THE CIVIL WAR: Part Four- Remembrance
Celebrating Confederate History Month © 2000 by Billy Jackson
In April 1865, the War for Southern Independence, the War of Northern Aggression or the Civil War as you may call it, came to a close in a house in Virginia. The two great men met together to decide the fate of an army who had fought with valor over the past four years. During those long years of war, the men of the Southern army had endured countless miles on the march, lack of adequate clothing, shelter or food and had been ravaged by almost every disease known to man. In what basically amounted to their own back yard, they had waged war against a government they considered so corrupt, so vile, that they had been willing to put their lives and futures on hold to see it put down and the freedom guaranteed to all men by the Constitution be realized.  These men were heroes in their own rite. Simple, hard working and honest men who's love of their family, homes and country carried more precedence than the love of their self. They had ventured out from small towns from all across the South seeking to right the wrongs of government and return to their homes to live in peace.  Over the past few weeks, I have published this small series as a way of remembering the men of this county that fought this war. Now to end this 
years series, I offer you a look at some of the individual soldiers, from information contributed by descendants or gained through research.


Pvt. William Sisco, 3d Tennessee Infantry; No Place Like Home:
William joined the 3rd Tennessee Infantry Regiment at Newburg in the spring of 1861. Leaving his wife, who was expecting one of many children behind, he set out on the big adventure of war. He was captured after his trial by fire at the debacle of Fort Donelson and spent seven months in Camp Douglas. After being exchanged in Vicksburg, Mississippi in September of 1862, he rejoined 
the regiment and fought through the battles of Chickasaw Bayou, Jackson and the bloody struggle at Raymond, where many of his friends perished. He survived the battles of Missionary Ridge and Chickamauga, fought through the disastrous Atlanta Campaign and shortly after the Army of Tennessee crossed back into it's home state in November of 1864, he went on furlough to see his family. According to his family, he came home on or around the 28th of November, on his way to 
Franklin, Tennessee. His young son, born after his father's departure, was scared of the strange looking man who came up the hollow giving the "Rebel Yell" as he walked to the house. The next day, he left and by the time he arrived at Franklin, he found the battle was over. This trip home undoubtedly saved him from an almost certain death in the battle which has been referred to as the "Valley of Death" by participants and most historians. After the war, he named two more of his newborn sons "Cap" and "Kern" after his officers in the 3rd Tennessee. 
(contributed by Mrs. Sammye Lawson, descendant of Pvt. Sisco)

James P. Hinson: Kimmins Community: 
James P. Hinson was born in 1844 in Kimmins Community. He was only 17 when, in 1861, he enlisted in the 3d Tennessee Infantry Regiment. He went with his regiment to Fort Donelson, where he was captured and sent to Camp Douglas in Chicago, Illinois. He was exchanged with the remainder of his regiment in September, 1862 near Vicksburg, Mississippi. James fought with the 3d TN in the battles at Chickasaw Bayou, Raymond, Jackson, Missionary Ridge. It was during the battle of Chickamauga that he was again captured and sent north to Camp Douglas. He remained there for the remainder of the war. After his parole in 1865, he returned to the Kimmins community, where he lived until his death in 1877 at age 33. He is buried in the Brushy community of Hickman county. (Contributed by his Grandson, Charles Hinson, Vice President of the Maury County Historical Society)

David Hinson: Survives War, Dies in Mormon Massacre: 
David enlisted at age 19 in the 3d Tennessee Infantry Regiment alongside his brother James P.. He was captured in the Confederate surrender at Fort Donelson, sent with his regiment to Camp Douglas in Chicago, Illinois and later exchanged in September, 1862 near Vicksburg, Mississippi. David fought in every battle the 3d Tennessee took part in for the remainder of the war. He was paroled after the Confederate surrender in North Carolina in April, 1865. After the war, he returned to Lewis county as did his other comrades in arms.  The luck that was with him all through the fierce struggle of the war ran out several years later in 1884 when, during a visit to his old 3rd Tennessee comrades, the Conder boys on Cane Creek, he was killed along with them during the Mormon Massacre. He was aged 40 years. (Contributed by his descendant, Charles Hinson, Vice President of the Maury County Historical Society)


Jasper Doggett, Wartime Diarist: 
Jasper Doggett, from the town of Newburg, joined up with Colonel William Voorhies' 48th Tennessee infantry in the fall of 1862. Doggett survived every battle the regiment fought in from Fort Donelson to the Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina. Throughout his service he kept a very detailed diary covering his experiences as a Confederate soldier at war. His writings of daily life and battles have been referenced by historians over the years. His diary is available through the efforts of the Tennessee State Library and Archives microfilm project. Jasper Doggett's diary is included in the "Civil War Collection" microfilm series available at the Lawrence County Public Library. 

Anderson V.B. Churchwell: Riverside Community Farmer:
Anderson Churchwell, a landholder and farmer in the Riverside / Allen's Creek Community, was 41 years old when he went to Newburg on November 29th 1861 to enlist in the Confederate Army. He served as a private in the 48th Tennesse Infantry Regiment under both Colonel William Voorhies and George H. Nixon. During his absence, his wife is noted to have operated a "safe house" on the Churchwell family farm, affording safe haven and supplies to such noted Confederates as Nathan Bedford Forrest. His son, Jonathon would also join the fight at age 19. Later after the Confederate defeat in the Battle of Nashville, Churchwell's farm was used as a stop for an entire Union Army Corps (approximately 23,000 troops with artillery and wagon trains)during which time the Yankee soldiers burned the fence rails to keep warm. This prompted his wife to verbally assault the Union General in charge, earning her a place in history by being noted in the "Official record of the War of the Rebellion".  Anderson Churchwell survived the war and, lived the remainder of his 78 years in Lewis County. He is buried at Dabbs cemtetary at Buffalo Valley.  (contributed by descendant, Gary J. Wise)

Jonathan B. Churchwell: "Uncle Brown", the Last Lewis County Confederate:
In November of 1861, Jonathan Churchwell was a mere boy of 16 years when he watched his father leave to fight the Yankees. While his father was gone, he tended the family farm and helped his mother hide Confederate soldiers who passed through the area. Some three years later, as the entire Army of Tennessee moved through on it's way to retake Nashville, Jonathan, now 19, enlisted or conscripted into Biffle's 19th Cavalry. He fought through the battles at Franklin and at Nashville. Jonathan, or "Uncle Brown" as he became known in his latter years, was the last survivor of the Civil War from Lewis County. He passed away on April 2, 1938 at the age of 93 years and is buried at the Pollock Cemetery near Napier.  (contributed by descendant, Gary J. Wise)

Robert T.Cooper, The Fighting School Teacher:
Former Lewis County Sheriff and subscription teacher Robert T. Cooper of Newburg joined the 3rd Tennessee Infantry Regiment in May of 1861. He came from a well established family of the county. It is said that Robert's father made the nails used in the coffin of Meriwether Lewis. Robert was elected as a Captain in the Lewis County company of the 3d TN.  He was captured at Fort Donelson and imprisoned in the north until his release in the fall of 1862 near Vicksburg, Mississippi. The freedom enjoyed by Robert and his comrades was short-lived. On the morning of May 12, 1863, Robert's regiment was ordered into the fierce battle near the town of Raymond, Mississippi. Outnumbered almost three to one, the 3rd Tennessee suffered some of the highest casualties in the battle. Among the dead was Captain Robert T. Cooper.  His body rests in the Confederate Cemetery in the town of Raymond, Mississippi.


Elias, William Fletcher and Peter Francis Fite: 3 Brothers in the 3rd Tennessee:
Elias, William and Peter Fite descended from a soldiering family. Their father, Jacob, had served in the War of 1812 and their Grandfather, Peter had fought in the Battle of King's Mountain during the Revolutionary War. So, when Governor Isham G. Harris made his plea for troops, the Fite boys answered the call without haste. At the time of their enlistment in the 3rd Tennessee Infantry Regiment, Elias was 36, William; 26 and Peter was 21 years old. All three fought through every battle of the 3rd Tennessee, endured the hardship of the dreaded northern prisons and witnessed firsthand the horror of war.   It is amazing, given the odds of being a casualty in this war, that all three survived but, they did. All three brothers lived out their lives here until their passing. Elias was the first to go, in 1898 at age 73, William passed at age 74 and Peter died on the 23rd of June, 1920 at age 80.  (contributed by Claude Fly, descendant of the Fite Brothers)

ADDITIONAL LEWIS COUNTY CONFEDERATE INFORMATION

*Lt. Col. Albert G. Cooper had two sons in Confederate service.  One was killed at Fort Donelson.
**From Lewis County, TN WPA Records -Jessie Clinton,  (Signal Mountain Press, 1991)
From information submitted by Mr. Michael Gavin

If you have information regarding any of these men, please contact the author at the following address:
Billy Jackson
P.O. Box 392
Hohenwald, TN 38462
On the Internet: billyj68@hotmail.com
Phone:(931)796-1570

Civil War history of James Daniel Murphree
Provided by his grandson, John P. Murphree and Randall Felske

Age 46 years, 3 months, 22 days Co F 42 TENN - "An Honest Man - The Noblest Work of God" - James Daniel Murphree enlisted in the Confederate Army on Oct. 22, 1861, a little less that two months from his 15th birthday. He was captured with the surrender of Fort Donelson, Feb. 16, 1862. He was admitted to U.S.A. Hospital Feb. 25, and returned to his unit as a Prisoner of War on March 3. His name appears on a roll of prisoners at Camp Douglas, Ill. sent to Vicksburg for prisoner exchange. This exchange took place on the steamer John H. Done near Vicksburg, Sept. 20, 1862. He was made 4th Sgt. Sept. 27, 1862 and promoted to 3rd Sgt. Aug. 1, 1863. Later in the war he was wounded and captured again. On Nov. 30, 1864 in Franklin, TN, he was struck by a cannon ball which fractured his left leg. On Dec. 10, 1864, his left leg was amputated. He appears on a list of Prisoners of War who arrived at the Military Prison, Louisville, KY, during 5 days ending May 10, 1865. On June 16, 1865 James Daniel Murphree was set free to go back home. In little more than three years of battle he was captured twice, lost his left leg and had not yet reached his 19th birthday. In 1881, some sixteen years later, at the age of 34, he married Ora Alice Beeler. They had six children: Stephen Estill, James D. Jr., Elizabeth, Nora, Sally & Robert Brown. James D. died in infancy at one month. Stephen Estill died from an accident at the age of 10 years. He and his father James Daniel are buried in the Newtown Cemetery. James Daniel died in Lewis County while teaching school at Napier Furnace.

Roster of Clack's 3rd Infantry Regiment

Information on Ordering Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications by Mail

Post a Lewis Co, TN Query	View Posted Lewis Co, TN Queries	1850 Census Index of Lewis Co, TN
Books & References about Lewis Co, TN	Surname Listings for Lewis Co, TN	Cemetery Listings for Lewis Co, TN
Lewis Co, TN Bible Records	Lewis County, TN: Pictures from the Past	Lewis Co,TN Wills
	Lewis County, TN: Home Page

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Please come back and visit us again!

This page was created on May 21, 2000.

This page was last updated on  Tuesday, March 26, 2002.

Server space for the TNGenWeb Project is provided through the generosity of



This Website Has Been Generously Hosted By USGenNet Since 1999.
We Thank Them!


FastCounter by bCentral

This page is ©  2000 by Cheryl Zelek.