Clifton Boys

From Giles County Tennessee three sons and a son-in-law of Marmaduke and Sarah Wisdom Clifton answered the call Dec. 1861 for CSA enlistments. John Martin, Doctor Wisdom, Marquis Lafayette and Thomas H Maxey (husband of Emily Clifton) were all assigned to Co. G. 53rd Tennessee Infantry. John Martin Clifton was soon transferred to Cap. Lewis M. Kirk's Co D, Col. Jacob D. Biffle's 19th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment.

"Dock" Wisdom, Marquis "Fate" and Thomas H. Maxey were all captured at Fort Donaldson 16 Feb 1862 and imprisoned at Camp Morton, Ind. In a letter from prison to his family "Fate" tells of Maxey being sick on the way there. He died 2 Mar 1862. D.W. and M.L. were later released and reorganized Sept. 1862. M.L. was at Port Hudson, La. in Feb 1863. He was hospitalized with a leg wound.

J. M. was with Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest at Jackson and Parker's Crossroads in Dec. 1862. On 5 March 1863 he was with Forrest's Brigade at Thompson Station between Franklin and Columbia Tennessee. A few days later at Spring Hill he was shot in his left wrist. He was crippled in that arm and hand for the rest of his life.

Click HERE to see a photo of John Martin Clifton.


Submitted by: Jim and Ruby Thomas