Marshall County in the Civil War

There was great unanimity of sentiment for the South in the late war after the firing on Fort Sumter. The first volunteers from this county were in Turney's First Tennessee, but no whole company was sent out till in April, 1861, when the Seventeenth was raised. This regiment assembled in Franklin County in May, and on the 27th of that month it started for Camp Trousdale, Sumner County.

It was organized June 11 by the election of T. W. Newman, colonel; T. C. H. Miller, lieutenant-colonel, and A. L. Landis major. The companies in the Seventeenth from this county were C. F and H.

The commissioned officers of Company C at the organization were R. C. Williams, captain; J. C. Davis and F. M. Orr, lieutenants.

The officers of Company F were R. P. Hunter, captain; John Begger, William Wallace and J. B. Hunter, lieutenants.

The officers of Company H were R. H. McCrary, captain; W. H. Holder, G. W. Collis and David Sanders, lieutenants. May 8, 1862, the regiment re-enlisted for two years and was reorganized.

In Company C J. C. Davis became captain; F. M. Orr, J. W. McCrary and R. H. Armstrong, lieutenants. J. C. Cooper became captain of Company F; R. H. McCullough, William Byers and Lee Carthey, lieutenants.

The captain of Company H was G. H. Owen; the lieutenants were J. P. Tally, A. L. Elzy and Z. W. Ewing. On reorganization T. C. II. Miller was elected colonel; W. W. Floyd, lieutenant-colonel, and A. S. Marks, major.

The Seventeenth Regiment left Camp Trousdale July 23, armed with flint-lock guns, and arrived at Bristol, Virginia, July 26, where it remained till August 3, when it was sent to Russellville, E. Tennessee, thence to Cumberland Gap, where it arrived August 8. September 14 the regiment left Cumberland Gap and was with the advance of Zollicoffer into Kentucky. The regiment was engaged at the battle of Mill Spring, or Fishing Creek, January 19, 1862. The regiment arrived at Livingston January 24, and at Murfreesboro February 19. February 28 the regiment left for Iuka and Corinth, where it was armed with English rifles. May 28 the regiment left Corinth and arrived at Tupelo June 8. July 28 the regiment left for Chattanooga, where it arrived August 4. At Chattanooga the army was reorganized, and the Seventeenth became a part of Johnson's brigade, of Buckner's division, of Hardee's corps. It was in the Kentucky campaign, and September 16 assisted in the capture of Munfordsville with its garrison. The regiment was in the severe engagement at Perryville, October 8; thence the regiment went with the army to Middle Tennessee. The regiment arrived at Murfreesboro December 28, and was assigned to the right under Gen. Breckinridge. In the three days of terrible battle the Seventeenth lost heavily, but sustained itself gallantly. It then fell back with the army to Tullahoma, where it remained until active operations began again.

After some minor movements the Seventeenth took part in the two days' battle at Chickamauga on the 19th and 20th of September, losing 145 men. It advanced with the army to Chattanooga, where it lay till November 23, when Johnson's brigade, to which it belonged, was sent with Longstreet against Knoxville. November 29 the Seventeenth served as a supporting column to Mc-Law in an assault upon Fort Loudon. After the defeat at Knoxville the army fell back to Rogersville December 4. The regiment remained in East Tennessee till May, 1864, suffering greatly for want of food and clothing. In March the regiment was asked to reenlist, and to a man they obeyed. May 2 the regiment took train at Abington, Va., for Petersburg. It was engaged in the defense of Petersburg and Richmond till the close of the war. The regiment was severely engaged at Drury's Bluff May 15 and 16, 1864. Col. Floyd was killed and about sixty men were lost in this engagement. The Seventeenth was again engaged February 5, 1865, at Hatcher's Run. Its last battle was fought April 2, 1865, in the defense of Petersburg, where it lost half its numbers. The remnant of the regiment was surrendered at Appomattox April 9, 1865. The New Hope Company (Eighth Tennessee) from Marshall County was commanded by Capt. J. L. Bryant. The lieutenants were J. P. Holland, B. B. Bowers, T. F. Brooks, with T. E. Russell orderly sergeant. A sketch of the Eighth Regiment may be found in the State history.

The Thirty-second Regiment was commanded by Ed Cook as colonel, W. P. Moore, lieutenant-colonel, and W. J. Brownlow, major. On the re-organization Ed Cook was reelected colonel; William P. O'Neal, lieutenant-colonel, and J. P. McGuire, major. The Thirty-second was represented from this county by one company, of which William P. O'Neal was captain, and Jasper Smiley, Calvin Coffey and Frank Hall were lieutenants. On the re-organization Frank Hall became captain, Jasper Smiley, Calvin Coffey and J. Sanford lieutenants. See elsewhere for a history of the Thirty-second Regiment.

One company from Marshall composed of 101 men was sent to the Forty-first Regiment, This company was known as the Lewisburg and Cornersville Company, The company officers of this company were R. G. McClure, captain; J. C. Osborn, J. M, Vancleave and R. P. Robins, lieutenants. The regimental officers at first were Robert Farquaharson, colonel; R. G. McClure, lieutenant-colonel, and T. G. Miller, major. On reorganization Farquaharson was re-elected colonel, J. D. Tillman, lieutenant-colonel, and T. G. Miller, major. From Camp Trousdale the Forty-first was sent to Bowling Green: thence on December 23rd to Fort Donelson, where it was captured February 15, 1862. The men were exchanged at Vicksburg in September and the regiment reorganized at Clinton. The regiment marched and counter-marched through Tennessee and northern Mississippi till January, 1863, when it was ordered to Port Hudson. On May 2 it was ordered to Jackson to avert the doom overhanging Pemberton and Vicksburg. After the fall of Vicksburg it was ordered, September 7, to Mobile. It did guard duty on the coast for a time, but was ordered up to Chickamauga and again joined Johnston's army at Dalton in May, 1864. It took part in the Atlanta campaign till the fall of Atlanta; thence was ordered into Tennessee; was at Franklin and Nashville and was then sent to North Carolina, where it surrendered at the close of the war. Its brigade commanders were Bushrod, Johnson, Maney, Gregg and Strahl.

There were three companies for the Fifty-third Tennessee Regiment raised in this county, Companies B, E and D. Company B was raised in Lewisburg and vicinity. W. B. Holden was chosen first captain, but was succeeded by W. F. Collins as captain in 1862. The lieutenants of this company were J. J. Murray, J. M. Hawkins and W. M. Patterson. This company at first numbered about eighty-five men. Company E was raised in the vicinity of Mooresville and Wilson Hill. I. H. Hills was chosen the first captain, but he was succeeded by S. C. Orr. The lieutenants of this company were Andrew Bryant, Joseph Anderson and George W. Moore. Company D was raised at Cornersville by T. F. Winston. On the organization of the regiment Capt, Winston was chosen lieutenant-colonel, and W. H. Wilkes was chosen captain; W. P. Lewis, N. L. Cauless and John A. Perry, lieutenants. On reorganization W. P. Lewis was made captain; N. L. McCauless, John A. Perry and E. A. McCollum, lieutenants. W. II. Wilkes was elected colonel on reorganization, and W. B. Holden, major, who afterward became colonel. The regiment was mustered into the service December 17, 1861. It was engaged at Fort Donelson Port Hudson, the Vicksburg and the Atlanta campaigns. It took an active part at New Hope Church and at the poor house near Atlanta; at the last engagement it suffered terribly. The regiment was in Hood's advance, participating at Franklin, and Nashville. After this disastrous campaign it was sent to North Carolina, where it surrendered with the remnant of its numbers.

Company A, Baxter Smith's Fourth Cavalry, was organized at Nolensville, November 1, 1862, and was sworn into service soon after. The company officers were D. W. Alexander, captain; W. H. McLean, W. C. Green and R. O. McLean, lieutenants. This company originally consisted of 107 men; but a remnant was left at the close of tin war.

Company A, Starnes' Fourth Tennessee Regiment, was raised by Capt. P. C. Haynes. The lieutenants were Aaron Thompson, J. C. Cundiff and B. F. Boyd. On reorganization Capt. Haynes became lieutenant-colonel, and Aaron Thompson was promoted to the captaincy. The officers of Company D of this regiment were D. S. McCullough, Captain Alfred Dysart, Monroe Fisher and Dr. McCullough, lieutenants. Alfred Dysart, who had become captain, was killed at Thompson Station, and was succeeded by W. M. Robinson. These men were sworn into the service in October, 1861, and were assigned duty at Camp Cheatham. A full account of this regiment is to be found in the State history. There were three companies for Marshall, in the Eleventh Cavalry. One company was commanded by Capt. T. C. H. Miller, with E. H. Hamilton, Rainey, as lieutenants. This company was raised north of Duck River and was composed of about 100 men. The second company was M. M. Swim's company. The commissioned officers were M. M. Swim, captain; James Ferguson and James Swim, lieutenants. These men were also enlisted in the northern part of the county. A third company of this regiment was raised at Cornersville, by Capt. Gordon, of Giles County. The last named company was made up from both Marshall and Giles Counties.

The last company raised in the county was the one recruited by Capt. E. J. Neil, This company was raised in the northern part of the county in 1864, and was attached to Col. N. W. Carter' regiment. The Eleventh, above mentioned, was surrendered at Washington, Va., and Col. Carter's regiment at Selma, Alabama.

It is a noticeable fact that the cavalry and infantry forces raised in this county were nearly equal in number, and that nearly all the cavalry was from the northern part of the country, while the infantry was from the southern part.

On April 19, 1861, Capt. T. C. H. Miller was presented with an elegant flag, by the ladies of Chapel Hill. This was presented by the hands of Miss Narcissa Wilhorte, now the wife of William McLean, of Nashville. Lieut. J. B. Hunter, made an appropriate and impressive response, accepting the flag on behalf of the company. Capt. Alexander's company also received an elegant silk flag, which was presented by Miss Anna Patterson, while the men were en route for Nashville. J. L. Orr made a speech accepting the flag, tendering the thanks of the company, and pledging their lives in its defense, saying it should never be "trailed in the dust of dishonor."

 Marshall County | AHGP Tennessee

Source: History of Tennessee, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1886