Robert H. Warmath was born in Tipton County, Tennessee to Thomas Warmath and his wife Ann Clinton McFadden. Robert was born on 13 May 1836. On 4 February 1857, he married Miss Catherine Yarbrough.

Robert was 25 years old when he enlisted. He joined the 4th Infantry Regiment, Provisional Army of Tennessee (State Troops) at Germantown, Tennessee on 15 May 1861 for one year “unless sooner discharged”. Robert was enrolled by Colonel W.H. Carroll and assigned to Captain John B. Turner’s Company, where he was appointed or elected 1st Corporal.

The 4th Infantry moved immediately to Randolph, Tennessee where it was assigned to the River Brigade under the command of General John L.T. Sneed. By 17 August the regiment had moved to Fort Pillow, Tennessee and was mustered in to the Confederate States Army. Robert remained a Corporal after the mustering in. From Fort Pillow, the 4th Tennessee, as the regiment was now known, moved to Columbus, Kentucky. From Columbus, the regiment patrolled the area around Columbus, Kentucky and New Madrid, Missouri and down to Island No. 10. During this time, Robert was sent to the hospital. He rejoined the regiment about 25 April 1862.

About that time, the 4th Tennessee was reorganized and paid and Robert was demoted to Private on 25 April. From Corinth, Robert withdrew with the regiment to Tupelo, Mississippi and then moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee via Mobile and Montgomery, Alabama.

On 17 August, Braxton Bragg’s Kentucky Campaign began. This campaign took Robert through Pikeville, Sparta and Gainesburg, Tennessee and on to Munfordsville, Kentucky. The latter city fell to the 4th Tennessee on 19 September 1862. The regiment lost 85 men in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky on 8 October 1862 and then retreated through Knoxville, Bridgeport, Tullahoma, and ended up in Murphreesboro, Tennessee. At this time the 4th Tennessee was consolidated with the 5th Tennessee Infantry. Robert was assigned to Captain John T. Barret’s Company.

At the Battle of Murphreesboro on 31 December 1862 and 1 January 1863, Robert and his comrades formed the right wing of Stewart’s Brigade. On 3 January they retreated to Shelbyville and went on outpost duty at Guy’s Gap until 28 June 1863. On 5 March 1863, Robert was again sent to the hospital. On 1 April he arrived at the hospital in Rome, Georgia and on 4 April he received an issue of clothing. From the hospital, Robert received a furlough and never returned to the 4th Tennessee Infantry Regiment. Robert’s military career was not quite over, though. On 15 April 1864, Robert and his eighteen year old brother, Thomas, enlisted in Company I, 7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment. The Warmath brothers were enrolled for a three year term, both with the rank of Private, by Captain Alexander. Once again, sickness overcame Robert. On 5 May 1864, Private Robert Warmath was listed on the company roster as “absent sick”. There is no record of Robert ever rejoining the 7th Tennessee or any other military unit.

Robert H. Warmath died on 16 March 1870 in Tipton County, Tennessee..

Robert’s sister, Mollie, married one of Robert’s comrades from Company I, 4th Tennessee Infantry, Becton Eckford. Becton and Mollie Eckford are the author’s great great great grandparents. Another of his sisters, Annie, married another Eckford brother, William Wallace Eckford. Robert’s brother, John Warmath, married an Eckford sister, Martha G. “Mattie” Eckford. Thus, the Warmath’s and the Eckfords were joined together by three marriages and one war.

Contributed by Jeffery Gatlin

© 2003 Tipton County Coordinators