The Seventh Mississippi was one of the original eight regiments called into state service under the first call for troops from Mississippi on March 9, 1861. The various companies were being enrolled from April to August and were mustered by various officers including Brigadier-General H.R. C1ark, a physician who had lived in Franklin County; Ms. The Seventh was a pleasing designation in Franklin County, as that had been the designation of Franklin County troops in territorial days.
The companies were moved to Natchez, where they “boarded ships to the guff coast”. In late August or early September. It was intended by Governor John J. Pettus that the Seventh would become one of three regiments and a battalion for coast defense. It was organized on September 25, 1861, with headquarters at Bay St. Louis. The companies were scattered to Camp Goode at Shieldsboro, Camp Clark at Bay St. Louis and at Pass Christian. During this time, it was quite easy for a man to go home and join another regiment, or just go home. The men suffered from camp fever, pneumonia and measles. It is hard for us to believe today, but many died of the measles.
There was a high wind and rain the night of October 31, 1861, in which many records were ruined. During this period, if a man was ill two months, he as usually discharged.
The regiment was ordered to join the Army of Tennessee and left by railroad cars. There was a railroad collision at Ponchatoula, Louisiana on February 27, 1862, with heavy loss of life. Incidentally there was a later railroad collision in Alabama in1863, with minor losses. The unit participated at Shiloh with an undetermined killed and wounded. Some records are incomplete, but it is believed many who died shortly after Shiloh of typhoid fever were actually dying of wounds, which induced fever. Some were also wounded and killed in the defense lines at Corinth.
At Mumfordville, Kentucky (called Mumsfordville in Confederate Records), the regiment was heavily engaged in the area called Fort Craig. The old men and boys were discharged at Barbstown, Kentucky and all foreign nationals that wanted a discharge. From this date until the end of the war, the regiment was nearly continually on the line participating in various skirmishes and actively engaged at Murfreesboro, Tn., Chickamauga, Ga., Missionary Ridge, Tn. and in 1863 Atlanta campaign. They were actively engaged at Kennesaw Mountain, Marietta, Rasaca and in two battles at Atlanta on July 22nd and 28th, 1863. They fought at Jonesboro and in the Tennessee campaign At Franklin and Nashville. Many men were wounded and sent to various hospitals (official regimental musters have been found after August1864). It was found that at the end of the hostilities, men were scattered from Mississippi to North Carolina. We are more familiar with the men of Company A, B and K who were wholly or partially enlisted from Franklin County. It was found that many were discharged and later joined other infantry artillery or cavalry units. Although we have not made a complete study of the other companies, we feel that the same trend occurred in those units. Pension records in Franklin County show that some men were wounded at places that were not shown by Confederate records.
The most influential men of the counties made up the officers and non-commissioned officer corps, i.e. the State Representatives, County Officials and rich planters. Most of the men were farmers but the butcher, the baker, the cobbler and everybody and his brother went.
In the company records listed below which contain a list of all of the men of Companies A thru K, we will leave out most hospital records, ages of the men, and special duty such as teamster etc. Some men were wounded three and four times, suffered imprisonment possibly twice, and had numerous adventures. We have culled this material and will only mention one, two or possibly three facts about each man.
FIELD AND STAFF WHO SERVED FOR SHORT PERIODS WITH THE SEVENTH REGIMENT
Lieut. Colonel A. G. Mills- Apr. 24—Aug. 16, 1862; returned to 9th regiment Quarter Master S E Rumble — detached service Dec. 1863 Assistant Surgeon L H Cohen — Sept.—Dec. 1863; to 24th Miss Assistant Surgeon Alfred W. Perry — transferred to Macon, Ga. Assistant Surgeon William W Moore — captured at Murfreesboro Assistant Surgeon Thomas Turner — transferred to 41st Miss
Powers Confederate Cavalry, 14th Confederate Cavalry, 23rd Cavalry Battalion, Darden’s Artillery, Youngblood’s Signal Corps, 2nd Battalion State Troops, Co. E 4th Louisiana, 1st Mississippi Artillery, 3rd Confederate Engineers, 9th Battalion of Miss Sharpshooters, 2nd Militia
• Indicates someone whom we feel was not a member of the 7th Mississippi but the person named is found on the microfilm records of the unit.
COMPANY A
Company A 7th Mississippi, “Franklin Rifles”, enlisted April 25, 1861 and were mustered by Brigadier General M. B. Clark at Camp Clark, Franklin Co. Ms on April 29, 1861. The men drilled on the Samuel Swayzie Montgomery plantation, then called encampment Camp Minerva after Minerva Herrington, the sister of Lieutenant F. C. Herrington, prior to going to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
THE MEN OF COMPANY A
Captain William J. Proby not -elected; reenlisted and killed at Atlanta; served as Lieutenant Colonel and Provost Marshal of Franklin County in 1862. 1st Lt. William M. Porter — resigned as Captain due to month’s illness; Co. I, 14th Confederate Cavalry 2nd Lt. Pinckney Cotesworth Herrington - not re-elected; became Lt. Col. of Cavalry 3rd Lt. Adolphus Brown — resigned Dec. 1861; enlisted Co. B 14th Confederate Cavalry 1st Sergeant James M Lowe — not mustered; joined Darden’s Artillery school teacher. 2nd Sergeant Jacob R Sample — surrendered in North Carolina; a physician 3rd Sergeant George lmes — promoted to 1st Lt. transferred to Co. K; born in Va. 4th Sergeant Dewitt Clinton Graham — did not muster; State Representative; joined 23rd Cavalry 5th Sergeant Thomas Samuel Cotton — became captain; disabled from wounds at Atlanta 1st Corp. Hardy G. H. Magee — wounded at Murfreesboro and captured at Missionary Ridge 2nd Corp. John Everly Holden not re-elected was 2nd Lt.; later served in Youngblood’s Signal; was a physician and later a judge; had his servants Ale and Blackman with him 3rd Corp. John A. Higginbotham — wounded at Shiloh; killed at Murfreesboro, Medal of Honor 4th Corp. Elias Green — did not muster; transferred to Co. E 4th Louisiana
Privates: Eugene E. Adams — wounded at Atlanta and lost a leg; became circuit clerk of Franklin Co. George M. Adams — captured at Missionary Ridge; exchanged March 1865 David Leroy Aldridge — discharged; later served in Youngblood’s Signal and in the Cavalry Manfield L. Aldridge — transferred to sharpshooters; was later Deputy Sheriff John B. Allred — from 44th Miss to Co. A; transferred to Co. K Charles Arnold - captured in Kentucky and exchanged; killed at Missionary Ridge Ira Amasa Austin — died of wounds at Murfreesboro; born at Point Coupee Louisiana Charles W. Beam — discharged as fifteen year old; joined Co. I 4th Cavalry Soloman J. Beck — from Co. E; discharged; joined Co. I 14th Confederate Cavalry James P. Bennett - wounded at Shiloh; surrendered in North Carolina Jesse D. Bennett — wounded at Missionary Ridge and Atlanta; surrendered in N. C. Micajah P. Bennett — wounded at Murfreesboro; missing at Atlanta James M. Bovard — died at Bar St. Louis of pneumonia Charles Brewerton — not mustered; a forty year old painter from England Barnett Broadnitz — discharged Oct. 1861; joined Co. F 1st Artillery; born in Europe William K. Brown — killed at Shiloh; Kentucky born shoemaker William Prater/Prather Buckles — captured and exchanged in Ky; captured at Missionary Ridge Joseph S. Buie — not mustered; joined Co. C 33rd Regiment William B. Buie — became surgeon; resigned Dec. 1862 Blanchard D. Butler — discharged; served in 14th and 23rd Cavalry Thomas Byrd - died Oct 1861 of pneumonia Thomas Jefferson Byrd — discharged 1861; enlisted in 14th cavalry Winston W. B. Byrd — surrendered as 4th Corporal in North Carolina George W. Cain — had leave and was captured in Alabama on way back Hardy H. Cain wounded at Shiloh and Murfreesboro; accidentally killed in Alabama William T. Calert, Jr. — killed at Murfreesboro in the first charge Bryant M. Caraway — wounded at Shiloh and Murfreesboro; surrendered at Citronelle, AL William B. Carraway - wounded at Shiloh; in hospital on last roll William S. Cassidy — not mustered, enlisted Co. F 2nd Militia and Co. I 14th Confederate Cavalry Jasper N. Chambers — died Jan. 23, 1863 at Shelbyville, TN John Chambers — wounded Chickamauga; surrendered in North Carolina Henry M. Cloy — died of pneumonia at Oxford (Grave located) Richard M. Cloy — wounded at Shiloh and Atlanta; surrendered in North Carolina Zachariah Reeves Cloy — captured in Kentucky and exchanged; on last roll; died 1902 Joseph Robert Cotton — transferred from another unit; died in TN William Van Cotton — became 2nd Lt. wounded at Atlanta; various hospitals Walter Courtney — captured at Missionary Ridge Zachariah Monroe Coward — captured at Missionary Ridge; died in 1909 at Kirby Jacob J. Cox — transferred to Co. D 19th Mississippi Octairous H. Cox — not mustered; joined another company George McD. Crosby — transferred to Co. K; born in Alabama Wm. M. Crosby — various hospitals; paroled in Alabama; born in Monroe Co. AL Frances B. Cruise — died of typhoid Apr. 1862 (probably Shiloh wound) Samuel Cruise — from Co. K; died of typhoid (probably Shiloh wound) Thomas S. Cruise — discharged July 1862 ‘dead” Isaac J. Davis - from another company; furloughed and dropped John L. P. Dixon - ran off and hid; Louisiana pension Thomas Alexander Ducker - died of typhoid (probably Shiloh wound) Thomas Ephraim Dixon — furlough; joined Co. A 14th Confederate Cavalry Jesse T. Evans — from another company; wounded and captured at Missionary Ridge John K Ford — sick furlough and then hid out; born in GA Rufus R Ford — wounded at Shiloh and Mumfordville; transferred to 3rd Engineers William H Freeman - wounded Shiloh and Atlanta; surrendered in North Carolina Charles H. Gammill — transferred to 3rd Confederate Engineers Thomas Wesley Gammill — lost leg at Shiloh and died Wade H Golden/Gaulden — on last roll Aug. 186?; a school teacher John M Gill - on last roll Aug. 1864 Joseph Glack — surrendered in Ala; born Warsaw Poland; residence New Orleans Jefferson L Godbold — captured at Missionary Ridge and died in prison Grave located Benjamin F Grant — captured Missionary Ridge and paroled; paroled at Jackson Edward 0. Grigsby — on roll Aug. 1862—July 1863 as Assistant Surgeon; 9th Miss John F Gunter — transferred to 44th Mississippi John F Hall — transferred to Navy; deserted at New Orleans; from Mass. Leonardis Ransom Hall — discharged for disability; married widow of D. C. Graham *Samuel D. Harris — a captain in 7th Miss Battalion; captured in Al *Thomas Head — from Calhoun County *J M Helton — captured at Gettysburg; died in prison Henry Hemelscompt — discharged as 46 year old native of Obbue, Germany; joined the artillery Benjamin C. Herrington — discharged; joined Co. I 14th Confederate Cavalry Merrick Herrington - died at Brandon; born in KT William S. Higginbotham , severely hurt in railroad accident; Co. B 14th Confederate Cavalry (Grave located) Lewis N. Hollinger — got a substitute; then enlisted in Co. D 33rd Mississippi Gaston C. Holloway — died of wounds at Atlanta Ferdinand C. Huff — transferred to be with his father in Co. K Ira B Hull — did not muster (probably joined another company) Henry J N Hunt — transferred to Co. D 19th Mississippi Henderson D. Hunt — wounded at Murfreesboro; wounded and captured at Missionary Ridge Thomas J Hunt — did not muster; enlisted in “Dixie Guards” Co. H 39th Mississippi Thomas R Hunt - killed at Missionary Ridge Thomas F Johnson - discharged and joined Co. K 1st Mississippi Artillery James M Jones, Jr. — surrendered at Meridian; son of probate judge John D Jones — wounded at Murfreesboro; missing at Chickamauga William G Jones - hurt in collision on railroad in Alabama; discharged; Co. D 14th Cavalry John Marion Kinnison - killed at Shiloh David V. Lard/Laird — not mustered; Co. B 14th Cavalry William J Laughman - captured in KY; paroled; went home sick *John Lavell - captured at Antietam; Army of Northern Virginia James Alexander Lee — transferred to Co. E as 1st lieutenant (Grave Located) Wyatt B. Lee - died at Oxford of typhoid (probably wounded at Shiloh) Charles Adelbert Lehmann — transferred to Co. B 19th Mississippi (my (Hadskey's) great grandfather) Elisha V. Lewis — wounded at Murfreesboro; on last roll (one of his descendants married my sister) George W. Lewis — discharged Sept. 1862; born in Faxxola Co. William Jackson Lewis — did not return from leave, Confederate report stated that “he was at home in Franklin County secreting himself from enrolling and conscript officers”. In an old ledger in the court house it showed that he was hung. This is untrue as he died in Franklin Co. in 1903. It is a fact that several lads ran off from various units and hid out in Franklin County. Captain William Porter of Co. I 14th Confederate Cavalry caught some of them, tied their hands behind their backs, put a rope around their necks and made them keep up behind the trotting cavalry. We have always heard that one fell down and was strangled to death. Ole Bill Porter was a special nemesis to absentees in Franklin County. Levi P Lyons — killed at Atlanta Alva A Magee — wounded at Murfreesboro and Chickamauga; captured in GA John Kinnison Magee — killed at Shiloh; was a mason from Hamburg Edward Moreau - killed at Shiloh; was a Russian born shoemaker C N Maxwell — Sergeant Major; captured at Selma, AL Charles McCaa — was also on Co. K rolls; enlisted in 23rd Battalion of Cavalry Alexander McDonald — transferred to 3rd confederate Engineers; born in Scotland Ellison C. McManus - transferred to Co. K *E. McMarks — 7th Mississippi Battalion; captured at Selma, AL; 31st Mississippi ‘ William T. Meeks — 7th Mississippi Battalion; captured at Marietta, GA James M. Melton — wounded and captured at Resaca, GA Henry H. Meredith — discharged; 2nd Militia Thomas J Meredith — wounded at Murfreesboro and Missionary Ridge William S Miley — discharged; enlisted in Co. B 33rd Mississippi John B Mock — from another company; on last roll Abner T. Montgomery — not mustered; enlisted Co. F 2nd Battalion of State Troops J W Moore — discharged Dec. 1861 William B. Moore — transferred to Sharpshooters Alfred Morgan - died of dropsy Levi Morgan — captured at Missionary Ridge; exchanged Mar. 1865; his wife Malissa wrote that he died a Rebel at McComb City on May 31, 1909 *Murray Jackson — from Sunflower Co. Marcus Myers - disability discharge; a German peddler Elisha W. Nettles — discharged at Shelbyville, TN David Hosteen — transferred to Co. D 19th Mississippi Rankin Pate - killed at Shiloh Thomas M. Pickett — missing at Atlanta; killed or died in prison William W Poole — shown on sick leave Oct. 1861 Samuel O. Porter - wounded at Murfreesboro; surrendered in North Carolina *Nathaniel Potts — from Calhoun County Benjamin J. Price - captured wounded at Franklin, TN Robert A. Rawls — transferred to sharpshooters; lost a leg Jesse Rials — enlisted Co. 0 33rd Mississippi William Wesley Roberts — died of typhoid at home Alfred Renfrew — not mustered ‘dead’ Benjamin Hogan Riggs — Assistant Surgeon Jan. 18, 1863 to capture at Jonesboro, GA Washington L Roberts — died of pneumonia in KY; was a doctor Edward F Robertson — discharged for Shiloh wounds; enlisted Powers Cavalry Robert Rogers — enlisted in TN Sept. 11, 1862; ran off the next month; a Georgian S E Rumble — Quartermaster Captain Sept. 27, 1861—Dec. 18, 1862 James F Rush — captured at Nashville Thomas Ryan — transferred to 3rd Confederate Engineers; an Irish brickmason John A. Sample — discharged; joined Co. B 14th Confederate Cavalry; born in Indiana John B Sanders — did not muster Samuel L. Scott — wounded at Murfreesboro and Atlanta; lost leg and sent home Marcus Silverburg — discharged as foreigner; Polish born tailor Christopher C. Strait — transferred to sharpshooters Leonard. Sylvester Strait — from another company; captured at Nashville Daniel W. Swazie/Swayzie — discharged; joined Co. I 1st Mississippi Artillery Archibald S. Taylor — died in TN Benjamin F. Temple — discharged; enlisted Co. B 14th Confederate Cavalry Lloyd A. Temple — died in service Rowan Temple — not mustered W P Thompson - death claim in Feb. 1864 Thomas Turner — Assistant Surgeon from 41st Mississippi May—Dec 1863 James Hardy Wactor - from another regiment; died in GA Louis Walter - not mustered William Washington - paroled at Montgomery, AL Thomas A. White — transferred to Co. K James Whittington — died of measles at Columbus, MS Joseph W Whittington — killed at Mumfordville, Ky. Leander J Whittington — transferred to Co. K Stanmore R. Whittington; died of Shiloh wounds; son of Martin Whittington Joseph B Wilkinson — discharged as forty year old; born in Missouri John A Zumbro — surrendered in North Carolina
