reports troops arriving at Richmond from the Valley and departing to ANV
NA, QMR 12-10-64
Reports shipment of 49 boxes ammunition by mail train to Goldsboro NC
NA, QMR 12-10A-64
December 12, 1864 Reports shipment of 225 boxes of ammunition by mail train to Charleston
NA, QMR 12-14-64
Reports shipments by headquarters officers
NA, QMR 12-14A-64
December 16, 1864 At Transportation Office, QM Department, Richmond, signs as Captain & AQM. Instructs Gen. Grimes on arrangements for moving his command towards Petersburg on the Richmond & Petersburg RR 
February 1, 1865 Reports the composition and duties of his office and the amount of business they had transacted in November and December, 1864. Reports his eyesight has improved.
February 11, 1865 Registered in Richmond as Captain & AQM, by authority of the Secretary of War
February 14, 1865 Sims notifies him of new sealed car procedures
NA, RRB 2-14A-65
February 21, 1865 Sims announces that Virginia soldiers can receive food shipments for free over the Southern Express Company. Food should be sent through Mayo for transportation to the soldiers.
March 18, 1865 Reported to Sims on loss of cotton during troop movement
LVA, RRB 3-18-65
March 24, 1865 Was in charge of seeing that the troops of Pickett's Division had their trains to take them to Petersburg
VHS, LEE 3-24B-65
March 29, 1865 Gen. Hutton ordered to telegraph him the time that Hutton's troops will reach the Richmond & Petersburg RR depot for transportation south
March 31 - April 2, 1865 Worked without sleep for entire period, under orders from General Lee. Some of the work was forwarding troops to Petersburg 
B19
April 2, 1865 Chief of Engineer Bureau asks Mayo to rescue the nails on a broken down car just outside of Richmond
Gathered the crews and trains for the evacuation of Richmond and supervised the dispatch of all trains on the Richmond & Danville RR
April 2 - 9, 1865 Believed he and another officer were the last to leave Richmond on the morning of the 3rd. He eventually got to Hill's Corps, just before the surrender. 
B19
April 9, 1865 Paroled as a Captain & AQM with Gen. Hill's 3rd Corps, at Appomattox

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