ABNER CLINT LILES
1845 – 1921
CIVIL WAR VETERAN
He was a drummer, and enlisted at the age of 17 (Union).
Of course, the photo was made somewhere between 1905 and 1910.
I would like to find a photo of his great friend Julian Barger (from Joyner), who played the bass drum.
Maternal great-great-grandfather of Chester Spradlin
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Clint’s powder horn, leather pouch, and bullet mold
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Abner Clint Liles (Union) was born on Feb.18, 1845 in Roane County, TN, and died on June 2, 1924 in Coalfield, TN. He is buried in the Elverton Cem. in Roane County. He served as a drummer in Co. F 5th TN Infantry, enlisting at the age of 17. He married Martha Anne Hacker on Nov. 10, 1867 in Roane County, TN. Soon after the war, the government granted him a large farm at the end of what we now call Corbin Hill Rd., in Coalfield. His pension was $12.00 a month. This was considered a large income during the Reconstruction Days after the war when wages was 10 cents a day working on the railroad.
No one knows exactly how many children he had, but it’s documented that he had 6 daughters who lived, two sons who might have died during infancy, and one daughter who was born dead. He has several living descendants in Anderson, Loudon, Morgan, Knox, and Roane Counties. He also had a brother, Major Lindsey Liles, who served in the Calvary Division. Clint had a good friend from Joyner named Julian Barger who played the bass drum. They both liked to attend and play music at the Soldier’s Campfire Meetings at Jonesville Church, in Roane County.
Submitted by Chester Spradlin, with the aid of: W.B. Lyles, Gayle Davis Gray, Pat Roberts McDonald, Alexis Hacker Scholz, Marlen Suzette Passons, and Mr. & Mrs. Darwin Davis, and Sam Davis.
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Excerpt from “The Citizen Times” Nov. 8, 1978
Ex-Soldier’s Camp Fire Meeting: About 1920…………Local veterans, and veterans from Oliver Springs, Wheat, Morgan County, Robertsville, etc. helped to swell the crowd. Around 1920, the group was composed of veterans of the Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World War I…..……….Clinton Liles (Civil War) is ready to strike up a marching tune on his little drum. Julian Barger (Civil War) is poised with his drumstick to pick up the bass. Some say that Julian played louder and better and stepped higher when marching if visiting his well stocked wine cellar before he started to the Camp Fire meeting. John E. Wright who knows about the “Wrights” said, “When fellowship was at its highest, Thomas C. Wright or his brother, Captain Jack, would invariably insist that Julian Barger, Clint Liles, and the rest of the band strike up “Dixie,” and thereby bring the otherwise harmonious meeting to the verge of re-newed hostilities.”Order would be quickly restored when Julian Barger would strike up a march, and lead a march down toward Poplar Creek and then circle back to the church with every soldier in the parade trying his best to keep in step.
Ex-Soldier’s Camp Fire Meeting: About 1920…………Local veterans, and veterans from Oliver Springs, Wheat, Morgan County, Robertsville, etc. helped to swell the crowd. Around 1920, the group was composed of veterans of the Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World War I…..……….Clinton Liles (Civil War) is ready to strike up a marching tune on his little drum. Julian Barger (Civil War) is poised with his drumstick to pick up the bass. Some say that Julian played louder and better and stepped higher when marching if visiting his well stocked wine cellar before he started to the Camp Fire meeting. John E. Wright who knows about the “Wrights” said, “When fellowship was at its highest, Thomas C. Wright or his brother, Captain Jack, would invariably insist that Julian Barger, Clint Liles, and the rest of the band strike up “Dixie,” and thereby bring the otherwise harmonious meeting to the verge of re-newed hostilities.”Order would be quickly restored when Julian Barger would strike up a march, and lead a march down toward Poplar Creek and then circle back to the church with every soldier in the parade trying his best to keep in step.