Hello. J. D. Pearce was a Sgt. in Co. C of the 8th.
He was in the "Hornets Nest" and bathed his wounds at the Bloody Pond.
I have a cousin out West who is a bigger history person than I am. He is almost an authority on the 8th as he has studied it so much in past yearsand he shared all of that with me.
When J. D. Pearce's widow filed for a pension, her brother-in-law wrote it up about going out and picking him up at Shiloh. So what I know was written down long ago, not with the thought of passing it on, but just to help his widow.
My own kin fought in the American Revolution with some of them-Temple brothers-being wiped out by the hired German soldiers. I also descend from a man named Pickett who was a leader in the Am. Rev. as well as several others.
I know a lot of what I know because I researched it.
All of us have stories to tell, if we will only search and learn. I would encourage you to search for more information. I can assure you that the information you will find in the 8th Arkansas is more likely correct than a lot of others.
As far as me trying to fight someone else's battles, I doubt that. You have been well educated as you phrase things nicely but I doubt that you were raised in the South.
Even the most polished personality who descends from
my kind of background will tell stories of the Yankees coming and invading their property, burning houses, etc.
To be honest, it is almost like a secret society. Many will have a keepsake from that time.
I still take pride in my Southern heritage and who I am.
My kin were brave enough to stand up and fight in the American Revolution, the War Between the States, the Spanish American War, WWI, WWII, Korean, and Vietnam.
God Bless America and Happy 4th of July to you and yours.