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Confederate POWs at Greenbush Cemetery
Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana

Submitted by Tim Morrison [timorrison@Ardmore.Net].  Total records = 38.

The following narrative is from an article written to announce the Lafayette Monument to interested persons and groups in Tennessee.  The POW list has been updated and these 38 Confederate soldier's names were cut into the stone monument.  Several errors and omissions were corrected from the original list.

At 1:00 P.M. on Saturday, October 17,1998, in Greenbush Cemetery in Lafayette, IN, a monument honoring 38 Confederate POWs will be unveiled and dedicated.  These Confederate soldiers did not survive their confinement in a local prison camp during Februay & March of 1862.  Until now, their graves were incorrectly counted and listed as "Unknown, C.S.A."  As soldiers of the 32nd & 41st Tennessee Infantry Regiments, they hailed from the Middle Tennessee counties of Bedford, Franklin, Giles, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marshall, and Williamson.  They were surrendered at the Ft. Donelson debacle.

An earnest invitation is extended to all Tennesseans, especially re-enactors and SCV members with their families, to participate in the
ceremony.  Tennessee was challenged to muster a "second Army of Tennessee" to participate in this dedication.  Show your Southern spirit in a Northern state by honoring our fallen comrades with your presence at the monument dedication.

The Tennessee representative speaker will be Tim Morrison, Commander of Holman-Boone SCV Camp #152, who has four relatives buried in Greenbush.  Any descendant of these POWs will be honored as a Distinguished Guest during the dedication.  Check the list of POW names at the end of this article for any family members and join in the ceremony.

After the dedication, an open-air reception will be given for everyone back at the re-enactors' base camp on the bank of the Wabash River.  Cool drinks, light food, and period music will be provided for everyone's enjoyment.  Celebrate your Southern heritage in Lafayette by honoring these almost forgotten Tennessee Confederate POWs!

A local motel has reserved a block of rooms at a reduced rate for any participants staying in Lafayette.  For additional re-enactor
information, call Mike Weaver @ 765-449-7238 or Tom Laws @ 765-448-4532 during the day.   Tim Morrison can be called at 931-732-4617 or e-mailed at timorrison@ardmore.net for any additional POW data.

The Honored Interred:

Ashford, Dempsey-Pvt.   B Co., 32nd TN           Giles County
Bell, Alfred H.-Pvt.    D Co., 41st TN           Lincoln Co.
Bradley, James L.-Pvt.  G Co., 32nd TN           Marshall Co.
Byers, Robert A.-Pvt.   D Co., 32nd TN           Williamson Co.
Carter, Rueben M.-Pvt.  A Co., 41st TN           Lincoln Co.
Cross, Solomon B.-Pvt.  I Co., 32nd TN           Lincoln Co.
Dickey, James H.-Pvt.   C Co., 32nd TN           Lawrence Co.
Elkins, William P.-Pvt. K Co., 32nd TN           Franklin Co.
English, Willis W.-Pvt. F Co., 32nd TN           Giles Co.
Erwin, Josiah A.-Cpl.   B Co., 32nd TN           Giles Co.
Foust, John J.M.-Pvt.   H Co., 32nd TN           Giles Co.
Gilliam, Isaac L.-Pvt.  B Co., 32nd TN           Giles Co.
Holley, John W.-Pvt.    F Co., 32nd TN           Giles Co.
Johnson, Napoleon B.-Pvt.  D Co., 32nd TN        Williamson Co.
Johnston, Joseph W.-Pvt.   C Co., 32nd TN        Lawrence Co.
Johnston, William K.-Pvt.  C Co., 32nd TN        Lawrence Co.
Lauderdale, William F.-Pvt.  H Co., 32nd TN     Giles Co.
Maults(Maultsby), James C.-Pvt. H Co., 32nd TN  Giles Co.
McKinney, Daniel W.-Pvt.   F Co., 32nd TN        Giles Co.
McMasters, John H.-Pvt. H Co., 32nd TN           Giles Co.
Nance, Stephen-Pvt.     B Co., 32nd TN           Giles Co.
Partin, John L.-Pvt.    F Co., 32nd TN           Giles Co.
Patterson, A. Jackson-Pvt. A Co., 32nd TN       Lincoln Co.
Peach, Charles N.-Pvt.  D Co., 32nd TN           Williamson Co.
Philpott, Joshua A.-Pvt.   F Co., 41st TN        Bedford Co.
Roper, Thomas E.-Pvt.   C Co., 32nd TN           Lawrence Co.
Ruth, Marcus L.-Pvt.    A Co., 32nd TN           Lincoln Co.
Sansom, William-Pvt.    K Co., 32nd TN           Franklin Co.
Sharp, David W.-Pvt.    D Co., 32nd TN           Williamson Co.
Solomon, William-Pvt.   B Co., 41st TN           Bedford Co.
Stillwell, William L.-Cpl. G Co., 32nd TN       Marshall Co.
Sweet, James H.-Pvt.    D Co., 32nd TN           Williamson Co.
Warden, William R.-Pvt. A Co., 41st TN           Lincoln Co.
Warren, Thomas-Pvt.     A Co., 41st TN           Lincoln Co.
Wells, John J.-Pvt.     A Co., 32nd TN           Lincoln Co.
West, William M.-Sgt.   D Co., 32nd TN           Williamson Co.
Young, William P.-Pvt.  F Co., 32nd TN           Giles Co.

 

Tim Morrison was able to submit additional research notes on these honored soldiers:

From the original list, three names were left off the monument.  They are Hopper, Wakefield, and Samuel D. Ruth.  Mary Blair Immel, who has been writing a fine book on these POWs for the last five years, found a hospital stewart's note from an Indianapolis prison hospital stating that Samuel Ruth had died there, not Lafayette.

There are three Hoppers in the 32nd, but they don't really fit.  Mary wanted to keep A.C.(Albert) Hopper as the "G. Hopper" but we really didn't have any strong evidence for him.  It is very possible that with further research, someone will prove it. 

Two Samuel Wakefields were in the 32nd but neither one died in 1862!  I don't have a single clue where this name came from!

William Solomon was a Pvt. in the 41st TN Inf., not the 44th as the original list states.   There isn't a single Solomon on the roster of the
44th Tennessee Inf. 

Thomas E. Roper is the older brother of my great-great grandfather, Jacob Kyle Roper.   The name is not "ROSSER."  I found one other place where it was spelled "Raper."  I have no doubts about this correction.

J.J. Wells was an interesting character.  In the 1850 Lincoln County-TN census, a John J. Wells is listed.  Well, in the 1850 Marshall County-Tn census, a Josiah J. Wells is listed.  Both young lads are within one year of each other and you know how that is with census records.  To make things more complicated, A Company was formed from Lincoln & Marshall counties!  After some prodding from Mary, I finally agreed that John J. Wells was correct.  Unfortunately, my last list had "Josiah" on it and I think that is the way it got carved into the stone.   Additionally, his county needs to be changed to Marshall instead of Lincoln.   As far as I know, this correction is the only county change.

Several eyewitness accounts were used to document additional names.  The Tennessee Civil War Questionaire completed by David Bodenhamer was one such source.  He enlisted as a 17/18 year-old private in H Company (I use the company letters given after the Sept. 1862 reorganization; it is just easier for me) with many of his boyhood friends.   In January 1863, he was appointed Sgt. Major of the 32nd Tennessee Infantry Regiment.  After the war, he got his PhD and taught at Trinity Univ. in Texas for 31 years, retiring in 1914 as Emeritus Professor of Mathematics.  He definitely has credibility.  His father was a local, well-known minister.  Today, the area where David's family lived is referred to as the "Bodenham community."   Remember, we Southerners will drop the last sound on a regular basis!

David gave the names of five individuals that died at Lafayette, only one of which was on the original list-William Lauderdale.  The new names were John J.M. Foust (another relative), Stephen J. Martin, James C. Maults (Maults & Maultsby muster cards were filed under MAULTSBY), and John H. McMasters (another relative).

Another source from Mary was William Wirt Courtney.  He enlisted as a 17/18 year-old private and finished the war as a 2nd Lt. with D
Company.  At Lafayette, he served as a nurse in one of the three prison hospitals.   He listed five persons, three of which had already been named on the original list-Charles Peach, James Sweet, & William West.  The new names were David Sharp and Napoleon B. Johnson. 

N.B. Johnson's muster cards state he died at the Fourth Street Hospital in St. Louis on March 1, 1862.  Courtney is specific about N.B.
Johnson.  By listing three verified names, great credibility is given to the two new names he adds.  After the war, Courtney became a successful lawyer in Nashville.   His descendants still practice law in that area. 

Seven additional names were located by researching the mircofilmed muster rolls of the 32nd & 41st Tennessee.  These extra names had their place of death WRITTEN on their muster cards. 

Two came from the 41st TN.  They were Joshua A. Philpott and Thomas Warren.  I have located descendants from both men who plan on attending the dedication.

The remaining additional names were from the 32nd Tennessee.  They were Robert Byers, William Elkins, Joseph W. Johnston, William K. Johnston, and William Sansom.

________________________________________________________________________

DEATH DATES OF THE POWs

Immel & Morrison

March 1, 1862 Napoleon Bonaparte Johnson

March 2, 1862 William Warden

Thomas Warren - A second DOD of 3-26-1862 is listed on another muster card but I believe 3-2-1862 is correct.

Joshua Philpott - I prefer this date, while Mary Blair Immel(MBI) uses 3-23-1862.   Both dates come from muster cards.

March 3, 1862 Reuben Carter - MBI lists his DOD as 3-4-1862.  One muster card lists 3-2-1862 and three other cards list 3-3-1862.  I
chose to go with 3-3-1862.

March 8, 1862 James Dickey

Stephen J. Martin - MBI lists his DOD but on the David Bodenhamer list, no DOD is given.

March 9, 1862 John Holley

Charles Peach

March 10, 1862 Dempsey Ashford

James L. Bradley

Isaac Gilliam

William Solomon

James H. Sweet

March 11, 1862 Alfred H. Bell - His muster card has his nams as Alfred, not Alford.

March 12, 1862 Marcus L. Ruth

March 13, 1862 Solomon B. Cross - The original list has his DOD as 3-4-1862.  MBI list his DOD as 3-13-1862.

March 14, 1862 Willis W. English

March 15, 1862 William Lauderdale - MBI list his DOD as the 15th, but he is on the David Bodenhamer list with no DOD.

Thomas E. Roper

William Sansom - His muster card states his DOD.

William L. Stillwell

March 16, 1862 William P. Elkins - His muster card states his DOD.

March 21, 1862 Robert A. Byers - His muster card states his DOD.

March 23, 1862 John L. Partin

William P. Young

March 26, 1862 Josiah A. Erwin

John J.M. Foust

Daniel W. McKinney

March 27, 1862 William M. West

March 29, 1862 William King Johnston - His muster cards state his DOD.

Andrew Jackson Patterson - I have his DOD from a muster card as 3-26-1862, while MBI uses the 29th.  The name Andrew came from a census record.

April 2, 1862 Joseph W. Johnston - His muster cards state his DOD.

April 28, 1862 John J. Wells

_______________________________________________________________________


No DOD (Date of Death) was given for:

Maultsby (Maults), James C.

McMasters, John H.

Nance, Stephen

Sharp, David