|
My g grandfather Benjamin Frank Jones lived in Giles County at Elkton in the early 1800s. I did not know him except through stories that were handed down from generation to generation. Some of the facts were altered, but the basic story
holds true to the records that I have been able to find. The
history of his civil war record follows.
Benjamin
F. Jones
Pvt. Co. B, 32 Regt Tennessee Infantry
Enlisted Dec 2, 1861 in Chattanooga, Tennessee under Col Ed C. Cook.
Muster Roll dated Oct. 3 , 1862 by Col Cook states that he has
never been paid. Muster roll dated Dec. 2, 1862 signed by Capt. Shipard states that he was paid up to Nov. 1, 1862.
In April 1863 muster roll notes that he was sent to hospital.
The roll of Prisoners of War list B. F. Jones as captured on Aug. 16, 1863 in Murfreesboro, TN. And appears on a register of Prisoners of War received at Military Prison, Louisville, KY Sept. 4, 1863. (Louisville, KY., Register No. 2; page 166.) He was forwarded that same day to Camp Chase, Ohio by order of Brig. Gen. J. T. Boyle. On Jan. 22, 1864 he was forwarded to Rock Island, Ill. Records show that he arrived at Rock Island on Jan. 24, 1864.
Records show that Benjamin agreed to sign an oath of allegiance to the United States and his signature appears on that oath at Rock Island, Ill. dated March 29, 1865. It reads:
Untied States of America
"I, B. F. Jones Pvt. 32 Tenn., Inft. Of the County of Elkton, State of Tennessee, do solemnly swear, in presence of Almight Got, that I will henceforth faithfully support, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and the Union of the States thereunder; and that I will, in like manner, abide by the faithfully support all acts of Congress passed during the existing rebellion with reference to slaves so long and so far as not repealed, modified, or held void by Congress, or by decision of the Supreme Court; and that I will, in like manner, abide by and faithfully support all proclamations of the President made during the existing rebellion having reference to slaves, so long and so far as not modified or declared void by decision of the Supreme Court: So help me God."
It is signed and dated by B. F. Johns, and F Riyze (cannot read this name, just guessing)
The last line is a description of B. F. Jones as fair complexion; light hair, blue eyes, and is 6 feet 0 inches high. 35 years old.
According to the stories handed down to me, Benjamin Jones walked home from that prison at Rock Island. It took several months. By the time he got home, he was sick and had lost a lot of weight. He never fully recovered from the events of the war.
The family moved to Alcorn County, Mississippi. There were several daughters and one son. They settled in the Alcorn County, Mississippi and McNairy County, Tennessee area. Benjamin died in 1885. His wife, Sarah Higgins Jones lived with her children and applied for a widow's pension. She was legally blind.
|
