History of the Thirteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, U. S. A., Part 22

Author: Scott, Samuel W; Angel, Samuel P., 1840-
Publication date: [c1903]
Publisher: Philadelphia : P. W. Ziegler
Number of Pages: 576


USA > Tennessee > Johnson County > History of the Thirteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, U. S. A. > Part 22
USA > Tennessee > Carter County > History of the Thirteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, U. S. A. > Part 22


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Major Wagner joined the Regiment as private, Com- pany E January 2, 1864, was transferred to non-com- missioned staff as Quartermaster-Sergeant January 9, 1864, promoted to Major of the Third Battalion May 15, 1864.


Major Wagner was a most efficient officer, performing all his duties to the eminent satisfaction of his superior officers, and gained the respect and confidence of his men, as well as the friendship and esteem of his fellow-officers.


The Major and his estimable wife and family are resi- «lents of Mountain City, Tenn., where they enjoy the com- forts of an elegant home and the highest honor and re- spect of a host of friends and relatives.


Major Wagner resigned his commission in the army March 25th, 1865, to accept a seat in the General Assem- bly of the State as representative from Carter and John- son counties, to which he was elected by the vote of the Regiment.


MAJOR C. C. WILCOX.


Christopher C. Wilcox was a Carter county man After taking part in the Greeneville Convention, the Carter county rebellion and in all the movements of the Union people he organized Company G and commanded that company until promoted to Major, March 10, 1865.


The frequent mention of this officer in the body of the history renders it unnecessary to comment here upon his military history further than to say that he made a na- tional reputation by his daring charge into Greeneville, Tenn., on the morning of September 4, 1864, when Gen. John H. Morgan was killed and his staff officers and body guard captured.


As an officer there were none braver or more kind and considerate for the welfare of his men. He had one brother, Lieut. D. P. Wilcox, of the Second Tennessee


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Infantry, and two sons, Lieut. John M. and Sergeant Robert B. Wilcox, of Company G, Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, in the Federal army, and all made gallant sol- diers.


Major Wilcox died at Emporia, Kan., a number of years ago.


MAJOR PATRICK F. DYER.


Patrick F. Dyer was a native of Ireland and was only 23 years old when commissioned Captain of Company B. He was promoted to Major, March 10th, 1865. He was captured at the first battle of Bull's Run, made his escape from Saulsbury prison and arrived in Carter county sometime previous to the occupation of East Tennessee by Gen. Burnside. He served with the Thirteenth Ten- nessee Cavalry from its organization until its muster-out, and was a brave and competent officer as well as a genial comrade and friend. He has been dead a number of years.


MAJOR WILLIAM H. MATLOCK, SURGEON.


Major Matlock succeeded Major Hobbs as Surgeon of the Thirteenth Tennesse Cavalry, his commission bear- ing date September 27, 1864, and he remained with the Regiment until its muster-out, September 5, 1865.


Major Matlock was a native of Pennsylvania. After the close of the war he lived at Downingtown, Pa., where he practiced his profession until his death, which oc- curred in June, 1896.


DR. JAMES M. CAMERON, CAPTAIN AND AS- SISTANT SURGEON.


Dr. Cameron was born in Elizabethton, Tenn., No- vember, 1833. He and his two brothers, M. D. L. and John W. Cameron, though the family owned slaves,


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were among the most active and fearless of the support- ers of the Union cause. John W. Cameron, the younger brother, was a delegate to the Knoxville Union Conven- tion in 1861, and took an active part in all the affairs of the Union people, and but for his widowed mother, and his sister, who would have been left alone, would doubt- less have joined the army.


He was mustered into service as Assistant Surgeon at the organization of the Regiment or soon afterwards (Nov. 7, 1863, ) and performed the duties of that office until July 19, 1865, when he tendered his resignation. He was held in high esteem by the members of the Regi- ment. both officers and soldiers. After the war Dr. Cam- eron continued the practice of medicine at Elizabethton. He gave much of his time to church, Sunday-school and educational interests. He died suddenly at his home December 28, 1897.


Dr. Cameron was married to Miss Mary E. Tipton, February 8, 1855. He raised a family of four children, one son and three daughters. The son, William M. Cameron, lives at Los Angeles, Cal. ; two daughters, Mrs Jennie C. Johnson and Mrs. Joanna Bell Boring, reside at Elizabethton, Tenn., and Mrs. Nola Frances Harden re- sides at Cranberry, N. C.


LIEUTENANT JAMES H. CONKLING, R. O. M.


This officer, on recommendation of Gen. Carter, was appointed First Lieutenant and Regimental Quarter- master on the organization of the Regiment and mus- tered as such November 8th. 1863. He was later detailed as Acting Brigade Quartermaster, and filled that position until September, 1864, when he resigned. He was a competent officer and an agreeable gentleman.


LIEUTENANT JOEL H. WILLIAMS. R. C. S.


Lieut. Williams was commissioned First Lieutenant and Regimental Commissary of Subsistence November


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8th, 1863; detailed as Acting Brigade C. S. until date of his resignation, September, 1864. He was a genial, com- petent and popular officer. We have been unable to ob- tain further information in regard to this officer but be- lieve he was a native East Tennesseean.


LARKIN P. BLACKBURN, ASST. SURGEON.


This officer was a native of Johnson county, Tenn. He enlisted in Company E September 24th, 1863, was pro- moted to Hospital Steward and transferred to the Field and Staff same date, and upon the resignation of Dr. J. M. Cameron succeeded that officer as Assistant Surgeon, May 14, 1865, and resigned his commission July Ist, 1865. He returned to Johnson county and engaged in the practice of medicine, which he continued successfully until his death a few years ago.


ADJUTANT S. P. ANGEL.


Samuel P. Angel was born at Elizabethton, Tenn., May 8, 1840.


When Captain C. C. Wilcox began to recruit a com- pany, afterwards Company G, he was among the first to volunteer in that company. Entering the company as a private he was promoted to First Sergeant of the com- pany, Sergeant-Major of the Regiment, First Lieutenant of Company G, Adjutant of the Regiment and near the close of the war was promoted to Captain of Company L, but did not accept muster under the latter commission.


Captain Angel served as Acting Commissary, both of the Regiment and Brigade, and was a prompt and efficient officer, always performing his duties to the entire satis- faction of his superior officers.


After the close of the war he located at Knoxville.


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TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.


Tenn., where he has since resided. He and Colonel Stacy married sisters, Captain Angel's wife was Miss Julia Eliza Piper, daughter of Hon. William M. and Mrs. Lu- cinda Beal Piper, of Rogersville, Tenn. The Piper and Beal families were among the most prominent people of Hawkins county, and were loyal to the Federal Govern- ment, furnishing several brave men and officers to the Federal service.


Captain Angel united with the First M. E. Church of Knoxville soon after locating there, and became an active member, devoting much of his time to the interests of the church and Sunday-school, representing his church in the first Lay Conference. In 1884 he was sent as a Lay Delegate from the Holston Conference to the General Conference of the M. E. Church, held at Philadelphia. He was honored by being chosen President of both the Knox county and the East Tennessee Sunday-school Conventions.


Captain Angel has also been prominent in Grand Army circles and has been honored with prominent offices in the Post and in the Department of Tennessee.


Captain Angel still resides at Knoxville, Tenn., where he is a well-known and highly respected citizen, an ac- tive member of the First M. E. Church and Commander of R. N. Hood Post, Department of Tennessee, G. A. R.


LIEUT. RICHARD L. WILSON, R. Q. M.


Lieut. Wilson was born in the territory which is now Johnson county though at the time of his birth, January 7, 1819, it was a part of Carter county. After the forma- tion of Johnson county he was the first constable elected in it. He served as County Court Clerk of the county eight years and sheriff six years previous to the Civil War. He held the election of June, 1861, when the vote was taken on Separation or No Separation. Being a well-known citizen and property owner the notorious


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"Johnson County Home Guards," led by Capt. Parker, soon made it dangerous for him to remain at home. Af- ter witnessing the death of old Mr. Hawkins, who was shot down in cold blood because of his loyalty, he bade good-by to his home and made his way to the Federal lines. Before leaving his home, however, Mr. Wilson was engaged in the Carter county rebellion-was at the Taylor's Ford fight and shared with the brave men of Johnson and Carter counties in the dangers and persecu- tions of those times. He joined the Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry at Nashville, Tenn. He was appointed First Lieutenant and Regimental Quartermaster and served with distinction through the East Tennessee campaigns. He had his horse shot from under him in the disastrous retreat from Bull's Gap. He was in the long and arduous campaign with Stoneman through Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia, and honorably mustered out with the Regiment at Knoxville, Tenn., September 5, 1865.


LIEUT. PHILIP P. C. NELSON, R. C. S.


This officer, to the best of our information, was a na- tive of Washington county, Tennessee. He succeeded Lieut. Joel H. Williams as R. C. S., and Acting Brigade Commissary of Subsistence and was with the command in the long raid through Virginia, North and South Caro- lina and Georgia. Upon the return of the Regiment to Tennessee he resigned his office, July 20, 1865. He was a man of intelligence, honor and the highest integrity, popular alike with officers and men. After the war he settled in Carter county, Tenn., purchasing a large body of land in the Third Civil District, where he died several years ago.


Lieut. Nelson represented the First Senatorial District of Tennessee in the General Assembly of Tennessee, and was regarded as an able and honorable member.


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TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.


REGIMENTAL Q. M. SERGEANT GEORGE D. ROBERTS.


G. D. Roberts was born in Elizabethton, Tenn., Sep- tember 18th, 1842, and has spent the greater part of his life there. He had much the same experience as the young men of his age, scouting from conscript officers, endeavoring to get to the Federal army in Kentucky, fighting at Taylor's Ford, carrying messages and provi- sions to friends in the mountains and doing all sorts of service for the Union cause.


He enlisted in Company G, September 24, 1863, and was promoted to Regimental Quartermaster-Sergeant September 26th, 1864, and served in that position to the date of muster-out of the Regiment, September 5, 1865. He was a. brave and faithful soldier, a genial friend and was well known and highly respected.


LIEUT. JOHN P. NELSON, FIRST SERGEANT COMPANY F .- LATER FIELD AND STAFF.


Enlisted in Company F September 22, 1863, appointed First Sergeant of the Company January 1, 1864; pro- moted to Sergeant-Major of the Regiment September 26, 1864, and commissioned Second Lieutenant Company L August 21, 1865, but as the war had ended he was not mustered as Lieutenant.


John P. Nelson is a native of North Carolina. He was a brave and competent officer, performing the duties assigned him to the entire satisfaction of his superior officers. He was genial and popular and among the best known of the non-commissioned officers of the Regiment. He now lives near his old home at Carlisle, N. C., where, we are pleased to learn, he has prospered and raised an interesting family.


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LINE OFFICERS.


CAPT. L. W. FLETCHER, CO. A.


Lawson W. Fletcher was brought up in Carter county, Tenn., and was loyal to the Union from the beginning, taking part in all the efforts of the Union people to pro- tect themselves and strike a blow for the Union cause. He assisted to recruit Company A, and was elected Cap- tain, but was captured before receiving muster. In his absence, supposing that he had been killed, Captain Wil- liams was mustered in his place. Captain Fletcher suc- ceeded in making his escape from prison and returned to the Regiment, then at Nashville, Tenn. Captain Wil- liams resigned, but before his resignation was accepted Captain Fletcher, who had undergone great hardships while in prison, took sick and died at Knoxville, Tenn., and his remains are resting in the beautful National cemetery near the monument erected by the loyal veterans of East Tennessee to their dead comrades.


Captain Fletcher was a brother of Eli and Hon. An- drew J. Fletcher, the latter Secretary of State under Governor Brownlow's administration.


CAPTAIN PLEASANT WILLIAMS, CO. A.


Pleasant Williams was born and raised in Carter county and was among the most prominent Union men. He was commissioned and mustered as Captain of Com- pany A, November 7, 1863, and resigned April 30, 1864. He did not see any active service in the field. After the war he represented Carter county in the General Assembly of the State and was a minister of the Gospel for a num- ber of years. He died several years ago.


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LIEUT. HENRY C. PIERCE, CO. A.


Henry C. Pierce was born in Carter county, Tenn., June 10, 1824. He was an original and uncompromis- ing Union man and assisted the cause from the begin- ning.


He assisted in recruiting Company A, and was com- missioned First Lieutenant of that company and served faithfully until compelled to resign on account of ill health, March 10, 1865.


Lieutenant Pierce now resides in Johnson county, his post office address being Fish Spring, Carter county, Tenn. He was a member of the county court of Carter county for 25 years, showing the esteem in which he is held by his friends.


LIEUTENANT JOEL N. CARRIGER, CO. A.


Joel N. Carriger was born in Carter county, Tenn. He took an active part in the Carter county rebellion, was in the Taylor's Ford fight, and ardently supported the Union cause from the beginning. He was elected Second Lieutenant of Company A on the organization of that company and owing to the sickness and absence on detached service of the higher officers he was virtually in command of the company the greater part of the time until he resigned January 13, 1865.


Lieut. Carriger commanded his company in the cam- paigns in East Tennessee and in the Stoneman raid in Southwest Virginia in December, 1864. At the engage- ment at Lick Creek, September 22, 1864, Company A, commanded by Lieut. Carriger suffered the heaviest loss in killed, wounded and captured of any other company. At Carter's Depot he was personally complimented for gallantry in action by Major Doughty, his battalion com- mander, and commended for bravery by Col. Stacy in the charge on Fort Breckenridge, December 20, 1864. He was one of the first men to enter the fort that night. Since the war he has resided in Carter county most of


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the time, and has been engaged in manufacturing enter- prises and various speculations. He is now a resident of Hampton, Tenn.


LIEUTENANT DANIEL S. NAVE, CO. A.


Lieut. Nave was born in Carter county, and was in the Carter county rebellion in 1861. He went out with Com- pany A and was elected First Sergeant of the company on its organization, and filled the responsible position well. He was in all the marches, raids, skirmishes and fights in which the Regiment was engaged and acquitted himself honorably on all occasions. He was promoted to First Lieutenant of his company March 10, 1865, and commanded the company on the long raid through Vir- ginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia, and in the fights at Witheville, Va., and Saulsbury, N. C.


Since the war he has lived in Carter county, and has been engaged in farming and merchandising. He was recently appointed postmaster at Hampton, Carter county, Tenn.


CAPTAIN ISAAC A. TAYLOR, CO. B.


I. A. Taylor was born and brought up in Carter county, Tenn., and though many of his relatives and friends espoused the Southern cause he was true to the Union. He managed to get a passport and went through the lines to visit his sister in Missouri in 1862, and went from there to Illinois and joined the 122d Illinois In- fantry. He was discharged from that regiment to accept a commission as First Lieutenant in the Thirteenth Ten- nessee Cavalry December 13th, 1864, and assigned to duty with Company L. He was promoted to Captain, March 12, 1865, for gallantry and meritorious conduct, and transferred to the Brigade staff as Acting Adjutant- General.


Captain Taylor was an officer of the highest courage, never evading any duty or danger, but was always among


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the first to reach the danger line when there was fighting to be done. He possessed fine social qualities and a high sense of honor that endeared him to all who knew him.


Captain Taylor married in Carter county, Tenn., his wife being Miss Rogan before her marriage, and belong- ing to a prominent family.


He moved to Kansas soon after the war, where he was engaged in many business enterprises and was a most suc- cessful business man and a leading citizen. His health be- gan to fail and he went to Philadelphia for treatment in 1892, but failing to find relief he died in that city Nov. 28, 1892.


His widow and family reside in Hartford, Kansas.


LIEUT. ALEX. D. FRASIER, CO. B.


A. D. Frasier was born in Stony Creek, Carter county, Tenn., Dec. 17, 1835. In the elections of Feb. 9th and June 8th, 1861, he voted against the separation of the State of Tennessee from the Union. When the conscript act was passed he refused to accept a detail, or to either work or fight for the Confederate Government. He scouted in the Holston Mountain after the rebellion most of the time nearby his home, only going there at intervals to see his wife and child and procure a change of clothing. He was captured three different times while a citizen, the first time he made his escape easily, but the rebels searched his house and took the gun he had used at Tay- lor's Ford. The next time at Nave's Forge. He was taken to his home under guard of three soldiers. His wife got breakfast for them and two of them sat down to the table to eat while the third sat in the door to guard it. Frasier's wife went out on the front porch and called to him, he passed out by the guard, jumped off the porch and ran around the corner of the house and towards the woods, the soldiers firing a number of shots at him, but he reached the woods and mountain in safety.


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HISTORY OF THE 13TH REGIMENT


When Gen. Burnside came into East Tennessee, Sep- tember, 1863, Dyer and Frasier with a number of recruits joined the Federal forces under Gen. S. P. Carter, at John- sons Depot, and went from there to Greeneville, Tenn., the beginning place of the history of the Regiment.


These men formed the nucleus of what was afterward Company B of the Thirteenth Cavalry.


Not having enough men to muster a Captain, A. D. Frasier was mustered as Second Lieutenant of Company B, given a commission as recruiting officer he returned to Carter county a full-fledged United States recruiting officer. He continued this service, which was danger- ous in the extreme, until about the Ist of March, 1865, leaving and rejoining the Regiment at various times un- der orders and bringing to the Thirteenth and other regi- ments 365 men, and meeting with many adventures, cap- tures and escapes which it would require too much space to give in detail.


The following remarks are copied from Lieut. Fra- sier's muster-out roll :


Was mustered as 2d Lieut., Co. B, 13th Tenn Cavalry, Oct. 28, 1863. Was captured by the enemy while in the discharge of his duty and reported to be killed, thus being dropped from the rolls of Company B. Returned, after having escaped from the enemy, March 10, 1864; was sent to Upper East Tennessee recruiting and remained absent on duty until March 1, 1865.


(Signed) S. P. Angel, Adjutant.


(Signed) R. L. Wilson, Lt. and R. Q. M.


Mustered out in obedience to Par. 2, S. O. No. 49.


Dept. of Tennessee dated Aug. 23d, 1865.


Muster-out roll signed by Lieut. Henry C. Jones, Lt. U. S. Vols., Act'g Mustering Officer, Dept. of Tenn.


Certificate of military history signed by


Lieut .- Col. B. P. Stacy, Com'd'g Regt.


After the war Lieut. Frasier returned to Carter county, Tenn., and settled down. He is still a useful and hon-


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ored citizen of the county, and we wish him and his ex- cellent wife, Mrs. Minerva Frasier, many years of happi- ness and contentment in their pleasant home at Watauga Valley, Carter county, Tennessee.


-


CAPT. WILLIAM D. JENKINS, CO. C.


William D. Jenkins was a native of Carter county and took an active part in the Carter county rebellion. He was elected Captain of Company C upon the organization of that company and served until March 9, 1865, when he resigned and was succeeded by his brother, Lieutenant D. B. Jenkins.


Captain Wm. D. Jenkins was an honest conscientious officer, but was in ill health a great part of the time and unable for duty. He has been dead a number of years.


CAPT. DAVID B. JENKINS, COMPANY C, 13TH TENN. CAVALRY.


Capt. David B. Jenkins was born on Stony Creek, Carter county, Tennessee, February 1, 1828. His father died when he was a mere boy, and thus the re- sponsibility of assisting his widowed mother in raising a large family largely devolved upon him, and he per- formed this task with energy, as he was a faithful, hard working and dutiful boy.


When the war between the States began, he cast his fortune with the Union cause, and in the early part of 1861, left Sullivan county and went to his native county, and from there started for the Union lines. He enlisted at Camp Nelson, Kentucky, in the 2nd Tennessee In- fantry, being the first man to volunteer in the Union Army from Carter county, Tennessee. He was with this regiment in all of its important battles, and in the pursuit and capture of Gen. John H. Morgan, and in all of the campaigns of this regiment, and remained with


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it until he was discharged to accept the position of First. Lieutenant in Company C, 13th Tennessee Cavalry. Owing to the ill health of Capt. William Jenkins, the command of the company devolved upon Lieutenant Jenkins to a great extent. He commanded the company in the campaign in East Tennessee, the raid into South West Virginia, in the winter of 1864 and the raid, through North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia in 1865. On the resignation of Capt. William D. Jenkins he was promoted to Captain of Company C, March 9, 1865. Capt. Jenkins was a brave and intelligent officer, com- manding the highest esteem of the men under his com- mand, and the respect and confidence of his superior officers.


After he was mustered out of the service he returned to Carter county, Tennessee, where he married Evalyn Stover, daughter of Solomon Stover, October 11th, 1869, and seven children were born to them, four of whom are living : James D. Jenkins, David Stover Jenk- ins, Mrs. J. T. Tilson and Wiley C. Jenkins, and all are highly respected citizens.


He died at his home in Elizabeth, and was interred three and one-half miles east of Elizabethton, in the Stover grave yard.


LIEUTENANT GEORGE W. EMMERT, CO. C.


G. W. Emmert was born in Carter county, Tenn., Jan- uary 8th, 1829. He espoused the Union cause at the beginning, attended the meetings and assisted in all the plans of the Union people. He was arrested as a bridge burner but was released. Later he made up a company of 84 men and started through the Federal lines to join the Federal army in Kentucky. He and all his men ex- cept three were captured near Estelville, Va., taken to Bristol and imprisoned, but he and 17 others made their escape. They scattered in different directions, Lieut. Emmert and others went into the mountains of the Crab Orchard and remained there until driven out by the In- dians.


HON. J. G. BURCHFIELD. (See page 244.)


CAPT. LANDON CARTER. (See page 303.)


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On the Ist of June, 1863, he was sworn into the U. S. service as a recruiting officer, came back to the Crab Orchard and assisted in recruiting company C of the Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry and went out with the Regiment in September to Strawberry Plains. He was appointed Ist Sergt. of Co. C, and promoted to Second Lieutenant of the company September 14, 1864. He was in nearly all the important fights in which the Regi- ment was engaged. He was in the fight at Greeneville, Tenn., September 4, 1864, in which Gen. Morgan was killed, was severely wounded in the charge at Morris- town on the 28th of October, 1864. He was on the last Stoneman raid as far as Asheville, N. C., where he was left in charge of commissary stores. He was mustered out with the Regiment at Knoxville, Tenn., September 5th, 1865.


Since the war, Lieut. Emmert has served twelve years as Circuit Court Clerk of Carter county, and has repre- sented the county in the General Assembly of Tennessee one term.




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