About
David A. Powell is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, class of 1983, with a BA in history. After graduating he went to work in the family business, CBS Messenger, in the Chicago area, but David never lost his intense interest in military history, especially in the American Civil War. He has published articles in a number of magazines, more than fifteen historical simulations of various battles, and led tours to various sites. For the past decade David’s focus has been on the epic battle of Chickamauga.
Chickamauga Blog 
February 7, 2010 at 9:44 pm |
Hello, I just discovered your blog and am quite overwhelmed by its amazing detail!
I have just begun researching my 3G Grandfather Newton Olliver (or Oliver) who was killed on Sept. 19th, 1863. He was a 20-year-old private with the 26th Ohio Infantry. Family lore says that he was killed at the Viniard Field and that his body was never identified. (His daughter, to the end of her life, never turned away a tramp, thinking it might be her father come back.) However, I’ve seen references to his grave at Chattanooga National Cemetery. I’d assumed he was buried in a mass grave on the battlefield. The National Cemetery didn’t just put up stones over unidentified bodies, did they?
I am planning a visit to Chickamauga (Chattanooga and Nashville also) in May. Do you have any recommendations to maximize my research and try to get a sense of a battle which seems to grow more complicated the longer I look. I have been trained as an historian, but my grasp of military affairs is limited to a retired Air Guard Lt. Col. husband. I want to get an overview of the events of the battle, but am most interested in the human face of it. Any suggestions you can offer (battlefield guides or specific tours) would be most welcome. I saw your entry about your upcoming March tour, but I would be quite out of my depth.
Thanks very much for your hard work.
Chris
February 8, 2010 at 8:06 am |
Chris,
The Federals lost control of the battlefield after the fight, of course, and so could not recover all the bodies. The Confederates hastily buried the Union dead in mass graves. Starting in December 1863, when the Rebels fell back after losing at Chattanooga, the Union troops returned to the field and began the process of identifying and moving their dead.
Many are unknown. They are buried in the National Cemetery with “unknown” headstones. But you can also check with the Cemetery administration to see if they have him listed. If so, they can tell you where his grave is located and how to get there within the Cemetery. It is possible that both stories could be true – Olliver could have not been recovered on the 19th, but could possibly have been identified over the winter and moved then.
I think you should read Steven Woodworth’s “Six Armies in Tennessee” for a strategic overview of the battle. I submit that my own “maps of Chickamauga” would help you with the tactical details, especially if you want to focus on the 26th or the Brigade it belongs to. The 26th was involved in tough fights on both the 19th and the 20th.
Also ask at the visitor’s center for any information in the file of the 26th Ohio. The park maintains files on each regiment, and while they don’t have anything on Olliver specifically, they might have some stuff of interest. I’d also recommend visiting Ohio in the Civil War – http://www.ohiocivilwar.com/cw26.html – for a detailed list of sources.
Mahoning Valley Historical society also has a copy of a very good diary by Lt. Sameul Platt that covers their experiences in the campaign, but ends on September 15th, just days short of the battle.
Dave
April 14, 2011 at 10:32 am
Mr. Powell, wonderful blog you have-I just discovered it. I am doing some research on my gggf who was killed at Chickamauga on 20Sep1863. He was a member of the 58th Ala in Clayton’s Bde, Stewart’s Div. On Rootsweb.com, he had been buried in a mass grave on the battlefield, later moved to Marietta in a mass grave. Is this mass grave marked in any way? Does the cemetery have any info on who is buried in the grave? I will be in Marietta in a week or so and wanted to stop by. Thanks for your help.
April 15, 2011 at 6:28 am
John,
The Confederate Cemetery in Marietta has some graves marked, but not all. Here is a link to the cemetery site, which will allow you to look up some names and gives you a history of the cemetery.
The mass graves on the battlefield itself are not marked, and only general locations are known. Officially, all the dead of both sides were removed from the field (except for one, Private John Ingraham, whose grave is marked on the field) but given the amount of time that passed between these interments, it is likely that some more of Chickamauga’s dead still remain.
http://www.mariettaga.gov/departments/parks_rec/cemeteries.aspx#3
February 8, 2010 at 9:19 am |
Thank you for your very speedy and informative reply. I will look up the book you suggest. And I had printed out the Ohio in the Civil War references just before I wrote you and have been able to find some of them online. I will look at your site for the link to order your maps book.
That is very interesting that Oliver’s body may have actually been identified. So much for family lore. I will check with the Cemetery for more details.
Thank you again for all you do to keep the history of this battle alive.
Chris
February 28, 2010 at 2:25 pm |
For informational purposes. Had published a book entitled, “A ‘Guest’ of the Confederacy” in 2008 which chronicled the prison years (actually 528 days) of Captain Alonzo M. Keeler, 22nd Michigan Infantry who fought and was captured with his command at the battle of Chickamauga. 4 of his diaries and 6-8 letters were transcribed and consiitute the bulk of the book, along with pre and post Civil War activities of this veteran.
Publisher was Cold Tree Press, Nashville, Tennessee who has since gone out of business due to economic conditions. Book available at Amazon and other major book outlets as well as the authors website.
Interesting account of 22nd Michigan involvement in battle, but also actual account of prison life for Keeler and fellow officer prisoners.
February 28, 2010 at 6:34 pm |
Thanks for the heads up. I have Keeler’s diary Transcript from the Bentley Library, but not his letters, nor any of his postwar material. Do the letters or reminiscences discuss the 22nd’s engagement on September 20th in more detail than the diary? If so, this would be a valuable aquisition for me.
June 13, 2010 at 4:02 pm |
Hi David,
At the risk of being self-promoting, I thought I would bring to your attention my recently released book: War No More: The Antiwar Impulse in American Literature, 1861-1914 (LSUP).
Beginning with three very different renderings of the Battle of
Chickamauga — a diary account by a northern infantry officer, a poem
romanticizing war by a young southerner, and a horrific story penned by
the veteran Ambrose Bierce — War No More traces the gradual shift in the
late 19th century away from highly idealized depictions of the Civil War.
War No More also explores the complex reaction of Americans –- ranging from Mark Twain to Jack London -– to the modernization and mechanization of battle. And along the way, the work uncovers antiwar writings by some of America’s most revered writers, including Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, and Nathaniel Hawthorne.
For more information about War No More — including a book overview, early eviews, and radio interview clips –- please see: http://www.warnomorethebook.com
Thanks very much for the Chickamauga Blog!
Cynthia
June 14, 2010 at 6:06 am |
Cynthia,
Who’se diary account is included?
Dave Powell
June 14, 2010 at 8:01 am |
Hi Dave,
The diary account is from the unpublished journal of Captain Allen L. Fahnestock of the 86th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Fahnestock gave a presentation copy of the diary to the Peoria Public Library in 1910.
Regards,
Cynthia
November 1, 2010 at 8:34 pm |
Dear Mr. Powell, I am delighted to discover your blog and to learn of your career as an expert historian on the battle of Chicamauga. My great great grandfather was a participant in that battle. His name was Benjamin Holly Norwood. He had a first cousin named Andrew Jackson Norwood that served in the same unit. They served in the 41st Mississippi infantry, company E , under Patton Anderson’s brigade , Hindman’s division. I have been trying to research letters written by soldiers of that unit but have found very few. I have read John Elkaney Hudson’s letters to his wife sarah written before the battle while the unit was camped near Shellmound Tennessee. they are very interesting to read, though Mr. Hudson died just before the battle of Chicamauga began. His letters give a very sobering account of the mood and thinking of the unit as it was camped in shellmound in august of 1863. I would be very interested in reading more letters especially from the 41st mississippi, or from any of the units that fought by their side in the war. Benjamin Holland Norwood continued on to fight at missionary ridge , on through to the defense of atlanta and finally was paroled in North Carolina in 1865 when his unit was reassigned to sharp’s brigade. He stayed on in North Carolina for a while to help nurse many of his comrades in arms until they could travel back to mississippi. He earned the nickname Doc Norwood because of his healing skills. After the war he and his family and several of the slave families that he had previously owned moved to texas to a small farm near Kerrville, Texas. Thanks again , Mike
November 2, 2010 at 6:53 am |
Michael,
Confederate letters and accounts are always harder to come by. Joseph Miller Rand has a detailed diary at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (Jackson MS) that would help you.
Dave Powell
November 5, 2010 at 11:37 am |
Dear Dave,
Thank you for all of your comprehensive information and insight on the battle of Chickamauga. I’m writing a novel, set in 1863, about an Iowa soldier who is killed at Chickamauga. If he was identified in December like the other Union soldiers hastily buried, do you know if they would have sent his body back to Iowa or would they have buried him near Chickamauga with a marker?
Thank you,
~Melanie Dobson
November 13, 2010 at 8:02 am |
Melanie,
He would have been moved to Chattanooga in the spring of 1864 and buried in what became the national cemetery, unless his family specifically had him sent home. that was not uncommon, but it was expensive, so it is kind of rare.
January 9, 2011 at 11:15 pm |
Dear Mr. Powell,
I was so happy to find your blog and have thoroughly enjoyed it.
My gg grandfather was Co D 8th Kansas Infantry. His name was Joshua Pilcher Brown. I am wondering if you know of any letters or diaries that give accounts of the battle from the 8th’s perspective? Can you tell me briefly what you know about the 8th’s activities at the battle?
Thank you for your help.
Marc
July 10, 2011 at 2:26 pm |
Hi David,
I am the editor of Crossfire, the journal of the American Civil War Round Table of the UK http://www.americancivilwar.org.uk/ and I am thinking of starting a new feature on Civl war blogs.
Would you like to be the first? Your blog on council of war would be ideal.
Greg Bayne
July 10, 2011 at 3:27 pm |
Greg,
I’d be happy to. What’s involved?
Dave
July 11, 2011 at 12:33 pm |
Not a lot really! I will take the Council of War piece and introduce it as work that you do on your blog. Hopefully this will lead to some more traffic for you and ultimately visitors to the battlefield.
If you have a different piece that you think is a better intro to your work then please suggest it. Our RT members will be more interested in the small details rather than the overall picture.
July 12, 2011 at 12:20 pm |
I am interested in organizing a horseback staff ride for the Battle of Chickamauga. Can you recommend any local companies that could offer this? Thanks.
July 16, 2011 at 5:00 am |
Thomas,
I emailed you, but I thought I would post this as well. I don’t know of any stable that provides horses for such a tour. If you had your own I know that a guide could be found. Maybe someone else will come forward if they see this post…
July 14, 2011 at 6:12 am |
Greg,
The council of war post is fine, go ahead and highlight that one.
Dave
July 18, 2011 at 7:29 am |
Hello Dave
I live in England and i have always had a lifetimes interest in your Civil War. This is really an excellent site you have here, and it is full of interest with many very interesting articles and answers to them. I am trying to research twin brothers by the names of Gideon and Samuel Powell. They both served in the 21st Ohio Infantry, and i would love t learn more about them. Many thanks Sid
August 17, 2011 at 8:27 pm |
Hello Dave,
I live in Chickamauga, GA and recently came across your blog. I’m working on a personal web site for Chickamauga (currently under construction) and would like to add your blog rss feed. I would be more than happy to also advertise your books in return. I did not see an email address so I hope that this reaches you.
August 22, 2011 at 3:29 am |
Dave,
I have printed the Council of War article in our ACWRTUK magazine.
Can you email your snail mail address so I can send you a copy
Greg
June 13, 2012 at 9:06 pm |
Dave thank you so much for this blog, I have just begun to learn about this battle, I picked up your book the “Maps of Chickamauga” I am impressed with the detail in it of the battles. I lost 2 Great Great Uncles in the battle, Sept 19 Edward C Clayton died as a part of the Illinois 35th Inf. Co D. Sept 20 George Washington Ralston also with the IL 35th Co G. As per the info in the other postings it is most likely they are in an unmarked grave. I have not been able to find any burial on them.
My G G Grandfather Zephaniah Clayton was in the IL 35 but assigned to the Pioneer Brigade 2nd Bat, CO K as the regiment Blacksmith.
Thank you for a great wealth of information.
January 31, 2014 at 9:25 am |
Hello Mark, we met online a few years ago. We are cousins. My GG Grandfather Thomas Ralston was in the Missouri Infantry, and George Ralston with the IL 35th Co. G is my GG Uncle who lost his life on the battle field in Chickamauga. I am still trying to find more information on our ancestors. I do not have your email anymore because my computer was corrupted a few years ago.
July 25, 2012 at 1:23 pm |
Dave:
I have been reading your blog for a year or two now and enjoy it very much. I live near Chickamauga and have been a student of the battle for most of my life. I have read both of your books and have found both very impressive. I especially enjoyed Failure in the Saddle since I had relatives in the 3rd Confederate Cavalry. I have recently been trying to understand the complex situation in the Dyer field on Sept. 20 about mid-day. I notice in The Maps of Chickamauga on page 201 (map 13.5), the positions of the 125th and 65th Ohio regiments are marked. However, there are two stone regimental markers on the battlefield at these positions that read different from the map. The stone marker for the 64th Ohio is located where the 125th is indicated on the map, and the marker for the 125th Ohio is where the 65th Ohio is portrayed on the map. Can you help me resolve the discrepancy?
Thank you for your informative posts.
July 28, 2012 at 6:30 am |
Mike, The explanation is simple. the field is right, the map is wrong. As they moved forward, Harker’s Brigade shifted position several times, and only the 125th’s OR gives the relative positions of the regiments. Harker doesn’t even describe the second charge, which placed the 125th and 64th in their advanced line. Couple that obscurity with my standard left/right dyslexia, and there you have it.:) It’s an error I hope to fix in a future edition. Thanks for pointing it out. In my new writing, I have been discovering how much I still have to learn about the battle.
August 5, 2012 at 3:30 am |
Hello Dave:
Can you answer a couple of questions for me? I came across a nine year old newspaper article that pertains to Chickamauga with a couple of points I have questions about. The article in particular is “Remembering a Local Treasure” and was written in the Walker County Messenger on March 21st of 2003 (link) in the memory of Lawrence Brotherton: http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=368&dat=20030321&id=u7EwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jD8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6415,1601616
It talks about the Brotherton family and their history with Chickamauga. My first question is how accurate is the paragraph where it talks about James Longstreet and Bushrod Johnson holding a meeting with Thomas Brotherton on the night of 19th and the morning of the 20th?
My second is what role did Brotherton’s intelligence play in Longstreet’s massed assault on the 20th?
Thank you,
Chase Newman
August 5, 2012 at 5:12 am |
Chase, the article takes some liberties. It is highly unlikely that Tom Brotherton met with Longstreet on the 19th. Longstreet certainly did not meet with Bushrod Johnson. Bragg, not Longstreet, was responsible for assembling the pool of local men to use as guides. the 1st Confederate regiment spoken of in the article was not in Longstreet’s command. It was in Jackson’s Brigade, Cheatham’s Division, Polk’s Corps. Bragg assembled those men on September 17th or 18th. Longstreet reached Bragg that night, the two conferred, and then Longstreet grabbed a few hours’ rest. He did not meet with his command until the pre-dawn hours of the 20th. On the morning of the 19th, Longstreet did not even plan on leading off his attack with Johnson’s men. Johnson’s Division came to be in the front rank of Longstreet’s column through an error, not as part of an intended assault framework. All that said, Longstreet and Johnson probably did rely on Brotherton for local information. The local guides were basically assigned to various corps and divisional commands, (though a complete listing of such is not possible to determine) and Tom Brotherton probably spent time with Hood on the 19th. When Hood and Longstreet met up on the morning of the 20th, Brotherton was probably introduced. Longstreet thought he was preparing for an attack shortly after dawn, but as we know it turned out that he had most of the morning to get ready, due to the delays on Polk’s end of the field. Thus, Longstreet and Johnson had time to discuss their deployment, and again, they drew on Brotherton’s local knowledge. How much did Brotherton contribute? Hard to say. Certainly he would have been able to inform Johnson and Longstreet of the route of the Dry Valley Road, the location and nature of McFarland’s Gap, the high ground of Horseshoe Ridge north of the Dyer House (though at least two Dyer’s were on hand as well.) I think he probably contributed a great deal to Longstreet’s overall sense of the field, and in that sense, was invaluable. Dave Powell
August 5, 2012 at 5:32 am |
Your reply does inspire two more questions. If Johnson was not supposed to lead Hood’s column, where did Longstreet intend for Johnson’s division to be placed in light of where Hindman deployed?
Was Longstreet aware of Johnson’s move?
Thank you again.
Chase Newman
August 5, 2012 at 5:59 am |
Longstreet intended for A P Stewart to move north, opening a gap between his command and Johnson’s, into which Law’s Division could be placed. That plan never happened, because when Stewart shifted north, Johnson followed suit. He did not get the word to stay put. Longstreet discovered it after the fact, and ordered Johnson to stay where he was (time, remember.) Whether or not this would have been the final attack column, or whether Longstreet might have intended Johnson to fill in behind Law, is unknown. My personal belief is that, had Longstreet felt he had the time, he would have moved Johnson into support. Dave
September 4, 2012 at 5:59 pm |
Dave,
Do you know if Evander Law ever published an account of his role at Chickamauga? I noticed that an official report was never filed by him, either commanding Hood’s Division, or from his own brigade on the action during the battle. I noticed it was missing and now my curiosity is peaked.
Chase Newman
September 5, 2012 at 6:24 am |
Chase, Law never wrote about Chickamauga anywhere that I have been able to find. There is no OR report, and unlike many of his other battles, he didn’t leave any post-war accounts, either. William Perry wrote a very useful report on the Brigade’s actions there, which can be found in the OR supplement, in a Civil War Times Illustrated article, and some other places, so we know what the brigade was doing – or some of it, anyway. But Perry makes little mention of Law. In fact, neither Benning nor Robertson talk about Law much either. He’s almost completely absent from the record. Dave Powell
October 4, 2012 at 8:52 pm |
I am looking for the gravesite of John T. Wynne, Lt. that served with company C, 47th regiment Tennessee of the confederate army and died on September 19, 1863 in the Battle of Chicamauga according to the old confederate records. How does one locate that gravesite, if it exists. Thanks to advise. He would have been my great grandmother’s brother and enlisted from Dyersburg, Tennessee on December 3, 1861.
October 5, 2012 at 8:18 am |
Harvey,
You might try to find out if he is buried in one of the Confederate cemeteries – at Resaca, maybe? I am not real sure how best to locate him.
October 5, 2012 at 2:01 pm
Dave,
Thank you for your thoughts. As I live in Michigan, I’ll have to look into it further if I ever get down to the Chicamauga battle site. You wouldn’t know what particular location or area Company C, 47th regiment Tennessee fought on September 19th, would you? Please advise if you do. Thank you in advance.
Harvey
October 6, 2012 at 5:43 am
Harvey, the 47th was fighting as a combined unit with the 12th Tennessee, as part of Preston Smith’s Brigade. Combined means that both units maintained separate administrative organizations, but they formed for battle as a single regiment. On September 19th, The 12th/47th fought in Brock Field, and there is a small marker denoting their approximate position. It’s at the south end of Brock Field. They were not heavily engaged on the 20th. Dave
November 11, 2012 at 12:37 am |
Hello,
I am the Dyer County Historian and have been building a database on Dyer County Civil War veterans for a number of years. According to my records John T. Wynne was serving as a 2nd Lt. of the 47th and was wounded at Chickamauga and later died September 22, 1863. There is no listing for a burial site and it is likely he was buried in an unmarked grave. Several of the Wynne family served in the war, including Colonel Vincent G. Wynne of the same regiment. What was your great-grandfather’s name?
Earl
November 11, 2012 at 10:53 am
Earl,
The most likely Confederate burial sites for Lt. Wynne will be in the Confederate Cemeteries at Resaca or elsewhere along the railroad between Atlanta and Ringgold. You might see what those records show.
As for my great-grandfathers, none of them seem to have had any connection to the war.
Dave Powell
September 7, 2014 at 8:02 pm
Do you have any information on Col Vincent G Wynne? He was my gg grandfather and gave been searching for information on him.
September 10, 2014 at 8:36 am
Nothing beyond what is in the Tennessee sourcebook, etc. I don’t know of any of his papers. I assume you have checked with sources in Dyersburg, etc.?
October 6, 2012 at 9:20 am |
Dave,
Thank you again. I have a couple of other follow-up questions and am not sure you can help or if they are even appropriate to ask you. If not, just let me know.
One, is there a way to track the military history or activity of Company C, 47th Regiment Tennessee prior to the Chicamauga battle and if so, where might I look.
Secondly, this is a more general question as I try to better understand the times and have limited knowledge of the history of the civil war. My great grandfather (born 1834) and living in Dyersburg, Tennessee would have been 27 or so when the war started. Yet, he never enlisted. He was married at the time, had 3 or 4 children and lived on farm that he (his wife) essentially inherited from John T. Wynne’s father in the 1850’s. They had a number of slaves (30-50) on the farm (based on the 1850 and 1860 slave census) and I suspect grew cotton. I understand that one could send a slave in place of enlisting, but I also think that it might have been possible that he was given an exemption as a cotton grower, since this crop was a cash source for the confederate army. Of course, there may be other reasons, but I wonder if you could shed some light as to why some men enlisted and others did not.
Harvey
October 7, 2012 at 8:04 am |
Harvey, There is no regimental history of the 47th, so information will be pretty limited. As for the enlistment issue, several things might be at work. First, as a married man with a family and lots of slaves, he had duties at home that might have held him back at the war’s outset. Second, Dyersburg is in the northwest part of the state, and was occupied early by Union forces, making it harder for men to join a confederate unit after 1862. Moreover, even if he could be reached, with more than 20 slaves, he was exempt from the draft. Finally, there is the possibility that he was pro-Union – there were lots of pro-union men in West Tennessee. he might not have felt committed to the war.
October 6, 2012 at 4:52 pm |
Dave,
One more question. Would any of your monthly blogs covered the military activity at Brock Field on or about September 19th? If so, would you identify the month of your blog so that I might read it. Thank you again.
Harvey
October 7, 2012 at 8:05 am |
I haven’t really written much on Brock Field.
October 7, 2012 at 4:51 pm |
Dave,
Thank you for all your insight. My grandfather, who unfortunately drowned in Reelfoot Lake (Tennessee) in 1917 and graduated from VMI around 1904 would be proud of a fellow alumnus taking the time to respond to my questions.
Harvey
November 11, 2012 at 7:03 pm |
Earl ( directed to Mr. Earl Willoughby),
Thank you for the query about my ancestors. First on the date of death: the confederate record that I have a copy of show John T. Wynne was “killed at the battle of Chickamauga September 19/63”. The record was signed by J.B. Hyatt.
Sorry to hear that he might be buried in an unmarked grave. That would be sad from my perspective (and I’m sure his mother’s.)
His father (my great, great grandather) was also named John Wynne (the aforementioned confederate John T. Wynne was a “junior” I believe). He was born in Virginia (around 1800) and settled in Dyer County in the 1830’s. He as what was called a “locator”. He died in 1851.
I do not know if he had any relatives in the Dyer area around his death. However, a Henry Wynne was an administrator of his estate process from what I can tell.
Other than the above son that died at Chicamauga, they had one daughter named Mary Morgan Wynne. She married Dr. Henry Floyd Ferguson (great grandfather) on June 17, 1856 and they took over the Farm (as mentioned in other blogs/ e-mails). I assume from John Wynne’s widow.
Dr. Henry Floyd Ferguson was born in Virginia in 1834 and moved to Dyer as a very young boy. As indicated in other e-mails, from what I understand he didn’t serve in the civil war from Dyer even though his age fit the profile of someone that would have served. As you can tell from the blogs, I wondered why. He is related to an Albert Ferguson that lived in the Dyer area at that time.
Hope this helps and would be interested in any family connections you might be able to make.
Harvey Calcutt
March 18, 2013 at 3:32 pm |
Dave,
I am searching for anything on my ancestor Henry G. Burrows. served in the Company E, 39th Infantry Regiment Georgia. It is reported that he died in the Chickamauga Battle on Sept. 20. I have been unable to locate his burial site and was hoping that you might be able to provide some insight. Thank you in advance.
Carmen
March 18, 2013 at 3:50 pm |
I might have found something else…I found a document that has him listed in Company L, 5th Regiment, Tennessee Volunteers as well. He and his family lived in Walker County Georgia and this is where his widow applied for her pension. I’m confused now!! Please help!
March 19, 2013 at 5:31 am
Unfortunately, Carmen, I am not sure I can be of much help. I would check with the Confederate Cemeteries in Resaca and Marietta, for starters, but I think you need a genealogists’s help more than mine.
March 20, 2013 at 3:51 pm |
Thank you for the quick reply Dave. Could you possibly be able to tell me if there is a Henry Burrows that died in the Battle of Chickamauga . I have him listed in Company L, 5th Regiment, Tennessee Volunteers. I have where his widow filed for pensions following his death. Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
March 20, 2013 at 4:57 pm |
He was under the command of Alexander Alley. And I have found that the Regiment was really the 35th. Can you verify any of this information?
Thank you.
March 23, 2013 at 6:47 am |
Carmen, I found him the Compiled Service Records (CSRs) of the 35th Tennessee as Henry G. Burroughs, not Burrows. He appears to have enlisted in Dalton, in 1862, so he was not part of the original formation of the 35th, which occurred September 1861, at McMinnville Tennessee His service record confirms that he was killed on September 19th. I don’t have a detailed casualty list for the 35th, so I was unable to confirm anything beyond that. Dave
May 27, 2013 at 11:25 pm
Dave,
A further note to my other comment, which I am not sure you received after looking at my files, is that those that are interested in the Marietta Confederate Cemetery can look on-line for those that are buried there. You just need to google it and look at the State listing you are looking for.
Let me know if you didn’t receive my prior informational e-mail about John Wynne and I rewrite it.
Harvey Calcutt
On Sat, Mar 23, 2013 at 7:47 AM, Chickamauga Blog wrote:
> ** > Dave Powell commented: “Carmen, I found him the Compiled Service > Records (CSRs) of the 35th Tennessee as Henry G. Burroughs, not Burrows. He > appears to have enlisted in Dalton, in 1862, so he was not part of the > original formation of the 35th, which occurred September 1” >
May 27, 2013 at 11:11 pm |
Dave,
You might recall this note from me before.
I had written to you in the past about a relative – John T. Wynne of Company C of the 47th Tennessee Infantry – from Dyersburg, TN – who died on September 19th, 1863 in Brock’s Field at Chickamauga based on war records. I had asked about whether I met find his grave. You were doubtful and suggested Resaca (I believe). I thought I should give you an update.
I just visited Chickamauga and the NP ranger stated that most of the soldiers that died in the battle were temporarily interred at Chickamauga, but if not claimed by a relative they were later moved to Marietta City Confederate Cemetery around 1867. Although many of the records and grave wooden markers were destroyed by fire at the Marietta cemetery, some records remain.
The NP ranger also stated that the 47th Tennessee infantry was combined with the 12th Tennessee infantry because both had depleted forces. He also suggested that John Wynne may have either died in battle, in transit to the hospital at Resaca or died at the hospital. In looking at his burial records for Marietta, he is sure that the the John Wynne I was looking for was buried as John Winn. So as others have found out, the spelling accuracy of a person’s name is often incorrect.
In also looking at the records, I feel very confident that he is buried in Marrietta. The records indicate that a John Winn (sp), Lt – also saw spelled it Wynn in some records) from the TN 12th Co. G. is buried there in an unmarked grave. He was promoted to Lt on My 1, 1863 based on the war records. Anyway, I visited the Marietta cemetery and noted the unmarked graves in the TN section and they are building a wall of war names from those that died in battle in Georgia fighting on the Confederate side. It will be very nice when it is finished. Unfortunately the name they use is Winn.
Thought you might want to know what I found out.
Harvey Calcutt
May 28, 2013 at 5:19 am |
Harvey, Thanks for the update, very interesting. Dave
May 28, 2013 at 8:47 am |
Dave,
One last note. The NP ranger I spoke with at Chickamauga referenced a manila file on the 47th Tennessee Infantry that had several personal articles and information about this unit. He made copies of the articles I requested from the file, but none mentioned John Wynne. I presume that they (NP service) had files for other units as well. Unfortunately I can’t remember the ranger’s name, but he might well be worth looking up if you or others don’t know about him or have an interest in a particular unit.
Harvey
May 28, 2013 at 10:05 am |
Harvey, Chances are that the ranger you met was Lee White, who has a very good working knowledge of all that stuff. I know Lee well, and I have used their files many times. The Park is a great resources for questions like yours. Dave Powell
June 1, 2013 at 8:42 pm |
Dave,
I was wondering if you have read Alex Mendoza’s new book on Chickamauga, and if you have, could you give me your opinion on it?
Chase Newman
June 3, 2013 at 8:35 am |
Chase, I have read Mendoza’s book, and I think it’s OK. I know that is damning with faint praise, but that’s how it left me – sort of blah. I didn’t really strongly agree or disagree with any of his analysis, as I recall, but I didn’t get that excited about his narrative, either. Dave
June 14, 2013 at 6:57 pm |
Dave,
Love your work and that of Freidrich’s. Just bought the book and was wondering about the battlefield tours you mention in the blog. Do you have anything planned in the next year. I would like to tag along if it is open to outsiders.
Regards,
Mark Shryock
June 15, 2013 at 5:40 am |
Mark, Every March we do two days on the field. One is usually a bus tour, the other is on foot. there is usually a small fee for the bus, but the other day is entirely free, and open to everyone. I will post more details here in the blog when the time comes.
July 30, 2013 at 5:28 pm |
Hi Dave,
I have been following your blog most recently. I notice some discussion of books. ( Please note this is shameless self advertising). There is a new book just released on the monuments of Chickamauga. A History and Guide to the Monuments of Chickamauga National Military Park. by Stacy W. Reaves. This book is about the monuments, their symbolism, the artists and the efforts of the veterans to memorialize the battle. It is geared to the averate park visitor, not a scholarly audience. You might give a look. It is a different view of the park.
I also have a blog that I will start blogging more about Chickamauga and Chattanooga Monuments. My last book was Shiloh, so there is more related to it right now.
August 5, 2013 at 1:58 pm |
Hello,
I am trying to locate the burial site of my bosses great grandfather who was in the Texas Calvary 15th Reg. We have a document that was written and signed saying A. W. Bell died in the battle of chickamauga September 20, 1863. we are trying to get him a headstone but have had no luck finding his burial site. Do you have any information on the Texas Calvary 15th Reg or do you have any ideas on where i should look, or were you think he might be ?
I have tried Marietta and the Chickamauga Cemetery with no luck.
Thank you in advance for any information !
August 5, 2013 at 4:32 pm |
Danyell,
Finding an individual burial can be really difficult. You might try the Confederate Cemetery at Resaca, which holds a lot of CSA Chickamauga graves.
Sorry I can’t offer more…
Dave Powell
August 5, 2013 at 8:23 pm |
Danyell,
You might check with Lee White of the National Park Service at Chickamauga – he helped me in locating a relative. He may be able to determine the battle location for the Texas Calvary, have a file on that regiment and point you in the right direction. Good luck.
Harvey Calcutt
August 6, 2013 at 11:12 am |
Thank you both for your help !
December 26, 2013 at 1:26 pm |
Hello Mr. Powell,
Thank you so much for your information. I too am looking for the grave site of an ancestor. His name is George W. Iler and he died 19 Sept. 1863 at Chickamauga. He mustered in on 6 Aug. 1862, Company H, Indiana 75th Infantry. His residence was listed as Zanesville, Indiana. Anything you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Will Peadon
January 4, 2014 at 8:53 pm |
Hi David, Have you any information on General Rosecrans aide de camp Captain James Pierre Drouillard? A while back I read in a library on his rallying the troops during the Union retreat.
January 6, 2014 at 5:43 pm |
Paul, J. P. Drouillard was a West Pointer, graduating in 1861, who served with the regulars and on Irvin McDowell’s Staff before transfering to the Army of the Cumberland. You can find a short background on him in John Fitch’s “annals of the Army of the Cumberland,” pub 1864, pp.54-55. (you should be able to find this on google books or internet archive.) He did indeed try and rally troops near McFarland’s Gap on the afternoon of the 20th.
January 28, 2014 at 9:33 am |
David I lost a ancestor at Chickamauga 9-20-1863, Pvt William J. McWhirter was a part of C company 25th. Tennessee Inf. we have searched for his burial place for many years now. First they had his name spelled wrong William J. McCarter. Can you point us in the right direction to help locate his grave
January 28, 2014 at 5:02 pm |
Jesse,
I would start by getting ahold of the folks who are responsible for the Confederate Cemeteries at LaFayette and Marietta. Many of the Confederate dead were removed to those locations.
Dave Powell
January 28, 2014 at 3:30 pm |
Hello Dave,
I am a Lake County, Illinois historian, and have been researching the 96th Illinois. I read your “Maps of Chickamauga” book with great interest. Thanks for all your work and research. What a terrific resource!
Have you read Edward Murray’s (96th IL Co. C) memoirs? I have been trying to determine where he was first taken when wounded at Chickamauga.
Murray stated that on Sept 21, the Confederates placed him beside a frame house. There were two houses, one log and the other frame, close together, only a driveway between them. Behind the log house was a rail fence, probably for a garden. Does this location ring any bells with you? He never mentions a name of the house, but says an “old lady” looked after him.
Thanks so much for your assistance.
Best wishes,
Diana
January 28, 2014 at 4:56 pm |
Diana, the 96th faced men from either Hindman’s or Johnson’s Confederate divisions, at different times during the day. There is a good possibility – though only a possibility – that Murray was taken to the Jeptha Hunt farmstead. Confederate Nurse Kate Cumming described the farm this way: “I found Mr. Hunt’s home a very pretty cottage in the midst of a garden, which before the battle had been filled with fine shrubbery and flowers, but was now covered with tents, flies and sheds filled with wounded…. Every corner of the house was filled with wounded, many of them lying upon bunks made out of the branches of trees, a hard bed at any time, but much more so for these poor wounded veterans….” Most houses on the field were log cabins, dog-trot style (two square cabins connected by a covered porch and breezeway) and so a frame house was unlikely – but it could well be a cabin sided over to look like a frame dwelling, which would match Mrs. Cumming’s description. Nearby were the Park, thedford, and Hall farms, ranging from a quarter to a half mile apart. They could be likely candidates too. Dave
January 28, 2014 at 4:58 pm |
One more thing, I don’t think I have read the Murray reminiscences. I would like to. I have a lot of stuff on the 96th at Chickamauga. Dave
January 29, 2014 at 10:05 am |
Thank you, Dave! I appreciate your thoughts on this. I’ll send you a copy of Murray’s reminiscences if you don’t have it.
Diana
May 5, 2014 at 10:50 am |
Hi Dave,
Shame on me for not checking the blog before March, but I notice that there are no postings after January, so I am hoping that I did not miss a chance to participate in the Chickamauga battlefield tour. You mentioned that March was the target month, in your June response to my inquiry. Did I miss it this year or is there one planned for later?
BTW…I consider myself lucky to have been invited to the Valley Forge Military College’s staff ride of Gettysburg, this past weekend. It was conducted by the soon to be commissioned Lieutenants of their Early Commissioning Program. They did a great job of analyzing the battle and comparing/contrasting 19th century linear warfare to the training they have received to lead on the modern battlefield. I noticed the cadets took particular interest in the challenges of command communication and maintaining unit integrity in the heat of battle. Their leadership, at the college, is experienced and keen to have the cadets pick up on all learning opportunities presented.
While I was at Gettysburg I had a chance to engage one of the veteran volunteers at the battlefield in conversation and he shared with me that Ed Bearss had been spotted that day. Though I would have loved to fall in behind the group he was with, I never saw them. However, I anticipate that with time you will take up his crown as the “go to” CW battlefield expert. You have for Chickamauga.
Regards,
Mark Shryock
May 9, 2014 at 7:25 pm |
Mr. Powell,
I have just left Chickamauga National Military Park (Thanks to Boynton.) — I cannot count the number of visits I have made here. Next week, I plan to be at New Market. Being a V.M.I. graduate, I wondered if you will be there? If not, please send your email address to erichedden@gmail.com
Thank you,
Eric Hedden
May 10, 2014 at 7:33 am |
Eric, Actually, I won’t be at New market, since I have a commitment in Chattanooga that weekend.
August 12, 2014 at 3:54 pm |
Dave,
An early heads up for next year. I plan to come over to do a series of Round Table talks in August 2015. I would like to spend a few days walking the battlefield. Would you be around?
September 10, 2014 at 9:21 am |
This is directed to Edwin W. PerrymanJr. regarding his inquiry relative to Vincent Wynne. I do not know if you have read my notes to Dave about John Wynne Jr from Dyersburg, who died in 1863 at Chickamauga and is buried at Marietta under the name Winn. However, I am wondering if the Wynne’s in Dyer County were all related and if so whether he was related to your gg grandfather. John Wynne’s father was named John as well and died in 1850 in Dyer County and was originally from Virginia. He was some form of a surveyor. His estate administrator was a Henry Wynne. Do you think there is a connection to Vincent? Just curious and am still looking for John Wynne senior’s gravesite. Thanks to advise as I come to Dyersburg twice a year.
Harvey Calcutt
November 22, 2014 at 10:49 am |
Is there going to be another hardcover printing of your book,The Maps of Chickamauga?
November 22, 2014 at 12:30 pm |
Dennis,
There is going to be a reprint. Not sure if it will be Hardcover or paperback. We hope to have it back on shelves next spring.
December 15, 2014 at 11:48 am |
My ggg grandfather Armstrong Stewart was a member of Company I in the 19th Alabama Regiment. He died at the battle of Chickamauga on September 19, 1863. I have searched records for the Marietta Confederate Cemetery along with a few others but have never been able to locate where he could be buried. He lived in Goshen, Cherokee County, AL and I have also checked records there. I have also noticed that he and others are not listed in the Muster Roll of heir company that the AL state archives has listed online but they are listed in the explanation of what happen to each member of the company for those that were killed during the war and those that died after. I thought maybe many joined after the Muster Roll was submitted but still thought they should have been added at some time. Is that normal? Also any idea on how I could find where his burial could be? I read a few years ago that he was buried on the battle field but my research since shows that most buried there were moved. I figure since he gave his life and left his wife and 8 children, maybe I could get his name out there since he is almost surely lost. He also had his oldest son (William L. Stewart) with him and once he went to war, I have never found a mention of him again. I saw someone mention him as Leonard but that person had no way of confirming that. Thanks so much and really I enjoy your blog.
January 9, 2015 at 9:07 pm |
Looks like in coming to this Blog I’ve discovered the Chickamauga Battle guru. I apologize if you’ve addressed this question, but where would a Union soldier reportedly killed at the McDonald House, Sept. 20, 1863, have been taken for burial? My ancestor, Merida T. Dimmett (spelled Maderia J. Dimmitt in some records) was a member of the 42nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Co B. I suppose he could be in some mass grave and labeled unknown. Thanks for any insight you may have though I know some were taken off to what became the Chattanooga National Cem. there seems to be no record of him there. Thank you for any guidance.
January 10, 2015 at 11:13 am |
Brenda,
Most likely he would have been buried on the field, probably several days after he fell, by a Confederate burial party. As such, he would likely not have been identified, but placed in a mass grave. Then, perhaps in early 1864, he would have been relocated to the National Cemetery in Chattanooga, probably by members of the regiment. Given the difficulty in identifying remains after that experience, however, I would assume he was buried as an unknown Indiana soldier.
January 29, 2015 at 10:51 pm |
Sir; I have tried for years to find information on my Grandfathers uncle who died at chickamauga and what role his regiment played in the battle. Following is the information that I have;
1st sgt James J. Lister
Co. D
35th Illinois Volunteer Infantry
Enlisted at Higgins ille IL. in 1861
Who would I contact for info on his burial and what can you tell me (if anything) about the 35th’s role in the battle?
Thanks!
Bill Lister
Rossville, IL
January 30, 2015 at 8:56 am |
Bill, The 35th Illinois served in Heg’s Brigade, Jefferson C. Davis’s Division, Union XX Corps – it was engaged in the fighting around the Viniard Field on the afternoon of September 19, and again in the strip of timber between Viniard and Brotherton Fields on September 20. The 35th’s heaviest loss came on the 19th. There has not been much material on the 35th, so they can be a little hard to track. As for burial, You can contact the national Cemetery in Chattanooga, which is where your great-Uncle would be buried. It is possible, however, that he is buried as an unknown soldier, since the Federals did not control the battlefield right after the fight, and could only start moving their dead to Chattanooga in the spring of 1864.
June 6, 2015 at 3:15 pm |
I remember reading some time ago that the Battle of Chickamauga was known by an alternate name by Confederates for some years after the battle, but I cannot remember what this alternate name was. I’m wondering if anyone can help me remember the alternate name.
June 11, 2015 at 6:19 pm |
My greatgrandfather Samuel G. W. Garland died from wounds received at Chickamauga on Sept 20, 1863. Samuel was a member of the 17th Mississippi Infantry Company C. Where might I find information about Samuel’s burial and also any information on the 17th’s involvement in the battle at Chichamauga?
August 23, 2015 at 7:17 pm |
Hi, We know that my 3rd Great Grandfather, John Leroy Tanner was a confederate soldier. He died Sept 19, 1863 at the Battle of Chickamunga. We have searched for years to find out where he is buried but have found nothing. We checked with Marietta Confederate Cemetery where they researched it and told us he is not buried there either. Any other ideas of where he may be buried?
August 24, 2015 at 5:53 am |
There is a Confederate Cemetery at Resaca you might investigage.
August 5, 2016 at 1:11 pm |
Hi Dave,
My ancestor, Ole Halvorsen Milesteen, was enlisted as a private in the 15th Wisconsin Infantry, Company E, and killed at Chickamauga on September 20, 1863. A short while after he was killed his comrades (also from Company E) Chris Thompson and Ole Steensland were captured and taken to Andersonville. From what I understand, there is a monument on the spot where the 15th were positioned during the battle. What I am wondering is ..where is Ole’s grave? I have a fair amount of material on the battle and aftermath. One contemporary article stated the soldier’s remains lay unburied till the Union army took over the site several months to a year later. In addition, I have also read that dead were piled into mass graves by the Confederates. In looking at some of the contemporary descriptions (i.e the name “Golgotha” was used), I do not think all were buried. So, I wanted to ask an expert such as yourself if there are any contemporary records that describe the reclamation process of burying the Union dead and to especially see if anything is mentioned specifically about the 15th or at the very least, the area in which they fought? I suspect the dead soldier’s uniforms would tell what regiment and company they came from. From what I have read, apparently a version of the red cross came in and gave these soldiers a proper burial. I think it is safe to say, Ole lies buried in one of the “Unknown” graves of Chatanooga. However, I would like to try to understand the series of events after the battle to reconstruct what might have happened to him. Do you happen to know of a resource that would tell me when the area where the 15th was positioned was reclaimed and what transpired? I have been researching my family history and want to devote a chapter to Ole. It is important I believe to also understand and explain what happened to him after the battle.
August 8, 2016 at 5:08 am |
Richard,
Your impressions of the treatment of the Union dead are correct, which of course makes it hard to identify the Union dead. They were buried in mass graves, and once the Federals won the battle of Chattanooga in November, the Union army came back in and began the slow process of identifying and removing their dead. Most of those men were re-interred at the National Cemetery in Chattanooga, though not until 1864.
I do not know if the records you seek exist, but they might, since similar records exist for some of the work done at other battlefields. If they do, they would be held by either the national cemetery in Chattanooga, or within the National Archives in Washington DC. I will also ask my contacts at Chickamauga what they can tell me about those records.
October 24, 2016 at 6:52 pm |
Mr.Powell,
I just finished volume1 and loved it. Thanks for revealing the personalities of these civil war men I’m familiar with but never really got to know. My gggrandfather, Attaway R Davis, served in the 43rd Alabama. (Gracie’s Brigade-Preston-Buckner @ Chickamauga) Unfortunately, Archibald Gracie is only mentioned briefly one time In volume1. The index shows that the 43rd did take some casualties. Can you tell me what they were doing on 9/19/1863 and whether they saw most of their action on the 20th? Btw, family history says A.R.Davis was wounded at Petersburg (not sure if it was the campaigning near there or the actual seige), and was home in Eutaw recovering when the 43rd surrendered at Appomattox. After the war, he moved to Missouri where I and many of his descendents now live.
October 25, 2016 at 4:50 am |
Justin,
On the 19th, the 43rd was in reserve, in the woods east of Viniard Field. They were heavily engaged on September 20, and I devote pretty extensive coverage to them in Volume II
Dave
December 10, 2016 at 12:43 am |
Mr.Powell,
I just finished book2. I really enjoyed your coverage of the battle around Horseshoe ridge. I found myself alternately rooting for both sides. (Please don’t tell my Southern leaning family I was admiring BillyYank.) I wonder when confronted by the slaughter, ammunition shortage, and inept leadership, if I could muster even a fraction of the bravery displayed by these men. It seemed such a waste to charge up a worthless hill when the battle had already been decided. It was equally heartbreaking that those brave forgotten Union regiments fought so hard for so long and were captured anyway.
I generally don’t care for the blame-shifting memoirs and newspaper opinions written post war. However, I am kinda disgusted by Rosencrans and wonder how he explained his exit from the battlefield. Yeah, yeah, read book3. I’m on it! (B&N just ordered my copy)
I’m a fan and look forward to whatever you decide to write next.
Justin
December 3, 2016 at 6:53 pm |
My gg grandfather, Hans Halverson, was with the 15th Wisconsin at Chickamauga and later was captured near Dallas GA and ended up in Andersonville and survived. Is there a source of information on soldiers such as him?
December 3, 2016 at 7:21 pm |
His Pension and service records might well have stuff, especially if suffered ill effects from his Andersonville time and applied for a Pension. You never know what is in those; letters, detailed descriptions of injuries and illnesses, etc.
December 16, 2016 at 8:54 pm |
Hi–Are you any relation to Orlistus Powell who was killed at Chickamauga and whose father, Simon, was able to retrieve his body from one of the mass graves? The family lived in New Castle, Indiana.
December 17, 2016 at 6:30 am |
Jane. I am not directly related, I know that. I don’t know about more distant connections, but I tend to doubt it – the Powell line in my family all came from England and Wales in the 1870s.
December 18, 2016 at 12:15 am |
Simon Powell was born in Indiana in the 1820s so I guess not. It is a great story though of how he found his son’s body amongst all the others in a
grave at Chickamauga and thought with the same last name and an interest in that area of CW history that maybe…
February 2, 2017 at 12:08 am |
Dave,
I purchased your (and Friederich’s) book of Chickamauga maps and have used it for my own visits to the battlefield. It is the best resource for the battle that I have found.
I was wondering if I could ask you a question about another project you were involved in years ago with Dean Essig that benefited also from your Civil War expertise?
Mark Shryock
February 2, 2017 at 6:28 am |
Sure, go ahead.
February 2, 2017 at 8:11 am |
Rather than post it on your Chickamauga site, is there another email address I can use to ask a question about The Seven Days Campaign, which you developed?
February 2, 2017 at 10:59 am |
sure. dpowell334@aol.com
August 12, 2017 at 6:21 pm |
My G G Grandfather was with the 36th Ohio at Chickamauga, on the retreat to Chattanooga, and then back up Missionary Ridge in November ’63.
December 14, 2017 at 12:40 am |
After two solid days of learning about the Battle of Chickawauga, I finally found the military info that my cousin’s 4th grandfather was killed on the 20th of Sept 1863. Warren Chattener Scroggins was a private in the Hilliard’s Legion, Alabama Volunteers, Co. B. I found his father which isn’t the one I had on record, but Chatwin Doggett “Chattener” Scroggins FAG memorial mentioned Warren, so with such an unusual name, I believe that information could be correct. My dilemma is trying to find where he is buried, a mass grave at the site, or somewhere else? I reviewed Chattanooga and Marietta but he’s not listed. Do you have any suggestions? I was overwhelmed when I saw how many lost their lives in such a few days. My heart breaks as memorials for the Confederate men and women who fought for their beliefs. I’d appreciate any information. Merry Christmas.
December 14, 2017 at 7:07 am |
Carolyn, Since the Confederates held the battlefield, there were no large mass Confederate graves on the battlefield. Your ancestor was probably removed to one of the smaller cemeteries along the line of the Railroad, such as Resaca. He will not be in either the Chattanooga or Marietta National Cemeteries, which hold only Union troops. There is a large Confederate Cemetery in Marietta, with about 3,000 graves, but that is separate from the National Cemetery.
December 14, 2017 at 2:52 pm |
Mr. Powell, what other cemeteries exist between Chickamauga and Marietta? My gggrandfather, 58th A la, was killed on 20 Sep, and we have found some information about some mass graves but these men were then re-interred later closer to Atlanta. We have not been able to find him in Marietta. Thank you
John Mode
December 15, 2017 at 9:48 am |
I know there are Chickamauga Dead at Resaca and in Atlanta. I also know that there are Confederate dead in some city cemeteries, like LaFayette, but I really don’t have a list of all the cemeteries that might hold Chickamauga KIAs.
April 13, 2018 at 5:18 pm |
Dave, I just found your blog. I recently visited the Chickamauga Battlefield. My 2g grandfather was in Company I of the 13th Tennessee. His name was Louis (Lewis, L.D,) Horton. His twin brother was also in the regiment. His name was Jess(e).
While visiting the battlefield, one of the Park employees revealed to me that Louis was captured either at Missionary Ridge or at Ringgold. He was taken first to Louisville, Kentucky and then on to Rock Island Prison in Illinois. He was among the first prisoners in the newly opened prison in Illinois. He survived his time in the prison. I understand that some confederate prisoners became galvanized — took an oath of allegiance to the Union — in order to survive.
My ancestor had not married nor had children until after the war. I often think about “what if he had not survived either the battlefield or the prison”. If he hadn’t I would not be here. Makes you think about how each of us is truly a miracle.
Anyway, can you shed any light on how I could find out whether my family member took the oath or not. Also, can you give any more info about the 13th during Chickamauga. You may have that in your blogs or if you can direct me to some of the books you have written. Thank you for your research and sharing your knowledge.
Landon Horton
October 11, 2018 at 3:16 pm |
Hi,
Just ran across your blog while searching for articles on the 13th Michigan. I am the secretary of The Thirteenth Michigan Memorial Association. For the past ten years we have been collecting everything we can find on the 13th and putting it into a timeline.
We currently have over 3500 pages. We have lots of letters, diaries and period newspaper articles on the 13th and it’s men. We are happy to share this with anyone interested. If anyone has information on the 13th they want to share with us, we would love that too. We don’t want originals, just copies.
We have never heard the story about Maj Eaton and the charge at Brotherton Field. That is great information. Do you mind sharing your source? We just want to be sure and give credit where credit is due.
Thank you!
Marianne Lancaster
October 12, 2018 at 7:00 am |
Maryanne, My main source were letters from Major Eaton that are now at Western Michigan University. They were letters to his brother that were published in one of the local newspapers, though WMU’s clippings don’t specify which paper. Some additional detective work would find the paper, I suspect. If you send me an email to dpowell334@aol.com I will send you a pdf of my 13th Michigan material. I would also appreciate any links to any 1864 Atlanta campaign stuff you have for the 13th, as that is my next major project.
March 22, 2019 at 3:51 pm |
Hello Dave,
Mark Johnson here, I’m the author of That Body of Brave Men: The U.S. Regular Infantry and the Civil War in the West. I just finished reading your awesome Chickamauga trilogy, and was wondering if you could help me out with some information about a couple of the sources listed in your bibliography.
I’m conducting a fresh round of research on the Army of the Cumberland’s Regular Brigade in preparation for an updated edition of my book, so I appreciate how you included regimental affiliations in your listing of manuscript sources. There are two manuscripts associated with the regulars in your bibliography that I need help in wading through, if you don’t mind.
The first is the Lucian B. Case Letters (18th U.S. Infantry) at the Chicago History Museum. The online finding aid lists the people who wrote the letters in this collection. The only name in that set that matches someone who served in the Regular Army is John H. Souls, a first sergeant in the 15th U.S. Infantry who was captured at Chickamauga and later died at Andersonville. Are Soul’s letters in fact the ones you made use of?
The other collection is the James Forsyth Papers (King’s Regular Brigade staff) at the University of Washington. The online finding aid for this extensive holding is detailed, but I can’t really figure out what part of Forsyth’s writing dealt with Chickamauga. Any clues you could send my way?
Thanks!
March 23, 2019 at 5:59 am |
Mark, The author of the letters at the Chi History museum is indeed Soul. I think they history musuem has reorganized their finding aids since I researched there. The collection used to be ID’d as the Lucien Case collection – the recipient.
I will have to double-check Forsyth. It has been a while since I used those materials.
March 26, 2019 at 6:40 am |
Thanks, Dave! I put in a request for the Souls letters. It will be interesting to read the thoughts of someone who ultimately meets his fate at Andersonville.
March 26, 2019 at 7:29 am |
By the way, I am a fan of your book. I have used it a great deal.
April 3, 2019 at 2:37 pm
Cool! I’m glad you found it useful. In the 15 years since it was published, I never really stopped doing research on the Regular Brigade. I’m at the point now where a new edition is a possibility. I’m going to blend in parts of my PhD dissertation, trim out some fat, and have Hal Jespersen upgrade the maps.
April 4, 2019 at 8:46 am |
Mark, I am glad to hear about a 2nd edition. This brigade fascinates me, especially knowing its connection to the Sioux War of 1866-68.
April 5, 2019 at 2:22 pm |
Yes, the connection between the 18th Infantry’s Civil War operations and the saga of Fort Phil Kearney is indeed fascinating. To fully understand the latter, you have to know about the former.
October 11, 2019 at 10:28 pm |
In reply to questions about the graveyard at Marrieta: Many of the Confederate dead were uncovered from their battlefield graves and placed there. Many of the wooden markers were burned when a passing train threw a spark that stared a fire. Many of the graves that were marked are now unrecorded.
Lee Elder