In 1850, 12 year old Charles is living with Augustin and his sister Elizabeth in Opelousas district, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. His mother and his sister Louisiana are living next door with Edward. Augustin is a segarmaker [sic] and Edward is a constable⁴.
Edward Winkler dies sometime before 29 September 1854⁵ and Charles apparently moves back in with his mother. In the 1860 census, they are both still living next door to Augustin. Although the family is shown as headed by Charles, the real estate value is given to Jane so I believe that it was actually her household. Charles has no occupation shown even though he is 22 years old. Also living with them are E. Winkler (most likely Augustin and Elizabeth's son Edward⁴) and Francis Winkler who is probably an older son of Edward's by his first marriage⁶. Although neither Charles or his mother owned slaves, Augustin Winkler did own 2 in 1860⁷.
The Civil War broke out on 12 April 1861 and Charles almost immediately enlisted to serve. He became a private in company C of the 6th Louisiana Infantry on 4 June 1861 in St. Landry Parish with his occupation listed as cooper. The 6th La. Infantry was organized at Camp Moore, La. and then ordered to Virginia to serve under General Ewell at the first battle of Bull Run, Manassas. Sometime during his first year Charles was promoted to corporal. However he was reduced back down to private on 15 June 1862. By this time he had fought with Jackson in his Valley campaign and was headed with his regiment to fight with the Army of Northern Virginia in the Seven Days Campaign which included multiple battles during the period 26 June through 1 July 1862.
On 25 July 1862 he was detailed as division teamster and continued to fight down the Shenandoah Valley until the battle of Rappahannock on November 7, 1863. 89 soldiers in the 6th Louisiana were captured there including Charles. Charles was sent to Point Lookout, Maryland and arrived there 11 November. Conditions there were horrendous. Prisoners were provided less that needed rations and had little clothing. Many had no shoes and blankets were shared, often between 16 people. During the winter of 1863 around 9000 prisoners had to share less than 1000 tents. The mud was often knee deep and malaria, typhoid, and smallpox were common. He was paroled at Point Lookout in Maryland on March 9, 1864 and received at City Point, Virginia 5 days later.⁸
In May 1865 Charles is back at home and paying taxes for his license as a blacksmith. He is living in Washington which is a small village outside of Opelousas⁹. His mother Jane dies in July 1867¹ยบ. Less than a year later he marries Nancy Henry of Pine Prairie¹¹. They live in the Bayou Chicot post office area where he works as at the saw mill¹². Their daughter, Louisiana, is born in January 1869¹³ and their son John Baptiste Richmond (named for Nancy's father) is born December 1872¹⁴. They do not have anymore children because Charles passes away before Apr 1875 when his wife Nancy marries William O. Johnston.
- 1840 U.S. census, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, Opelousas, p. 251 (stamped), line 21, Clark Richman; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 Jul 2011); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M704, roll 128. Cit. Date: 6 Jul 2011. Cit. ID: LA042; Clark Richman 1----1------- -11--1------- Total 5males under 5: 1 males 30-40: 1 females 5-10: 1 females 10-15: 1 females 30-40: 1
- Louisiana. St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, St. Landry Parish - Marriage Certificates, 294, Winkler-Milburn widow Richmond, 1846.
- Rev. Donald J. Hebert, Southwest Louisiana Records Church and Civil Records, 41 (Cecilia, Louisiana: Hebert Publications, 1976), Vol 3 (1831-1840): 509; WINKLER, Augustin (Edward) m. 22 April 1845 Elisabeth SUTHERLAND (Opel. Ct. Hse. : Mar. # 214)
- 1850 U.S. census, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, population schedule, p. 100B, dwelling 1791, family 2095, Charles Richmond; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.Ancestry.com); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M432, roll 240
- Rev. Donald J. Hebert, Southwest Louisiana Records Church and Civil Records, 41 (Cecilia, Louisiana: Hebert Publications, 1976), 5 (1848-1854): 582.
- 1860 U.S. census, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, population schedule, Washington, p. 999, dwelling 228, family 228, C. N. Richmond; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653, roll 424.
- Ancestry.com. 1860 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010; citing National Archives and Records Administration, 1860. M653, 1,438 rolls.
- Andrew B. Booth Commissioner Louisiana Military Records, Records of Louisiana Confederate Soldiers and Louisiana Confederate Commands, 3 Volumes (New Orleans, LA: n.p., 1920), Volume III, book 2: 315; https://books.google.com/books?id=BDNJAQAAMAA
- Louisiana, United States, "U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918." Digital images. (Ancestry.com Operations Inc. Ancestry.com. www. ancestry.com : 2008), Charles N Richmond (www. ancestry.com : accessed 2 Jul 2011); citing citing NARA series M769 roll
- Thomas Martin Swatloski, "Evangeline's Cousins," database, Evangeline's Cousins (http://www.acadianalifestyleevangelinescousins.com : accessed 17 Dec 2014), Janet Mariah Milbourn (1158944); citing note "Succession dated 26 Jul 1867 St Landry, LA #3029".
- Hunting For Bears, Ancestry.com, "Louisiana Marriages, 1718-1925," database, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, Ancestry.com(www.ancestry.com : 2004), accessed 7 Jul 2011), Entry for Charles N Richmond and Nancy Henry
- 1870 U.S. census, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, population schedule, Fourth Ward, p. 200A, dwelling 131, family 132, Nancy Richmond; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M593, roll 530
- Louisiana, St. Landry Parish, 1900 U.S. census, Ancestry.com, Digital images (www.ancestry.com: National Archives and Records Administration, 2004), T623, roll 581, Ward 6, enumeration district (ED) 64, sheet 3B, p. 263 (stamped), dwelling 53
- 1900 U.S. census, Grant Parish, Louisiana, population schedule, Ward 3, enumeration district (ED) 64, sheet 4B, p. 169 (stamped), dwelling 77; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T623, roll 565.
