There is no
right or wrong, evil or good, when it come to wars. we as humans fight those
wars every day either deep inside our souls, or with our body. There is no
wining or losing any war, just make living better or worst for us on scale of
time. The civil war is no different then any other war, since the beginning of humanity.
Nathan
Sirmon story was no different, then any other soldiers fighting this war. For
him the only difference was, fighting two battles at the same time. He lost one
battle but did not lose or win the war.
The
beginning
The ad for
the knife:
“BOWIE
FIGHTING KNIFE HANDCRAFTED ENGRAVED with Soldier’s name True age ,History&
pedigree unknown estate item found in abandoned building deep south sold as is
.”
I bought it.
And the research begins.
The
research
I have a
name, rank, and unit, it’s a good beginning to any research.
First it was
important to me to find out that name exist in the confederate list name or the
military name for it the “Muster Roll” .It came positive and I got one result .It
was very important and I will come to that later in my story.
The name was
good start the rest wasn’t exactly as the engraving, but was not far off from
the battle zone. With different confederate units participating in the fights.
Researching
confederate units are very challenging this one was no exemption. As names change,
or the designation of the unit changes as the war progress. Makes it very
difficult to trace, or track, soldiers and units for long period of time.
As my
research progress, I discover document with the name, unit, and the rank, to
match the engraving on the knife. That was a big step forward with my research.
But on the other hand, raise some questions, and I needed some help.
1861 THE
3RD MISSISSIPPI INF.
This is where
its all began for Nathan Sirmon, Sep of 1861 he join the Army of Mississippi
,3rd Mississippi inf . As a 1st
corporal in Company A ”Live Oak Rifles”.
As one
important note -
when it comes to documents from that era, they are all copy’s made in later
years, by official governments departments late 19th century up to
early 20th century. Is a factor that need to be noted for the
accuracy of this research.
Muster roll September 16 1861 Army of Mississippi
Company A “live Oak Rifles Document :Fold3.com
Those are
the document confirming that Nathan sermon did joined the 3rd
Mississippi inf
On September
16. the field officers where elected September 25 1861[1].
There no
other data on him with this unit. At this point in my research I contacted Mr.
Huffman[2]
regarding Nathan Sirmon. His reply was same details I have already knew, but
with two additional important clues that will help me with my research.
1. The fact
there no more information behind that date. That was probably since he was
discharged from his company due to illness.
2.The family
claims that he died in the war in 1864 but there are no records in the unit
documents to support that claim.
In that
point, I want back to my first record finding. And started to research more thoroughly.
And came with finding that this person died in 1850, and not in 1864. Base on
his parent’s names from few different sources, I could conclude that the army
recorders are partly incorrect.
Farther more,
I found marriage recorders from 1858, with his name in Butler county. That new founding,
I can assume, that there is another Nathan Sirmon in 1858 in the same county.
At this
point, I know there is one Nathan Sirmon with only records from 1861. With no
grave site, or records in Mississippi after 1861. Plus, there is anther one mixes
up with the other.
From his
known records, we can draw the movement of the C.S.A during 1862 until 1864. From
36th regiment, all the way to Army of Tennessee. Follow his path
during the war, and support the family claim of his death in 1864.
The gap
between September of 1861 up until Mid of October of 1862, could be explained
in two different scenarios, but some how parallel to each other.
Although,
the official date for his enlisting to the 1st Georgia Reg’t, is OCT
15 1862. The main difference is, either he was transferred, or some other
scenario in his life made him to change his unit and volunteer to the 36th
regiment later in the war.
1862 1st
Confederate Reg’t Georgia inf volunteers ( Villepigue’s)
Document:Fold3.com
The logical
scenario likely that happens. He may join, or was transferred, in September of
61 to the 36th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Villepigue’s). They been
called the Georgia/Mississippi regiment of infantry. And in January of 1862
they become 1st confederate Georgia infantry regiment.
1863
From his
record its clear the he served in the 1st Georgia during 1863 and
was likely to participate in the battle of Chickamauga on September 19-20 with
Jackson’s brigade he served with him until the Atlanta Campaign[3].
1864
the Army of Tennessee
The army of
Tennessee was his last stop during the Atlanta campaign under the command of
Major General W.H.T.Walker’s[4]
.division of 1st corps of the army of Tennessee[5]
from February to the 20 of July 1864. Nathan Sirmon died on July 1 in Atlanta
hospital.
Document:https://babel.hathitrust.org/
Conclusion
A logical
scenario of events, dates, army records, and family history, came together to
set the stage to a highly
motivated Confederate soldier, that made his own knife with pride. Joined the Confederate
army even before the draft of April 16 1862. Did not give up after, either was transferred, or too
sick to participate with his company. Came back as a volunteer to participate
in the war effort until the end of his life.
Acknowledgment
I would like
to thank Mr. Jim Huffman Adjutant ,Gainesville Vols, SCV Camp373,Perl River
County ,MS .For all his help with this
Research.
[1]https://www.civilwarfamily.us/3rd-mississippi-infantry.html
from Dunbar Rowland’s "Military History of Mississippi, 1803-1898";
company listing courtesy of H. Grady Howell’s "For Dixie Land, I’ll Take
My Stand’)
[2]Mr.
Jim Huffman Adjutant ,Gainesville Vols, SCV Camp373,Perl River County ,MS
[3]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/john_K_Jackson
[4]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clement_H_Stevens
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_campaign_Confederate_order_of_battle
No comments:
Post a Comment