City: Franklin
CANNON, Newton, farmer and merchant; born near Franklin, Tenn., June 14, 1846; son of William PERKINS and Agatha Susan (Perkins) CANNON; father’s occupation, farmer; paternal grandparents Newton and Leah Letitia (Perkins) CANNON; maternal grandparents Samuel and Sarah (Perkins) PERKINS; educated in the country schools in Williamson Co., Tenn.; joined the army at the age of 15 and was soldier for three years, which interfered with the completion of his education; when entering the army he joined Capt. Thomas Fearn PERKINS’s Co., of partisan rangers Apr. 7, 1862, operating behind Buell’s army; became member of Co. I, 11th Tenn. Cavalry Forrest’s Brigade C. S. A.; was made First Sergeant Oct., 1863, and served as such until the surrender at Gainesville, Ala., May 12, 1865; promotions were offered him, which he declined; he had one horse shot from under him and received three slight wounds in consequence; was in all of the battles of his command until after the battle of Chicamauga, then with Longstreet in East Tenn., Joe JOHNSTON, Dalton to Atlanta, Ga., and with J. B. HOOD in Tenn., then with FORREST to surrender at Gainesville, Ala.; after the war became a merchant, but is now retired from the mercantile business and devotes his time to management of his farm; married Jennie B. McEWEN Feb. 27, 1873; member of McEwen Bivouac and Stearnes Camp Confederate Veterans; Democrat; his great grandfather Minus CANNON was a revolutionary soldier, his grandfather, Newton CANNON, was twice governor of Tenn. and Congressman two or three times and Col. under Gen. JACKSON in the Creek war; his father, William P. CANNON, was in the Seminole war and was wounded and discharged; his son, Newton CANNON, was in the Cuban war as First Lieut.; when LONGSTREET began his move on Knoxville was sent with three others into Middle Tenn. as scouts and spies; the other two were captured and narrowly escaped being hanged as spies; he rode all over the territory about Nashville and south of it, taking many desperate chances; had to ride through the enemy several times; finally escaped across Tenn. river under fire; made his report, but declined promotion.
