The Tennessee in the Civil War Message Board

Confederate Conscription In East Tennessee

Where would a Confederate Conscript from upper East Tennessee (Sullivan & Washington Counties) report to? Knoxville? Bristol? would they have received any training to speak of? What about those "Reluctant Rebels" that had to be rounded up? Seems I recall one source that said those that had to be forcefully taken were put on a train and sent directly to the front and the units they were assigned to. Both my direct 2 x great-grandfathers were Confederate Conscripts. Both were born about 1825-27) both were poor dirt farmers with several children. Their various experiences in the war were very different!

My Dad's great-grandfather, David Land of Wilkes County, NC reported to Camp Vance in Morganton, NC on Feb.17, 1864. He was assigned to Company I 13th NC Infantry and was listed on their roll for March-April, 1864. He was promoted to Corporal in October. He survived the Overland Campaign and Siege of Petersburg. David was captured on April 2, 1865 "near the Southside Railroad" which tells me he was probably part of the remnant that attempted a stand at Sutherland Station. He was held at Hart's Island, NY until mid-June when he finally took the oath. He applied for a Confederate Pension on June 13, 1901. He died before 1910.

My Mom's great-grandfather's story is very different! John Harvey Cox of Sullivan County, Tennessee, was assigned to Company B 19th Tennessee Infantry. There is only a record of his capture at Cowan, Tennessee on July 3, 1863, accompanied with the statement "due to be released at Louisville." There's no record of his enlistment, mustering-in, or reporting in any way. There is no record of him as a P.O.W. and no record of him agreeing to stay "north of the Ohio" for the duration. There is an inquiry about him from a Mr. Whitcomb I assume from the pension board, seeking additional info on him. It's dated 1911. John passed in 1906. Family lore says he returned home and had several "encounters" with the local Confederate Reserves serving in the capacity of "Home-Guard". One such encounter reportedly resulted in a botched effort at hanging John. A relative in the group returned in time to cut him down. It's said he never was able to speak above a whisper afterward. Not long ago I found a UNION pension index card for a John H. Cox, Company D 4th Tennessee Cavalry, dated April 25, 1904. Two years before his death. On the roll of the Union 4th Tenn Cavalry, I locate a Thomas Cox and a Henry Cox, but no John!