No Braver Soldier

Brigadier General James Deshler

       James Deshler was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama in 1833. He obtained an appointment to West Point and graduated seventh out of forty-six cadets in the class of 1854. He served in the United States Army until the Civil War began, fighting Sioux Indians and putting down the Mormon uprising in Utah. He received a leave of absence when the war began and never returned. Instead of resigning his commission, the government dropped his name from the rolls. 

       President Davis commissioned Deshler a captain and placed him in command of an artillery battery in western Virginia. He later served as an aide on the staff of Edward Johnson. In an engagement at the Greenbrier River, Deshler was shot through both thighs as he rode along the front lines. He refused to leave the field until the fighting ended. 

       Upon his recovery, he was promoted to colonel and assigned to the staff of Theophilus Holmes in North Carolina. He was chief of artillery under Holmes during the Peninsula Campaign and saw action at Malvern Hill. Holmes labeled Deshler as his best staff officer saying he couldn't afford to lose the man. 

       After the Seven Days Campaign, Holmes was transferred to Arkansas. Deshler would be sent with him, but relieved of duty as a staff officer and assigned a brigade of Texas infantry under General Hindman. His first action as infantry commander was at Arkansas Post, a fort on the Arkansas River. Deshler was spectacular there. He commanded his men to hold their fire until the Federals were within a hundred yards, breaking two enemy charges. Someone raised a white flag in the fort during the fighting, although General Churchill in command of the fort denied he authorized a cease fire. The Federal line in front of Deshler again came forward thinking the fort had surrendered. Deshler shouted that unless they pulled back, he would open fire again because he was without orders to cease firing.

Battle of Arkansas Post

       Sherman and Churchill together rode to Deshler's position. Sherman attempted to dress Deshler down, saying, "What is the meaning of this? You're a regular officer and know better."

       Deshler replied in an angry tone that he didn't have orders to cease fire. Churchill explained to Deshler that he hadn't ordered the surrender, but the fort was overwhelmed because of the display of the white flag from an unknown person. Deshler then ordered his men to stack their arms. 

       Sherman decided that he might disarm Deshler's attitude by a friendly conversation, but he didn't know Deshler very well. Deshler's parents had been born in Pennsylvania, but moved to Alabama before he was born. Sherman asked, "Are you related to the Deshler family in Columbus, Ohio?"

       Deshler, who was still irritated about being captured, replied, "I'm not related to anyone north of the Ohio River anymore."

       Sherman said he believed he gave Deshler a piece of his mind, but couldn't remember for sure. 

       Deshler was held prisoner for five months before being exchanged. He was promoted to brigadier general in July, 1863 and placed in command of Churchill's brigade of Texas troops who had lost faith in him as a commander following the surrender of Arkansas Post. The brigade was then assigned to Cleburne's Division in the Army of Tennessee under General Braxton Bragg. 

       It would be September of 1863 before Deshler would see his first action as a general officer. On September 20, he was waiting to enter the battle when Cleburne approached. Cleburne made mention to the fact that Deshler's men had yet to see action in this battle. Deshler replied, "Well, its not my fault!"

       Cleburne laughed and ordered Deshler forward. Colonel Mills soon sent word that his men were running low on ammunition. He fully expected to see one of the general's staff officer's coming to check the ammo boxes. He looked around and was surprised to see Deshler himself coming in his direction. Before he reached Mills, an artillery shell struck him in the chest without exploding and passed all the way through his body, taking his heart with it. Brigadier General James Deshler was dead before he hit the ground. 

Spot where Deshler fell at Chickamauga

       Mills reported that Deshler was "brave and generous, and kind even to a fault...Refusing to permit a staff officer to endanger his life in going to examine the cartridge boxes to see what amount of ammunition his men had...when he fell as he would wish to fall...surrounded by the bodies of his fallen comrades."

Grave of James Deshler

       James Deshler would be removed to Oakwood Cemetery in Tuscumbia, Alabama. He was loved by the men of his brigade and they would gain fame later as Granbury's Texas brigade. Deshler was 30 years old. The high school in Tuscumbia is named Deshler High School in his honor. The Dixie Station in downtown Tuscumbia sits on the site where his parents lived and he spent his childhood. 

Me standing beside the monument to Deshler beside his grave

       General Robert E. Lee wrote, "There was no braver soldier in the Confederacy than Deshler."

       

       

A Knight Without Fear

James Holt Clanton

       James Holt Clanton was born in 1827 in Georgia, but his family moved to Alabama in 1835. After finishing school, Clanton went to the University of Alabama. He served as a private in the Mexican War and returned to become an attorney in Montgomery, Alabama. Though he opposed secession, he raised a company of cavalry at the outbreak of the war and quickly was made colonel of the 1st Alabama Cavalry. He would prove to be a man without fear, always leading his charges, pistol in hand. 

       Clanton would see his first action at the Battle of Shiloh. According to General James Chalmers, Clanton was “constantly exposed to the most dangerous fire, exhibited the most fearless and exemplary courage, cheering on those who seemed inclined to falter or grow weary.”

       He saw action at Farmington and at Booneville drove the enemy from the field. Like most officers in the army, he had a disagreement with General Bragg and resigned his commission as colonel of the 1st Alabama Cavalry. General Bragg had little use for officers without  proper military training and this probably was what caused them to have the disagreement. 

       Clanton returned to Montgomery and raised one infantry regiment and three cavalry regiments. He would receive a commission to brigadier general in late 1863. General Leonidas Polk called Clanton “an experienced cavalry officer, very efficient and enterprising.” 

Another wartime picture of Clanton

       For some reason, General Joseph Johnston, who was always begging for troops refused to accept Clanton’s brigade into his army. He stated that Clanton was incompetent. Why he believed this is still unknown, but probably stems from a mutiny in one of his regiments at one point earlier in the war. Clanton had been cleared of any wrong doing in the affair. 

       At Greensport, Alabama, he was outnumbered six to one by Federal troops, but the brave man decided to attack at dawn. He charged around the bend, personally leading his 200 troops. Pistol in hand and charging on foot. He was only twenty paces away when the Federal opened fire, armed with Spencer repeating rifles. His clothes were riddled with bullets, his entire staff killed or wounded. 

       During the fighting, a large black soldier named Griffin a member of his command approached General Clanton and asked, “General, where is Marse Batt?”

       Clanton was as calm as could be, pointed toward the Federal line and said, “There he is, dead.”

       Griffin charged forward, amid cries to stay back, through the smoke and bullets and picked up the young soldier and returned with him in his arms. 

       “Is he dead?” Clanton asked.

       “I don’t know, sir,” he replied, “My Mammy was his nurse and I’m older than he is. I promised to take care of him and bring him to her. I’m carrying him home now.”

       The Confederate troops were compelled to retreat before the terrific Federal fire. 

       In March, 1865, he was wounded in a fight at Bluff Spring, Florida. He fired his pistol at a Federal officer and spun his horse to ride away when a bullet slammed into his lower back. The bullet passed through his intestines and then exited the body. Doctors informed him the wound was mortal, so he called his chief of staff and had him write out Clanton’s will. Captured by the Federals, they paroled him, believing he would die. He was told if he survived the wound, he was to report to a prison camp. 

       After the war, Clanton returned to his law practice. Representing Alabama in a case against the Chattanooga and Alabama Railroad, he was forced to travel to Knoxville, Tennessee. He understood that Knoxville had sided with the Union during the war and believed the railroad had the case moved to Knoxville in an attempt to have him murdered. 

Another surviving photograph of General Clanton

       On September 27, 1871, after leaving the courtroom, Clanton was walking back to his hotel room with a Colonel Prosser. Tomlinson Fort later testified that he was walking down the sidewalk across the street with David Nelson who had served as a colonel in the Federal army during the war. 

       Tomlinson Fort walked across the street and shook Clanton’s hand because they were also friends. He then introduced Clanton to Nelson, saying, “Nelson fought against us, but had been very kind to his late enemies.”

       Nelson was already intoxicated. He asked Clanton to come have a drink with him. Clanton agreed to enter a saloon with the two men. On the way to the establishment, Nelson asked Clanton, “I’ll show you something if your not a coward.” 

       Clanton, known to as a knight without fear, answered, “Do you think I’m a coward?”

       “I’m not sure,” Nelson repeated. He then began to insult Clanton, becoming very excited. Clanton as was his nature during the war remained extremely cool. This seemed to make Nelson even more excited because he couldn’t intimidate the man.

       Tomlinson Fort placed his hand on Nelson’s shoulder and said, “Keep cool, Dave. You are in the wrong and there is no use in fighting.”

       Nelson ignored him. He said to Clanton, “I don’t know whether you’re a coward or not.”

       “You can try me anytime or place,” Clanton replied.

       Nelson said, “This is as good a place as any.”

       Fort stood talking to Clanton, telling him they were both his friends and there was no use in fighting. Nelson disappeared inside the saloon and returned a few moments later carrying a double-barreled shotgun.

       Nelson fired without taking careful aim, trying to kill Clanton before he could arm himself, but missed. Clanton drew his pistol and fired back, but missed also. Nelson then fired again, hitting Clanton in the shoulder and chest with over fifteen pellets of buckshot. Clanton immediately went to the ground, landing on his hands and face.

       The buckshot had gone into his lungs, torn his shoulder from the socket and shredded several arteries in his chest. They carried him to the Lamar Hotel where he would die a few moments later. Clanton left a widow and six children, some very young. 

Lamar House Hotel

       The case went to trial in 1873 and was highly publicized. A Judge Trigg also witnessed the incident and testified that Nelson fired the first shot at Clanton, who was not prepared or armed. 

       Nelson’s defense attorneys claimed the murder was in self-defense. The jury took five minutes to acquit Nelson of the murder charge. The entire state of Alabama became furious over the trial. Newspapers called the trial a big sham. 

       Interestingly, David Nelson’s father Thomas Nelson was a prominent politician and judge in Knoxville, Tennessee. He resigned his seat as judge to help defend his son’s murder charge. After his son was found not guilty, Thomas Nelson would spend the remainder of his life teaching Sunday school. Today, Thomas Nelson rests in an unmarked grave. David Nelson has long since been forgotten about, unlike the brave man he unjustly murdered.

Thomas Nelson, father of the murderer

       James Holt Clanton rests today in Greenwood Cemetery, Montgomery, Alabama. 

Me standing beside the grave of General Clanton

The gallant charge of Brigadier General John Adams

Confederate Brigadier General John Adams

       John Adams was born in Nashville, Tennessee on July 1, 1825. Adams entered West Point and graduated in 25th in the class of 1846. He fought in the Mexican War and was cited for gallantry at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Rosalea. He would spend the remainder of his career in the United States army fighting Indians out west. 

       When the Civil War began, Adams would receive a commission of colonel in the cavalry and remain at that rank for the first two years of the war. One embarrassing incident occurred at Sweeden's Cove, Tennessee, where his command was surprised by Federal forces and he would lose over a hundred men. Despite the mishap, General Joseph E. Johnston would recommend Adams for promotion to brigadier general. He would receive that promotion by May, 1863 and took command of Lloyd Tilghman's Mississippi brigade after that officer's death at the Battle of Champions Hill. 

       He would spend the remainder of his life in command of this brigade. He saw action at Jackson, Mississippi during the Vicksburg Campaign. After the surrender of Vicksburg, his brigade would be transferred to Georgia, where they fought throughout the Atlanta Campaign. 

John Adams early in the war

        Adams would be in lead the brigade when Hood's army invaded Tennessee in the fall of 1864. At the Battle of Franklin, Adams was wounded in the arm early in the fight. His staff insisted he leave the field for medical attention. Adams refused, saying, "I am going to see my men through."

       Once his brigade neared the breastworks, they came upon and impenetrable abatis of Osage Orange trees the Federal soldiers had chopped down in front of their works. Adams brigade came to a sudden halt and he understood for them to stay in this position meant certain death. He rode his horse west until he came to a gap in the abatis and directed his men to charge through. Leading by example, he turned his horse through the gap and charged the Federal breastworks alone. The Federal troops could hardly believe their eyes. 

John Adams gallant charge at Franklin

       Colonel Scott Stewart of the 65th Illinois Infantry yelled for his men to hold their fire because he thought John Adams was too brave an officer to die this way. At that moment, Adams rode his horse upon the breastworks and attempted to snatch the regimental battle flag from the flag bearers hands. The color guard opened fire at once. Adams and his horse both collapsed in a heap, the horse landing on the leg of the general. 

       When the firing had died down, the Federal soldiers climbed onto the works and pulled the general from beneath the horse. He had been hit by nine bullets, but was still alive. They made him a pillow of the cotton from the old gin house and gave him water. At this point, the Federal soldiers apologized for shooting such a brave man. Adams replied, "It is the fate of a soldier to die for his country." He died a few minutes later and after dark, the Federal soldiers placed his body back among his men on the other side of the works. 

       The next morning, his body was placed in a wagon beside the body of Major General Patrick Cleburne and carried back to the rear porch of the Carnton Plantation. His body was then carried to Pulaski, Tennessee where it rests today beside his wife in Maplewood Cemetery.

The grave of John Adams in Pulaski, Tennessee

       Like a lot of incidents that occur during the fog of war, Adams death would become controversial after the war. One soldier in the 65th Illinois reported that Federal troops found Adams in front of the earthworks, but the man was already dead. He stated the body was brought inside the Federal lines and placed near the cotton gin which caused many to believe the general had actually penetrated the Union lines. 

       Federal General Jacob Cox stated that Adams and his horse were shot outside the breastworks. He claimed Adams horse charged ahead after being hit and died on top of the works. Adams, he reported, was shot through the legs and attempted to crawl away when he was shot to pieces. He originally stated that Adams was never brought inside the works, but later changed his story. Cox was in the vicinity, but in all likelihood he never witnessed the death of Adams personally and was only repeating a story he had heard.

       Colonel Casement, commander of the brigade that Adams charged, claimed in 1891 that he was the man who spoke with Adams. He said that Adams was conscious and uncomplaining and only desired to be placed back among friends. 

       Tom Gore, a soldier in the 15th Mississippi Infantry said he saw Adams horse staggering after being hit by nine bullets. This account was soon accepted as false due to the fact that Adams cousin and adjutant, Captain Thomas Gibson stated that Adams horse named "Old Charlie" tended to squat close to the ground when under fire. With all the heavy firing at Franklin, it is almost certain that Adams horse did the same here, causing Gore and others to think the animal had been hit.

       Most historians today believe that Adams was hit on the enemy parapet and taken prisoner only to die within Federal lines. Most believe he was then returned to the Confederate side of the works after dark before the Federals retreated to Nashville. Whichever story is true, one thing is certain, Adams was one of the bravest officers in the Confederate army and few have led such a gallant charge in any war.