USA > Tennessee > DeKalb County > History of De Kalb county, Tennessee > Part 13
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Colonel Blackburn was born in Wilson County, near Cottage Home, in 1842, his father having come from North Carolina. He married Miss Jennie Barger, of Liberty, in 1861. His company (A), of Stokes's Regi- ment, elected him captain at the age of eighteen. As shown, he raised a regiment after resigning from the Fifth Cavalry. He was in quite a number of battles and skirmishes, receiving one wound-probably made by Oscar Woodworth, a Federal-while a battle was on with Morgan's men at Liberty. After the war he was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention at Nash- ville, but refused to sign the schedule because of the poll tax provision as a qualification for voters. He was also United States marshal for the middle district of the State. Shortly after the war he, with others, created a sensation in Nashville by attacking and wounding Gen. Joseph Wheeler. Colonel Blackburn died in May, 1913.
In Goodspeed's history of the State (biographical section) this statement is made : "Colonel Blackburn
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
was in several battles, the most important of which were Nashville, Chattanooga, Snow's Hill, and Milton. . . , He also cleared of guerrillas White, Putnam, DeKalb, and Jackson Counties by capturing Champe Ferguson, after which even Rebel sympathizers felt more secure. He is said to have been in two hundred and seventeen engagements, in all of which he was successful. He was wounded at Liberty." In the same history it is stated that in 1864 R. B. Blackwell's guerrillas made a raid into Shelbyville, Tenn. The depot was guarded by twelve of Blackburn's troops, who were captured, escorted into the country, and shot. Were these members of Company A? Black- burn's companies were :
Company A, officers: Captain, James Wortham ; lieutenants, C. W. Meeker, G. W. Gray, William Mc- Dowell, William Smith, A. J. Miller ; sergeants, J. S. Ray, W. L. Jackson, J. M. Jarrell, T. V. Jones ; cor- porals, W. G. Reavis, W. W. Harrian, J. Williams, W. C. Dickens, J. A. Holcomb, J. A. Brooks, C. M. Clark.
Privates : J. F. Ray, W. L. Jackson, J. M. Jarrell, T. V. Jones, A. J. Jarrell, W. G. Reavis, W. W. Harman, I. Williams, W. C. Dickens, J. A. Holcomb, J. A. Brooks, C. M. Clark, Tom Anderson, W. Blacker, A. J. Cleck, W. J. Clark, J. W. Cunningham, E. G. Davis, G. B. Dawson, Linsley Evins, R. C. Eaton, T. J. Fisher, J. H. Griffin, W. J. Gordon, J. N. Gibson, J. L. Hill, J. T. Harris, G. Ivy, James and John Jones, T. J. Little, W. S. Lacey, E. Lockhart, G. Little, M.D., J. H. Moon, J. P. Mankin, J. C. McMinn, L. Moore, J. C. Matthews, I. Norvill, G. Primrose, R. J. Patton,
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
J. A. Rollins, C. S. Richard, S. J. Riner, M. Shoffner, J. D. Sanders, James C. Turner, R. F. and W. W. Tindell, J. H. Webster, W. W. Waide, V. H. Wright, H. P. Watkins, Joseph A. White, P. M. Melton, Berry Bruton, S. J. Cheek, M. C. Davis, J. Hashaw, John Hyde, H. J. Johnson, George Ross, W. J. Shaw, H. F. Sutton, W. McMurry, J. M. Bearden, R. Brown, R. M. Dromgoole, A. R. Hashaw, P. M. Odum, J. B. Summers, H. V. Stahum, A. D. Hopkins, Robert F. Smith, J. W. Tredinger, John Williams, N. S. Brown- sheres, W. Davis, W. H. Johnson, J. W. Smith, A. J. J. Horton.
Killed : P. M. Melton, Berry Bruton, S. J. Cheek, M. C. Davis, James Hashaw, John Hyde, H. J. John- son, George Ross, W. J. Shaw, all at Wells Hill Sep- tember 28, 1864. Died: William McMurry, May 21, 1866; M. Bearden, April 7, 1865; R. Baugh, January 10, 1865; R. M. Dromgoole, lost on the steamer Sul- tana.
Company B, officers : First sergeant, J. M. Whitten ; second sergeant, W. T. Hopper ; corporals, E. J. Spen- cer, L. W. Dawson, B. F. Parlon.
Privates : J. Austin, G. W. Anglin, M. M. Brison, J. Black, John Burks, J. M. Chapman, J. R. Chapman, W. Cheek, H. J. Crow, W. A. Cooper, H. T. Forbes, H. Gorman, R. Holliday, W. H. Harland, R. Howard, M. L. Inge, A. F. Ingle, T. Johnson, James Keyton, J. Louden, J. H. Moore, T. Martingale, C. Newland, J. Prime, R. J. Rankin, W. W. Robinson, H. Riner, J. A. Robinson, J. K. Stone, M. Spencer, J. Shelton, D.
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
D. Sanders, A. Tibbets, P. Trease, M. A. Thompson, W. W. Whitby, W. M. Whitehorn, J. Weaver, N. A. Whitehorn, M. P. Henry, D. S. Ingle, J. W. White- horn, J. A. Griffin, J. Golden, I. Trotter, John Pierce.
Died : J. A. Griffin, April 15, 1865; J. Golden, 1865 ; I. Trotter, May 18, 1865.
Company C, officers : Captain, A. C. Card; lieu- tenants, W. B. Overcast, R. Wiley; sergeants, E. D. Jones, J. E. Austin, W. N. Austin, James Greer, L. T. Larue ; corporals, M. D. Smith, W. H. Stephenson, J. B. Cherry, J. S. Reese, Thomas Gore, J. S. Gibson, W. S. Cavett, John Armstrong, G. B. Baker.
Privates : W. H. Stephenson, J. B. Cherry, J. S. Reese, T. G. Gee, J. E. Gibson, W. S. Cavett, John Armstrong, G. B. Baker, W. Baldwin, H. Bledsoe, J. Barron, L. F. Cain, H. Clark, G. W. Clark, W. H. Clark, W. J. Cochran, Peter Cochran, J. E. Cooper, A. Crane, N. B. Daniel, E. P. Estes, L. C. C. Estes, P. T. Fisher, J. L. Foster, J. E. Fox, J. Freeman, F. E. Glasscock, G. Glasscock, T. H. Grey, J. Hall, J. P. Hoskins, W. D. Hill, T. Johnson, W. Johnson, W. H. Kiser, J. O. Cumpie, A. Lamb, T. H. Lamb, G. W. Lock, David Lynch, W. G. Lynch, W. Malone, J. W. Mallard, H. E. McGowan, W. Melton, J. Moore, J. H. Neely, J. M. Orr, C. Overcast, A. Perryman, W. R. Posey, J. J. Reeves, G. W. Reece, J. W. Reed, S. A Rundle, A. Shaw, Joab Slawtre, Hiram, J. A., and J. G. Smith, J. L. Stallings, J. Stone, C. Tarwater, J. H. Tucker, N. Walker, S. Williams, J. T. Glasscock, T. J. Hopper, I. D. Smith, Henry Thomas, Robert Wiley,
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HISTORY £ OF DEKALB COUNTY
T. F. Logsten, W. W. Waide, J. M. Austin, H. Holmes, Jonathan Johnson, H. L. McConnell, C. Mitchell, H. C. Moore, J. W. Prince, E. Seatons, W. H. Wright.
Died : J. T. Glasscock, January 10, 1865 ; T. J. Hop- per, February 5, 1865; I. D. Smith, Andersonville Prison, March 10, 1865; Henry Thomas, of gunshot wounds in Bedford County.
Company D, officers : Captain, Norton E. Quinn ; lieutenants, J. Henry Blackburn, T. G. Bratten; ser- geants, W. W. Colwell, J. B. Taylor, D. L. Floyd, J. W. Atwood, N. Hodges ; corporals, J. A. Colwell, Wil- liam Batts, John W. Vandergrift, W. Lawson, N. E. Brandy, J. McAlexander, William Coffee, H. C. Jen- kins.
Privates : P. Atkins, G. B. Anderson, J. A. Barnes, W. A. Barren, W. Bain, W. T. Blackburn, M. Brad- ley, A. J. Bennett, J. J. Bennett, W. Bullard, A. Certui, L. D. Colwell, Andrew Chumley, J. C. Clemmons, T. Davis, D. H. Davis, W. H. Fann, Joe B. Gilbert, C. W. Hollandsworth, J. D. Hall, T. J. Hays, Lawson Hall, T. J. Hale, John Herriman, Stephen Herriman, Sam P. Herriman, J. C. Hiddon, J. L. Jenkins, J. B. Kyle, J. Kenton, M. J. Luck, Jesse Lafever, C. Lawson, A. H. Leack, Bunk Malone, S. B. Morris, C. Mosby, T. Davis, W. Phillips, H. P. Pass, A. Ready, J. W. Rey- nolds, J. O. Rich, John Robertson, G. Stevens, J. E. Tedder, A. H. Thomason, J. Tuggle, H. M. Tuggle, P. N. Turner, George Turner, Henry Vandergriff, John Vandergriff, William Vandergriff, W. and
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
Thomas Veri, Sam Vannata, G. A. Vansell, O. D. Williams, M. Wilson, T. L. Ray, J. F. Yeargin, O. D. Goodson, G. M. Jennings, W. A. Morgan, W. Benson, Irving Driver, W. L. Hathaway, T. Brennan, Thomas Hays, John Hollandsworth, C. Peterson, A. Smith- land.
Killed : O. D. Goodson, Cannon County, March 15, 1865, probably by guerrillas; J. M. Jennings, same ; W. A. Morgan, battle of Nashville, December 17, 1864. Died : W. Benson, May 10, 1865 ; Irving Driver, May 10, 1865.
Company E, officers: Captain, Macadoo Vannata; first lieutenant, M. C. Vick; second lieutenant, James Williams; first sergeant, Bove Oakley; second ser- geant, W. J. Crook; third sergeant, J. M. Johnson ; fourth sergeant, George Turner ; fifth sergeant, G. W. Martin ; corporals, C. Booker, A. C. Cox, Virgil Ray, J. Ricketts, H. McCork, A. Blythe, C. Manners, F. A. Right ; bugler, Len R. Scott; smith, G. W. Lanier.
Privates : J. N. Alexander, H. C. Bennett, J. Y. Ben- nett, T. Beadle, J. Crook, Tilman Crook, S. M. Chris- tian, Leonard Cantrell, J. Capshaw, William Conley, F. Culwell, J. W. Carroll, W. F. Craven, Berry Driver, H. H. Eskin, H. M. Fite, S. L. Gay, Leman Hale, J. Hickman, J. C. Huchens, Thomas Hass, T. Harris, J. Harden, A. Harris, W. R. Hill, J. Hill, J. Hodges, Francis Hollandsworth, S. Hughes, B. Hill, W. Jen- kins, T. P. James, James Keaton, William King, J. L. Kenard, J. Lawson, A. Lack, J. Manners, J. Maxfield, W. F. Metcalf, H. W. McGuire, Dous, John, James,
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
and Joseph Oakley, A. Pack, Barn Page, W. R. Parris, S. H. Patterson, P. Roberts, J. H. Rany, J. F. Scott, R. Stewart, J. P. Smith, Manson Scott, Isaac Turner, J. Thomas, John M. Trammel, T. W. Trammel, Thomas W. Turner, William I. Turner, Barney Tay- lor, T. I. Vance, E. Williams, B. G. Warren, Leonard F. Woodside, E. C. Walker, W. J. Stokes, D. F. Floyd, Dallas Adkins.
Company F, officers : Captain, William L. Hatha - way; first lieutenant, James H. White; second lieu- tenant, Elijah Robinson ; first sergeant, Ben Hall ; sec- ond sergeant, Tom Curtis; third sergeant, James Robinson; fourth sergeant, Seaborn Page; fifth ser- geant, W. B. Corley; corporals, John Hendrixon, Jesse Farler, Ike Gibbs, Daniel Hale, W. M. Moore, S. M. Pirtle, William Adamson, W. M. Short.
Privates: L. J. Allison, Joe M. Banks, Thomas Biford, J. R. Cantrell, J. B. Carter, Asa Driver, J. M. Dunlap, Sim Estes, Isom Etheridge, Eli Evans, E. D. Fish, William Fitts, James Ford, Erastus D. Foster, Jonathan R. Fuson, James H. Fuson, J. M. Gilbert, Len Hathaway, J. B. Hardinlay, Smith Hendrixon, James R. Hicks, R. Hill, E. D. Hutchens, H. and I. C. Johnson, Tilman Joins, John Lasiter, Thomas Lead- better, L. B. Linsey, J. Linsey, Giles, R. E., and W. J. Martin, J. J. Maxwell, V. McIntire, S. Neal, J. M., A., John, and Jacob Pack, Allen Page, Erwin Page, Wash Parsley, J. A. Parsley, J. F. Petit, J. E., Levi D., and C. H. Robinson, Ike Shehane, W. Snyder, E. Snow, John Smithson, E., J. T., Chesley, Bailey, and
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
Henry Taylor, W. Thomas, Joseph Turner, R. Wood- ward, G. B. Woodward, J. M. Pack, A. L. Cummings, J. B. Edney, F. P. Kephart.
Died: G. B. Woodward, J. M. Pack, April 8, 1865; A. L. Cummings, April 8, 1865.
Company G, officers : Captain, James P. Patey ; first lieutenant, S. B. Whitlock; second lieutenant, James A. Kitchings; first sergeant, G. E. Coatney ; second sergeant, H. C. Barry; third sergeant, J. M. Enoch ; fourth sergeant, A. Gwaltney; fifth sergeant, J. B. Barber ; corporals, T. H. Campbell, W. T. Allen, F. C. Allen, I. Manning.
Privates: Henry H. Jones, D. B. Gwaltney, W. Beasly, J. T. Highers, Jere Agee, J. D. Agee, W. B. Agee, F. Adcock, Benjamin Allen, G. K. Baker, A. J. Baker, Turner Barrett, N. B. Boulton, J. Bray, P. J. Baker, Ben Bradley, F. E. Buckner, L. Chandler, G. P. Campbell, A. H. Cowen, W. H. Corley, M. F. Coat- ney, Wamon Capshaw, William Cheek, Thomas Clark, Sam Denny, D. R. Enoch, T. F. Estes, W. Fuller, J. B. Farmer, J. Frederick, A. B. Fuller, A. Girins, John Gregory, C. G. Caskey, R. F. Hale, A. D. Helmantaler, W. D. Hudson, T. H. Hughes, J. Hunt, J. A. Hunt, Simeon Highers, B. A. James, G. D. King, B. F. Kid- well, E. H. Liggin, W. J. Lance, J. W. Merritt, D. A. Macon, Burrel Manning, T. B. Mathis, S. B. McDowel, S. W. Macon, William Moss, A. C., J., J. N., and T. Nolan, John Ogle, J. G. Parton, James Preston, Moses Preston, James Pritchett, John Prentice, W. T. Stal-
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
ings, J. B. Smart, B. F., J. M., and W. J. Thomas, J. M. Watts, Dock Wilkerson, J. N. Webb, G. Williams, Sam Winfrey, G. B. Boulton.
Company H, officers : First lieutenant, J. T. Thomp- son ; second lieutenant, T. H. Berry ; sergeants, T. D. Sutney, James Weaver, J. R. Word, T. H. Lanham, J. W. Fisher ; corporals, Paris Campbell, J. Campbell, D. S. Holt, W. N. Ricks, D. T. Thomison, W. S. Stuart, E. A. Barbee, W. A. Jacobs.
Privates : T. M. Allen, S. H. Alexander, A. H. Ash- worth, W. E. Bond, J. W. Berry, T. J., J. F., and James F. Bell, W. Ball, G. and W. L. Biss, J. Berry, J. Bond, B. Craig, J. R. Cummings, J. H. Cunningham, B. Climer, Jim W. Carney, A. N. Cummings, J. A. Cun- ningham, J. C. Edwards, Ben Elkins, L. A. Farmer, J. Griffin, W. H. Gill, C. B. Griffin, J. Harrison, J. W. Herron, J. P. Henderson, L. F. Holland, J. W. James, William Kelly, H. B. Gurnan, J. M. Gurnan, H. A. Midgit, Presley Merritt, R. M. Porterfield, S. T. Por- terfield, G. W. Patterson, W. L. Singleton, William Springs, G. Springs, E. Shadwick, S. Spears, Z. F. Spears, M. H. Thompson, J. R. Thompson, J. L., J. M., and A. Tanner, Thomas Tuggle, R. F. Thomas, W. Thompson, E. P. Tracy, I. N. Vaught, W. J. Vaught, M. A. Wallace, R. H. Walker, M. Wintherly, G. W., A. P., Ben, and William Williams, C. C. Wood, C. H. Young, William Younger, George Oakley, James Oakley, James Yates.
Died : James Oakley, of wounds, February 4, 1865.
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
Company I, officers; Captain, John Simpson ; first lieutenant, H. C. Sanders; second lieutenant, C. W. Meeker (later C. M. Pitts) ; first sergeant, G. W. Dimean; second sergeant, J. W. Fleman; third ser- geant, C. A. Bailiff ; fourth sergeant, T. J. Wilburn ; fifth sergeant, Joel Dodson ; corporals, T. W. Johnson, J. T. White, J. M. Haney, J. F. S. Hardaway, W. P. Conner, J. F. Rombo, J. C. Chambers, J. Walker.
Privates : R. M. Adams, W. S. Ashen, James Allen, A. G. Barnes, N. F. Bishop, J. M. Bankston, Bird L. Bates, F. M. Barnett, D. O. Brown, F. M. Cassell, S. D. Eddie, D. C. Fleeman, D. G. Greer, C. G. Head, J. Head, J. Heath, W. W. Heath, M. Hart, R. Harring- ton, S. House, C. Jones, N. F. Jones, C. Jordan, O. Jordon, Thomas Keath, John Kirby, F. M. Keath, J. D. Lossen, James Laurence, Miles Leary, T. J. Lewis, R. J. Maxwell, A. Medley, L. McGinnis, Alfred Mor- ris, Thomas Malone, T. M. McCormack, J. A. Manley, J. F. and G. W. Majors, W. P. Maxwell, J. Mitchell, Isham A. Morris, S. McCroy, H. Nolly, J. Penny, A. L. Perryman, D. E. Perryman, W. Pearce, J. Reaves, D. R. Roberts, T. J. Riggs, T. L. Richardson, A. Riley, Ben Scaggs, J. H. Sandusky, W. F. Sandusky, J. J. Spray, P. Seay, T. Smith, L. D. Smith, J. G. Smith- son, J. T. Tanner, R. A. Thatch, J. R. Tubb, W. L. Todd, J. Wiley, J. Watson, L. D., W. H., and R. P. Williams, J. W. Todd, J. Tolman, John C. Conner, T. . J. Hart, W. H. McClaffity, F. Spurlock, T. J. Welch, J. W. Armstrong, S. M. Baker, Eli Barnett, J. Baker, J. H. Crane, A. Gibbs, W. H. Gillan, W. J. Hollis, J. E. Sweeler, G. W. Smith, J. W. Worley.
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
Died : John C. Conner, January 26, 1865 ; T. J. Hart, January 16, 1865; W. H. McClaffity, February 16, 1865; F. Spurlock, February 8, 1865; T. J. Welch, February 8, 1865.
Company K, officers : Captain, Rufus Dowdy ; first lieutenant, H. T. Smallage ; second lieutenant, W. H. Wilhite; first sergeant, John Parker ; second sergeant, James Wilhite; third sergeant, E. M. Long; fourth sergeant, J. F. Deck; fifth sergeant, F. Coatney ; cor- porals, J. A. Hill, J. F. Mulligan, J. F. Koger, William Frederick, J. Cooper, D. Godsey, J. Stover, J. R. Grimes.
Privates : H. Armis, John, W., and Van Allen, J. M. Boyle, L. P. Baker, M. M. Bryan, B. H. Bracher, E. Bird, J. Bohanan, J. H. Briant, W. T. Curnley, John Courlington, E. Cash, H. Clark, D. C. Clark, Green P. Cantrell, H. I. Cooper, W. H. Capshaw, J. Cargill, H. L. Dox, William Duese, J. Dickson, C. C. Fowler, F. M. Ferguson, William Flowers, G. Goodman, Wil- liam Green, J. Godsey, W. B. Hill, R. Highers, G. W. Hendrixson, D. H. Hall, W. B. Hoyder, J. N. Johnson, R. M. Johnson, E. Jackson, L. Jackson, W. E. Jones, W. S. Kirby, L. Liles, J. F. Martin, Thomas Mason, J. H. Moore, John Maries, James Maires, R. L. New- man, J. Prater, G. W. Plumlee, A. Parker, R. Poe, J. S. Prater, G. W. Roberts, Jeff Reynolds, J. S., F., and A. Sliger, Asbury Scott, W. J. Smith, G. Stephens, S. Settle, R. Savage, J. R. Sisson, D. M. Southerland, William H. Southerland, A. J. Sells, J. H. Smith, J. A. Stone, G. A. Finch, A. J. Tucker, J. Whitaker, A.
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
J. Williams, Marshall Walker, W. B. Davis, J. P. Hill, W. L. Hunter, T. McNair, J. E. Pritchard, W. A. Pritchard.
A. J. Garrison made up a company (G) which be- came a part of the First Federal Regiment of Mounted Infantry, Col. A. E. Garrett. The regiment served mainly in the northeastern part of Middle Tennessee, having frequent encounters with guerrillas. Captain Garrison was born in DeKalb County of a pioneer family. He probably died in Arkansas, to which State he removed after the war.
Company G, officers : Captain, Andrew J. Garrison ; lieutenants, L. N. Woodside, appointed March 21, 1864; Elijah Bratten, appointed December 5, 1864.
Privates : Stephen Barnes, C. A. Coe, John Conley, H. M. Crook, M. Harris, Amos Gilly, John Hill, Joe Herryman (I), Joe Herryman (2), B. Herrington, A. J. Hullet, William Jones, B. F. Jones, W. W. Jackson, Morris Marcum, G. W. Norton, I. N. Fite, James Waford, Francis Hall, Jo and John Parkerson, John Merritt, Mickeral Manners, John Rodgers, John Rey- nolds, R. Sullens, J. A. Taylor, M. A. Thomason, H. Vanover, S. O. Williams, Lem Barger, John Martin, William Scott, Newton Brown, Brax Malone, Thomas Bates, James Allen, W. B. Bates, N. Bradley, J. H. Bradley, G. Chatham, R. S. Dale, John G. Dale, O. P. Durham, W. B. Farmer, H. L. Farmer, J. H. Fite, Jason Foutch, W. J. Foutch, Josiah Hicks, John W. Hass, Joe Hullet, H. C. Hardcastle, Ainberson Corley,
206
HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
John Jones, W. W. Jackson, J. B. Lewis, J. B. Malone, Daniel Mathis, Jo Neal, Levi Neal, William Pogue, Lem Parker, Oliver Patterson, Shadrack Robertson, William Reasonover, William Sewell, J. Scudder, George Thomason, James Woodside, Henry Wooden, O. Parkerson, Memphis Goodson, W. Midigett, W. H. Adams.
Died: W. H. Adams, Ainberson Corley, Memphis Goodson, and W. Midigett, 1864; Oliver Patterson, 1865.
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CHAPTER XVIII.
PROGRESS OF THE BIG WAR.
IN Gen. M. J. Wright's volume, "Tennessee in the War," are listed the following fights which took place on DeKalb County soil from 1861 to the close of the War between the States :
Alexandria, February 3-5, 1863; Smithville, June 4, 5, 1863; Snow's Hill, April 2, 6, June 4, 1863; Liberty, January 21, 22, February 3-5, 17-20, March 19, April 1-8, May 12, 16, June 4, 1863 ; Salem, March 21, May 20, 1863 ; Salem Pike, June 12, 1863 .*
Some of these skirmishes were long-drawn-out, and of course they do not include occasional uncontested entrances of one side or the other into the county, such as the passing of Wheeler's Cavalry in 1864.
It is seen in the list that almost every section of De- Kalb had some knowledge of war's alarms. Stokes's, Blackburn's, or Garrison's men frequently camped on their old Liberty stamping grounds. At this place there was for a while a negro company, maybe more, the headquarters being the Methodist church. The DeKalb County Federals built the stockade on the hill just west of Liberty, and while at Alexandria they occupied the fair grounds. Occasionally they were at Smithville, but only for short periods. Troops under
*The number of battles and skirmishes in the entire State is given in Volume XII. of the "Confederate Military Histo- ry," and each is pointed out by date and location. The num- ber was seven hundred and seventy-four.
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
Gen. J. T. Wilder or one or more of his colonels and other Federal officers made frequent forays from Mur- freesboro and Nashville via Auburn and Alexandria.
While the writer was on the editorial staff of the Knoxville Evening Sentinel in 1898 General Wilder made occasional visits to the office, and when compil- ing the "History of Tennessee and Tennesseeans" in 1913 he requested the General to write of his experi- ences in Middle Tennessee. This was graciously agreed to, but later the General found it impossible to comply. However, there is an interesting biography of him in the history mentioned. He had the Liberty steam mill* burned and also William Vick's vacant storehouse. The latter was destroyed because the Con- federates had wheat stored in it. In the biography it is said: "He [Wilder] took a specially active part in the operations through Central Tennessee. At one time Rosecrans had ordered him to burn all the mills in this region of the State; but instead of destroying them he broke the principal gear, so that they could not be operated. When he reported to Rosecrans what he had done, the general told him he had disobeyed orders, but would excuse him that time."
From the occupation of the county by Gen. John H. Morgan's forces date the series of skirmishes which took place therein. In the history of Morgan's Cav- alry Gen. B. W. Duke declares that the object was to defend Bragg's right wing after the latter had re-
*After the destruction of the mill the citizens had to depend upon Crips's Mill, on Dry Creek, and that of William Bate, on Helton Creek.
14
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
treated following the battle of Murfreesboro, Decem- ber 3, 1862, to January 1, 1863. This wing extended from Woodbury, Tenn., into Wayne County, Ky., a distance of one hundred and twenty miles. Liberty being the most important point on the line, strategi- cally considered, the main force was established there. Duke says also that they kept within safety of Snow's Hill; but he finally decided that this place of retreat, when the command was closely pursued, was not as safe as it had been regarded.
Morgan's command reached Smithville January 4, 1863. It remained there and at Sligo ten days. Then it marched to McMinnville, where the commander made his headquarters. On January 23 Col. John C. Breckinridge was ordered to move to Liberty with three regiments-the Third Kentucky, Lieutenant Colonel Hutchinson; the Ninth Kentucky, Lieutenant Colonel Stoner; and the Ninth Tennessee, Colonel Ward. Col. A. R. Johnson was already in the vicinity of Liberty with the Tenth Kentucky.
Capt. Thomas Quirk was sent ahead of the three regiments. He was an Irishman commanding sixty scouts. Before he could be supported, he was driven from the village by Federals, however. This must have been about January 21 or 22.
When Colonel Breckinridge arrived he occupied the country immediately in front of Liberty, picketing all the roads. Shortly afterwards Colonel Stoner, with several companies, was ordered to Kentucky, leaving the Confederate force about one thousand effective men. There was a similar force in the neighborhood
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
of McMinnville and Woodbury. During January, Feb- ruary, and March the Confederates were kept con- stantly scouting and making expeditions. Fights were of almost daily occurrence somewhere near the line they were defending. "Perhaps no period in the his- tory of Morgan's Cavalry can be cited in which more exciting service was performed," avers General Duke.
General Stokes's troops, or a portion of them, were frequently with General Wilder's in making these forays into the county. The Stokes home was three miles down Smith Fork Creek, north of Liberty, and the Confederates had a great desire to capture its owner. One of the Kentucky soldiers, writing to the Confederate Veteran for September, 1898, says : "Liberty is a village situated at the base of Snow's Hill, fifty miles due east from Nashville. Rome would have been a better name for the town, as it seemed that all the pikes and dirt roads in Tennessee led to Liberty. Somewhere on the road between Liberty and Cumberland [Caney Fork] River there lived at that time a Col. Bill Stokes, an officer of some note, of whom we heard a good deal in time of the war. It was Colonel Ward's ambition, as well as that of his men, who were Tennesseeans, to capture Colonel Stokes, and they made diligent search for him and at the same time guarded his house closely with the expectation of finding Colonel Stokes at home."
While Lieut. G. C. Ridley was with Morgan's force at Liberty in 1863 he received an order to select ten picked men to go by way of Alexandria, Lebanon, and Goodlettsville and send a messenger on the quiet to
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY
Nashville to ascertain the location of the Federals and their approaches. Near Payne's Ferry, on the Cum- berland River, they found a young lady willing to make the secret trip into Nashville. In twelve hours she was back with a complete diagram. Receiving it, Lieu- tenant Ridley started back posthaste, but soon learned that General Wilder with a large force had marched from Murfreesboro by way of Lebanon and Alexan- dria to attack Liberty. Ridley changed his course for Columbia, going by Peytonville, Williamson County. Near the latter place he was chased by Cross' South- ern guerrillas, who thought he was a Federal. Lieu- tenant Ridley and squad finally reached General For- rest at Columbia.
Speaking of General Wilder, he was once assisted into DeKalb County by a Union girl. She was Miss Mary, daughter of Dr. J. W. Bowen, of Gordonsville. He had started out from Nashville with seven scouts. These scouts were captured by Confederates, all wounded, five dying from their wounds. General Wilder reached Gordonsville after dark. Dr. Bowen being absent, Miss Bowen volunteered to act as his guide to Smithville. It was dark and rainy, but the trip was successfully made. Miss Bowen became Mrs. Aust, mother of John R. Aust, a prominent lawyer at Nashville.
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