Civil war arms

[DaveS]

Is that the same sam watkins in the ken burns documentary?

I believe so.

 

Dave

[Moped]

Another good books is Stonewall of the West: Patrick Clebourne & the Civil War, by Craig Symonds.

[TacoBubba]

I went to my first scv meeting tonight. A wonderful experience! Talked about the role of chaplains in the confederate service. I officially get sworn in next month. Looking forward to it!

[TacoBubba]

Hey TacoBubba. Where did your ancestor fight? You never know.......

My great grandfather was Pvt Isaac Mason. He lied about his age and joined the Confederate Army at 15, as a Tuscaloosa Volunteer. He was with Lumsden's Battery, 2nd Alabama Light Artillery, Army of Tennessee. He surrendered in Meridian Mississippi after the fall of Fort Blakely. I have a copy of a pay receipt he got in 1865 for 14 dollars. His discharge paper used to hang on the wall in the "old Home Place" but was stolen by a cousin. I have traced his path as he fought with the Army of Tennessee. It is a hobby of mine. I am not a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans but could be I recon.

My G-G-G uncle was mustered in 1862. Company A NC 64 out of Madison Co. He was only 16 and fought for 3 years. Was in the battle at Cumberland gap. He was a private. Private William Shelton. Im also tied to the Shelton Laurel Massacre.

[Moped]

Private William Shelton. Im also tied to the Shelton Laurel Massacre.

What was the Shelton Laurel massacre?

My GGGG Grandfather was the Confederate Banker in Knoxville, a Surgeon at Chickamauga and Knoxville, Dr. JGM Ramsey. He accompanied Longstreet, when he attacked Knoxville. One of his sons rode with Morgan and was at Greenville when Morgan was killed. Another son was killed in the last year of the war at Winchester, VA, fighting with Jubel Early and John Breckenridge. Another son was a Lieutient, when he was captured with Jefferson Davis in GA, after the war.

My other GGGG Grandfather ran off to Kentucky and joined the Union. He was in the Calvary. He rode with Sandman and was captured in Morristown in a firefight (probably) with Morgan's Calvary. His unit ran out of ammunition and had to surrender. He was in a POW camp in Danville, VA and paroled in Decmember of 1864, after he contracted tuberculosis. He walked home to Campbell County, TN. When he walked into the yard of his house, his wife didn't recognise him. His hair was totally white. He lived to collect a War Pension.

[R1100R]

A good book to read about the day to day life of a Confederate Soldier is titled "Company Aytch" (H). Written by Sam Watkins who served in a Tennessee Infantry Regiment from the Army of Tennessee in the Western theatre. This book is well worth reading!

 

Of the books Moped mentioned, Killer Angels is absolutely my favorite!

 

Dave

 

My little girl in the 5th Grade read excerpts from this book in class. They are now on the reconstruction period.

[Will Carry]

The Shelton Laurel Massacre is a complex story. Let me tell you the version I know, it may not be accurate.  This happened in the heart of the Appalachians. The city folk were all about the Confederacy. The mountain folk could have cared less. They just wanted to be left alone. The city folk always looked down on these mountain people as being "backwards" so the relationship was not very good even before the war.  When the war started the city folk wanted all the mountain people to join the Confederate Army and fight for the cause.  When they didn't, the city folk decided not to sell the Mountain folk any salt. If you can't salt your meat, you won't make it through the winter. Well the Mountain people got their rifles and went into town and got their salt and gave a little lead back in return. This started a big feud. The feud went on the whole war. The Mountain folk around Shelton Laurel were Pro-Union and they would harass any Confederate unit deployed to the area. They would bushwack, ambush and snipe at the Confederates, then disappear into the woods. The Rebs couldn't catch'em.

Finally Col. Keith had had enough and began visiting the homes of these people and torturing the women, trying to get information. This ended when the Rebs rounded up a dozen or so local men, from the age of 14 on up, lined them up and shot them dead. The Confederate governor of North Carolina was going to arrest Kieth and hold him for trial but the war ended and things were so chaotic that nothing was ever done. If you drive up Big Laurel Creek near Hot Springs NC, there is a memorial to the victims. It's on private property but they will give you permission to go there if you ask.  

      Those Mountain Folk are tough as tree bark. They spawn the ugliest men in Tennessee or North Carolina, but their women are the most beautiful women in the south. The mountains are also the home of many of our countries great writers and scientists. It hurts my head to think about it.

Edited November 8, 2014 by Will Carry

[Will Carry]

For TacoBubba and everyone interested in American History. Madison County is in the heart of the Appalachians. It is where the Laurel Massacre

 memorial is located.  I have spent many a night at Hot Springs or camping on Mountain Island. Catching Smallmouth Bass by the dozen.

 

Company A, 64th NC. Madison County. What a history these boys could tell.

 

 

<a href="http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/64th_Regiment,_North_Carolina_Infantry_(Allen" data-ipb="nomediaparse" s"="" data-cke-saved-href="http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/64th_Regiment,_North_Carolina_Infantry_(Allen">http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/64th_Regiment,_North_Carolina_Infantry_(Allen's)

Edited November 8, 2014 by Will Carry

[Guest tangojuliet]

Whos going to franklin at the end of the month

[TacoBubba]

One of those ugly ol Shelton boys that got shot was my ggg grandfather. His younger brother mt ggg uncle did fight for the confederatates. That's how I trace my ancestry to the scv. Edited November 8, 2014 by TacoBubba

[TacoBubba]

The Shelton Laurel Massacre is a complex story. Let me tell you the version I know, it may not be accurate. This happened in the heart of the Appalachians. The city folk were all about the Confederacy. The mountain folk could have cared less. They just wanted to be left alone. The city folk always looked down on these mountain people as being "backwards" so the relationship was not very good even before the war. When the war started the city folk wanted all the mountain people to join the Confederate Army and fight for the cause. When they didn't, the city folk decided not to sell the Mountain folk any salt. If you can't salt your meat, you won't make it through the winter. Well the Mountain people got their rifles and went into town and got their salt and gave a little lead back in return. This started a big feud. The feud went on the whole war. The Mountain folk around Shelton Laurel were Pro-Union and they would harass any Confederate unit deployed to the area. They would bushwack, ambush and snipe at the Confederates, then disappear into the woods. The Rebs couldn't catch'em.
Finally General Hoke had had enough and began visiting the homes of these people and torturing the women, trying to get information. This ended when the Rebs rounded up a dozen or so local men, from the age of 14 on up, lined them up and shot them dead. The Confederate governor of North Carolina was going to arrest Hoke and hold him for trial but the war ended and things were so chaotic that nothing was ever done. If you drive up Big Laurel Creek near Hot Springs NC, there is a memorial to the victims. It's on private property but they will give you permission to go there if you ask.
Those Mountain Folk are tough as tree bark. They spawn the ugliest men in Tennessee or North Carolina, but their women are the most beautiful women in the south. The mountains are also the home of many of our countries great writers and scientists. It hurts my head to think about it.

For TacoBubba and everyone interested in American History. Madison County is in the heart of the Appalachians. It is where the Laurel Massacre
memorial is located. I have spent many a night at Hot Springs or camping on Mountain Island. Catching Smallmouth Bass by the dozen.

Company A, 64th NC. Madison County. What a history these boys could tell.


http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/64th_Regiment,_North_Carolina_Infantry_(Allen's)

I would love to know more. If we could only turn back time, or just have a few minutes to talk to them. I remember my gg grandfather on mom's side telling me that he remembers as a young man finding stashes of old firearms and rations in caves and old forgotten mines. What a find that would be.

[Will Carry]

I was just kidding about the ugly men but I wasn't about the women. They are beautiful women up there.

 

Here is a page from a book called "A History of Lumsden's Battery CSA." it was written using diaries and letters from surviving members of the battery. This from when they were in Cumberland Gap:

 

"At camp Dick Robinson, we buried some cannon in an apple orchard inscribed with Spanish to prevent Yankees from getting them. Here were 4000 barrels of pork, that had been collected from the country and a good many barrels of whiskey, for which there was no transportation, so they were burned."

 

          I just wonder it those cannon were ever found. The Rebs never came back to Cumberland Gap.  I think Camp Dick Robison was up in Kentucky.

Edited November 8, 2014 by Will Carry

[TacoBubba]

I was just kidding about the ugly men but I wasn't about the women. They are beautiful women up there.

Here is a page from a book called "A History of Lumsden's Battery CSA." it was written using diaries and letters from surviving members of the battery. This from when they were in Cumberland Gap:

"At camp Dick Robinson, we buried some cannon in an apple orchard inscribed with Spanish to prevent Yankees from getting them. Here were 4000 barrels of pork, that had been collected from the country and a good many barrels of whiskey, for which there was no transportation, so they were burned."

I just wonder it those cannon were ever found. The Rebs never came back to Cumberland Gap. I think Camp Dick Robison was up in Kentucky.

I know you were kidding. Im one of them ol sheltons. Lucky for me my momma isnt a shelton and dad married a beautiful lady.

I agree, i would love to find some of those artifacts. Not too sure that i would tell a lot of people. There are some things that people just dont need to know about.

[Patton]

I regret not buying an authentic Enfield when I was in Afghanistan ten years ago. They were left over from the British occupation in the 1880's. The locals used to trade them in the bizzars for around $150, but it was a hassle to ship them back to the states.

[Guest dsaylor]

I would add this website to those you regularly peruse and start checking out the various forums.
Knowledgeable, passionate and friendly folk!

http://civilwartalk.com/forums/

d

[Sidinman]

Just found out that my G.G.grandfather, James M. Jones.

in May of 1862 he enlisted in a independent, company called the Governor's Guard.At Nashville the company was organized as Company F, 10th Tenn. Infantry(Federal) He was a First Lt. Governor Johnson sent him to W.TN to recruit for the Federal service. In Oct. of '62, he reported to Nashville and was then commissioned First Lt. of Company G.

He resigned in the spring of '63. He then moved Illinois

 

Some pretty cool stuff.

 

His great granfather was a LT. in the war of 1812.

Edited January 3, 2015 by Sidinman

[79troublehead]

Sam Watson is the same boy as in Burn's documentary. Shelby Foote (big reading) or Bruce Catton (big reading also) will also be worth the effort.

[Djay3]

Thanks for starting this thread; some riveting stuff in here. Sometimes a bit of thread drift is a good thing! : )

It's amazing how the Internet is fleshing out folks' knowledge of their families in that era.

My GG father, gravitated from New Hampshire to Arkansas to farm and in less than a year joined a Calvary division of the Army of Arkansas. We knew he had served as a Hospital Steward and my paternal grandmother (1868 - 1960) had his saw bones kit. BUT, thanks to the web, I now have a microfiche copy of his ferry crossings and horse feed expenses (under his signature) for when he was charged with the task of apprehending deserters back in Arkansas. An odd task for a Hospital Steward used to doing limb amputations.

I'll also vote for your reading "Company Aytch" by Sam Watkins. A CLASSIC!

PS - (My family kind of skipped a generation by having kids late in life. G Mother born 1868 had my Dad in 1906. He had me in 1946. So luckily I new my paternal grandmother as a child. You could not mention Abraham Lincoln in her presence!) Edited February 27, 2015 by Djay3

[TacoBubba]

I wanted to mention that I officially was sworn into my camp earlier this month. It was one of the coolest things that I've done as an adult. My camp Lt. Robert J. Tipton camp 2083 is growing. We've had some new members in the past few months, including me. Surprisingly, a lot of younger guys like me. It's nice to see people who care about our past. Edited February 27, 2015 by TacoBubba

[Guest tangojuliet]

Sam Watson is the same boy as in Burn's documentary. Shelby Foote (big reading) or Bruce Catton (big reading also) will also be worth the effort.

sam watkins* 

[TacoBubba]

Seeing the mood of the mood of the country shift in a total opposite direction in just a few days, I want to mention to any of you who are scv members to keep the good fight. This morning before work members of our camp attended a moment of silence at some of our ancestors graves.

In other news, one of our members was verbally threatened Sunday night for having a scv tag on his truck. Thankfully a few good ol boys broke up something that could have quickly escalated. The member that was threatened is deaf due to being around artillery in service of his country. The harnessing offenders were not caught. They had their license plates covered due to the pre planning of this harassment.

As always, stay safe! Stay alert!


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