Who was the Confederate soldier?
He was a man of every color, every income range, every religion, a man who was highly educated or had no education at all. A farmer, a lawyer, a politician, a store clerk, a blacksmith, a ship captain, a dock worker, a military man, a civilian, a slave , a slave owner,A free Black man, a native American, A Doctor, He was every man who resisted the despotic Government of Abe Lincoln; and all had one thing in common, they were Southerners!
Men to whom Honor was more than an idea, it was a way of life.
Men of courage, outnumbered, without supplies’, Men who when the enemy had repeating rifles and endless amounts of ammunition , stood their ground and threw rocks at the invaders.
Men who at Appomattox upon General Lee’s return from the surrender told the general,
“Just give us the word general and we’ll charge em again”!
That is who they were, and that is why we honor them !
My Great Grand Father
" After an interval of over thirty years of time my memory takes me back to my wartime days
(1861 1865) it seems strange about my experience as a Confederate soldier , yet it is true. And that I am proud today as a prince of that experience.
I rejoice with exceeding great joy to know that I and my brother William were soldiers in the Army of Northern Virginia and that I lived in the same days and generation and breathed the same liberty loving atmosphere as Generals Lee and Jackson and that incomparable host of patriots whose valor and heroic achievements for our cause has challenged the admiration of the civilized world .
My brother and I did our duty to the last, we had guns and used them in many hard fought battles to our satisfaction, without either being taken prisoner or receiving only slight wounds once in a while"
John C Tatum
William Henry Tatum, my Great Grand Uncle,
When I volunteered I really did not know how a long a time it was for, and in fact did not care.
I am, with the other 12 month volunteers . Called upon to reenlist in accordance with an act of congress Dec 11 1861, and I am called on to decide what I shall do, before we are mustered out of service.
I think that with everybody else, that the period will be the most critical one in our history, our enemy are perfectly aware of the straight in which we are placed and will certainly endeavor to take advantage of it.
Now what is my duty, to go home and leave our defense to undisciplined militia who will make a sorry fight at best, leaving it in the range of probability that the Northern hessians will overrun our state before the summer is over and bringing ruin on all of us? Or stay in the field, determined to see the end of this business before we give it up.
I might say to myself I am only one, I will not be missed, but ought we allow such selfish considerations to govern us, our whole army is made up of individuals, and suppose each was to say the same thing?
William Henry Tatum
Both Served With Honor.
Their Uncle ---
Dr. Henry Augustus Tatum, of Richmond, Virginia was a skilled surgeon, and he saved many wounded men from losing a limb. The Clopton Hospital was publicly complimented by the Confederate Congress for its small percentage of deaths in comparison with all the other hospitals. One day 1,268 men were accepted into the care of the staff.
MORE THAN NAMES SET IN STONE !
