USA > Tennessee > Shelby County > Memphis > The Old Guard in Gray. Researches in the Annals of the Confederate Historical Association. Sketches of Memphis veterans who upheld her standards in the war, and of other Confederate worthies.. > Part 16
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to Meridian, and his battery was placed at Cuba station on April 26. On May 11, after four years of arduous service, in which many lives were lost, Tobin's battery was paroled at Cuba station. A touching address of sympathy, respect and affection, signed by the officers and one hundred and seventy- six men, was delivered to Captain Tobin upon the eve of their final separation. He returned to Memphis and soon engaged actively in business. He was ticket agent for the Mississippi & Tennessee Railroad for one year, then engaged in cotton buying and storage, and is still in the cotton business. In August, 1886, he was appointed collector of the port of Mem- phis and served about five years; since that time has served a term in the State Senate in 1892-93, and has in the mean- time managed large affairs entrusted to him for settlement. He has always been a popular man in social life, and has been a prominent member of all the clubs and commercial organi- zations. Joined the Confederate Historical Association when first organized, and was a member of the general staff at the inter-State drill held in Memphis in May, 1895. . He was married in October, 1877, to Miss Julia Semmes, daughter of Major B. J. Semmes. She died two years later, leaving an infant son, who is living.
TUCKER, JOHN O., enlisted at Columbus, Miss., near where he was born, in October, 1863, in Company K, Sixth Mississippi Cavalry, before he was 15 years old. This was a regiment of young men, very few of them being 21 years old. He served actively until the end of the war; was in the bat- tle of Harrisburg, where Captain Fields of his company was killed, also the colonel of the regiment, Isham Harris; he was in other engagements; was paroled at Gainesville, Ala., May, 1865. He married in Columbus, came to Memphis six years ago, and joined the C. H. A. December 11, 1894; holds a position in the postoffice.
TUCKER, W. D., was Assistant Surgeon of the One Hun- dred and Fifth-fourth Tennessee Regiment and promoted to rank of full surgeon at Shelbyville, Tenn., in 1863; was with General Polk at the battle of Chickamauga when he was relieved of his command, which was assumed by Lieutenant-
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General W. J. Hardee; remained on General Hardee's staff as inspector until relieved by the Secretary of War through Surgeon-General Moore; then ordered to the Department of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana as inspector of depart- ment. Joined the C. H. A. June 30, 1892. Dead.
TUCKER, WM. W., was a private in Company K, Ninth Mississippi Regiment; after being wounded at the battle of Missionary Ridge, he reported back to his command at New Hope Church, Ga., but being still disabled was granted fur- ther time, and returned to his home in North Mississippi ; there he secured a horse, reported to General Chalmers for duty and was with him at the end of the war; was paroled in June, 1865.
TUCKER, A. F., enlisted as a private in Company I, First Mississippi Battalion, May 1, 1861. After the battle of Shiloh was discharged on account of sickness; upon recovering he joined Forrest's command and remained until the end of the war; paroled in May, 1865. Joined the C. H. A. September 15,1891.
TURLEY, THOS. B., born in Memphis, Tenn., April 5. 1845, in the house in which he now lives. His father was the late Thos. J. Turley, who died in Memphis August 1, 1854. His mother was Mrs. Flora C. Turley, a daughter of William Battle, Esq., one of the earliest settlers in this county. She died a few years ago. His father's family were Virginians, his mother's North Carolinians. He attended various schools in Memphis up to the breaking out of the late civil war. He enlisted the first year of the war in the Maynard Rifles, Com- pany L, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Tennessee Regiment. The first Captain of Company L was E. A. Cole. Its second captain was the late Walter R. Lucas of this city. He was wounded twice-once at Shiloh and again at Peachtree creek in front of Atlanta; was captured in the battle of Nashville and carried to Camp Chase, Ohio, where he was held until March, 1865, when he was exchanged and returned South. After the war he passed two years at the University of Vir- ginia, where he studied law. Since about 1869 or '70 he has
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been practicing law in this city. He is at present a member of the firm of Turley & Wright ; has never held office of any kind; was married about 1870 to Miss Irene Rayner. daugh- ter of the late Eli Rayner of this county ; five children have been born to himself and wife, all of whom are living. He joined the C. II. A. October 2, 1894.
TYLER, F. A., enlisted April, 1862. as a private in Com- pany G, Third Mississippi Cavalry, Adams' Brigade ; paroled May, 1865. Proposed for membership in this Association by W. P. Gray and elected January 20, 1870; was editor of the Ledger after the war, and also of the Appeal for a time; afterward published a paper in Holly Springs and lives there yet well advanced in years.
VACCARO. A. B., born near Genoa, Italy, in 1837. and came to Memphis in 1852 and went into business with his brothers; enlisted in McDonald's Battalion in the spring of 1861, going out at first in a sixty-days company; when that disbanded he re-enlisted in Forrest's old regiment, and was ยท
in the battle of Shiloh ; after that he was detailed in the quar- termaster's department and served in that capacity to the end of the war, being with the army of Tennessee in all its cam- paigns in Kentucky, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. After the war resumed business successfully in Memphis. In 1867 married Miss Ida Bradford, daughter of Simon Bradford.
VACCARO, B., born near Genoa, Italy, in 1835; came to Memphis in 1850 and engaged in business; enlisted in Com- pany L, Captain E. A. Cole, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Tennessee, March, 1862: was in the battles of Shiloh, Perry- ville and Murfreesboro ; wounded in the last named and dis- abled for ninety days ; was in winter quarters at Shelbyville ; was in the battles of Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge ; in winter quarters at Dalton and on the Georgia campaign to Atlanta, and in nearly all the principal fights under General Johnston ; was under Hood in the battles on Peachtree creek July 20 and in the battle of July 22, and wounded severely there the last day. Rejoined his regiment in time to be in the battle of Franklin, and was in the fight and captured in
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front of Nashville, along with the most of his command. After that was carried to Camp Chase, Ohio, and remained several months, when the war ended and he was released and sent home. After the battle of Shiloh he became a sergeant and served as such as long as in the army. Resumed busi- ness on Front Row, and has been actively and successfully engaged ever since. Was married in 1868 to Miss Celestina Sturla, and they have reared a family of five interesting chil- dren. Joined the Confederate Historical Association Novem- ber 11, 1884.
VENN, FRANK H., enlisted at Holly Springs, Miss., May 25, 1861, as private in Company I, Nineteenth Mississippi Regiment ; served in the Army of Virginia ; took part in the .. battles of Williamsburg, Seven Pines and second Manassas ; was in the campaign of General Lee in Maryland and Penn- sylvania; was at the capture of Harper's Ferry and other engagements, and was wounded in one of the battles around Richmond, and paroled June, 1865. Joined the Confederate Historical Association September 9, 1869.
VANCE, R. H., son of the late Judge John W. Vance of Hernando, Miss .. was born at Bowling Green, Ky., and with his parents removed to Hernando at an early age; went into mercantile life with his present partner, J. V. Johnston ; enlisted in Company I. Captain J. B. Morgan, Twenty-ninth Mississippi Regiment, Walthall's, and was elected fifth ser- geant, and in 1864 was made first lieutenant; was in the bat- tles of Chickamauga, New Hope Church, Resaca, Peachtree creek, Atlanta and Franklin, and in numerous smaller en- gagements, particularly in the Georgia campaign, and was wounded July 9, 1864, at Chattahoochie river in front of At- lanta, and wounded the second time, under General Hood, in front of Nashville; was surrendered at Greensboro, N. C., on May 1, 1865, and paroled there. He was rarely ever absent trom his command, except for short periods when wounded : saw much hard service, but came out cheerful, hopeful and ready for the other battles of life.
Returning home and to Memphis, Mr. Vance resumed bus-
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iness with his comrade and former partner, and they have been associated together most pleasantly and successfully ever since. He joined the C. H. A. July 15, 1869. He was mar- ried to Miss Mary Carroll, daughter of General William H. Carroll, February 5, 1877, and by this union they have two children-a son, Carroll, and daughter, Elise Vance. He be- came a member of the C. H. A. when it was first organized, and has taken an active part in the social and business affairs of the city, and has been exceedingly liberal in matters of charity and the general welfare. His success in life and high social position and natural geniality of character have enabled him to enjoy life and at the same time find greatest pleasure in doing good to others in a quiet, unostentatious manner, and the same can be said with equal truth of his life - long business partner.
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VAUGHAN, A. J., born in Dinwiddie county, Va., May 10, 1830, and graduated at the Virginia Military Institute in 1851; went west and adopted civil engineering as a profes- sion. While engaged in making a survey of the Hannibal & St. Joseph R. R. received the appointment of Deputy U. S. Surveyor of California, headquarters at Los Angeles, under Colonel Jack Hays, operated on the Kern river. In 1855 was appointed private secretary to Colouel Alfred Cummings of Georgia, then superintendent of Indian Affairs, who had been appointed on a commission to make a treaty with the Black- feet and other tribes for the right of way for the Northern Pacific Railroad.
In 1856 he was married in Mississippi to Miss Martha Jane Hardaway of Virginia, his present wife, and was engaged in planting when the war broke out. Though a Union man, as soon as his native State, Virginia, and his adopted State, Mis- sissippi, passed the ordinance of secession, he at once raised a company and tendered it to the Governor of Mississippi ; but his company could not be received and was disbanded, many joining companies that had already been mustered into service.
About this time Governor Isham G. Harris of Tennessee called for 75,000 volunteers. He then united in forming a company at Moscow, Tenn., and was elected captain, and at the formation of the Thirteenth Tennessee, shortly thereafter at Jackson, he was elected lieutenant-colonel ; served until after the battle of Belmont, when he was unanimously elected colonel of the regiment. At the reorganization of the army at Corinth he was re-elected colonel. As colonel of the regi- ment he fought at the battle of Shiloh; made the campaign into Kentucky under Kirby Smith ; was engaged in the battle of Richmond, Ky .. and was at the battle of Perryville, and fought in the battle of Murfreesboro.
In January, 1863, shortly after the battle of Murfreesboro, or Stone river, while the army was at Shelbyville, Tenn., the Thirteenth and One Hundred and Fifty- fourth Senior Ten- nessee Regiments were so reduced in numbers that they were consolidated. Colonel A. J. Vaughan of the Thirteenth was
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retained as colonel. Captain R. W. Pittman of the Thir- teenth, who had been promoted already, was retained as lieutenant-colonel and Major John W. Dawson of the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Senior Regiment was retained as major. Though these two regiments were consolidated, nei- ther one ever lost its identity, and each was known to the .close of the war as the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Senior and Thirteenth Tennessee Regiments. From Belmont to Murfreesboro they had fought side by side on every battle- field. In daylight and in darkness, in victory or defeat, they had stood shoulder to shoulder. Each knew. the worth and value of the other and both had a purpose in view, and that purpose, even to the extent of their lives, was to maintain the honor of Tennessee and to uphold the Confederacy. From this time forward to the close of the war the history of these two regiments was a common history; the glory of the one
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was the pride of the other, and neither ever lost hope until the Confederate banner went down forever.
In command of these regiments, Colonel Vaughan marched to Chattanooga, and fought in the battles of Lookout Moun- tain and Chickamauga, where the gallant Preston Smith was. killed. He was then promoted on the field by President Davis in person, and assigned to Preston Smith's Brigade, which was composed of the following Tennessee regiments : Eleventh, Twelfth, Forty-seventh, Thirteenth, One Hundred and Fifty- fourth, and Twenty-ninth. They were the first troops to drive the enemy off the Missionary Ridge. He with the brigade was then ordered to reinforce Longstreet, who was at Knox- ville, but before reaching there Longstreet was repulsed, and the brigade was ordered back to Missionary Ridge. He fought in the battle of Missionary Ridge, and the army was repulsed and driven back, but his brigade retired in perfect order. His next operations were in the memorable campaign from Dalton to Atlanta, where his brigade was engaged in every skirmish and engagement until it reached Vining station, just below Marietta, where on July 4, 1864, he lost a leg, which untitted him for further service.
From first to last General Vaughan had eight horses shot under him in battle, and nearly all were killed. The wound which permanently disabled him was one of the freaks of war, and was received, as stated, on July 4, when by common con- sent hostilities were suspended, except some artillery practice, which was not seriously regarded. He was back on the third line in the rear, resting against a tree and chatting with some- friends, when a shell fell and exploded immediately under his foot, tearing it off and making a hole in the ground big enough to have contained his whole body.
The devotion of General Vaughan to his men, and their love for him, as well as their heroism, patriotism and fidelity to the Southern cause, was illustrated by an incident which occurred while the army was in winter quarters at Dalton, Ga. While this formed perhaps a small part of the history of the Thirteenth Tennessee Regiment, it left a memory which will remain until the "shadows gather for the eternal
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night." The regiment was reduced to less than 200 men, and in generosity and love these few men determined to make their colonel (now promoted to brigadier-general) a present of a horse. It was a difficult matter to find such a horse as they wanted, but Dr. Yandell of Louisville, who belonged to the medical staff, had a magnificent Grey Eagle horse for which he asked $4000, but said that if the regiment wanted him for their commander, he would take $3000 for him. These few men, drawing $11 per month, with their ragged uniforms and living on half rations, agreed to buy the horse, and obstinately refused to allow any one outside of the regi- ment to give one cent. The money was scraped up among themselves and the present made. Captain Jerry Crook, Com- pany I, Thirteenth. Regiment, made the presentation speech, and Captain R. F. Lanier, Company G, on behalf of their commander, the reception speech. General Vaughan has lived to forget many things, but never will pass from his memory the gratitude he felt on that day when his war-worn soldiers in their ragged grey gathered around him to show their love and confidence. If nothing else, that act alone has made dear to his heart every soldier of the Thirteenth Tennessee Regiment.
General Vaughan removed to Memphis from Mississippi in 1873, and was elected Clerk of the Criminal Court in 1878, in which capacity he served two terms, this being the only civil office of importance he ever held. He joined this Association August 12, 1884, and is an enthusiastic ex-Confederate, and has attended national reunions of veterans at New Orleans, Birmingham, Houston and Richmond, and is now brigadier- general, commanding Second Brigade, Tennessee Division, U. C. V .; was one of the grand marshals at Richmond in June-July, 1896, and is chairman of the Battle Abbey com- mittee for Tennessee, and in peace as in war is still a leader in the hearts of all his comrades and old friends.
WAGNER, A. E., private Company D, Sixteenth Missis- sippi Regiment, Harris' Brigade; entered the service early in 1861, and paroled in May, 1865. Proposed for membership by Henry Moode and J. C. Bennett and elected May 26, 1870.
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WARD, B. F., enlisted March 27, 1861, in Company I, Ninth Mississippi; afterward was First Lieutenant in Com- pany B, Forty-second Mississippi ; attached to Joe A. Davis Brigade, A. N. V., and was with Henderson's Scouts, Forrest's Cavalry, from March 20 to May 10, 1865; wounded three times-in the battle of Cold Harbor, Va., June 2, 1861, and twice in the entrenchments at Petersburg near the " crater" in 1864. He resigned as first lieutenant to accept the position as adjutant tendered him by Colonel W. G. Henderson of the Fifth Mississippi Regiment, General Chalmers' Brigade. Be- fore he could reach that regiment his brother, Captain Albert G. Ward, was missing or killed at Franklin, and he chose to join Henderson's Scouts, and served in that company until the end of the war. His parole was dated Gainesville, Ala., May 10, 1865. He now (1896) lives at Marion, Ark. Joined the Confederate Historical Association several years ago.
WATSON, J. H., private in Company A, Corps of Cadets Virginia Military Institute; enlisted in May, 1864. The V. M. I. was adopted by the Confederate States as the national military academy, and sustained the same relation to the Confederacy that West Point does to the United States. The Corps of Cadets was in the service of the Confederacy as part of the regular army, but owing to the youthfulness of the cadets they were only called into active service in cases of emergency; paroled May, 1865. He became a member of this Association July 15, 1869; has practiced law with emi- nent success in Memphis for a number of years.
WALT, MARTIN, was born in Ohio and came to Mem- phis when a mere youth, and was captain of a steamboat at the age of 19 years. When the war broke out he was about of age, and went into the Confederate service with Captain Frank Gailor, of the old Avalanche staff, who was first on the staff of General Wm. H. Carroll and afterward transferred to the staff of General S. A. M. Wood of North Alabama. Major Gailor was killed at the battle of Perryville, October 8, 1862, and was succeeded by his assistant, Martin Walt, who was given the same rank. Major Walt served as quarter-
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MAJ. MARTIN WALT.
master of division in the Army of Tennessee, and was for two years on the staff of Major-General Pat Cleburne, and was noted as a most business - like and efficient officer. He had numerous stirring and trying experiences ; among others was that of his capture with his entire train in the rear of General J. E. Johnston's army by Kilpatrick's raiding expe- dition in the summer of 1864. He was in the hands of the Twenty-third Indiana Cavalry, held for twenty - four hours, and then suddenly released by the approach of Confederate cavalry. He was with the decimated army down to the end ; was captured at Lincolnton, N. C., and with fourteen hundred others taken to Nashville and paroled there. After the sur- render he returned to Memphis, where he has ever since been in business, and is now (1896) a merchant on Front Row. He married Miss Mary Trask in 1867. and has grown chil- dren. He joined this Association many years ago.
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WATKINS, T. R., private in Company D, Sixth Tennes- see Infantry; enlisted May 18, 1861; was wounded at the battle of Perryville and at Franklin ; was captured at Frank- lin ou Hood's retreat from Tennessee; was in prison at Col- umbus, Ohio, and at Point Lookout, Md., until June 4, 1865, when he was paroled. Joined the C. H. A. June 30, 1892.
WAYNESBURG, JOHN W., Company D, Harris' Zouave Cadets, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Tennessee Regiment ; entered service with the company at Memphis guarding the magazine the latter part of March, 1861; mustered into ser- vice April 26, 1861, at Randolph, Tenn., as orderly sergeant; was wounded first at the battle of Murfreesboro December 31, 1862, at Missionary Ridge September 20, 1863, and at Re- saca, Ga., in May, 1864; participated in every battle of the Army of Tennessee, beginning with Belmont, Mo .; he was paroled at Greensboro, N. C., April 26, 1865, being one of only two of the company of ninety-two mustered in that was present at the surrender. He assisted in forming the Con- federate Relief and Historical Association in Memphis in 1866 and was a member of Company A, Confederate Vete- rans. Died suddenly January 3, 1897, esteemed and respected in life and regretted in his passing away by his comrades and a large circle of friends.
WEAR, B. II., enlisted July 12, 1861, as a private in Com- pany C, Twentieth Mississippi, and was afterward transferred to Company G, Grenada Rifles, Fifteenth Mississippi Regi- ment; was captured at Fort Donelson February 14, 1862, and wounded at Peachtree creek July 20, 1864 ; paroled at Greens- boro, N. C., May 5, 1865. Hlas since been connected with the printing business and press of Memphis, and for the past few years has been successfully running a newspaper in Virginia. Joined the Confederate Historical Association May 8, 1894.
WEBBER, ALBERT, was drum-major of the Fifteenth Tennessee Regiment ; consolidated with the Thirty-seventh Tennessee near Wartrace, Tenn., in 1863; enlisted April 23. 1861; was in the battles of Belmont, Shiloh, Perryville, Mur- freesboro, Hoover's Gap, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge,
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Buzzard's Roost, and all the engagements from Dalton to Atlanta, and also at Jonesboro, where he was injured by the explosion of a shell; was with Hood in his campaign into Tennessee, and at the battles of Franklin, and in front of Nashville ; was never sick, or absent from his command except on furlongh, when he became separated from the army in the last few months of the war; was paroled in April, 1865 ; set- tled and married in Fayette county, where he has been and is yet a successful merchant and farmer, and has reared a large family. Admitted to the Confederate Historical Association February 18, 1896.
WEBB, JNO. L. ("Cap"), private in Hickory Rifles. One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Tennessee ; enlisted April 28, 1861 ; paroled May, 1865. Admitted to the Confederate Historical Association February 12, 1895.
WHEAT, REV. J. T., Chaplain at Forrest Hill, N. C., 1864; retired only at the end of the war; he was rector of a church in Memphis after the war. Proposed for membership in this Association by W. A. Goodman and General Patton Ander- son, and elected May 12, 1870. Died many years ago.
WHITE, MOSES, was born in Knoxville and educated at the East Tennessee University ; came to Memphis and prac- ticed law a few years ; returned to Knoxville and joined Car- roll's Regiment as a private ; was elected lieutenant-colonel, and when Colonel Carroll was appointed brigadier-general he was promoted to full Colonel of the Thirty - seventh Tennes- see, and at Corinth was elected colonel without opposition. Colonel White reached Mill Springs, Ky., January 18, 1862, in time to share a part of the disaster of the battle of Fishing creek the next day. He was with his regiment in the battle of Perryville, and was several times in Kentucky and Ten- nessee, in command of the brigade when Brigadier-Gen- eral Johnston was in command of the division ; was severely wounded in the battle of Murfreesboro, and in the summer of 1863 the Fifteenth and Thirty-seventh Tennessee were consol- idated and Col. R. C. Tyler of the former was assigned com- mand of both regiments. Colonel White was sent off on
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detached service at various points, and was in command at Eatonton, Ga .; was captured by Sherman's army and sent North in the hold of a ship with many others, all badly fed, treated and crowded together. While being transferred from one prison to another, to be held as a hostage, he jumped from a train at night in Delaware, reached Baltimore after great hardships, worked his way through the lines, and re- ported to General Marcus J. Wright at Grenada, Miss., just before the surrender. After that he practiced law in Mem- phis. He joined the C. H. A. July 15, 1869, and made one of the orations at an annual reunion of ex-Confederates at Elm- wood Cemetery. He returned to Knoxville, and has lived there many years.
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