The Alabama in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Cpl. W.H. Burdett, Clanton's Brigade

Henry, I don't have all of the answers, but it could be that Corporal Burdett who was writing to his wife wished to appear very knowledge about Civil War events in his life and, thus, may have exaggerated a few things. As for some of his other statements, I gathered that, indeed, some statements were exaggerated - such as 200 men against 7000 and you walk away? The following gives a bit more inof about Clanton.

http://www.civilwarreference.com/people/index.php?peopleID=715

The following was extracted from the biography of
Brigadier-General James Holt Clanton

In the spring of 1863 Colonel Clanton raised three more regiments, the Sixth, Seventh and Ninth Alabama cavalry, and on November 13th of that year was commissioned as brigadier-general in the provisional army of the Confederate States. In 1864 he had a fierce fight with General Rousseau at "Ten Islands," on the Coosa river. In this affair he lost his entire staff, Capt. Robert Abercrombie, of Florida, and Lieutenant Judkins, of Montgomery, being killed, and Captain Smith, of Dallas, and Lieutenant Hyer, of Florida, being wounded. Being ordered to Dalton, he reached there ahead of his command, and acted as aid to General Polk, at Resaca, Adairsville and Cassville. For his services in getting the artillery and stores safely across the Etowah, on the retreat from Cassville, he received the thanks of the generals of the army of Tennessee. He was subsequently placed on duty with his brigade in the department of Alabama, Mississippi and East Louisiana. Early in 1865 he relieved General Baker at Pollard, and soon afterward defeated a raiding party of the enemy. In March he was dangerously wounded and captured at Bluff Spring, Fla. From 1866 he resumed his law practice, and was the great leader of the Democratic party in his State until his death at Knoxville, Tenn., September 25, 1871, where he was shot down on the street by the son of Hon. T. A. R. Nelson, an ex-Union officer. His remains were carried to Montgomery, the capital of Alabama, where they lay in state, and were followed to the grave by the whole population. The demonstrations of grief and respect that came from every part of the State, showed the high esteem in which Alabama held this gallant soldier and honored citizen.
Confederate Military History

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Cpl. W.H. Burdett, Clanton's Brigade
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