April 9, was the 158th anniversary of the surrender at Appomattox. There were very few Tennesseans in the Army of Northern Virginia. Among the few was the 63rd Tennessee that had returned with Longstreet's Corps to Virginia in the spring of 1864. Among the 7 survivors of Company D was my 3 x 1st cousin, James Jefferson Land. "J.J." came to East Tennessee from Wilkes County, NC. in the mid-1850s along with his widowed mother and two older sisters. James died in Knoxville on Sept. 30, 1914. The previous June he had been among seven awarded the "Cross of Honor" at a UDC banquet given for Confederate Veterans in Knoxville. Perhaps others will recognize their ancestors' names among the survivors.
SURVIVORS OF THE 63RD TENNESSEE AT APPOMATTOX:
Co. “A”. Organized on April 15, 1862, in Claiborne County.
Co. “B”. Organized May 12 at Knoxville, from Roane County.
Co. “C”. Organized May 12 at Rogersville, Hawkins County.
Co. “D”. Organized May 13 at Jonesboro, Washington County.
Co. “E”. Originally organized June 6, 1861, as Co. “K”, 3rd (Vaughn’s) Tennessee Infantry Regiment from Sullivan County. In the first Battle of Manassas. Reorganized May 14, 1862.
Co. “F”. Organized May 14, 1862, from Sullivan County.
Co. “G”. Organized May 6, 1862, at Knoxville.
Co. “H”. Organized May 16, 1862, at Cleveland, Bradley County.
Co. “I”. Organized June 14, 1862, at Jonesboro, Washington County.
Co. “K”. Organized July 19, 1862, at Jonesboro, Washington County.

William Franklin Turk Confederate Drummer of Company D 63rd Tennessee. He enlisted and mustered into Company D on 7/30/1862. He was in the assault on Snodgrass Hill during the battle of Chickamauga, 404 men made the assault and only 202 remained. He was present and paroled at Appomattox. Like many former Confederates, he left east Tennessee after the war and settled in Texas, where he lived out his days.