North Carolina Patriots of ’61: Colonel Dennis Dozier Ferebe

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North Carolina Patriots of ’61:

Colonel Dennis Dozier Ferebee

The son of Samuel and Margatte “Peggy” Dauge (Dozier) Ferebee, Dennis Dozier Ferebee was born on November 9, 1815 in Currituck County. Graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1839, he married Sarah McPherson on February 3, 1842. After studying law under Judge William Gaston of New Bern, Ferebee became a Camden County lawyer, planter and politician prior to the war, serving as a member of the State legislature and later county delegate to the May 1861 North Carolina Secession Convention. Though a stauch Unionist, he voted for North Carolina’s secession after Lincoln’s decision for war against the South.

As Colonel of Camden’s local militia, the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Brigade, he saw action at the battle of South Mills in Camden County in April 1862; in August of that year he was appointed Colonel of the 4th North Carolina Cavalry.

Ferebee was wounded in the foot at Bristoe, Virginia in 1863; absent/wounded through April 1864, and resigned from service on March 7, 1865 – serving on Governor Zebulon Vance’s staff until the close of war. Colonel Ferebee was a prominent member in the 1865 State Convention working with Governor Jonathan Worth to reopen the University. He was described as having “distinguished appearance and elegant manners” and exemplified “what a gentleman should be.” He died in Camden County on April 26, 1884 and is buried on Hodges Farm, McPherson Road, Camden County.

(Source: 4th North Carolina Cavalry in the Civil War, Neil Hunter Raiford, McFarland & Co., 2003)

North Carolina Pariots of ’61: Colonel Dennis Dozier Ferebe