Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Bits and Pieces


So many times, while out gathering information (researching), I come across folks who say something like "My family really did not say anything about the war." Then they usually have one or two small stories. Well, it takes a lot of small stories to make a big story. Here is one of those small stories.

There are many areas within North Carolina that sent men to fight for both armies to fight during the War. That whole “brother versus brother” happened here. One of the questions we get a lot is this: how did those families with members on opposing sides deal with it after the war? The vast majority of the time (is 99% too high?), we really don't know how, or if, the families reconciled their differences.

While I have probably read this before, I found it again last night. This story comes from the Banner family, for whom Banner Elk is named. In 1860, Banner Elk was in Watauga County.

"The story has been handed down through the Banner family that Tatum [Henry T. Banner, 4th Tennessee Cavalry US], and Frank [Franklin Banner, 21st North Carolina Infantry CS] arrived home within one hour of each other, after having served on opposite sides during the Civil War conflict. They promptly got into a fight over which side was the aggressor."

So, do you have a story of families getting together (or avoiding getting together, maybe) after the war? Please share, if you can.  

1 comment:

Glenn Land said...

Hi Michael, I recently wrote you about my paternal 2 x great-grandfather,David Land of Wilkes County,NC. I'm a life-long resident of Sullivan County in upper east Tennessee. A maternal 3 x great-grand aunt from Sullivan, Hannah Cox married William Keen Hulse. Their oldest son, Abraham left Tennessee in the 1850's and settled in Macoupin Co.Illinois. At the war's outbreak their youngest son, Thomas enlisted in Co.E 26th Tn.Inf. He died of disease in Bowling Green,Ky.Dec.8,1861. Another son, John enlisted in Co.E 60th Tn.Inf.on Sept.25,1862. He died of diphtheria Dec.17,1862 at Mobile,Ala. Their father,William born abt 1806,had tried to enlist with John but was refused for being overage. On Feb.20,1863 he agreed to go into the Confederate Army as a replacement. His payment was a deed for 66 acres of land. He was sent to Co.E 60th Tn.Inf. He was captured along with a number of men from the 60th Tn at Black River Bridge,( Vicksburg campaign ) ) May
17,1863. He died July 2,1863 at Camp Morton,Indiana. Only Abraham survived the war. He ended as Captain of Co.E 122nd Illinois Infantry. He mustered out at Mobile,Ala. After visiting his brother's grave,he returned to Tennessee for his mother. She lived out her days with him in Illinois.