Thomas Jackson Mitchell

Thomas Jackson "Dead Horse" Mitchell (19 Jul 1836-29 Nov 1917) was the son of Peter Mitchell and Ellen Kilmurry and the husband of Victoria Louraney Henley. He served in Company G of the 3rd Regiment of Mississippi Infantry. His notorious nickname derived from having hidden inside his dead horse when he was trapped on the field of battle as Union troops collected the wounded to be sent to prison camps. He is buried in Mitchell Cemetery, a private family cemetery on part of his original land grant in the Sones Chapel Community. (Photo courtesy Mark Clinton Davis)



Dead Horse

Fact or Fiction

   There are many strange and unusual stories from the Civil War, but one of the strangest to me is the battlefield story of the infantry private we’ll call T. J. This private was a foot soldier in Company G of the 3^rd Regiment Mississippi Infantry.  He saw conflict in the war from Snyder’s Mill near Vicksburg to Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia.  Since there is no record of his surrender in Vicksburg, it is assumed that he was not one of the 72 3^rd Regiment members trapped in Vicksburg during the siege.

   The story goes that T. J. was riding a horse into combat and the horse was shot from under him.  When the horse fell, T. J. injured his foot and was trapped on the battlefield.  As the battle raged throughout the day, T. J. took what cover he could find.  As the day was drawing to a close it became evident that the Rebels were losing the field and began to retreat.

   As the Union soldiers moved across the field, doing whatever it is that victors do, T. J. sought a place to hide.  He cut the dead horse open and crawled inside.  When he emerged the next day from his bloody hiding place and made it back to his regiment, the first question asked had to have been, “How did you survive?”  The answer to that question gave T. J. a new name – “Dead Horse.”

   According to the muster rolls for Feb. through Aug., 1864, Dead Horse was absent on order from the regiment surgeon.  Since the August 1864 muster roll is the last one available, Dead Horse may or may not have returned to active duty.  The question arises as to the truth of the story.  Dead Horse was a foot soldier so why would he be riding a horse into combat?  But if he was, where did he get the horse?  Was the original owner shot out of the saddle?  If so, did Dead Horse just take advantage of the moment and grab the rider less horse?  Finally, could it be that Dead Horse was on extra duty with the cavalry?

   Whatever the truth of the situation, T. J. returned to south Mississippi following the war and lived to the ripe old age of 81 passing away on 29 November 1917.

Source: Davis, Mark C. “Dead Horse” Pearl River County Historical Reporter, Vol. 1, No. 5 (July 2008).

Covington Rangers

Covington Rangers

   Company I, “Covington Rangers,” 7^th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry were mustered into State service 11 August 1861 at Bay St. Louis, MS (Shieldsboro).  Along with 3^rd Regiment Mississippi Infantry, they were mustered into Confederate service on October 5, 1861 in Shieldsboro. Most of the members of this company enlisted at Mt. Carmel in Covington County, MS in April 1861.  They have also been known as “Covington Rifles” or Captain John T. Fairley’s Company.  Because of the large number of enlistees of Scottish descent in the company, it was sometimes called the “Scotch Company.”

   The 7^th Regiment and Company I was one of the most actively engaged units in the Western Theater of the Civil War.  They were with Bragg at Shiloh and Corinth, then became part of Bragg’s Army of Tennessee and fought in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia, before finally surrendering in North Carolina in 1865.

   This company had a good record.  An analysis of some of the companies of the Seventh Mississippi in The Journal of Mississippi History concluded that the regiment was one of the best in the Confederate Army. There were a few loose cannons and deserters, but very few.

Hancock Rebels

Hancock Rebels

   As General A. S. Johnston and General P. G. T. Beauregard were preparing the troops in what Beauregard had named “The Army of The Mississippi” in Corinth, Mississippi for an assault on U. S. Grant’s position at Shiloh, Tennessee a group of south Mississippi farmers and family men were answering the call to arms.  Organized at old Hobolochitto a company of some 100 plus men were organized into what became known as the “Hancock Rebels.”  Sent to Grenada for training and then to Jackson, they were mustered into the Confederate Army as Company C, 38^th Mississippi Infantry.

   The Hancock Rebels were engaged in several battles and conflicts across the state.  Their first taste of battle was at Corinth just before Beauregard pulled his famous night retreat from Corinth.  The only fight the “Rebels” were in outside the state of Mississippi was the battle of Sipsey’s Bridge, Alabama.

   In early 1864, the 38^th Regiment were given horses (the may have been mules) and had the honor of serving under General Nathan Bedford Forrest at the Battle of Harrisburg.

   The 38^th Mississippi Infantry (Mounted) was surrendered on May 14, 1865 at Brewersville, Alabama.  Twenty one of the 100 plus men who enlisted in the Hancock Rebels gave the ultimate sacrifice in the service of the Confederacy.

Historical Marker located at the Mississippi Welcome Center on Interstate 59 north, just south of Picayune, Mississippi.

Correction

The wrong photo was included with the Gainesville Volunteers post.  I have included the correct photo in this post.

Gainesville Volunteers

At 4:30 a.m. on April 12, 1861, General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard gave the order to open fire on Fort Sumter.  Thus began the war that pitted American against American and brought destruction to many of the southern states.

   In anticipation of this event, several southern states had begun to organize local militias for the defense of their region. In southern Mississippi two such groups were organized in the coastal region.  The “Biloxi Rifle Guard” was organized in Harrison County and the “Gainesville Volunteers” in Hancock County.  The “Gainesville Volunteers” were organized and commanded by Mexican War veteran, John B. Deason, a lawyer and general collecting agent.
   These two groups along with several others were mustered into Confederate service in October, 1861 as the 3^rd Regiment Mississippi Infantry.  They were giving the charge of coastal defense and set about learning to be soldiers. 
   Following the defeat in the battle (?) of Pass Christian the Third was transferred to Camp Moore in Louisiana and then to Jackson, Mississippi and on to the defense of Vicksburg.  They almost participated in several battles in an around Vicksburg.  It seems that if fighting broke out on the left of the line, the Third was on the far right or on the left when the fighting was on the right. During the battle of Champion Hill, the 3^rd never fired a shot.  Seventy-two members of the 3^rd were trapped in Vicksburg and were surrendered with the fall of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863.  The remaining members of the 3^rd marched to Crystal Springs and then to Jackson and became attached to Joseph Johnston’s forces.
   Those from Vicksburg were paroled to camp at Enterprise and exchanged in December.    Some of the soldiers began the long walk from Enterprise to Gainesville never to return to the war.  There they hid from the Federals and at least one was arrested and imprisoned on Ship Island for aiding and abetting the Confederates.
   The remaining members of the Third were reorganized and joined in the battle for Atlanta.      

The Third was now a part of the Army of Tennessee under the command of General Hood. The Third took part in the battles of Franklin and Nashville before being sent to the Carolinas to reinforce Joe Johnston’s meager forces as the Confederacy came crashing down.

Historical marker located at the Mississippi Welcome Center on Interstate 10 east, near where the group was organized in 1860.

Introductory Comments

   The particular units of interest are Company G, “Gainesville Volunteers” of 3^rd Regiment, Mississippi Infantry; Company C, “Hancock Rebels” of the 38^th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry (mounted); and Company I, “Covington Rifles” 7^th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry.

   From time to time other units will be mentioned and written about.  For example, my wife’s great-grandfather served with Company I until his capture at the Battle of Franklin, however, his three brothers also served in the Civil War, but in different units.

   The 3^rd Regiment fought in and around Vicksburg and was surrendered on July 4, 1863.  They later reorganized and were involved in battles in northern Alabama, Georgia and Hood’s Tennessee campaign.

   The 38^th Regiment was involved in battles at Corinth (twice), Iuka, and were surrendered at the fall of Vicksburg.  In early 1864 the 38^th was reorganized and mounted serving in various locations in Mississippi until the end of the war.

   The 7^th Regiment gained more battle experience than they wanted at Shiloh and the siege of Corinth.  They were assigned to Bragg’s army and fought in Kentucky, across Tennessee, into northern Alabama and Georgia, back in Tennessee and finally surrendering in North Carolina in 1865.

   The 3^rd and 7^th Regiments were sworn into Confederate service together in Shieldsboro, Mississippi in October 1861.  The remnants’ of the two regiments were together again at the end of the conflict in 1865.