From Wm. hadskey's report on the 7th Miss.---
Company B, "Bogue Chitto Guards”, enlisted on April 27, 1861 at Bogue Chitto and was comprised of men from Lawrence and Pike County, Mississippi. This company had one of the best records of the Seventh Regiment possibly due to the example of one man, Joseph A. J. Hart. Ole Uncle Joe Hart was a veteran of the War of 1812, being seventy years old when he enlisted as third corporal. He survived being captured and being wounded and was still ready to fight Yankees when the men he was with surrendered at Citronella, Alabama. A tribute is made to him in the History of Pike County.
Although according to Confederate Records, he never rose above the rank of sergeant, unofficially he was "cadet” of his sons, grandsons and other assorted relatives in the company.
One may wonder why a seventy year old man would join any army. A single man would never know why, a married man with children would have an idea but any grey haired grandparent would know. Joseph A. J. Hart wanted to be with his family, especially his grandsons, even if it meant a brush with death and all of the horrors of war.
GP