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Captain Joseph C. Gray
Captain Joseph C. Gray was born 10 May 1825 in Monroe County, TN and
died 15 Jan 1865 in Monroe County, TN. He is buried at Baker's Creek
Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Blount County, TN. He was the son of
John & Susannah (Land) Gray, Jr, and was married to Rachel McCall.
During the Civil War, Joseph C. Gray enlisted on 1 Aug 1862 at Maryville,
Blount CO, TN into CO F, 2nd TN Volunteer Cavalry. He was appointed 2nd LT,
but on 8 May 1864 he resigned. He later enlisted into the 3rd TN MTD INF REGT,
Union Army and was commissioned a Captain. He served as a recruiter and commander
of CO H. He was killed by Kirkland Bushwhackers on 15 Jan 1865 while home on leave
after fighting in the Battle of Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga, TN. His grave
at Baker's Creek Presbyterian Church cemetery and is marked with a military tombstone.
Many years after the war, Capt Gray's widow, Rachel McCall Gray, was summoned to the
deathbed of the bushwhacker who actually killed her husband. Rachel was asked to come
to the home of the man who killed her husband in 1865, because he was then dying. As a
last request, he wanted Rachel to visit in order to tell her he was sorry for killing
her husband. Indeed, Rachel decided to go see him. When she arrived at his home and went
to his bedside, the man said he was very sorry for killing her husband during the war and
asked her to forgive him before he died. Rachel bent over him, looked right in his face,
and "Damned his soul to hell." Then, she raised up, and saying nothing more, she left his
house and went home. She died years later, without ever forgiving him.
Submitted by:
Third great grand nephew of Captain Joseph C. Gray.
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