1st Regiment, East Tennessee Militia, War of 1812

Date: 1812 [unknown]
Location: Tennessee
Surnames/tags: War_of_1812 Miltary_and_War

For the grouping of individual profiles of persons of this unit, see [[|Category: 1st Regiment, East Tennessee Militia, War of 1812| the category for the 1st Regiment]].

1st Regiment East Tennessee Militia

Colonel Ewen Allison

• DESIGNATION: 1st Regiment of East Tennessee Militia
• DATES: January 1814 - May 1814
• MEN MOSTLY FROM: Greene, Sullivan, Washington, Carter, and Hawkins Counties
• CAPTAINS: Joseph Everett, John Hampton, Jacob Hoyal, William King, Jonas Loughmiller, Henry McCray, Thomas Wilson, Adam Winsell

BRIEF HISTORY: This regiment was also designated as the First Regiment of East Tennessee Drafted Militia. The unit was part of General George Doherty's brigade, along with Colonel Samuel Bunch's Second Regiment. Doherty's brigade participated in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend (27 March 1814) where they were part of the right line of attack on the Creek fortifications. There were casualties in many of the companies, especially in those of Captains Everett, King, Loughmiller, and Winsell. The Nashville Clarion of 10 May 1814 has a complete listing of the dead and wounded from this climactic battle of the Creek War.

The principal rendezvous point for this regiment was Knoxville. From there they traveled to Ross' Landing (present-day Chattanooga), to Fort Armstrong, Fort Deposit, Fort Strother, Fort Williams, to Horseshoe Bend, and back by the reverse route. Captain Hampton's company was ordered to man Fort Armstrong in mid-March 1814. Arms were scarce in this unit and rifles often had to be impressed from the civilian population along the line of march. (End of Thomas Kanon's info.)

This unit served at both Fort Williams and Fort Strother, but the remarks don't tell us if they were indeed at the other locations mentioned by Thomas above. Fort Williams was a supply depot for the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, built in early 1814. It is near the intersection of Cedar Creek and the Coosa River, now underwater, near Talladega Springs, Alabama. Fort Strother was a rendevous point for troops in the war, built by Jackson for his forward campaign, and became the center of his operations.

There must have been something that happened on March the 4th. Maybe they were leaving for the south and several men decided not to go along. It was the beginning of spring planting season, and perhaps the men knew their families would suffer if they were not home to plant the crops, and maybe there was no one to help their families without them. We'll never know why, but most of those who deserted did so on this date, with one two days later, who may have decided to stay, had regrets, and then joined the other deserters on his way home. The reason I think this may be the case is that those who were discharged for inability were discharged on March the 6th. Those men would have been sent home before the rest of the group started their long march south. Indeed, this unit probably left shortly thereafter and marched on foot, as most had no horses, from Knoxville to Talladega, Alabama by April 27th., a distance of 245 miles. Most people can travel about 20 miles a day on foot, on a good day, in terrain that is not terribly difficult. This would have taken at least 12 days, if not longer. Of course, this also assumes that the troops had enough food to sustain their energy, which was not always true. Many of the men in the War of 1812 from Tennessee died of illness and starvation. Of course, a lack of food would make the men more susceptible to illness. However, none of the men in this unit are noted as having died or been killed, a very unusual situation as compared to other units serving in the same area in this war, also from Tn., who lost many men. This unit likely never saw combat.

By May the 2nd, they were in Fort Strother, not far removed, about 61miles away, another 3 days march. http://alabama.hometownlocator.com/maps/feature-map,ftc,3,fi..., http://www.lat-long.com/Latitude-Longitude-1681011-Alabama-F... For those interested, these links are to maps of the locations of these forts, or near these forts.

What they did and where they were beween these dates we can only discover from the men's pension applications. Not every man (or his widow) would live until 1832 when they could apply for a pension, but those who did would have given valuable information in their applications which will flesh out the locations and activities of this service unit.

Here's the roster. Unfortunately, this roster and pay documentation (there are two documents I'm working from) do not include some of the information that other units included, such as height, weight, hair and eye color, or the county from which they enlisted. But still it's a glimpse at these men who may have been our ancestors or who were the neighbors and family of our ancestors in a time of war that affected all families.

First Last Remarks

1. Adam Winsell Captain
2. Ephriam Buck 1st Lt
3. John Royston 2nd Lt, left, left service and turned waggoner March 13th
4. John Dugger Ensign, elected, ? from Prwina? Jan 26 1814
5. Henry Boyd Ensign, ? On furlough Jan 18 1814
6. Daniel Smith Sergeant
7. William Bowers Sergeant
8. Abraham Haun Sergeant
9. Reuben Owens Sergeant, Command at Fort Strother May 2 1812
10. William Lovelace Corporal
11. John Richerson Corporal
12. William Kelly Corporal
13. William Parsons Corporal
14. John Branstalter or Branstater
15. Barcley Boyd Deserted March 4th, enlisted in the 39th.
16. Bethuel Buck On command Fort Strother May 2 1814
17. Jacob Bullener deserted Jan 9th, 1814 (how could he desert before the unit was formed?)
18. Peter Bullener deserted Jan 9th, 1814 (how could he desert before the unit was formed?)
19. John Bowers
20. Valentine Bowers
21. Jacob Curtner
22. Joel Cook
23. Jacob Colbough On command Fort Strother May 2 1814
24. Joseph Campbell On command Fort Strother May 2 1814
25. John Campbell
26. Conrod Cable
27. Reuben Coffee Discharged for inability, March 6th
28. Thomas Crow
29. Julies Duggar On command Fort Strother May 2 1814
30. Abel Duggar On command Fort Strother May 2 1814
31. Robert Evans transferred to Capt Howell Jan 29 1814
32. Joseph Ford
33. James Gilliland deserted on furlough April 9th, on furlough at Grenville as a witness in courtJan 16 1814 and didn ot return after court accordin gto furlough
34. Joseph Green deserted March 4 1814
35. William Gullet deserted March 6 1814
36. John Haun
37. Daniel Harmon enlisted in the 39th Jan 16 1814
38. Joshua Job Discharged for inability, March 6th
39. William James On command at Fort Strother May 2 1814
40. John Koon
41. Jonathan Lips
42. James Lovelace On command at Fort Strother May 2 1814
43. Philemon Lacey
44. Reuben Lacey
45. Elisha Manas Musician
46. Daniel Manis
47. Thomas Manus Discharged for inability, March 20th
48. Manus, Bartlet [1]
49. Israel McInturf?
50. Thomas McInturf?
51. Thomas McInturf? Jr. On command at Fort Williams April 27 1814
52. James Lacey On command at Fort Williams April 27 1814
53. William McQueen
54. Luke Mitchell Transferred to Capt Gibbs company Feb 5 1815
55. William Netherly On command at Fort Williams April 27 1814
56. George Olliver deserted March 4 1814
57. John Olliver
58. James Peters discharged for inability, Jan 23rd
59. Peter Razor transferred to Capt McAmy's company mounted gunmen Jan 25 1814
60. Martin Russell On command at Fort Strother May 2 1814
61. Henry Stout deserted March 4 1814
62. George Stout discharged for inability, March 6th
63. Joseph Sloan On command at Fort Strother May 2 1814
64. James Sevier On command at Fort Williams April 27 1814
65. Samuel Smalling
66. Nathaniel Smalling
67. Solomon Smalling
68. Henry Simmerly On command at Fort Williams April 27 1814
69. Jacob Stover On command at Fort Strother May 2 1814
70. Jacob Tipton On command at Fort Williams April 27 1814
71. Leroy Taylor On command at Fort Strother May 2 1814
72. John Tague
73. Robert Vance
74. Jacob Vandergrift Deserted march 4 1814 returned ? Upton's roll
75. Frederick Waggoner
76. John Worley
77. Hiram Worley
78. Edward Willett On command at Fort Strother May 2 1814
79. Jesse Whitson
80. Joseph Wilson
81. Thomas Whitehead
82. William Whitehead

Sources

• Regimental Histories of Tennessee Units During the War of 1812, by Tom Kanon, Tennessee State Library and Archives