Burrell's War #T

 Burrell:  Chaper 1 here; Chapter 2 here.

Chapter 3

Mr. Jenkins predicted accurately that the Burrell twins would continue to study and learn.  Scooter's passion for history led him to ferret out every book in the county that treated with the development of civilization, and particularly the history of the United States.  Shortly after he turned sixteen he sat  for admission at Emory and Henry College.  With his expansive knowledge of history, getting in was a breeze.  He  matriculated, applied himself to the required Latin and Greek studies, and went on to read  law with Rice & Rice in Bristol.  He was admitted to the bar in  the Commonwealth of Virginia at the age of twenty-one.

Meanwhile, Cooter had  continued his  education in a much different, but equally effective  way.  He fell in with a band of people to whom states' rights trumped the power of the federal government.  He spent hours debating these issues, mainly in the inns within the radius of a few miles, but also in the town squares.  Eventually Cooter was an observer at the Virginia General Assembly listening to the proceedings, and carrying his ideas to the people in the streets.  Always learning, always teaching.  In 1860 at the age of 23, Cooter stood  for  election  to  the House of Delegates.  He  was narrowly defeated, but not discouraged as he continued to promote his political ideals.

Inevitably both George Washington Burrell and Andrew Jackson Burrell were embroiled in the civil strife that tore  the nation apart and  when hostilities began and war was declared, each chose  his  side.  The Commonwealth along with a large bloc of Southern States seceded from the Union.  Cooter enlisted in the Confederate army.  Scooter, on the other hand, had a  deep-seated love for his  country that outweighed all other considerations.  He  joined the Union forces.

In their respective armies, each Burrell achieved the rank of Infantryman, Private and each was posted to active duty in the war.

Nearing mid-February 1865 moving with Sherman's Army up the coast Scooter Burrell was in the push against Wilmington led by General Schofield.  It was vital for the Confederacy to hold Wilmington, equally important to the Union to take it.  Scooter was near the end of the left flank as the point moved ahead.  Slogging through the marshes was incredibly tiring, but vigilance was the watchword.  As Burrell cautiously moved forward, he spotted to his left a grey uniform, twenty-five yards.  As he assayed to take aim, the splash of a fish or a bird on the water behind him caught the attention of the Reb and when he looked up he saw the Blue raising his rifle.  Cooter immediately responded in kind, and in the instant of sighting and aiming, each soldier was looking squarely into his own face.

A choking in his throat and a feeling that his heart would stop, Cooter held his aim.  A tear ran down Scooter's cheek, and the report of the rifles was as one.  Two minie balls  sped toward their targets.

The family Bible, entry on the "Deaths" page:

George Washington Burrell, February 11, 1865, Wilmington, North Carolina.  Aged 28 years, five days.

Andrew Jackson Burrell, February 11, 1865, Wilmington, North Carolina.  Aged 28 years, five days.

finis

The Most Tragic Conflict=

Declaring that Peace, Order, Tranquility, and Civil Authority Now Exists in and Throughout the Whole of the United States of America.  Proclamation 157, President Andrew Johnson. August 20, 1866

The bloodiest war in US History was declared over by President Andrew Johnson on this date 150 years ago.

The American Civil War, or for those still fighting it, "The War of Northern Aggression," started with the attack on Fort Sumter by a Confederacy of seven Southern slave states.  The Confederate States of America ultimately consisted of eleven states.

The war was over in the spring of 1865 when the Confederate government imploded.

The war cost 620,000  American lives and generated millions of pages of written material, books, magazine articles, and scholarly papers.

Resurrected and Reposted #T

Pulled out of the archives from six years back. Minor editing.

Genealogy led me to this bit of family lore, which I have combined with a bit of historic information I have gleaned from various sources. My maternal grandmother's grandfather served in the USArmy under Winfield Scott during the Mexican campaign. It is said that Grandfather, Spencer Lawson, was with Scott during the incursion into Mexico. It is historic fact that Scott took Mexico City. What role Private Lawson played in this is unknown, other than the fact that he survived and returned to his native Hawkins County, Tennessee.

Prior to this war and on a visit to New Orleans in 1846, General Scott was defeated at chess by nine-year-old Paul Morphy. He lost two games to the boy.. Scott was not amused. Though Scott was a Virginian, he maintained his loyalty to the United States when the Civil War rent the nation. He is credited with the "Anaconda" plan by which the South was eventually strangled into submission.

Meantime, when the War Between the States started, Grandpa Lawson said, as did his general of the Mexican campaign, "I will not take up arms against the flag I fought under." It is said that he joined the Union forces; but while home on leave, he was betrayed by a relative, captured by the South and imprisoned at Andersonville. I visited Andersonville a few years ago and sought to verify this. While I found Lawsons from Hawkins County, there was no record of Spencer Lawson having been there. It is a known fact, however, that wherever he was held he was paroled due to illness, records of which I have obtained. He died in military hospital in Annapolis in 1864. His widow was eventually able to draw a pension for his service in the Mexican War amounting to twenty dollars a month.

Scott was the Whig Party nominee for President in 1852. He was defeated by Democrat Franklin Pierce. He died in 1866.

[Sources: Morrell-Palmer Family Records, National Archives, Wikipedia]

Word of the day: loyalty

A History Lesson in Rogersville #T

Caney Creek, Tennessee

October 1, 1901

“Hidy, Miss Dora!”  It was Uncle Jeptha.  I was in town with Mama.  “Miz Rutledge, Ma’am!  Fine day.  Might Dory sit here on this bench with me whilst you shop?  I get her a sassparilly.”

“Please, Mama?”

“Certainly.  Now you be right here when I get back, hear?”

“Do you know about the war thet was fought right here, Chile?”

“You mean the War Between the States, Uncle?”

“Thet’s the one.  Waal, they was a big ol’ battle right here where we are a sittin’, oh, thirty-seven, thirty-eight year ago.  Way afore your time. Afore mine, too.  Ha!" 

“My Grampa Rutledge was in the war.”

“Most ever’one hereabouts were.  See, the thing is, Tennessee were with the South, but lots a fellas hereabouts had fit for the United States years afore, ‘n they join with the Union.  Lots a families plum split apart account a thet.   Your Aunt Grace Grandaddy were one a them.  He join the Union army, go off to fight for the North.  But one November he get a short leave, come home to see his wife ‘n kids.  ‘N whilst he were here, His cousin Avery, Avery were Reb all the way, Avery tell the sojers in grey thet ol’Steven were at his house.  So they capture him, send him to prison camp.  Waal, sad ending account a Steven tuk sick there an’ die.  Never get home again.

"So thet is how come your Aunt Grace fambly have nothin’ to do with Avery’s chirren ‘n gran’chirren to this day.”

“Oh, that is a sad story, Uncle.”

“War is a sorry bidness, Honey, a sorry bidness.”

Mama pick me up then and Nellie Belle carry us home.

Please, God, don’t ever, ever let there ever be war again.

Goodnight, dear Diary.



© 2014 David W. Lacy 48