USA > Tennessee > Henry County > A history of the Henry County commands which served in the Confederate States army, including rosters of the various companies enlisted in Henry County, Tenn. > Part 1
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A
LIEUT. EDWIN H. RENNOLDS.
A HISTORY
OF THE
Henry County ommands
WHICH SERVED IN THE
Confederate States Army,
INCLUDING ROSTERS OF THE VARIOUS COMPANIES ENLISTED IN HENRY COUNTY, TENN.
WITH PORTRAITS.
BY LIEUT. EDWIN H. RENNOLDS, Company "K," Fifth Tennessee Infantry.
Jacksonville, Florida : SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1904.
85Kg
LIBRARY of CONGRESS Two Cooles Received AUG 11 1904
Copyright Entry July 1 - 1904 CLASS Q XXo. Na. 91762 COPY B
Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1904, by EDWIN H. RENNOLDS, In the office of the Librarian at Washington.
Dedication.
To my Comrades, who left the peace- ful homes and quiet firesides of Henry Coun- ty, Tenn., during the Civil War, 1861 to 1865, and for four years braved the dangers of the battlefield, endured the pri- vations of the march and bivouac, living on scant rations, and often rag- ged and barefooted, yet uncomplaining, and won for their native County the title of the Volunteer County of the " Volun- teer State," many of whom fell under their colors or died in hospitals, many others of whom have since been summoned hence by the last tattoo, and some of whom are yet spared to read this unworthy tribute, is this small testimony affec- tionately dedicated and inscribed by
THE AUTHOR.
" Furl that banner, furl it sadly, Once ten thousands hailed it gladly, And ten thousands wildly, madly, Swore it should forever wave." -RYAN.
INTRODUCTION.
Ever since the close of the Civil War I have de- sired to see a record of the brave deeds of Henry County's gallant soldiery put into a durable and per- manent form; in a history worthy of the men, the cause and the story, and have fondly hoped that some pen more gifted than mine would have undertaken the task. But nearly forty years have passed away and no historian has appeared. Now, I have for the first time in these four decades found time and oppor- tunity to undertake it myself. I have, however, not ceased all these years to collect and preserve materials for its composition. No known or accessible source has been left unsearched to secure the facts necessary to make it both complete and accurate. Errors and omissions it certainly has, but the "errors are of the head and not of the heart," and the omissions are such as are unavoidable.
So many of my comrades have aided me in this work cheerfully and readily that to enumerate them would be impracticable, and to try to discriminate between those who have done much and those who
6
INTRODUCTION.
have done less would tax my judgment and discretion without profit to them. To any and all who have thus aided in the work, I tender my heartfelt thanks. Diaries, manuscript notes, private muster-rolls and the memories of many comrades have been freely con- sulted and compared, and, as far as possible, harmon- ized, and I am confident that the history is as nearly accurate as it can be made at this late day. I invoke the forbearance of all its readers with whatever of defects and inaccuracies it contains, and send it out with the hope that it will, in the years to come, give my comrades pleasure in reading of the days long · gone by, and enable their children and grandchildren to point with pride to the names of their ancestors on this roll of honor.
"Little avails it now to know Of ages passed so long ago, Nor how they rolled ; Our theme shall be of yesterday, Which to oblivion sweeps away, Like days of old."
E. H. RENNOLDS. Jacksonville, Fla., June, 1904.
HISTORY
OF
COMPANY "F."
One Hundred and Fifty-Fourth Senior Regiment, Tennessee Infantry.
A year or so before the opening of the Civil War the Paris Blues, a small volunteer infantry company, was organized at Paris, Tenn., which kept up its existence till the outbreak of hostilities, when it was made the nucleus of a company for immediate service, and when filled up to the proper standard was ten- dered to Governor Isham G. Harris, accepted and ordered to Randolph, on the Mississippi River, and entered into the organization of what was called the First Tennessee Infantry. Most of the companies were enlisted in Memphis, and it proved to be one of the best regiments in the Confederate service. The Henry County Company was composed of some of the noblest and most patriotic young men of the county, and as it was the first to rush to arms at the bugle call of war, it deserves to be placed first on the list.
The officers of the regiment were Preston Smith,
8
HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY COMMANDS
colonel; Marcus J. Wright, lieutenant-colonel, and Jones Genet, major.
The months of May, June and July, 1861, were spent in building fortifications and drilling and learn- ing the theoretical part of warfare.
The State of Tennessee, having cast its fortunes with the Confederate States, the State troops were all mustered into the service of the new republic. As several Tennessee regiments had been formed from the individual companies which had rendezvoused at Richmond, Va., and entered the Confederate service - direct before the secession of Tennessee, and one of these had been numbered the First, it became neces- sary, to prevent confusion, to renumber Preston Smith's First, and, at the request of the field officers, they were allowed to select the number of the old Memphis militia regiment (One Hundred and Fifty- Fourth) and to add the word "Senior" in order to show that they were enlisted early in the war. The One Hundred and Fifty-Fourth was composed of some of the finest fighting material in the State, was thoroughly perfected in drill, and made its mark wherever it served.
About the first of August a column was organized to advance into Southeast Missouri, by the way of New Madrid, and the One Hundred and Fifty- Fourth Regiment was selected as part of it. This first march during the extremely hot weather tried very severely the strength and endurance of these troops, but they proved equal to the task, and showed the metal of which they were made.
The campaign accomplished nothing, and the troops
9
IN CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
were recalled and advanced to Columbus, Ky., and occupied and fortified it. While camped here, Captain Ed Fitzgerald was promoted to major, and the subal- terns advanced one round each on the military ladder, Calvin Ray being made third lieutenant.
During the battle of Belmont, November 7th, 1861, the Federals, having driven the small force of Con- federates camped on the Missouri side of the river back to the river bank, several regiments were trans- ported across the river on steamboats as reinforce- ments, the One Hundred and Fifty-Fourth among the number. Landing above the contending forces, they threatened to cut the Federals off from their transports and gunboats. This movement compelled them to retreat hastily, and they were followed by the Confederates, who poured into them a heavy fire, driving them back to their transports. Halting a moment, Lieutenant-Colonel M. J. Wright rode up to Company "F" and ordered Captain Fitzgerald to de- tach eighteen men from the right of his company, deploy them as skirmishers, and pick up straggling Federals, which, he said, the woods were full of. D. D. Brisendine and Wash Janes captured fourteen prisoners, thirteen of them in an old house which they had seen them enter and where they were found hiding in the loft. T. J. Jones, in crossing a fence, lost his balance and fell, discharging his gun accidentally, and thus scaring up a Federal secreted in the bushes, whom he ordered to surrender, and, disarming him, took him prisoner. The pursuit was kept up till the boats were reached, and the Federals re-embarked. The gunboats, after steaming some distance up the
10
HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY COMMANDS
river, opened fire upon the pursuing Confederates with little effect.
After the evacuation of Columbus, the regiment retired, first to New Madrid, then to Randolph and finally to Bethel Station, a few miles north of Corinth, Miss. When General Johnston began concentrating his forces in front of the enemy near Shiloh Church, Cheatham's Division, to which the One Hundred and Fifty-Fourth belonged, marched to that point.
At the opening of the battle of Shiloh this division was formed to support Clark's Division, of Polk's Corps, and was ordered forward early in the engage- ment, and was soon under a galling fire of both artil- lery and infantry, and without waiting for support on either flank, Colonel Preston Smith ordered an ad- vance. The charge was so rapid and impetuous that a battery of four guns was captured entire, and the infantry driven back, the pursuit continuing for 600 or 700 yards, and a section of another battery was also taken.
The fire from front and flanks becoming severe, the regiment was retired about 200 yards and reformed, and moved to the right and again advanced, engaging the enemy in a desperate and severe struggle. During . this conflict Major Fitzgerald, with the two left com- panies, removed the wounded, who were very numer- ous where they had charged the batteries, after which they rejoined the regiment, though many of the men were prevented from doing so, but did most effective service in taking prisoners and guarding them to the rear.
The ammunition becoming exhausted, the regiment
11
IN CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
retired a short distance and replenished their car- tridge boxes from wagons, and then supported Swett's battery, and soon moved forward and drove the enemy from his last encampment and forced him to take refuge under the river bluffs and protection of his gunboats. Soon afterwards the regiment was ordered by General Polk to retire for the night and bivouac.
At daylight on the morning of the 7th, the regiment was moved to the right to repel a rumored attempt of the enemy to get into the rear of the Confederates. This proving a false report, it was moved up to the front and formed in a field in rear of Bankhead's bat- tery, but soon after ordered by Captain Henry of General Cheatham's staff to oblique to the right, which was done, and the enemy attacked, where they encountered a heavy fire from artillery and infantry, which continued for almost an hour, when the ammu- nition was exhausted, and it was retired and informed by a staff officer that a general retreat had begun.
Company "F" lost eight men killed at Shiloh and a proportionate number wounded, and this evidences the desperate nature of the fighting they were engaged in. During the months of April and May, 1862, the regiment took part in the defense of Corinth and bore their full share in the work on the fortifications and in the daily skirmishing.
Upon the passage of the conscript law and the reor- ganization of the different commands, Major Edward Fitzgerald was elected colonel of the One Hundred and Fifty-Fourth Senior Regiment, and Charles D. Cooney, captain of Company "F."
12
HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY COMMANDS
After the retreat to Tupelo, Miss., the One Hundred and Fifty-Fourth was selected as part of the column to enter Eastern Kentucky, under General E. Kirby Smith, and maintained its well-earned reputation for efficiency during that arduous campaign, driving the Federals back almost to the gates of Cincinnati. At the battle of Richmond, Ky., Colonel Fitzgerald, while gallantly leading his regiment, fell mortally wounded almost at the beginning of the engagement. At the consolidation of the regiments at Murfreesboro, the Thirteenth and One Hundred and Fifty-Fourth were placed together, Company "F" being united with the Somerville company.
At the battle of Murfreesboro the regiment repulsed an attempt to capture Robertson's battery, and, Gen- eral Cheatham says, "suffered heavily, but fought nobly." It fought gallantly at Chickamauga and Mis- sion Ridge, and throughout all the hundred days of the Georgia campaign, at Resaca, New Hope, Kenne- saw, Peachtree Creek, Atlanta and Jonesboro, bore its full share, suffering severely in several of them.
During General Hood's raid along the Western & Atlantic Railroad, it participated in tearing up and destroying Sherman's communications, and marched into Tennessee and charged the fortifications at Franklin. They were in the first line in the charge there, carried the first line of works, sweeping over them like a whirlwind, and driving the Federals from a small part of the main line or works. Nick Roach, color-bearer of the regiment, accompanied by H. P. Gaines, T. J. Jones, George Elliott, Jeff Green and three others, crossed the works and went as far as
13
IN CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
the Carter house, but were compelled to recross for the want of support, but still kept up a continual fire from behind the embankment. All the commis- sioned officers and sergeants of the company were either killed or wounded in this engagement, and at its close it was in command of Corporal Tom J. Jones.
At the disastrous battle of Nashville the few men of this regiment who survived held their ground till the greater part of the line gave way, and only re- treated when it was useless longer to attempt to stem the tide of overwhelming numbers, several being cap- tured. Following the fortunes of the remnant of the once grand Army of Tennessee to North Carolina, the gallant One Hundred and Fifty-Fourth took part in the last battle of the war ( Bentonville), and then laid down the arms it had handled so well on so many hard-fought fields, and turned their faces to their desolated homes.
14
HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY COMMANDS
ROLL OF COMPANY "F,"
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FOURTH SENIOR REGIMENT, TENNESSEE INFANTRY.
Captain Edward Fitzgerald ; elected major November,
1861; colonel at reorganization; killed at Rich- mond, Ky.
First Lieutenant William B. Yowell; promoted to captain November, 1861; wounded at Shiloh; dis- charged at reorganization.
Second Lieutenant Charles D. Cooney ; promoted to first lieutenant November, 1861, and to captain at reorganization.
Third Lieutenant Fitzgerald Williams; promoted to second lieutenant in November, 1861; discharged at reorganization ; re-enlisted; wounded at Frank- lin ; appointed cadet in Confederate Military Acad- emy.
First Sergeant H. P. Barbee; appointed commissary sergeant ; served through the war.
Second Sergeant John L. Bennett; wounded at Bel- mont, losing leg ; discharged.
Third Sergeant John H. Dunlap, Jr .; transferred to Morton's Battery ; wounded at Harrisburg; served through the war.
Fourth Sergeant Frank M. Adams; wounded at Mur- freesboro; promoted to lieutenant; served through the war.
Fifth Sergeant Henry Johnson; killed at Jonesboro. First Corporal Nat A. Bowman ; killed at Jonesboro.
15
IN CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
Second Corporal George C. Lemonds; served one year.
Third Corporal D. W. Cameron (color guard) ; wounded at Shiloh ; died at hospital at Memphis.
Fourth Corporal Carter Foster; discharged (under age).
Fifer Eldridge Wall; served through the war.
Drummer Oscar Sneed ; wounded at Shiloh ; served in Company B, Twentieth Tennessee Cavalry.
Joe J. Adams; wounded at Murfreesboro, Chicka- mauga and Kennesaw and captured at Nashville; served through the war.
I. E. S. Alexander; secured a substitute and re-en- listed in Company "K," Twentieth Cavalry.
Press P. Alexander ; killed at Shiloh.
J. Thomas Alexander ; served one year.
Baldwin Atkins; wounded at Shiloh ; afterwards died of disease.
Green Atkins; wounded at New Hope; served through the war.
John A. Atkins; killed at Shiloh.
Thomas Banks; served one year.
John Barham; joined the Federals.
Cicero Bancum; died at hospital at Columbus, Miss.
R. A. Bennett; died near Purdy, Tenn., June 4, 1862. R. V. Bennett ; killed at Murfreesboro.
John R. Bonner ; served one year.
F. M. Bowden; served one year.
Frank Bowman; elected lieutenant in Forty-Sixth Tennessee and transferred.
John W. Bradley ; served one year.
A. J. Bradshaw ; served through the war.
16
HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY COMMANDS
J. E. Brinkley ; served a year or two.
D. D. Brisendine ; served in Tenth Cavalry.
Eli Brown; served three or more years. John Brown ; served a year or more. Thomas A. Bruce; killed at Shiloh.
James Cartie; killed at Belmont.
Thomas Carlin ; wounded ; served a year or so.
I. L. Case; captured in Kentucky; served as regi- mental commissary.
James Cartha ; disappeared during the war.
James Caton ; wounded at Belmont ; served through the war.
Dr. George W. Conway ; detached and appointed sur- geon ; served through the war.
Ed. H. Covington ; served one year.
John W. (Dock) Covington ; killed at Shiloh.
J. William Covington ; died August, 1862.
Robert H. Covington ; elected lieutenant at reorgan- ization ; served through the war.
A. J. Cunningham; transferred to Company "D," Fifth Tennessee.
Robert Dees; captured at Mission Ridge; served through the war.
Stephen Dees ; served a year or more.
Buck Derington ; served a year or more.
J. K. Polk Diggs; wounded at Richmond, Ky. ; killed at Jonesboro.
II. P. Dollahite; served a year or more.
Dowen Dunlap; killed at Kennesaw Mountain.
Howell Edmunds; discharged ( under age).
Frank Erwin; wounded at Murfreesboro and died of lockjaw.
17
IN CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
W. Pink Erwin ; served in Company "I," Tenth Ten- nessee Cavalry.
Newton Fodge; wounded on picket at Atlanta ; served through the war.
H. P. Gaines ; wounded at Jonesboro; served through the war.
W. H. Griffin ; served one year.
John J. Guill ; served one year.
Rev. S. C. Hearn; transferred to Fifth Tennessee (which see).
Orren A. Hearn; captured at Nashville; served through the war.
T. P. Holland; wounded and captured at Kennesaw; served through the war.
Elisha Janes ; served one year.
G. Wash. Janes; served one year.
Calvin Jenkins ; served one year.
Joe Jenkins; discharged October, 1861.
John Jenkins; elected second lieutenant at reorgan- ization; transferred to Fifty-Second Tennessee; wounded at Peachtree Creek (arm disabled) ; served on post duty till close of the war.
Thomas J. Jones; wounded at Murfreesboro and Chickamauga; captured at Nashville; served through the war.
W. T. Jones; served one and one-half years.
Pat Kennedy ; served in Bankhead's Battery till close of the war.
Joseph N. Kennerly ; died with measles at home on furlough in 1861.
Thomas B. Kirkland; wounded at Atlanta; served through the war ; on retired list.
2
18
HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY COMMANDS
Wesley Kirkland; served one year and enlisted in cavalry.
John W. Lafferty; elected orderly sergeant at reor- ganization ; served through the war.
James Latham; served through the war.
A. J. Looney ; discharged July, 1862.
Jesse C. Looney; served in Company "G," Seventh Tennessee Cavalry.
James H. McCampbell ; promoted to third lieutenant ; captured while on furlough; served through the war.
James McCarty ; killed at Belmont.
Samuel McClish ; served one year.
Peter McDaniel; wounded at Chickamauga (lost a leg) ; discharged.
R. D. Mccutcheon; wounded at Shiloh; served through the war.
Mike McKinney ; drummed out of the service.
John A. McSwain; served one year.
James Miller; disabled accidentally with bayonet and discharged.
Reuben Mitchell; served one year.
John H. Mizell ; served one year.
Elijah Moody; wounded at Atlanta; served through the war.
Sam Moody ; wounded at Murfreesboro,
John Myrick ; served a year or more.
J. Wilson Myrick ; killed at Shiloh.
Bartley Owensby; served one year.
John M. Ozanne; elected orderly sergeant; detached to Whitworth Sharpshooters and commanded them till close of the war.
19
IN CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
Frank Pate; served one year.
Stephen Pate; captured at Kennesaw ; served through the war.
John R. Peeples; transferred to Company "G," Fifth Tennessee (which see).
A. J. Pettyjohn ; served one year and organized com- pany of Partisan Rangers.
Calvin Ray; promoted to lieutenant October, 1861; discharged at reorganization.
N. G. Russ; died April 14, 1862.
William L. Russell ; served one and one-half years.
John Scott; killed at Shiloh.
William Stanfield; wounded at Shiloh and at Frank- lin; served through the war.
Richard Watkins; killed at Jonesboro.
T. H. Weldon; discharged.
Adley Wiley ; served one year.
J. Matt Williams; captured at Nashville; served through the war.
Monroe Williams; served one year.
-
HISTORY
OF THE
Fifth Regiment, Tennessee Infantry.
CHAPTER I.
ORGANIZATION.
Although Tennessee decided by a large majority, at an election held for the purpose in February, 1861, not to call a secession convention, yet when the State was called upon to furnish troops to coerce their sister States of the South who had claimed their con- stitutional right by adopting ordinances of secession and organizing the Confederate States, Governor Isham G. Harris promptly convened the Legislature, which at once decided to submit the question of "sep- aration" from the United States and "representation" in the newly organized Confederacy to a vote of the people, and meanwhile to put the State in a defensive condition.
The Governor commissioned Colonel William E. Travis to raise a regiment of cavalry. It being found impossible to secure suitable arms for this branch of the service, the plan was changed and an infantry
20
21
IN CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
regiment recruited instead. A call was made through the columns of the Paris Sentinel and otherwise for all who wished to enlist in the regiment to assemble at Paris on Saturday, April 20, for the purpose of organization.
Many responded to the call and were formed in line in the courthouse yard, and after marching around the building several times, they were headed for the campus of the male academy and halted on the south side of the building and were counted off into eight companies of twenty-six men each. Each company was instructed to elect a captain and two lieutenants. A rainstorm came up about this time and most of the companies were organized in the different rooms of the academy. The captains were instructed to fill up their companies to the number of about 100 men each as speedily as posisble. A temporary field organiza- tion was also made. Six of the captains then elected succeeded in securing a sufficient number of men to entitle them to be mustered in. One was consolidated with another small company, and one failed to recruit a company. Three other companies were, in the mean- time, recruited in the county, and offered and accepted as component parts of the regiment, and Captain Corbett's company from Benton County was added to make up the complement. After the regiment was organized, Captain Winfrey's company, also of Ben- ton County, and Captain John A. Lauderdale's of Hickman, Ky., requested permission to unite with it, and the request was granted, thus making a very large regiment of twelve companies instead of the usual complement of ten. In order to arouse the
22
HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY COMMANDS
military ardor of the people of the county, and thereby hasten the filling up of the ranks, Colonel W. E. Travis, Lieutenant-Colonel J. D. C. Atkins, Major O. D. Edwards and other speakers, accompa- nied by the Paris brass band, made a tour of the vil- lages in the county. They were met at all their ap- pointments by large crowds of men, women and children, and enthusiasm reached a very high pitch.
As an example of the want of knowledge of how war is conducted, an incident of this tour is here given. At Conyersville, just after the speaking had closed, a man came dashing into the village, his horse reeking with sweat and almost exhausted, exclaiming at the top of his voice: "The Yankees have crossed the Ohio River below Paducah and are coming this way, kiling men, women and children as they come." A scene of frenzied excitement instantly followed. Men turned pale, women screamed and wrung their hands, and children cried with fear. Colonel Travis advised the people to go quietly to their homes, and for the men to return next morning with their guns, prepared to make resistance, if the report should prove true. Next day it was learned that the rumor originated in a practical joke started by someone pass- ing a school house somewhere in Western Kentucky the previous day and calling out something which was not fully understood.
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