CAPT. CARLETON'S COMPANY
This company, the first in Newton county, was organized at Decatur, and called the Newton Rifles. The organization was completed as early as the first of March, 1861, Montgomery Carleton being the Captain; was mustered into service on the 9th. of March, same year, by Capt. Yerger. On the 13th. May following it left the town of Newton for Corinth, Miss., and entered the 13th. Mississippi regiment of Infantry, commanded by Col. William Barksdale. From there they were ordered into camp of instruction at Union City, Tenn., and there remained six weeks; from there to Jackson, Tenn., where they remained but one day, and were ordered to Virginia, where they participated in the first Manassas battle, on the 21st. of July, 1861. The officers were: Montgomery Carleton, Captain; 1st. Lieutenant, Dr. M. H. Watkins; 2nd. Lieutenant, John A. Keith; 3rd. Lieutenant, A. J. Smith; 1st Sergeant, Robert M. Patterson; 2nd. Sergeant, Jacob Dansby; 3rd. Sergeant, A. F. Clarke; 4th. Sergeant, John A. Clarke; 5th. Sergeant, James M. Stephens; 1st. Corporal, John Allen; 2nd. Corporal, Job Taylor; 3rd. Corporal, B. F. Quattlebaum; 4th. Corporal, Jourdan Oakley. When the 13th. Mississippi Regiment was re-organized, 26th. April, 1862, Captain Carleton was left out, and came home and organized another company, and Thomas W. Thurman, a lawyer from Decatur, was chosen captain. George W. Williams succeeded as first lieutenant, and Wm. C. Goodwin as second lieutenant; A. F. Clarke as third lieutenant. Wm. C. Goodwin resigned as second lieutenant, August, 1863, and A. F. Clarke took his place. George W. Williams resigned the place of first lieutenant, and A. F. Clarke, by promotion, took his place, and M. R. Watkins took the position of second lieutenant. Captain Thurman lost a leg at Fredericksburg, and was for a time retired, but was nominally the captain of the company. In the absence of the captain, the first lieutenant, Clarke, commanded the company, and after his capture, the command devolved upon Lieutenant M. R. Watkins. This company was in many engagements, and probably lost as many men as any company from Newton county.
The number of engagements are as follows: First Manassas, July 21st.,1861; Leesburg, Garrett's Farm, Savage Station, Malvern Hill, Maryland Heights, Sharpsburg, second Fredericksburg, second day at Gettysburg, third day at Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Knoxville, November 16th.,1864; Knoxville, November 29th.,1864; Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Horse-shoe, May 12th.,1864; Hanover Junction, Cold Harbor, June 3, 1864; Cold Harbor, June 5th., 1864; Petersburg, June 21st.; Petersburg, June 22nd.; Charlestown, Berryville, Va., Rock Fish Gap, Cedar Run. These battles were up to the first of March, 1865. From that time up to a few days before the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox on the 9th. of April of same year, was a continuous series of battles and skirmishes with the enemy in defense of the Confederate Capital. A few days before the surrender of General Lee, this company was captured and taken to Washington City, and from thence the officers were taken to Rock Island..
The casualties of this company were seventeen killed and died of wounds, twenty-two died of disease, thirty-five discharged from disability, six discharged from wounds. The total enrollment, from first muster to the surrender, was 139 men.