Civil War Service & Unit History

The Family of:

Mary Ellen (Harland - Harlan) Harlin
(dau of Samuel & Susan [White] Harlan)
(Filed Civil War Pension request No. 39627)

Born:  13 Nov 1848 Bowie Co TX
Died: 10 Nov 1928 Bowie Co TX

Buried: Redwater Cemetery Bowie Co TX

Civil War Grave Marker Application

(1910 Census Mary had 9 Children with 6 Surviving)

Married: Dec 1869
(confirmed by 1870 census and 1900 census 'married 31 yrs')
William Henry Murphy  (CSA)
(Son of Jesse C & Elizabeth [Thompson] Murphy)
(Civil War Veteran Wm's Pension No. 14710 - Ellen's No. 39627
Served: Co C - 12th Arkansas Regiment)

Civil War Service Records
Born: Mar 1840/1842 AR
Died: 18 Oct 1923 near Redwater Bowie Co TX
(death date from Application for CSA Mortuary Warrant)
Buried: Redwater Cemetery Bowie Co TX

 Children of Wm & Mary (8)

Notes:
Frank was not married in 1930, up until 1920 he was living with his parents, and 1930 with his brother Willie A.  Death
Certificate says buried at Redwater.
Bowden Funeral Home did services.

Married: 3 Sep 1899
1st: John S Bolick
(1st wife Mary E Whitener)

Married: 21 Jul 1907
2nd: Tony Hughes
(son of John Hughes)
b. 21 Feb 1857
d. 29 Aug 1950 Rural Bowie Co TX
bu: Redwater Cem Bowie Co

Known Children: Unkn

Married: Unkn

Listed on 1880 as Levin (3)
Listed on 1900 Census as Lewis (29)
1910 mother had 9 children 6 surviving
means Lewis died bet. 1900/1910

Married: Unkn

Listed on 1880 as Areana (5/12 Mo.)
Listed on 1900 census Martha A (20)
1910 mother had 9 children 6 surviving
means Martha died bet. 1900/1910

Married: 18 Dec 1910 Bowie Co
John Jackson Stewart
(son of Sam T & Sarah R Cash)
b. 4 Oct 1887 Pinetucky AL
d. 10 Jan 1980 Bowie Co TX
bu: Hillcrest Cem Texarkana

No Children

Married: 22 Jun 1913
Alma Zona Gunter
(Tollie Mack & Mary E Gunter)
b. 31 Jan 1895 Plano TX
d. 20 Aug 1967 Pasadena Harris Co
bu: Redwater Cem Bowie Co TX
Children:  7 known
Fannie, Tollie, Florence, Charles,
Ruby, Frank J, Imagene Murphy

Married: 3 Dec 1914
Coy A Foster
(son of Thomas W & Martha Foster)
b. 2 Aug 1891 Dallas Co AL
d. 10 Mar 1956 Texarkana
bu: Hillcrest Cem Texarkana
Known Children: 4
Hazel Virginia, Harold
Coy Augustus, Flossie Lee

UP^    Tony Hughs h/o Fannie V - Death Certificate     UP^

No Grave found for Willie's wife Alma

V

In 1840 - in Franklin Union Co AR - there is a Jesse Murphy
Ouachita Co AR was formed from part of Union Co,
Wm H lived in Ouachita in 1860, Hempstead in 1850.
Noting this census here:
1840 Union Co AR Census -
  males: 0221001000000 - females:  200010000000

From the 1850 we know Jesse have no children until 1840 or 1841
but may have had a prior marriage, or older children that left home...?
The age ranfe in 1840 is within himself and wife... duly noted...

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1850 Census Hempstead Co AR Page 242
           ED 30th Nov 1850 - Missouri Twp

1860 Census Ouachita Co AR Sheet 50 Page 47
           Twp: Carouse ED 9th July 1860 PO Lone Grove

 1870 - Bowie Co Census (Married Wm H Murphy)
                 Page 18 Prec No 3 ED 20 Jul 1870
                 PO Boston ED by Wm Lee Maybry

1880 - Bowie Co TX Census Just Prec # 2
             ED date: 17 June 1880, by B F Hargett
             ED Dist: # 3 - sheet 30 b - Page 66b

Questions still to be resolved:

Who were the parents of William Henry Murphy ?  Jesse C Murphy born SC mother Elizabeth, born MO.
                                                                                Family was living in Hempstead Co AR 1850, 1860 Quachita Co AR.
What happened to Callie and Fannie Murphy ?       Callie was Mary Caroline Murphy named after her
                                                                                Mothers sister Mary Caroline White, dau of Elias White.
                                                                                May have married 1st J S Bolick 2nd Tony Hughes.
What happened to brother Lewis/Levi Murphy?

What happened to sister Martha Areana Murphy?

Is father Jesse C related to our Union Co SC Murphy's?

What happened to the Jesse C Family after 1860? 1870?
  Cannot find father or his children after civil war.

'' Work in progress... ''

  TOP

 Family of Jesse C & Elizabeth (?)
(Living in Hempstead AR 1850, Ouachita AR 1860)

Jesse C Murphy
(Parents currently unknown)

Born:  abt 1800/1801 SC
Died: Unkn at this time
Buried: Unkn at this time

Married: 12 Jan 1842 Clark County Arkansas
(Recorded in marriages before 1850 - Clark by Hempstead Co)

ELIZABETH Thompson
(Parents currently unknown)

Born:  abt 1819/1820 MO
Died: Unkn at this time
Buried: Unkn at this time
 

Children of Jesse & Elizabeth
Known Children: 9

 Civil War Service of

Pvt. William Henry Murphy (CSA)
(Pension No. # 14710)

Co. C. 12th Arkansas Regiment
Enlisted: July 1861 - Ouachita Co AR
Fought at Battle Belmont MO Nov 1861.
Served 4 years - 10 days - escaped capture
at Island #10 (MS River) New Madrid MO
joined 6th Arkansas, then exchanged back to
the 12th Regt., surrendered Battle Port Hudson
MS, released from captivity at Port Hudson LA.
Organized into the 2nd Regt - Trans-Mississippi

"The Southern Cross of Honor"
                          

Served Civil War:  Co. C - 12th Arkansas Regiment
Unit Organized: 27 Jul 1861 - Ouachita Co AR
Pension # 14710 (Wm), Mary's # 39627

Surrendered: Battle of Port Hudson MS 9 Jul 1863
Paroled 12-13 Jul 1863 at Port Hudson LA
(Unit Surrendered only after the Fall of Vicksburg MS,
greatly outnumbered the unit held off the Feds for 48 days)

Unit Engaged:
Fought in Battles in AR, MS, KY

Notes and Records of the 12th Infantry Regiment

NARA Film (M317) Roll 124 A-D
                                   Roll 125 E-P
     Roll 126 R-Z

The 12th Regt was organized 27 Jul 1861 and surrendered at Island #10  on 7 Apr 1862. Men who were not captured served with the 3rd and 6th regiments until the regiment was reorganized. Exchanged in late 1862. Reorganized at Jackson, MS 2 Oct 1862. Surrendered at Port Hudson, LA 8 Jul 1863. Paroled later that month. Consolidated with other units and designated as the 2nd Inf Regt Consolidated, Trans-Mississippi Dept 11 Jan 1864.

NOTE1:
Island #10 was a fortified island in the Mississippi River at New Madrid, MO.

NOTE2:
Some of the men not captured 8 Apr 1862 at Island #10 were organized into 2 companies and assigned on 16 Jun 1862 as second companies D and  F 6th AR Inf Regt and returned to the 12th Regt after it was reorganized 2 Oct 1862.

NOTE3:
From the record of events of Co D: "Nearly the whole of this company escaped capture at Island #10. It has reorganized and is at present attached to the 6th Ark Regt."

OTHER NOTES:

NOTE4:
William H Murphy joined the 12th Arkansas Regiment in the county he lived, at the time, Ouachita Co AR.
On his pension papers he stated he joined in May of 1861, his witness stated July 1861. This county was
located in the South West of AR

NOTE5:
On November 7, 1861, the regiment was engaged at the Battle of Belmont MO. The 12th Arkansas, 12th, 13th, 21st, and 22nd Tennessee Infantry Regiments, and Beltzhoover's Battery were the force on the Missouri side of the river when the battle began. No record of casualties was found, but the 21st and 22nd were in the center in an open cornfield under heavy fire and must have suffered heavy casualties. One
source shows about 1026 Killed and wounded. they were attacked by Brig Gen Ulysses S Grant, was his 1st combat in the Civil War.

NOTE6:
TN Unit History 46th TN - On February 28, 1862, the 46th was reported, not brigaded, in Major Gen~ral John P. MeCown's command at Madrid Bend. On March 17, the forces at Madrid Bend were reported as Stewart's Battery, Hudson's and Wheeler's Cavalry Companies, 1st Alabama-Mississippi~Tennessee, 11th, 12th Arkansas, 1st Alabama, 40th, 46th, and 55th (Brown's) Tennessee Infantry Regiments and Terry's Arkansas Battalion. On the Kentucky shore were the 11th and 12th Arkansas, and 4Oth and 46th Tennessee Regiments.

NOTE7:
...In a discussion of the 55 TN Inf Reft the 12th is mentioned:  Company reports state the regiment remained at Columbus, Kentucky, until March 1862, when it was ordered to Island No.10, where it remained during the servere bombardment until its surrender by General Mackall on April 8,1862.  On March 17, 1862, Major General J.P. McCowan reported he left at Madrid Bend Stewart's Battery, Hudson's and Wheeler's Cavalry, Terry's Arkansas Battalion, the 1st Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, 40th, 46th, 55th Tennessee, 11th, 12th Arkansas, and the 1st Alabama Infantry Regiments.

NOTE8:
[note from 6th Arkansas] - Before the regiment had left Corinth, approximately 200 men of the 12th Arkansas which had escaped from Island No. 10 were organized into two companies and attached to the 6th Arkansas. In December, at Shelbyville, TN, these two companies were returned to their own regiment as the 12th Arkansas had been exchanged by that time. Casualties at the battle of Perryville had already weakened the regiment [6th] , as well as decimating the 7th Arkansas, so the 6th and 7th Arkansas regiments were consolidated into one unit on December 15, 1862.

NOTE9:

Wm's 12th AR Regt. was at Port Hudson March 14, 1863 and until the surrender, July 1863.

Confederate Forces at Port Hudson
(Source: Edmonds, David C., The Guns of Port Hudson Vol. 2 )

NOTE11:
After the troops of the 12th AR Regt., were released were formed into/consolidated with other
units and designated as the 2nd Inf Regt Consolidated, Trans-Mississippi Dept 11 Jan 1864.
The fate is the 2nd Inf Regt., is unclear, but we know Wm served 4 yrs and 10 days - the whole war.

NOTE12:
A partial Roster of the 12th list WH Murphy and a witness to his service, on his application for a Pension in 1909:

MURPHY, W.H. Pvt  - Captured 9 Jul 1863 and paroled 12-13 Jul 1863 at Port Hudson, LA. C.M. 31 Jan 1865.
PICKETT, W.J.  Sgt  - Captured 9 Jul 1863 and paroled 12-13 Jul 1863 at Port Hudson, LA.   (verified Wm's service)

------------------------

NOTE13:
BATTLES THE 12TH FOUGHT IN:  (still being investigated)
The way it appears the 12th fought in AR, MS, LA, KY and TN.
Belmont       TN   - Battle of Belmont MO Nov 7th 1861 - 12th AR fought at battle with TN Regt's 12th, 13th, 21st, 22nd.  
Island #10    MO  - 12th AR stationed on KY side of MS River with 11th AR, & 40th and 46th,55th TN Regt,1st AL Mar 17th 1862.
Island #10    MO  - Garrison surrendered by CSA, Brig Gen Wm W Mackall April 8th 1862 at Tiptonville TN.
Corinth        MS   - 12th escapee's were attached to the 6th AR Regt., here before the 6th departed in the evacuation of Cornith...
Vicksburg    MS   -  12th was surrendered at Port Hudson, after Vicksburg MS fell.
Port Hudson LA   - Captured 9 Jul 1863 and paroled 12-13 Jul 1863 at Port Hudson, LA - The 12th is listed at CENTER of
                             battle field under Brigadier Gen Wm Nelson Rector Beall, Fought  2 major battles against Union Gen
                             Nathanial Banks troops, greatly outnumbered, inflicting major causalities on the Federals, and ending Gen's
                             Frontal assult tactics.  Federals had formed a blockade around the Port Hudson LA fortress, to starve the
                             Rebels out, but they held on for about 49 days, when Vicksburg MS surrendered, and the Port Hudson's
                             CSA commander verified this, only then did he surrender the Fortress, giving the Feds control of the MS
                             River.  The unit is listed at Port Hudson from March 14, 1863 to the surrender in July of 1863.
Battles Unkn:         After Port Hudson - 12th AR was consolidated with the 2nd Inf Regt. Trans-Mississippi.
                             thus battles from 12-13 July 1863 to wars end are not known at this time.

BATTLE OF BELMONT MO - Mississippi Co MO
 

On November 6, 1861, Brig. Gen. U.S. Grant left Cairo, Illinois, by steamers, in conjunction with two gunboats, to make a demonstration against Columbus, Kentucky. The next morning, Grant learned that Confederate troops had crossed the Mississippi River from Columbus to Belmont, Missouri, to intercept two detachments sent in pursuit of Brig. Gen. M. Jeff Thompson and, possibly, to reinforce Maj. Gen. Sterling Price’s force. He landed on the Missouri shore, out of the range of Confederate artillery at Columbus, and started marching the mile to Belmont. At 9:00 in the morning, an engagement began. The Federals routed the Confederates out of their Belmont cantonment and destroyed the Rebel supplies and equipment they found because they did not have the means to carry them off. The scattered Confederate forces reorganized and received reinforcements from Columbus. Counterattacked by the Confederates, the Union force withdrew, reembarked, and returned to Cairo. Grant did not accomplish much in this operation, but, at a time when little Union action occurred anywhere, many were heartened by any activity.

BATTLE OF NEW MADRID AND ISLAND NO. 10 OVERVIEW - Mississippi River MO/TN

[12th Arkansas Regiment particpated in the battle]       

Confederate forces under Brig. Gen. Pillow started construction of these two positions in April 1861, to block Federal navigation of the Mississippi. When Polk withdrew from Columbus, Ky., during the period 29 Feb. - 2 Mar. '62 in the preliminary moves of the Shiloh campaign, he sent the 5,000-man division of McCown to reinforce the 2,000 then occupying these two river positions. On a peninsula 10 miles long by three miles wide the defenses consisted of a two-regiment redoubt at New Madrid, and land batteries on a floating battery at Island No. 10. The latter was covered by land batteries on the Tenn. Shore.
        Federal forces had to reduce these forts in connection with their general offensive down the Mississippi. (Henry- Donelson and Shiloh campaigns.)
        Halleck had sent some of Pope's force in central Mo. To reinforce Grant's attack on Donelson; he also told Pope to organize a corps from the remaining troops in Mo. and to capture New Madrid.
        Pope realized that the 50 heavy guns and the small fleet of gunboats the Confederates had in and near the position necessitated a regular siege operation. He sent for siege artillery and started a bombardment and the construction of approaches on 13 Mar. On this same date McCown ordered the evacuation of New Madrid and moved the garrison across the river to the peninsula in order to avoid being isolated. For this action he was relieved of command and succeeded by Mackall.
        Pope now decided to cross the river south of New Madrid and turn the defense of Island No. 10. Since his supporting naval transports were upstream, he had a canal cut through the swamps so that boats could by-pass the defenses of Island No. 10. The canal was finished 4 Apr. Two Federal gunboats ran the Confederate batteries to support the river crossing, and on 7 Apr four regiments were ferried across the Mississippi to cut the Confederate line of retreat at Tiptonville. Mackall surrendered 3,500 men (over 1,500 of whom were sick) and 500 escaped through the swamps. Pope's victory opened the Mississippi to Fort Pillow, and gave him a reputation which led to his being selected by Lincoln two months later to command the Army of Virginia (2^nd Bull Run Campaign).
Source: "The Civil War Dictionary" by Mark M. Boatner III

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REPORT AFTER THE BATTLE OF ISLAND #10

Report of Brig. Gen. William W. Mackall, C. S. Army,
Commanding at Madrid Bend
with Letter from General Beauregard.
FEBRUARY 28--APRIL 8, 1862
Operations at New Madrid, Mo., and Island No. 10, and descent upon Union City, Tenn.

MACON, GA.,
August 21, 1862

General S. COOPER,
Adjutant and Inspector General.

        GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of my late command of Madrid Bend:
        In obedience to the order of General Beauregard, given at Corinth, I proceeded to Madrid Bend by the first opportunity, and reached the headquarters of Major-General McCown on the morning of March 31, and assumed command on the afternoon of the same day. On that day Major-General McCown, General Trudeau, chief of artillery, an officer in the service of the State of Virginia, the chief quartermaster, and chief commissary left the command, and every record of the post was carried away with General McCown, except six or seven letters from the headquarters of Generals Beauregard and Polk and two partial returns of troops of different dates. The information given to me by General McCown was to the effect that the gunboats could do no injury; that the enemy had 30,000 troops opposite to me, and that their batteries extended on the opposite side of the river from New Madrid to a point several miles below our lowest battery, which was planted immediately above Tiptonville; that they were endeavoring to cut a canal across the opposite peninsula for the passage of transports, in order to land below the bend; that they would fail, and that the position was safe until the river fell and no longer.
        The concurring testimony of the commanders of regiments was to the effect that their men were broken down by hard labor, dispirited by two recent evacuations, and impressed with the idea that the post was untenable and its defense hopeless. Examination by Captain Sheliha, my engineer, on April 1 and 2, showed that the works of defense consisted of a naval floating battery, and of water batteries mounting about fifty guns, on a coast of 25 miles in extent, without a single magazine, and the guns of far less range than those of the enemy. Satisfied that the post was only tenable so long as the forces of the enemy could not cross, and that with the troops at my disposal I could not secure the batteries from a land force, I devoted myself to increasing my batteries and establishing order among the troops and system in the staff department.
        On the night of April 1 the enemy stormed our upper batteries, defended by a guard of the First Alabama Regiment, and spiked the guns.
        On April 3 the fire from the enemy's rifled cannon forced the floating battery from its moorings.
        On the 4th, a note, signed "One of Jeff. Thompson's men," and dated April 1, gave notice that the canal would be completed the next day, the 2d. On the same night, during a violent storm, the first gunboat ran past all the batteries above New Madrid unharmed; it was early discovered, and every gun was opened on it.
        On the 6th, this boat engaged the lower batteries and silenced some. Supposing that an attempt to land would be made the next morning, I left the artillery to man the forts on and near the island and a regiment of infantry to guard the island. I moved at night with Stewart's light battery and the infantry stationed in that part of the bend, in all about 1,000 men, to a central point of the peninsula, 6 miles distant, ordering the remaining infantry, about 1,500 men, of whom 400 were unarmed, to join me at that point, with the intention of attacking the enemy, should an opportunity present itself on his landing. The storm of this night enabled a second gunboat to pass uninjured, and before the detachments of infantry had assembled from the different posts in the wide circuit of the bend the enemy were landing under the protection of the heavy batteries of their boats. I now determined to save, if possible, my infantry and light artillery by a retreat. But one way was open, through Tiptonville (distance 6 miles), a sluice, which here emptied into the river, and then by the bank of the river, under the fire of the enemy's battery on the opposite side of the river, the overflow covering this bank, and by its depth forbidding any movement farther inland. This was practicable, if the gunboats did not interfere. I accordingly put my command in motion, first sending my engineer to superintend the destruction of everything at the forts. He was intercepted by the enemy and forced to return, My arrival at Tiptonville was preceded by the gunboats, and the infantry, artillery, and cavalry of the enemy were on me. In my judgment resistance and escape were alike hopeless, and the next morning I surrendered the column under my immediate command.
        I make this report entirely from memory. Copies of all letters to the commanding general were destroyed, to prevent their falling into the enemy's hands. I make the report now, because on yesterday I received information that the President expected it. I did not make it earlier because I did not know that it was expected. I had reported the condition of the command and each movement of the enemy fully to the commanding general, and had assured him that the result would be as it proved, the fall of the place twelve hours after the enemy crossed. I hope you will do me the justice, with His Excellency the President, to inform him that when I asked when I might expect order, you told me that you could give me no information; that you suggested that there was no objection to my leaving the city of Richmond in the mean time; and, above all, that there was no suggestion made of any report or other act of mine as necessary or proper before leaving, or requisite as an antecedent to my return to the field.
        I hope to reach Richmond the day after the reception of this report, that I may more promptly and conveniently give any further information which you may require,.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. W. MACKALL,
Brigadier-General

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CULLUM'S SPRINGS,
Bladen, Ala., August 22, 1862.

Brig. Gen. W. W. MACKALL, Macon, Ga.:

        MY DEAR GENERAL: I have just received your kind favor of the 8th instant. I am happy to hear of your safe return to the Confederacy, and hope you will soon receive a command commensurate with your merit. I hope you are aware that immediately after the battle of Shiloh I made an effort to have you and the whole force under your orders at Madrid Bend exchanged for a like number of prisoners taken from the enemy, but "Proclamation Pope" refused to do so. I always intended, as soon as practicable, to renew again my application, but I found Halleck not more disposed to make an exchange of prisoners than his worthy lieutenant. I am delighted that at last you are out of their hands.
        I can see no necessity for a court of inquiry relative to the loss of Madrid Bend, for, if you recollect, when I sent you there General Bragg and myself told you that we considered matters there in a most desperate condition, and that you were going, as it were, on a forlorn hope, so that we were not at all surprised to hear of its fall. I only regretted that I had been unable to send you there several weeks earlier, to enable you to make your own preparations for its prolonged defense. Should you, however, at any time desire a court of inquiry to relieve you from any blame for the surrender of that position, which was considered by me only as an outpost to Fort Pillow (not then entirely completed), I will gladly give you any assistance in my power to obtain one.
        I hope to report for duty on or about the 1st proximo, when I would be most happy to have you under my orders, should you desire to serve under me again.

Sincerely, your friend,
G. T. BEAUREGARD

BATTLE OF PORT HUDSON LA