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 10
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The enlisted men left Camp Douglass September 8, and were carried to Cairo by rail, and thence to Vicksburg by steamers and there reunited with their officers, who came on different boats, and on the 23d of September were exchanged.
The regiment was then reorganized at Jackson, Miss., under the provisions of the conscript law. Jonathan S. Dawson was elected colonel, Robert
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A. Owens, lieutenant-colonel, and Joseph D. Wilson, major. Lieut. Isaac M. Hudson was appointed adju- tant, James T. Williams, quartermaster, and Dr. J. T. Mathis, surgeon.
After remaining in camp a few days they were sent to Holly Springs to assist in the attack on Corinth by Price and VanDorn, but met the Confederate forces retiring after a fruitless attack on Corinth's fortifi- cations.
The regiment was then sent to Port Hudson and consolidated with the Forty-Second Tennessee, and Col. I. N. Hulme, of the latter regiment, placed in command. Maj. J. D. Wilson and several company officers of the Forty-Sixth becoming supernumeraries, were ordered to Tennessee to collect the men who had escaped at Island 10, and to secure new recruits for the regiment and forward them to the command. A Camp Direction was established at Blue Creek Church in Humphreys County, and details of officers were sent over the Tennessee River to gather up the men, and secure others and conduct them to the rendezvous. Henry County being within the Federal lines, and a regiment of Iowa Cavalry stationed at Ft. Heiman, it was a difficult and dangerous task. But it was so skillfully conducted, and with their thorough knowl- edge of the country, and the sympathy and coopera- tion of the loyal citizens of Henry County, they gen- erally escaped capture.
There was a nest of Union sympathizers, how- ever, near Big Sandy Station, through whose ter- ritory it was necessary to pass with the greatest cau- tion. By the middle of December fifty or sixty men
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IN CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
had been collected, and these Major Wilson carried to Port Hudson, leaving the camp in charge of other officers. Another, but smaller detachment, having been gathered up, were also conducted to the regi- ment in February, 1863, and the remaining officers accompanying it, the camp was broken up. Captain Harris' Company "C," which had been attached to the Fifth Tennessee, was orderd back to the Forty- Sixth, and thus the whole regiment was united again. In December the Forty-Second was separated and the Forty-Sixth and Fifty-Fifth consolidated. Col. Alex J. Brown of the Fifty-Fifth succeeded to the command, and the two regiments remained to- gether till the close of hostilities. They were placed under Brigadier-General Maxey of Texas. Colonel Hamilton of Mississippi was appointed drillmaster. He was a trained and skillful tactician and brought the regiment to a high state of discipline and drill. The officers were required to diligently study "Har- dee's Tactics," and to recite a lesson each day.
The winter was spent at Port Hudson, drilling each day and doing guard, picket and fatigue duty. An expedition was fitted out during the winter to at- tempt the capture of the Federal gunboat Star of the West, doing picket duty on the Mississippi River. Several members of the Forty-Sixth volunteered as members of the attacking party, and the effort proved successful, the boat being captured and destroyed. Private Asa B. Swett distinguished himself greatly, being one of the first to board the vessel.
March 14, 1863, the Federal gunboats shelled Port Hudson for a few hours, but then withdrew, afton
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY COMMANDS
one had been disabled and sunk. The land forces meantime had advanced from Baton Rouge, and Quarles' Brigade was moved out to meet them, but they also retired without a collision. May 1 the regi- ment, with others, was put on a forced march to Wil- liams' Bridge, on the Amite River, to intercept, if possible, a Federal cavalry raid through Mississippi and Louisiana. The command traveled thirty-five miles between noon of the 1st and afternoon of the 2d, but reached the bridge twelve hours after the Fed- erals had passed. Remained in camp there till the 7th of May, and then marched by easier stages to Chrystal Springs, and went by rail to Jackson, Miss., on the 13th to meet Grant's advance prior to his in- vestment of Vicksburg. They were stationed in the breastworks on the west of the town. The Federals advanced and placed sharpshooters in a plum thicket in front, where they were enabled to compel the Con- federates to lie low in the trenches. Col. R. A. Owens, ever brave and unwilling to give the least evidence of disinclination to share danger with his men, seemed to them to unnecessarily expose himself, and one of them called his attention to the danger he was in. He stepped down into the trench, and, throwing up his hand at the time, a sharpshooter who fired at him sent a ball through his hand, disabling it for life and keeping him from his command for some time. One of the regiment watched for the man who fired the shot and when next he appeared, fired at him, saw him fall and his comrades take him from the field.
Grant withdrew to the environment of Vicksburg, and the Forty-Sixth followed General Johnston in all
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IN CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
the hard marching for the next seven weeks in his at- tempt to open communication with Pemberton's be- leaguered army at Vicksburg. This post having sur- rendered on July 4, Grant again advanced eastwardly and General Johnston fell back before his victorious foe.
The regiment bore its part in the fighting around Jackson and of the hard marching rearward to For- rest Station. Here the Federals, having given up the pursuit, they camped for two weeks, then went by rail to Enterprise, camping at that point for three weeks, and were then ordered to Mobile, by the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, reaching that point August 30, and remained in camp there till late in November, 1863, drilling and doing some police duty in the city. Col. W. A. Quarles, having received his commission as brigadier-general, was placed in command, and the Forty-Sixth remained in his brigade till the close of the war. Colonel Brown of the Fifty-Fifth having died, Lieut .- Col. R. A. Owens of the Forty-Sixth was promoted to colonel and placed in command of the Forty-Sixth and Fifty-Fifth regiments. Maj. J. D. Wilson was advanced to the rank of lieutenant-col- onel and Capt. S. C. Cooper to that of major. Late in November, 1863, the brigade was ordered to Chatta- nooga, Tenn. The train conveying them was halted at Ringgold on the 25th and the command hastily left the train and formed in line of battle to repel a rumored advance of the enemy. A line of skirmishers was thrown out and after waiting a while and finding it was a false alarm, they again boarded the train and proceeded to Chickamauga Station. Here the sound
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY COMMANDS
of heavy firing told how a battle was raging on Mis- sion Ridge. Soon the roads were filled with the routed troops of Bragg's army, many of them being wounded. Quarles' Brigade guarded the military stores that were being loaded on the trains. About 4 o'clock a. m. on the 26th they took up their line of march to the rear, reaching Dalton on the evening of the 27th.
They were set to work in a few days building win- ter quarters and were soon comfortably housed. The weather meantime was severely cold, and the ex- posure very great, but the men bore it with the for- titude of veterans, as they now really were. January 19 they were ordered back to Mobile, and leaving their comfortable quarters, they returned to that city. They did police duty in Mobile on alternate days, march- ing back and forth to camp several miles. Later the duty was reduced to one day in three.
In February they were sent by rail to Meridian to meet Sherman's advance, and did a great deal of marching and maneuvering for several days, when the regiment returned again to Mobile and remained till May 21, when Quarles' Brigade was finally trans- ferred to the Army of Tennessee, then in North Geor- gia, going by steamer to Montgomery and by rail to Acworth. They reached New Hope Church just after a corps of Sherman's army had "butted against" Stewart's Division (as a Federal general expressed it) and had been brought to a sudden halt.
During the months of June, July and August, 1864, the Forty-Sixth and Fifty-Fifth took part in the daily and nightiy marching, fortifying, maneuvering,
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IN CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
skirmishing and fighting that befell the Army of Ten- nessee while they tried to hold at bay Sherman, with his unlimited amount of men and means, and pre- vented his advancing more than forty miles in a hun- dred days.
They were fortunate enough not to be placed in a position where their losses were heavy till July 28, but on that fateful day it was their lot to. meet danger and disaster that equaled the aggregate losses of some other commands during weeks of fighting and proved that they were made of the same stern mate- rial of other troops from old Henry and covered it with a halo of glory and won for it a renown that any command might be proud of.
The Federals, who had been continually extending their lines to the right, reached, on the morning of July 28, 1864, a highway called the "Lick Skillet Road," and at once began to fortify their position. General Hood, who had succeeded General Johnston in command, ordered Gen. A. P. Stewart to attack them with his corps and drive them back.
Loring's Division was in the first line, and after they had advanced and been repulsed, Wal- thall's Division (of which Quarles' Brigade formed a part) was then ordered forward. After pass- ing through a small field they halted a moment in a ravine, perfected the alignment and again moved steadily forward through thick oak undergrowth, less than a hundred yards towards the Federal trenches, in front of which the undergrowth had been cut away for about twenty paces. As the line emerged from the thicket they came into full view of the enemy's works,
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY COMMANDS
scarcely a dozen yards away, and could distinctly hear them as they cocked their rifles, and, at the word of command, fired such a volley that the Confederate line was shattered and brought to a sudden halt. Ensign P. A. Sullivan fell desperately wounded at the first volley. He handed the colors to Capt. W. S. Adams of the Fifty-Fifth Tennessee. Captain Adams fell pierced by at least twenty bullets. Lieutenant Hemphill, also of the Fifty-
ENSIGN P. A. SULLIVAN.
Fifth, raised the standard, but was soon shot through the mouth. Then W. D. Wilson of Company "D" elevated the colors and was struck in the arm by a min- nie ball, from the effects of which he wears to this day an armless sleeve, and the colors fell into the enemy's hands.
LIEUT .- COL. J. D. WILSON.
Lieutenant-Colonel Wilson received a dangerous wound in the body and fell across a log. Private
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IN CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
Smotherman of Company "D" pulled him down be- hind the log and Col. R. A. Owens gave him his can- teen of water, thus supplying a wounded soldier's first and most urgent need. Colonel Wilson was cap- tured and languished in prison till the close of the war. Lieut. Frank Dumas and Adam A. Hope (a most pious Christian) were killed, and Louis Smoth- erman, William Mathis and Newt Vancleave died of their wounds. Many others were killed, wounded and captured, amounting to about 150 out of the 250 with which the Forty-Sixth and Fifty-Fifth entered the battle. The engagement did not last exceeding fif- teen minutes, some placing it at only five minutes. C. M. Kennerly says that he expended sixteen car- . tridges at men standing between two trees, whose places were filled by others as fast as they fell.
The attack having failed, those who escaped death or wounds were withdrawn to places of protection and proceeded to fortify their position.
When Sherman withdrew from before Atlanta and moved upon Hood's communications, Stewart's Corps was retained with the Georgia militia for the defense of the city, while the other two were sent to meet the flank movement, and thus fortunately missed the dis- astrous battle of Jonesboro.
When Hood turned the tables and started for Sher- man's rear, Walthall's Division struck the Western & Atlantic Railroad at Big Shanty, and the Forty- Sixth and Fifty-Fifth supported a Mississippi regi- ment that attacked a block house, and after a few rounds from a battery a white flag was raised and sixty-five Federals were captured. A freight train
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY COMMANDS
loaded with grain was also captured, the boiler cut up and the pieces used to parch corn in. The men were then set to work to tear up the railroad, and did their full share in this work all the way up to Dalton.
The regiment accompa- nied Hood on his expedi-
-
MAJ. S. C. COOPER.
tion to Tennessee, and was almost annihilated at Franklin. It occupied a place in the first line. They first drove the pickets from their holes, and then a line LIEUT. R. B. HENDRICKS. of battle from light rifle pits, and followed them closely to their main fortifications. The regiment over- lapped a short distance on Cleburne's Division and many of his dead were passed.
The Federals opened with canister when the Con- federates were within about 200 yards, and with rifles soon afterward. Ensign Sullivan crossed the ditch and planted his colors beside the embankment. Maj.
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IN CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
S. C. Cooper, in command of the regiment, led his men up to the works and fell desperately wounded. Lieut. R. D. Hendricks received his death wound. His diary stained with his life blood lies before me as I write. Lieut. William L. Hope fell within forty yards of the works, pierced with thirteen wounds, but sur- vived for five days. The men crouching behind the breastworks fired under the headlogs at the Federals. Some one (perhaps an officer) raised a white flag on a bayonet, and the fire slackened somewhat. · Capt. P. M. Hope said to Ensign Sullivan : "Paul, the cause is lost, shelter yourself," and, crouching near the works, was struck by a ball and died almost instantly. As Sullivan looked at him he, too, was struck by a ball and fell senseless. On regaining consciousness, he saw that the Confederates were gone, and a Federal said to him: "Come over the works, your men are gone behind the cotton-gin," gave him his hand and helped him over the works, and carried him over to where the others were gathered behind the gin. Capt. E. A. C. McGehee was killed near the works, and Capt. J. D. Paschall, wounded. C. M. Kennerly, on reaching the breastworks, dropped in the ditch and shot under the headlog, killing a Federal who was loading his gun. Then propping his feet against the works, knocked up the enemy's guns as they tried to shoot him. When the white flag was raised he threw his gun behind him and crawled over the breastworks. A Federal soldier tried to shoot him, but another knocked down the gun and said: "That man is sur- rendering." The names of others killed, wounded and captured will be found in the company rolls.
13
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY COMMANDS
As an example of the depletion of the regiment dur- ing the campaign of 1864, it is related by Lieut. M. V. B. Valentine that Companies "D" and "E" entered the campaign at New Hope in May with seventy-two men, and came out of it at Nashville in December with only two men and one officer (Lieut. V.) for duty ; and Maj. S. C. Cooper says that the regiment went into the bat- tle at Franklin with one hundred and twenty-five men and came out with only twenty-five.
The Forty-Sixth took part in the disastrous Battle of Nashville, and had the honor of forming part of the rear-guard on the retreat from Tennessee. When the other West Tennessee troops were furloughed at Corinth in January, 1865, the Forty-Sixth was not granted this coveted boon, but were sent with the shat- tered columns of the once proud Army of Tennessee to North Carolina, to meet once more Sherman's hosts, . and there fought their last battle at Bentonville, laid down the arms they had used so well, and came back to their loved State and County to tell the widows and orphans of their dead comrades how their loved and honored kinsmen had freely shed their precious blood for the "Lost Cause" and to prove themselves by their after lives that brave men are worthy of trust and confidence as well in peace as war.
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IN CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
ROLL OF THE FIELD AND STAFF, FORTY-SIXTH REGI- MENT, TENNESSEE INFANTRY.
Col. John M. Clark; captured at Island 10; de- tached at reorganization; served in Thirty-Third Texas.
Lieut .- Col. J. W. Johnson; captured at Island 10; discharged at reorganization.
Maj. James S. Brown; captured at Island 10; dis- charged at reorganization.
Surgeon, Dr. S. H. Caldwell ; captured at Island 10; resigned at reorganization; afterward served as sur- geon of Twentieth Tennessee Cavalry.
Assistant Surgeon, Dr. Thomas J. Taliaferro; cap- tured at Island 10; resigned at reorganization.
Adjutant Jonathan S. Dawson; captured at Is- land 10; elected colonel at reorganization.
Sergt .- Maj. Joseph D. Wilson; captured at Island 10; elected major at reorganization; promoted to lieutenant-colonel ; wounded and captured at Atlanta ; served through the war.
Quartermaster B. F. Ridgway.
Commissary, Samuel J. Ray; discharged at reor- ganization; afterwards commissary of Twentieth Tennessee Cavalry.
Quartermaster Sergt. J. Wade Barton ; escaped, Is- land 10.
Commissary Sergt. Adam A. Hope; captured at Island 10; killed at Atlanta.
Ensign Paul A. Sullivan; wounded at Perryville
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY COMMANDS
and at Atlanta; wounded and captured at Franklin; served through the war.
Ordnance Sergt. James Aycock ; escaped, Island 10.
ROLL OF COMPANY "A," FORTY-SIXTH REGIMENT, TEN- NESSEE INFANTRY.
Capt. James W. Weldon; captured at Island 10; discharged at reorganization.
First Lieut. Pink Chilcutt; captured at Island 10; died in prison.
Second Lieut. Alex Morgan ; captured at Island 10; died at home.
Third Lieut. Cullen Phillips; escaped at Island 10.
First Sergt. Robert Lowry ; escaped at Island 10.
Second Sergt. Thomas Chilcutt; captured at Island 10; died in prison.
Third Sergt. J. W. Chilcutt; captured at Island 10 .; died in prison.
Fourth Sergt. George Roberts ; escaped at Island 10.
Fifth Sergt. Andrew M. Wilson; captured at Is- land 10, and afterward escaped ; captured at Atlanta; served through the war.
First Corp. A. J. Morton ; escaped, Island 10.
Second Corp. Hugh Chilcutt; captured at Island 10 ; died in prison.
Third Corp. Joe T. Lax; escaped at Island 10; re- turned to regiment and served through the war.
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IN CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
Fourth Corp. P. C. Boyd; captured at Island 10. D. J. Alexander; captured at Island 10.
B. H. Angell ; captured at Island 10. Jesse Bradshaw ; escaped at Island 10.
Richard Bradshaw ; captured at Island 10. Calvin Causey ; escaped at Island 10.
James Champlin.
Henry Coleman ; escaped at Island 10.
Travis C. Coleman; wounded at Kennesaw by can- non shot; served through the war.
Harrison Cooper; captured at Island 10.
Clark Eaves; escaped at Island 10; returned to regiment; served through the war.
James English ; captured at Island 10.
Milton Flynn; escaped at Island 10; joined the Federals.
Jack Fowler ; escaped at Island 10; returned to the regiment; served through the war.
Robert Freeland; escaped at Island 10.
Thomas Gibson ; captured at Island 10.
W. S. Gresham; captured at Island 10.
N. Guill ; escaped at Island 10.
A. J. Halsted ; died of measles at home on furlough.
Elisha Hawes; transferred to Company "B."
Easton W. Hays; escaped at Island 10.
J. J. Henderson ; escaped at Island 10.
William F. Henderson ; captured at Island 10; es- caped from prison.
Dock Howsden; escaped at Island 10.
Sam Howsden ; escaped at Island 10.
William Howsden; wounded by piece of shell at Island 10 and died April 8, 1862.
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY COMMANDS
John Lax.
Aaron Linnville; escaped at Island 10.
Joseph Kennerly; escaped at Island 10.
E. A. C. McGehee; captured at Island 10; elected captain at reorganization; killed at Franklin.
A. H. McLain.
M. A. McLain.
Thomas MeSwain; escaped at Island 10; served in Wheeler's Cavalry.
Robert Moody; captured at Island 10; died in prison.
E. N. Moody; escaped at Island 10.
James D. Morgan ; escaped at Island 10.
D. G. Morton; escaped at Island 10.
A. B. Oliver ; captured at Island 10; elected lieuten- ant at reorganization; accidentally killed by falling . tree.
J. T. Parks; escaped at Island 10.
Gabe Powers.
· John Phillips; killed at New Hope.
A. C. Ratteree.
John Reed; captured at Island 10; died in prison.
John Robbins; escaped at Island 10; killed by guerrillas.
J. M. Roberts ; transferred to Company "B."
Thomas Robertson; died of measles, December, 1861.
J. D. Rowlett ; captured at Island 10; wounded at Atlanta.
J. Shelley ; died of measles.
James Simpson.
Sámuel Smith ; escaped at Island 10.
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IN CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
John Smoot ; escaped at Island 10; returned to regi- ment; wounded and lost a hand at Nashville; served through the war.
John Sroot; escaped at Island 10; returned to regi- ment; served through the war.
J. W. Steele; escaped at Island 10; served in cav- alry.
Claudius Swor; died January, 1862.
-. -. Townley.
-. -. Townley.
Felix G. Trousdale; escaped at Island 10; trans- ferred to Company "A," Fifth Tennessee.
T. M. Vaughan; escaped at Island 10.
David Walker; died July, 1862.
Ben Wallace; escaped at Island 10; returned to regiment ; served through the war.
S. Y. Watson ; escaped at Island 10; enlisted in cav- alry.
A. M. Weston; escaped at Island 10.
John Weston; escaped at Island 10.
William Willoughby ; captured at Island 10; served through the war.
Robert A. Wilson ; enlisted in Seventh Alabama In- fantry ; served till disbanded ; then with Napier's Cav- alry, and in this company ; wounded at Atlanta, July 28, 1864; on light duty till surrender, June, 1865; served longer than any other man from the county.
William Winchester ; escaped at Island 10.
G. W. Wisehart; escaped at Island 10.
John Wright; died of measles.
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY COMMANDS
ROLL OF COMPANY "B," FORTY-SIXTH REGIMENT TEN- NESSEE INFANTRY. :
Capt. John A. Allen, M. D .; captured at Island 10; discharged at reorganization.
First Lieut. George Hart; captured at Island 10; died in prison.
Second Lieut. John F. Upchurch; escaped at Is- land 10; served in cavalry.
Third Lieut. Calvin Edgar.
First Sergt. W. Green Randle; escaped at Island 10.
Second Sergt. John W. Nance; escaped at Island 10 ; returned to regiment; served through the war.
Ezekiel P. Adams; captured at Island 10; killed at Franklin.
Edmund Allman.
James Allman.
S. A. Barnhill; died August, 1862.
Joseph Beard ; escaped at Island 10; discharged, ill health.
Sam Beard; escaped at Island 10; served in Com- pany "G," Seventh Cavalry.
George Biles; captured at Island 10.
W. D. Bostick.
Frank Bowman; elected lieutenant at reorganiza- tion; served through the war.
J. L. Brundridge ; died February, 1862.
William N. Darnell.
John Dean ; captured at Island 10.
Richard Diggs ; died February, 1862.
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IN CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
R. T. Edgar; captured at Island 10; took oath in . prison.
William Glover.
George Grisham.
James Hart.
Elijah Hawes; captured at Island 10; died in prison.
E. Howe; died August, 1862.
G. W. Jackson; died February, 1862.
Thomas Jackson ; captured at Island 10.
Elijah Johnson; captured at Island 10; died in prison.
John W. Kemp.
William Kendall.
John F. Lee; captured at Island 10.
R. A. Lee; escaped at Island 10; served in cavalry.
J. M. Lucas; captured at Island 10; died in prison.
P. M. Marberry ; escaped at Island 10.
James Mathis ; captured at Island 10.
Jesse Mathis; captured at Island 10.
Jack McDougall; captured at Island 10; killed at Atlanta.
L. H. Nance; died at Atlanta, June, 1864.
W. Thomas Nance; escaped at Island 10; served in Tenth Cavalry; returned to regiment; captured at Nashville; served through the war.
Henry Poole; captured at Island 10; perhaps died. Pink Poole; captured at Island 10; perhaps died.
Henry Powell; captured at Island 10; died in prison.
William Ralls; captured at Island 10; wounded at Atlanta.
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY COMMANDS
R. J. Russell; captured at Island 10.
W. W. Smith; captured at Island 10.
James Whittaker.
Jeptha Williams; captured at Island 10; died in prison.
ROLL OF COMPANY "C," FORTY-SIXTH REGIMENT, TEN- NESSEE INFANTRY.
Capt. John W. Harris; wounded and captured at Perryville; discharged at reorganization.
First Lieut. Bird McKinney; discharged, ill health.
Second Lieut. Charles Pinson; discharged, ill health.
Third Lieut. William S. Frier; resigned, April, 1862.
First Sergt. Samuel W. Cochran; elected third lieutenant, April, 1862 ; promoted second lieutenant, July, 1862 ; first lieutenant, September, 1862; elected captain at reorganization; wounded at Atlanta; served through the war.
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