USA > Tennessee > History of the Twentieth Tennessee regiment volunteer infantry, C.S.A > Part 36
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At Grenada, Miss., he with Andrew Moore was transferred to
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Capt. Nathan Carter's scouts, and was sent into Middle Tennessee to obtain information. He returned to Murfreesboro just before the battle there, and not .being able to find Captain Carter, he went into the first day's fight with Company C, of the Twentieth Tennessee Regiment, having many acquaintances in that com- pany. He was wounded in the right shoulder, and was right by the side of John Smith, brother of the colonel of the regiment, when the latter received his death wound. On his recovery Matlock returned to this regiment, and remained with it until July following, so was with Company C in the battle of Hoover's Gap, retreating with it to Chattanooga.
On reaching this little city, then in the throes of war, he again reported to Captain Carter, and was commissioned a lieutenant in his company of scouts.
On Thursday following the battle of Chickamauga he with five others of his company was ordered to go into the rear of the Federal army, and ascertain how many troops were on the rail- road between Nashville and Bowling Green. On this trip, on the Murfreesboro Pike near Nashville, he met Sam Davis, who was also on secret service. With Davis and Jas. Castleman of his company, he went into the city of Nashville, and all remained in the city, which was filled with Federal soldiers, for two days and one night, stopping at night at the old St. Cloud Hotel, cor- ner of Summer and Church streets. The second night they left the city, each one mounted on a good horse, with saddle, bridle, and a good pair of army pistols, which they had secured from Federal soldiers. This was the last that he saw of Sam Davis.
In 1864, after much hazardous duty with others of Carter's scouts, the Colonel had received such acquisitions from the young men of Middle Tennessee that the command was organ- ized into a regiment. This regiment was in the advance all the time when Hood came into Tennessee until Franklin was reached, and followed the army out of Tennessee on Hood's retreat, but was left in North Alabama, and did not go on to the Carolinas. The regiment surrendered at Gainsville, Ala., and received their parole, there being only fourteen of the original company of scouts left.
Returning home, Matlock worked awhile on his mother's farm,
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and then read medicine under his uncle, Dr. A. P. Grinstead, graduating at the Nashville Medical College in 1879. After receiving his degree, he went to Obion county, and commenced the practice of medicine, succeeding exceedingly well. He be- came a Master Mason in 1867, and was several years Master of his lodge; he was High Priest of R. A., Eminent Commander K. T. several years, and Grand Master of the G. L. F. and A. M., of Tennessee.
He joined the Cumberland Presbyterian church, has been moderator of Obion Presbytery, and represented his presbytery several times in the General Assembly. He has a wife and an interesting family of children. A good soldier, he has made a most excellent citizen.
CAPT. P. G. SMITHSON.
Patrick Gibson Smithson was born near Peytonsville, William- son Co., Tenn., November, 1838, the son of Mary Jane Gibson and Major Sylvanus Smithson.
Young Smithson was educated at Jackson College, Columbia, Tenn., and entered the mercantile business at the little village of Peytonsville, his home, in 1859; and it was from this place he joined the first company that was raised in this section.
When he joined the Confederate States' Army, he was young. handsome, well educated, and of magnificent physique, weighing about two hundred pounds, and would attract attention among any body of men, yet he was modest, gentle, reserved, and brave to a fault, and withal a Christian gentleman, never pushing him- self forward, but always coming up to the full standard of a true Southern soldier.
His company elected Capt. W. P. Rucker to command them. It was named the Webb Guards, and at the organization of the Twentieth Tennessee Regiment, became Company D. P. G. Smithson served the first year of the war in this company as second corporal, on May 8, 1862, was elected first lieutenant, and was promoted to captain July 1, 1862. At the battle of Chicka- mauga, he was badly wounded in the knee in which he took gangrene. This ended his services as a soldier.
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With an honorable record he returned home, taught school and merchandised until 1895, when he was elected commandant of the Tennessee Confederate Soldiers' Home, where he died in 1897, beloved and respected as a soldier and a gentleman.
DEWITT SMITH JOBE.
Dewitt Smith Jobe, son of Esq. E. C. Jobe and Mary Smith Jobe, was born June 4, 1840, at the little hamlet of Mechanics- ville in the southwestern portion of Rutherford county, Tenn.
When the war between the States broke out in 1861, D. S. Jobe, who was young and enthusiastic, joined a company that was being raised at College Grove in Williamson county, some ten miles from his home.
This company afterward became Company D of the Twentieth Tennessee Infantry Regiment. It was with this company and regiment that D. S. Jobe served until after the battle of Murfrees- boro. He was wounded and captured at the battle of Fishing Creek, and after his exchange, participated in the battle of Mur- freesboro. In the spring of 1863, while Bragg's army was at Shelbyville, Gen. W. J. Hardee had Jobe detailed for secret serv- ice, in which he did a great deal of dangerous work. He did this work for General Hardee until Bragg's army fell back into Geor- gia, when he was transferred to Coleman's scouts. This was a secret and select organization of the most daring and trusted kind. Their duty was to stay in the rear of the Federal lines, get all the information possible, and send it to Bragg's head- quarters.
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In the summer of 1864, D. S. Jobe, Tom Joplin, and others came into Middle Tennessee and were scouting about College Grove, Triune, and Nolensville, in Williamson county. These three villages were about seven miles apart, and connected by the Nolensville turnpike. These scouts, when in danger, would separate. Jobe on the night of Aug. 29, 1864, rode all night, and about sunrise the next morning he called at the house of Mr. William Moss (who had two sons in Company B, Twentieth Tennessee Regiment), and got his breakfast. Mr. Moss lived about half way between Nolensville and Triune on the pike. His
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house was about two hundred yards west of the pike, which ran between some very high hills.
After Jobe ate his breakfast he went about one mile west of Mr. Moss's house into a cornfield on the Sam Waters farm. Here he concealed himself and horse. At this time a party of Yankees fifteen in number were scouting in the same neighbor- hood, under the command of Sergeant Temple of the 115th Ohio Regiment, and to them Jobe's whereabouts was made known. They tracked his horse to the field, surrounded and captured Jobe, and when he saw he would be captured or killed, having on his person some very valuable papers that would condemn himself and others (some thought that these papers were pro- cured by a sweetheart of his in the neighborhood), he destroyed these papers by tearing and chewing them up. After they had captured him, they tied him, and tried to make him tell the con- tents of the papers, but he would not. They told him they would kill him if he did not, but he still refused. They then tied a leather strap around his neck and began to choke him to death, but the brave boy in gray, who was alone, disarmed, and both hands tied, with fifteen of his armed enemies standing over him, thirsting for his blood, and telling him if he didn't tell them the contents of those papers, they would kill him,-this boy in this condition would not betray his friends or divulge his secret, but preferred death. They then beat him over the head with their guns, knocked out his upper front teeth, and dragged him by the leather strap that they had placed around his neck until he was strangled to death.
These fifteen men, who had the courage to murder one man who was tied and disarmed, went back to the pike and told some acquaintances of Jobe's what they had done, and said he was the bravest man they ever saw.
Word was sent to his home, six miles away, that he was killed, and the old servant, Frank, who had nursed him when a child, volunteered to take the wagon and go for him. He was carried to his childhood's home by his faithful old servant, and buried in the family burying grounds in the presence of his mother, father, and others. No braver soldier, no grander patriot, no truer
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comrade gave up his life in this great struggle of ours for the right against the wrong, Sam Davis not excepted.
It has been said that the leader of this squad of Yankees became a raving maniac from remorse of conscience.
Dewitt Smith, a cousin of D. S. Jobe, was a member of the Forty-fifth Tennessee Regiment in Bragg's army. When he heard of the cowardly and brutal murder of his cousin, he left his command, came into Middle Tennessee, and raised the black flag, and no less than fifty Yankees paid the death penalty at the hands of this brave boy for the murder of D. S. Jobe.
After Dewitt Smith had waged his war of revenge for two months, he was surrounded by a company of Yankee cavalry at Nolensville, and while contending with them single-handed, was wounded, captured, and carried to Murfreesboro, twenty miles away, where they intended to hang him next day at noon ; but before the hour of execution arrived, his brave spirit took its flight from the effects of the wounds that he had received the day before.
D. S. Jobe, Dewitt Smith, and Col. Tom Benton Smith, the last of whom on many bloody fields had led the Twentieth Ten- nessee Regiment to victory, were all cousins. These three men and Sam Davis was born and raised in a radius within eight miles of each other.
It was my fortune to have D. S. Jobe as a playmate before the war. I soldiered with Col. Tom Benton Smith for four years, and have spoken of the cowardly deed that was perpetrated upon him after he had surrendered on the battle field of Nashville. Dewitt Smith was shot down and captured within fifty steps of the office where I read medicine after the war. Sam Davis's father was a neighbor of my grandmother before the war. Now let me say there was never moulded in nature's cast, better material for soldiers than these four men.
LIEUT. MARK M. SANDERS.
Written by RALPH J. NEAL.
M. M. Sanders was born and raised in Rutherford Co., Tenn. He volunteered with Company E, was made second sergeant at
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the organization of the company, and served with it till the close of the war. At the reorganization at Corinth, Miss., he was chosen second lieutenant of the company, was pro- moted to first lieutenant at Vicksburg, and served as such until the close of the war.
He was a very extraordinary soldier. He was known as the "wild man" of Company E, and it may be truthfully said he was especially wild when a fight was on. He may be called both fortunate and unfortunate; fortunate, because he was not killed, and unfortunate because he was wounded in nearly every fight. He was a "dare devil" sort of fellow, seemed delighted to make hazardous adventures. He would crawl two miles on the ground, or climb the highest tree, to get a shot at a Yankee, when his glee was at its height.
When in the thickest of the fight, his conduct was noticeable above all others in nearly every engagement. At the battle of Bentonville, N. C., he was chosen to command a lot of "galvanized Yankees," because of his daring and independent nature. At first they wavered and showed a disposition to lag back, but he got square after them, and actually "cussed" them into despera- tion, and a more gallant fight was seldom seen than they made on that occasion. Those fellows said that he was the bravest man that ever carried them into battle. He was wounded there, and was consequently absent from the command at the surrender.
He was boisterous and considered wild, yet he was a fine soldier and officer; the men loved him for his good qualities; he was kind and very thoughtful in regard to them. He would not require a man to do a thing he was unwilling to do himself; and he would share his last morsel with the meanest man in the com- pany. Take him all in all, he was quite an extraordinary soldier. He lives at Ada, Indian Ty., has reared quite a large family, and makes a good citizen.
LIEUT. JOS. W. PEYTON. Written by RALPH J. NEAL.
Jos. W. Peyton was born and reared in Rutherford Co., Tenn. When quite young he enlisted with Company E in the Twentieth
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Tennessee Infantry. His first promotion was to a corporal's place. When the army was reorganized at Corinth, Miss., he was chosen third lieutenant of the company, and at Vicksburg was promoted to second lieutenant, which place he filled until killed on Sept. 19, 1863, at Chickamauga.
He was indeed an ideal, manly, and brave boy, and the true type of a gentleman; he was modest and gentle as a woman,. but brave as a lion. And while we loved Lieutenant Crosthwaite so much, we loved Lieutenant Peyton none the less. He was the full embodiment of a good soldier and a true friend.
FRANK B. CROSTHWAITE.
Written by RALPH J. NEAL.
Frank Burton Crosthwaite was born in Rutherford Co., Tenn. When the war began, he was living in Iowa. He left home, business and all, and came back to his native State, and enlisted in Company E of the Twentieth Tennessee Infantry.
At the reorganization at Corinth, Miss., he was chosen first sergeant of the company. He had previously been chosen one of the color guards, which place he filled with distinction. At Vicksburg, Miss., he was promoted to third lieutenant of the company, and served in that capacity until killed at Murfreesboro, Dec. 31, 1862.
He was one of nature's noblemen. He was hardly old enough to be called a man, only about twenty,-yet he was one of the best of friends, one of the most generous of foes, and all in all a braver or more generous-hearted man or soldier could not be found.
He became impressed with the idea that he would be killed in this battle, and tried in every way to shake off the presentiment, but to no purpose. His friends tried to prevail on him not to go into the fight. Captain Ridley advised him not to go, offering to excuse him and hold him above criticism. But he preferred to give up his life to being even exposed to a shadow of criticism, and answered, " No, emphatically no. I will not accept an ex- cuse, but will go into the fight, and die for what I know to be right."
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Lieutenant Crosthwaite was not only very intellectual, but was one of the most amiable of young men. To know him was to love him, and to know him better was to love him more. Lan- guage seems inadequate to pay full tribute to such a noble youth. "Peace to his memory."
A younger brother, Bromfield, was a member of a Missouri regiment, and was killed at Corinth in the fall of 1862. He was regarded as one of the bravest and most gallant of "Pap Price's " army.
SHELTON CROSTHWAITE. Written by RALPH J. NEAL.
Shelton Crosthwaite was born in Rutherford Co., Tenn. When the great war broke out, he came from his adopted horne in Iowa, . and enlisted in Company E of the Twentieth Tennessee Infantry as a private, and served as such until killed in the battle of Fishing Creek, Jan. 19, 1862. It would but mildly put it to say he was decidedly the most intellectual as well as the best informed man in the Company.
He did not seem to want promotion, and was satisfied with his position as a private. No man could possibly have displayed more heroic courage than did he on the battlefield at Fishing Creek. Early in the action he received a wound, but pressed right on, saying, " Boys, they have shot me, but I can still shoot," nor did he stop until he was pierced through by a ball, and fell dead on the field.
. He was indeed a model young man, and no man could say ought against him; he was punctual, gentle, and brave. In his death Company E lost one of its best men, and the South one of its most deserving patriots.
A. J. IRWIN. Written by RALPH J. NEAL.
Lieut. A. J. Irwin enlisted from Williamson county in Company E, Twentieth Tennessee Infantry. He was killed at the battle of Atlanta, July 22, 1864. He was promoted from first sergeant
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to third lieutenant, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Lieutenant Peyton.
He was a good man, a good soldier, and a good officer, and his loss was felt deeply and sorely.
WM. E. BROTHERS.
Written by RALPH J. NEAL.
W. E. Brothers was born and raised near Lavergne, Tenn., in Rutherford Co. He enlisted with Company E of the Twentieth Tennessee Infantry, and served with it until the close of the war. He was chosen third lieutenant of the company at Tullahoma, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Lieut. F. B. Crosthwaite, who was killed at the battle of Murfreesboro. After the battle of Chickamauga he was promoted to second lieutenant, on account of the death of Lieut. J. W. Peyton.
Brothers was then, as he is now, an unpretentious sort of fellow. He had plenty of life and fun in him, but did not choose to put his mouth into everybody's business. He was a thinking man, and rarely failed to "catch on" to everything of importance that transpired. He was a great reader, and when not on some sort of duty, spent most of his time in reading, as a result of which, he was well-posted on all matters available to a soldier.
When a drum tapped, no man was in his harness and in line ahead of Brothers ; he was in nearly every fight, and always in his proper place, regardless of danger. It would be hard to find a better soldier in the Confederate army.
He was a noble fellow, mild, brave, and generous to a fault. He was exceedingly popular in the company. Lieutenant Broth- ers was one of the fortunate ones. He received only two wounds during the war, one at Shiloh, and a slight one at Nashville. No man in the regiment was more exposed than he, for it is well known that he never shirked a duty from the beginning of the war to its close. He was conspicuous in battle for his coolness and good judgment. He was exempt from fool-hardiness, but for courage he was especially noted.
Just before the surrender, the Tennessee troops were consoli- dated into four regiments, which of necessity left a great number
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of supernumerary officers. Brothers was one of these; they were allowed to chose their own branch of service, and Brothers chose old Company E, of the original Twentieth, and was paroled as a private at the end. No man can truthfully say anything that would disparage Brothers, either as a soldier or a citizen.
He lives at Wichita Falls, Texas, where he has resided for a number of years. He has reared a lovely family, of which he is justly proud.
RALPH J. NEAL.
Ralph J. Neal was born two and one half miles south of La- vergne, Rutherford Co., Tenn. and attended the neighborhood schools, but the beginning of the war found him in the Academy at Lavergne, preparing himself for college. He left school and joined Capt. J. S. Gooch's Company E, Twentieth Tennessee Infantry, and was surrendered with it by Gen. Jos. E. Johnston at Greensboro, N. C.
He was one of the fighting men of his regiment, to use an old camp phrase. He was always unfortunately blessed with good health - when a battle came off.
He was wounded at Fishing Creek, at Marietta, and on Aug. 6 in front of Atlanta. He distinguished himself on many battle fields, but especially at Murfreesboro, Franklin, and Nashville.
Along the foot of the ridge between the Granny White Pike and the Franklin Pike, he was in the rear. Again and again did he assist in rallying a few men and fighting back the enemy's advance, thus affording our army more time in which to rally at Brentwood. His conduct was heroic, and richly deserved promotion, which he would doubtless have received but for the rapid close of the war.
Neal was ever an optimist, was always looking for the bright side of the picture, and with him a defeat was only the prelude to a greater victory.
He lives on his Stone River valley farm, six miles north of Lavergne, happy with his family and the consciousness that he earned the esteem of his country and his comrades by the faith- ful discharge of his duties as a soldier and as a citizen. At his
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home, the old Confederate is sure to meet a hearty welcome, while the sick, the poor, and the distressed are ever sure of all the relief that he can procure, and the love and sympathy that only a true comrade can give.
W. W. BATEY.
Written by RALPH J. NEAL.
Sergt. W. W. Batey was born in Marshall Co., Tenn., and reared at Tunnel Hill, Ga. He was in school at Lavergne at. the breaking out of the war, and cast his lot with Company E, Twentieth Tennessee Infantry.
He was the best all-round soldier of the company. He was as good as the best in battle, fully as good in the discharge of camp duties, and the shiftiest man in the company. He was kind and courteous to all, never out of humor, and busy as a bee at all times, and was never known to shirk a duty during the war.
He was wounded at Shiloh, Chickamauga, and Nashville, was left for dead at Nashville, and was reported as such, but he still lives on his farm near Tunnel Hill, Ga., and is happy with his family, surrounded by a host of friends.
SAMUEL WALDEN.
Written by RALPH J. NEAL.
Sam'l Walden was born and raised near Lavergne, Rutherford Co., Tenn. He entered the army when a mere child, and was known in Company E as the "baby soldier" of the company. His friends treated him almost like a baby, humoring him in most things, and looking after him as they would a mere child, which he was; but no man in the company could say that he was any- thing but a first class soldier. No better fighter belonged to the company, and no truer man ever lived. The company was always proud of their "baby soldier."
He is yet living in Rutherford county, Tenn., honored and respected by all who know him. He has reared a large and respectable family.
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JAS. K. P. RIDLEY.
Written by RALPH J. NEAL.
J. K. P. Ridley went into the army when a boy in his teens, and and made as good a soldier as belonged to Company E. He was brave and true, like unto his gallant brother, W. T. Ridley, captain of the company.
He was daring and fearless, yet a good and faithful friend. He had no patience with a man that would shirk a soldier's duty. He served until the close of the war, and no man can truthfully say he ever failed to discharge his duties as a soldier.
He still lives in Williamson Co., Tenn., and makes a good citizen.
W. A. HAMILTON.
Written by RALPH J. NEAL.
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"Buck" Hamilton was one of the first men to enlist in Company E. No better man ever wore the gray. He was always at his place, and had no respect for a man who was not. He knew nothing about fear, but was always cool and collected. No more popular man belonged to the company. He never grumbled at any duty that was imposed upon him, but always went at it with a vim that meant nothing short of success. He served with Company E until the winter of 1863-64, when he was transferred to cavalry service, where he remained until surrendered under General Forrest at Gainsville, Ala.
His life as a citizen is in full keeping with his life as a soldier. All who know him love and respect him. He is one of the most charitable men known to the community.
J. HARTMAN. .
Written by RALPH J. NEAL.
This work would not be complete without making some men- tion of the sterling qualities of "Jack" Hartman, whom all his friends dubbed "Lieutenant" Hartman. He was an ordnance
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teamster, and his post of duty was near the firing line in time of battle. He was always at his post of duty, regardless of danger, and was never known to offer an excuse to avoid performing any duty imposed upon him, but went at it cheerfully. He kept the fattest team of any man in the train.
He was dearly beloved by all who knew him. He lived on his farm, three miles north of Lavergne, and was known and respected as a first-class citizen until his death, March 1, 1904.
CAPT. B. C. SEABORN.
Ben Carroll Seaborn was born in Davidson Co., Tenn., Dec. 9, 1839. His father, Jas. Seaborn, was born in Virginia. Ben received an education in the old field schools in the neighborhood where he was born.
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