Category: Civil War History Page 1 of 2

In Biographies, Civil War History, Individuals & Families, Local History & Information, Military Records

The effort to record Civil War veterans’ experiences, during the conflict and before and after it, started in 1914. Dr. Gus Dyer, Tennessee State Archivist, developed a questionnaire and contacted all known living Tennessee Civil War veterans, asking them to return the questionnaires to Nashville.

In 1920 the project was continued by John Trotwood Moore of the Tennessee Historical Commission and also State Librarian and Archivist. The 1,650 completed forms were returned by 1922 and were made available for historical research. They are on file in the TSLA and have been microfilmed for security and ease of use (Microfilm #484).

The responses are rich in detail about pre- and post-war life, as well as military experiences. They include personal and family information; opinions about class and race distinctions; and details of agricultural, business and educational opportunities for the young in nineteenth century Tennessee.

Click here for more information, a sample questionnaire, and an index to existing questionnaires at TSLA.

This is a transcription of the Questionnaire returned by Leander T. Billingsley. (Submitter unidentified.)

1	State your full name and present post office address:
	Lee T. Billingsley, Pikeville, Tenn. R. #1
2	State your age now:
	78 yrs. Oct. 1921
3	In what State and county were you born?
	Bledsoe County, Tenn.
4	Were you a Confederate or Federal soldier?
	Confederate
5	Name of your company?
	Co. F-Second Tenn. Voluntary Cavalry. I have the blade I received when I enlisted
6	What was the occupation of your father?
	Farmer
7	Give full name of your father:
	John Billingsley; born In the County of _________ State of North Carolina. He lived at______
	Give also any particulars concerning him, as official position, war services, etc; books written by him, etc:
	He came to Bledsoe county with his bride in 1806 and lived here the rest of his life. He was a member of the legislature for several years and Justice of Peace 24 years
8	Maiden name in full of your mother:
	Jane Hoodenpile; she was the daughter of: Philip Hoodenpile and his wife: Jane Hoodenpile; who lived at: near Pikeville. She was my father’s second wife
9	Remarks on ancestry. Give here any and all facts possible in reference to your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc., not Revolutionary or other war service; what country they cam from to America; first settled – county and State; always giving full names (if possible), and never referring to an ancestor simply as such without giving the name. It is desirable to include every fact possible, and to that end the full and exact record from old Bibles should be appended on separate sheets of this size, thus preserving the facts from loss.
	My Grandfather Samuel Billingsley came from England to North Carolina when he was a small boy ? he was a captain in the Revolutionary war. My grandmother, Mary Billingsley, came from Ireland to N.C. when she was about 15 years old. My grandparents were married and reared their family in N.C. but came to Bledsoe county in 1809 to be with my father.
10	If you owned land or other property at the opening of the war, state what kind of property you owned, and state the value of your property as near as you can:
	I was a boy when the war began and only owned a little personal property
11	Did you or your parents own slaves? If so, how many?
	My parents owned 40 slaves, 23 males and 17 females. I owned a negro boy who was my personal slave.
12	If your parents owned land, state about how many acres:
	1500 acres in valley, 7000 acres on mountain
13	State as near as you can the value of all the property owned by your parents, including land, when the war opened:
	My father died in 1856, the property was undivided when the war began and managed by my mother, It was valued at $85,000.
14	What kind of house did your parents occupy? State whether it was a log house of frame house or built of other material, and state the number of rooms it had:
	In 1830 my father finished and moved into a 12 room brick house
15	As a boy and young man, state what kind of work you did. If you worked on a farm, state to what extent you plowed, worked with a hoe and did other kinds of similar work. (Certain historians claim that white men would not do work of this sort before the war.)
	I did some farm work but not much
16	State clearly what kind of work your father did, and what the duties of your mother were. State all the kinds of work done in the house as well as you can remember — that is, cooking, spinning weaving, etc.:
	My father looked after the negros and farm work. He did very little if any manual work. Mother saw that each negro woman did her part of the work and did it right. Almost all the cloth used was made at home. Father raised cotton and owned about 400 sheep. Shoes for the negros were made at home
17	Did your parents keep any servants? If so, how many?
	Father kept a manager or an “overseer” too (two?) of the other servants were kept
18	How was honest toil — as plowing, hauling and other sorts of honest work of this class – regarded in your community? Was such work considered respectable and honorable?
	For ten or fifteen years just before the war the larger land and slave-owners did not regard manual labor as respectable for a gentleman altho the laborer was not expected to live in idleness
19	Did the white men in your community generally engage in such work?
	Most of them worked for there were only a few men who owned sufficient property to live without working
20	To what extent were there white men in your community leading lives of idleness and having others do their work for them?
	There were very few men who were idle all the time. Men who did not have to work on the farm usually were employed in public service.
21	Did the men who owned slaves mingle freely with those who did not own slaves, or did slave holders in any way show by their actions that they felt themselves better than respectable, honorable men who did not own slaves?
	I do not remember whether just not owning slaves caused a man to be treated as an inferior, but I do remember hearing some families referred to as “poor white trash”
22	At the churches, at the schools, at public gatherings in general, did slave holders and non-slave holders mingle on a footing of equality?
	The more prominent men whether slave holder or not attempted to interest the poor people in school and church
23	Was there a friendly feeling between slave holders and non-slave holders in your community, or were they antagonistic to each other?
	With few exceptions I think they were all friendly most of the leading men were interest in church work
24	In a political contest, in which one candidate owned slaves and the other did not, did the fact that one candidate owned slaves help him in winning the contest?
	I do not think owning slaves would have been a help or a hindrance in this county. Very poor men seldom entered a political contest
25	Were the opportunities good in your community for a poor young man, honest and industrious, to save up enough to buy a small farm or go in business for himself?
	The poor young men who really tried was helped and encouraged in every way. I recall several who came to this county with almost nothing and in ten years owned considerable property
26	Were poor, honest, industrious young men, who were ambitious to make something of themselves, encouraged or discouraged by slave holders?
	I think slave holders encouraged ambitious young men this was and is yet a farming and stock raising community, so about the only way a young man could get along was to rent a farm till he could buy land of his own, or be a stock dealer.
27	What kind of school or schools did you attend?
	Both public and private. The schools here before the war were only run 2 or 3 months each year by the county
28	About how long did you go to school altogether?
	About 4 years before the war and 2 years after the war closed at Sequatchie College
29	How far was it to the nearest school?
	2 1/4 miles
30	What school or schools were in operation in your neighborhood?
	The public school and 2 or 3 months subscription or pay school
31	Was the school in your community private or public?
	Both
32	About how many months in the year did it run?
	In all about five or six months
33	Did the boys and girls in your community attend school pretty regularly?
	Some did. Some did not
34	Was the teacher of the school you attended a man or woman?
	I had both men and women as teachers
35	In what year and month and at what place did you enlist in the service of the Confederacy or of the Federal Government?
	On June 16, 1861 I was mustered into service in the Confederate Army at Knoxville, Tenn.
36	After enlistment, where was your Company sent first?
	To Cumberland Gap, Tenn.
37	How long after enlistment before your Company engaged in battle?
	I do not remember exactly but it was several months before we fought any
38	What was the first battle you engaged in?
	The first regular battle was at Mill Springs, we were in several small battles or skirmishes before the battle of Mill Springs
39	State in your own way your experience in the War from this time on to its close. State where you went after the first battle — what you did, and what other battles you engaged in, how long they lasted, what the results were; state how you slept, what you had to eat, how you were exposed to cold, hunger you lived in camp, how you were clothed, how and disease. If you were in the hospital or prison, state your experience there:
	I was in battles at Fishing Creek, Stubensville, Ky., Murfreesboro, Chickamauga and several other places. Our command was in Kentucky to relieve Morgan and we rode eleven days and nights not stopping longer than two hours at one time. I have eaten raw corn – green pumpkins and most anything else on these raids.
40	When and where were you discharged?
	At Morgantown, North Carolina, May 1865. We were under Gen. Joe Wheeler. I am sending you his farewell address.
41	Tell something of your trip home:
	I came home horseback down through: the mountain of N.C. I did not come straight home at once. Was several months making the trip
42	Give a sketch of your life since the close of the Civil War, stating what kind of business you have engaged in, where you have lived, your church relations, etc. If you have held any office or offices, state what it was. You may state here any other facts connected with your life and experience which has not been brought out by the questions:
	Farming. When I reached home the fences had all been burned, the negros all gone except two. The only stock mother had left was a steer.
43	What kind of work did you take up when you came back home?
	I have been a farmer and stock raiser all my life and have lived in Bledsoe county. Most of the time was spent on the farm I returned to from the war. Twelve years ago I moved to my present home about four miles from that farm. I have been a member of the Church of Christ for 45 years. I was Justice of the Peace 12 years and coroner 8 years and now am a Notary Public. I have been married twice. My last wife is still living. I have eleven children.
44	On a separate sheet give the names of some of the great men you have known or met in your time, and tell some of the circumstances of the meeting or incidents in their lives. Also add any further personal reminiscences. (Use all the space your want.)
	_______
45	Give the names of all the members of your Company you can remember. (If you know where the Roster is to be had, please make a special note of this.)
	This list of the Company was printed in a Knoxville paper soon after the close of the civil war
	Tullos[s] Rangers, known as Company F 2nd Tenn. Cal.:

	John M . Bridgeman	Capt
	James W. Walker	1st Lt
	A.R. Couk (Cook?)	2n. Lt
	James W. Fraley	3rd Lt
	Non-Commissioned officers:
	William Smith	1st Orderly Serg
	W.W. Henson	2nd O.S
	L.T. Billingsley	3rd O.S
	John R. Robertson	4th O.S
	James Dyer	5th O.S
	Maj. P. Swafford	1st Corp’1
	James Abbet	2nd Cpl
	R.W. Brown	3rd Cpl
	J.W. Cunningham	Wagon Master
	Anthoney Griffith	bugler

Private Soldiers:
James Abbet	James Acuff	J. S. Acuff
Frank Burger	John Austin	Reuben Brown
D. S. Brown	V. A. Beanerett	J. A. Card
Andy Card	G. N. Campbell	James Cain
G. W. Cain	John Carrick	Tim Daviss
Will Douglas	O. P. Durham	H. C. Deatherage
Gav. (?) Eppison	G. W. Ellete	George Frazier
John Frazier	G. A. Findly	C. A. Ford
James Freeman	J. M. Greer	Richard Guess
John Gollihor	A H. Gollihor	T. H. Hinch
S. P. Henderson	Thomas Hawkins	John Hawkins
W. F. Hutcheson	Wm. Hatfield	Goins Hatfield
R. H. Hatfield	W. H. Hatfield	John Hodgkiss
James Hearn	Wm. Highenbottom	Aaron Hughes
Sam Hughes	Dr. J. A. Hacker	John Jones
Josh Jentry	John Knight	C. L. Lewis
Thomas Laster	Houston Lamb	A. J. Larrimore
Thomas Loyd	W. H. McCulley	J. C. McDowell
James McCunah	G. W. McDonald	John Mitts
James Nale	P. J. Norwood	T. ?(R. )H. Napp
S. B. Panter	Leander Pope	L. L. Pope
John Pollard	Adam Roberson	Isaac Roberson
G. W. Rogers	Alvin Reid	Sam Robertson
James Rankin	Reuben Rankin	W. A. Smith
Alfred Swafford	Thomas Swafford	S. C. Stone
Thaddous Simms	J. R. Smith	James Smith
Dr. R. A. Stone	W. F. Simmons	W. L. Standifer
L. L. Standifer	James Scott	Andrew Sherill
Thomas Sherill	John Sherill	Sam Sherill
I. N. Thomas	G. W. Taylor	Henry Tollett
James A. Walker	G. W. Walker	A. J Walker
I. E. Walker	Clay Wimberly	J. C. Worthington
James Worthington	W Worthington	S. P. Worthington
W. F. Worthington	Houston Wheeler	A. D. Williams
Colored or negro servants for the Company:
George Tulloss	James A. Birch	James Ned
James Taylor	Bird Terry	George Close
Samuel Gallimore

46	Give the NAME and POST OFFICE ADDRESS of any living Veterans of the Civil War whether members of your Company or not; whether Tennesseans or from other States:
	A.K. Swafford Pikeville, R. 1, Tenn.
	W.R. Pope Pikeville, Tenn.
	Bud Wheeler Pikeville, Tenn.
	L.L. Standifer Mt. Airy, Tenn.
	Captain W.M. Allen Dayton, Tenn.
	Frank Knight Pikeville, Tenn.
Newspaper clipping: WHEELERS FAREWELL ADDRESS TO CAVALRY – Original Copy is Treasured Possession of the Family of Lee Billingsley -Yellowed with age, worn in two or more parts through constant handling, one of the proud and treasured possessions of this family of Lee Billingsley, a gallant soldier of Forest’s cavalry, is the farewell address of General Joe wheeler to his comrades, issued on April 29, 1865, It was dated at “Headquarters Cavalry Corps” and addressed to “Gallant Comrades”. It follows:
You have fought your fight. Your task is done. During a fours years struggle you have exhibited courage, fortitude and devotion. You are the sole victors of more than two hundred stubbornly contested fights you have participated in more than a thousand conflicts of arms; You are heroes. You have done all that human exertions could accomplish. I desire to express my gratitude for the kind feelings you have seen fit to extend toward myself and to invoke upon you the blessings of our Heavenly Father, to whom we must all look in the hour of distress. Brethren in the cause of freedom, comrades in arms, I bid you farewell.” Joe Wheeler Major General
Note: This is a copy of Gen. Joe Wheelers address. If I have not made all the questions clear or if there should be any other information I could give you please let me do so. I would like to see a good history of The Old South and I want to see your book when published. Yours truly, L T. Billingsley
	(N.B.: BILLINGSLEY, LEE T., Pension No. 10718)

Reunion of Tulloss Rangers in 1894

In Civil War History

THE TULLOSS RANGERS

A Reunion of the Company To Be Held at Pikeville

Special Correspondence Chattanooga Times.

PIKEVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 6 — There will be a reunion at Pikeville Tenn on Saturday, Jan. 20, 1894, of the Tulloss rangers, the first company of confederate soldiers made up during the late war from Bledsoe county, Tenn. This company was known as the Tulloss rangers and took its name from Col. James A Tulloss, who was a very wealthy citizen of Bledsoe county at that time. Col. Tulloss gave to each member of the company a suit of clothes and furnished about twenty-five horses for the same. The company left Pikeville on the 2d day of July, 1861. There was perhaps not a finer dressed or better looking body of men in the whole confederate service, and their departure was an occasion never to be forgotten. To witness the parting of husbands and wives, fathers, mothers and sons, brothers and sisters and sweethearts, relatives and friends, was an exciting and touching scene indeed. The company reached Knoxville, Tenn., on the 6th day of the same month and were there mustered into service on the 8th of the same month and became company “F” of the Second Tennessee confederate cavalry, which was commanded by Col. Henry C. Ashley They had a hard struggle during the war. Some fell upon the battle field and others sickened and died while in the service and many more have since fallen by the wayside.

Bledsoe Countians in the Civil War

In Civil War History, Individuals & Families, Military Records

from Elizabeth Parham Robnett’s history of Bledsoe County (with permission)

This list is compiled from various sources and lists men who enlisted from or were living in Bledsoe County at the time the 1890 veteran census was taken. The list is excerpted from Elizabeth Robnett’s History of Bledsoe County. The men listed as members of the Tulloss Rangers are not included here.

Click here to read separate article about the Tulloss Rangers unit.

James Acuff, Thomas Agee, James F. Anderson, William Angel

Edward Baggett, Andrew J. Bedwell, John P. Bennett, G. T. Blankenship, Thomas F. Blaylock Andrew Bowman, Daniel Bowman, Elijah Bowman, Pleasant B. Brewer, William B. Brewer, Michael W. Brock, Joseph Brown, Reuban H. Brown, James A. Bunch, Thomas Burdett, John W. Byerly

Greer Campbell, Washington C. Campbell, Zimriah Card, Goodwin Carlton, Henry Cartwright, James Clark, Henry Close, Wiley M. Colvard, Johnathan Crawford

James M. Davis, William S. Davis, John W. DeBord, Benjamin Duke, William H. Dye

Thomas Edmondson, Alexander Evans, William Evitt

Charles Ferguson, James Ferguson, Daniel Foley, Ephraim Foster, John W. Francis, Nicholas P. Frazier, Bird Freeman, James. W. Freeman

James Gentry, Jesse Gilbert, Thomas Gilbert, Daniel Graham, John B. Graham, William Graham, William R. Graham, Henry Clay Greer, Charles Gross

Issac Hale, James Hale, Joseph Hankins, Thomas Hale, John B. Haley, James C. Harvey, Benjamin F. Harwood, James C. Heard, Joel B. Hembree, James W. Hendon, Bird Henderson, Jasper Henderson, Robert Henderson, James F. Henry, Marion Hixson, James M. Hixson, John B. Hixson, Josiah Hixson, Newton Hixson, George W. Hixson, William A. Hixson, William Carol Hixson, James L. Hoge, Lemuel Hoge, Preston Hoge, William H. Holland, David Holland, William B. Houston, James L. Hutcheson, J W Hyder

Hezekiah James, Daniel Johnson, William Johnson, William A. Jordan, Jacob Keedy, William Keedy, James J. Kelly, William H. Kimber, Abram T. King, LaFayette Kirby, Frank M. Knight

James Lawson, Jesse Lawson , John W. Lawson, Tyne Lawson, Benjamin F. Lee, Benjamin F. Lloyd

Samuel W. Manning, Lee Mathis, Jesse W. McDowell, Jessee J. McDowell, T. A. McCully, George McDaniel, Green McDaniel, John McDaniel, William McDaniel, Daniel McWilliams, Peter Mercer, Calvin Milican, Samuel Miller, John Mitts, Calvin Mooneyham, Owen Mooneyham, Thomas C. Morgan, Z. M. Morris

R. M. Narramore, Andrew J. Northrup

Daniel Olinger

Aaron Parker, James Parham, John A. Patton, Andrew Payne, Alfred Pemberton, John Pierce, Isaac Pollard, John T. Pope, William R. Pope, James Putnam

Michael Real, Charles Real, Peter Real, James L. Rigsby, John Rigsby, Daniel Rollins, H. C. Roberson, James Roberson, William J. Rains, John Rogers, James A. Ross, John Russell

Felix Scales, James Seals Jr., Jesse Segraves, Adam J. Shoemaker, J.W. Sharp, Andrew Simmons, John Simmons, James Simmons, Monroe Simmons, William T. Simmons, James L. Stephens, Isaac George Stephens, Ephraim Skiles, George Skiles, John Skiles, James T. Slater, Isaac N. Smith, John Smith, McKinley Smith, Benjamin Smith, Sam M. Smith, Thomas Smith, Andrew Soloman, Ely Southerland, A. J. Standefer, Perry Stepp, John Stewart, Robert Stewart, John S. Stinnet, Patrick Stone, Thomas Sutherland, Alfred K. Swafford, John B. Swafford, John Swafford, John L. Swafford, James Swafford, John P. Swafford, Sam Swafford, Lt. Sam Swafford, William Swafford, William B. Swafford, George Sweat

James Tandy, John J. Teeters, Charles Thurman, Isaac N. Thurman, William A. Thurman, John B. Turner, Soloman Turner, Van Thurman

David H. Walker, Howard Walker, Stephen Walker, Johnathan Ward, John G. Werner, William Ziegler

Tulloss Rangers — July, 1861

In Civil War History, Military Records

The Athens Post – 12 July 1861

This company, John M. Bridgeman, Captain, reached Camp Cummings, Knoxville, on Friday. Sequatchie Valley has the honor of furnishing the finest Cavalry Company that has yet entered the service. We have the pleasure of an acquaintance with most of the officers and members, and will go bail that if they are put at the right place they will not be long in giving the enemy a taste of their capacity. The name, “Tulloss Rangers,” is in compliment of Col James A. Tulloss, of Pikeville, for his liberal aid in money and other respects in behalf of the Company. The Company is handsomely uniformed, at an expense of some fifteen hundred dollars, contributed by a few patriotic citizens of Bledsoe. Below is a list of the officers and privates.

Muster Roll of Tulloss Rangers

Officers

J Bridgeman	Captain
James Walker	1st Lieutenant
A R Couk	2nd Lieutenant
James M Farley	3rd Lieutenant
Wm A Smith	1st Sergeant
R B Hutcheson	2nd Sergeant
J M Cunningham	4th Sergeant
L T Billingsley	1st Corporal
John R Roberson	2nd Corporal
James J Dyer	3rd Corporal
Richard R Gist	4th Corporal
Anthony Griffith	1st Bugler
Geo W Taylor	2nd Bugler
John P Ketts	Blacksmith

Privates

Abott	J M
Acuff	Jasper S
Beaveret	Virgil A
Berger	Franklin
Brown	David S
Brown	Reuben
Campbell	G B
Carnes	S E
Davis	Timothy
Deatheridge	H C
Douglas	W J
Durham	O P
Epperson	Geo N
Finley	Geo H
Ford	C A
Frazier	John C
Freeman	James N
Gentry	J K
Gentry	S B
Gillespie	Geo L
Greer	James L
Hatfield	M B
Hawkins	Thomas J
Hickenbotton	Wm
Hinch	Thomas H
Hutcheson	Wm F
Jones	John
Kerrick	John W
Knight	Leroy
Lamb	James Houston
Lewis	Charles L
Loyd	Thomas
McCulley	Wm
McDonald	George
McDonough	J M
Nail	James B
Panter	Sampson B
Pope	Lavander W
Rankin	James
Rankin	Reuben
Reid	S A
Roberson	Adam
Roberson	John R
Roberson	S J
Rodgers	G W (sick)
Scott	James
Sherrell	Andrew
Sherrell	Thomas
Simmons	W L
Sloan	Dr. R A
Standefer	Luke L
Standefer	Wm L
Swafford	Alfred Jr.
Swafford	M P
Swafford	T A
Thomas	Isaac N
White	James
Worthington	J C
Worthington	J. Frank
Worthington	James
Worthington	Sam P
Worthington	W J
Worthington	William

Bibliographic data: Vol. 13, No. 663

Maps at the Tennessee State Library and Archives

In Civil War History, Maps & Gazetteers, Research Repositories & Contacts

Maps are invaluable components of historical and genealogical research, and documentary records often cannot be fully understood without referring to maps. The Library & Archives has the largest and most significant collection of historical maps in the state available for public use. TSLA hopes to increase utilization of this tremendous research resource by digitizing original manuscript maps and making them available online. These digitized maps appear in the JPEG2000 format, which means that you may view them in greater detail by using the Zoom tool and Expanded View option to navigate to a particular area of the image. We will continue to add maps to this digital online collection to bring more of them to a wider public.

The collection includes historical maps from a variety of sources, Civil War maps, and interesting collections such as the US Postal Service Rural Free Delivery maps for each county.

Click here to read more about the TSLA map collection.

Click here to search or browse the maps.

Civil War Documents and Photographs at TN State Library & Archives

In Civil War History, Individuals & Families, Military Records, Photo Albums

Items in the Tennessee Virtual Archive are presented free-of-charge by the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

Click here to view a sample of Civil War military records held by TSLA.

Click here to view a sample of muster rolls for Tennessee units during the Civil War held by TSLA.

Click here to view a sample of Civil War soldiers’ photographs held by TSLA.

Click here to view a sample of Civil War visual culture artefacts (images, sheet music, and other items depicting the experience and interpretation of the War) held by TSLA.

Click here to view a sample of civilian life artefacts from the Civil War, described as “personal accounts and related documents detailing the lives of non-combatants during the Civil War.”

Click here to view a sample of documents related to women’s Civil War experiences held by TSLA.

Important Dates – Chronology of Early Bledsoe County

In About Bledsoe County, Civil War History, Local History & Information, Research Aids

from Elizabeth Robnett, Bledsoe County Historian

Date	Event
1795	John McClellan and Charles McClung explore the northern part of Sequatchie Valley.
1796	Tennessee becomes the 16th state
1801	Roane County, which contained most of Bledsoe, is created.
1805	Cherokee Nation surrenders claims to the area that is now Bledsoe County
1807	Bledsoe County established
1811	Madison becomes the county seat
1812	War of 1812
1816	Town of Pikeville established; county seat relocated
1821	First Bledsoe Courthouse
1830	Pikeville incorporated as a town
1838	Trail of Tears crossed Bledsoe County about 5 miles south of Pikeville
1856	1st, 2nd, and 3rd civil districts taken from Bledsoe County to become part of Cumberland County
1857	10th Civil District taken from Bledsoe to become part of Sequatchie County
1861 – 1865	Civil War. Tennessee secedes from the Union, and joins the Confederate States of America
1866	Tennessee re-admitted to the Union
1891	Pikeville-Banner begins publication
1909	Courthouse fire destroys some records

Bledsoe County in the Civil War

In About Bledsoe County, Civil War History, Historic Sites, Local History & Information

from Elizabeth Robnett, Bledsoe County Historian

This time period created much confusion and dissension among the citizens. Bledsoe County voted against withdrawal from the Union and while the state itself voted for secession, much of the eastern part of Tennessee remained loyal to the Union.

Despite the fact that Bledsoe voted against secession, several Confederate companies were organized. The Tulloss Rangers were organized by John Bridgeman in July 1861 and named to honor James A. Tulloss of Pikeville for his contributions to the company. In August, 1861, Weatherston S. Greer also organized a company with men from Bledsoe, Rhea and Roane Counties. Other Confederate units were organized by William J. Hill, Alexander H. Roberson and Oliver P. Schoolfield.

Most of the Bledsoe men who joined the Union forces enlisted in upper east Tennessee, Huntsville, Athens and at Camp Dick Robinson in Kentucky.

During the Civil War the men of Bledsoe County were found fighting for both Confederate and Union units. While no complete list of participants exists, a partial list of Civil War soldiers from Bledsoe county is included here. You can also view the 1890 Veteran’s and Widow’s Census of Bledsoe County, which happily includes some Confederate entries.

Click here to visit the TNGenWeb special project, Tennessee and the Civil War.

Pikeville During the Civil War