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“On
August 31, 1861, about 31 men left Madison under the command
of J. R. Chowning and J. W. Atterbury. Marching to Middle
Grove, they joined the forces of the Confederacy under Capt.
Frank Davis. Their first actual encounter was at Boonville,
where they had a skirmish with the Union forces. They were
unsuccessful in capturing the position, but they secured the
release of about ten prisoners. J.W. Atterbury Sr. received
a wound in his ankle, having to return to his home.
The other men proceeded to Lexington, where they fought
their second encounter. They joined a battery under the
command of Capt. Tull, in Springfield, and consolidated with
Bledsoe at Mobile, Ala. For the remainder of the time, the
battery was in the South. The cannon used by Bledsoe’s
battery was called “Old Sacramento.” There was a battle
at Paris. The old Glenn Hotel shows the marks of that battle
today.
Some
of the men from this section who served in this famous old
battery were: J.S. Dunaway, Jack Overfelt, J.R. Chowning,
Bill Edwards, Nick and Les Farrell, Joespeh Hersman, Henry
Wade, C.A. Overfelt, D.T.C. Mitchell, J.W. Atterbury, Wes
McKinney, Jim Elsbery, Ed Lynch, Sam Houchins, C.L. Enochs
and G.E. Glenn and Tom Meals.
As
the following men: Joe Boulware, Will Klugh, Simp Dry, Neut
Turner, Curt Mitchell, Charles McKinney, Elsea Dry, Bas
Botkins, Adolphus Elsberry, and Henry Clay Bryant were
returning home, four of their comrades were drowned when
“Old Kentucky” their boat, sank on Red River, Louisiana,
(June) 9, 1865. The four were: Mac Wilson, William Baker,
Ben Houchins, who was the father of Frank, Benney, Eddie and
William Houchins, and Mrs. Mary Swindell, and Doc Dry, the
grandfather of John Dry.
Capt. George Waller fought with Gen. Sterling Price, as did
William Farrell.”
From
the files of Neil Block, Commander, William T. Anderson Camp
#1743 SCV; transcribed by Lisa Perry. Information extracted
from excerpt of History of Madison, written in 1948-49 by
Mary Humphrey, daughter of Marie Bassett Humphrey. |
