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Preface
Between
1914 and 1922, the state of Tennessee sent to its soldiers a Tennessee Civil
War Veterans Questionnaire giving them an opportunity to share their
perceptions of the Old South, the Civil War, and the post-bellum world. There
were 1,650 respondents. Each of the questionnaires constituted a short, uniform
autobiography, and included questions about the soldier, his family, his parents, how they lived, etc. For the most part, the
questionnaires were completed by the soldier himself and in his own
handwriting. Two of Jesse Corn’s descendants responded to this questionnaire:
·
Wm J Corn b Sep 10, 1843<John W<Wm
<Jesse
The
following pages are from a transcription of the Civil War Questionaire for
Thomas Jefferson Corn. The transcriber of the original document has marked
questionable words to so indicate. On
the transcription, a small portion of the right side of several pages was lost
in the copy process. Words that were questionable in that portion of the pages
have been italicized to so indicate.
Conflicts
can be seen in Thomas’ responses as to his father’s full name in question 7,
and his grandfather’s in question 9. Thomas states both of their names as “John
Adlad Corn”, as opposed to “John Adam Corn”, which is our current
understanding. Also in question 7, Thomas states that his
father was born at “Hazle Patch; Willson co.;
Although
the difference in the middle names of his father and grandfather may have
simply been an error in transcription, the town of “Hazle Patch (wherever it
was) and
CORN, THOMAS JEFFERSON
FORM NO. 2
1. State
your full name and present post office address
Thomas Jefferson Corn, Sweet Home, Ark.
2. State
your age now
79 years 9 months and 20 days (form dated Mar. 25, 1922)
3. In what
State and county were you born?
Franklin co., Tenn.
4. Were
you a Confederate or Federal soldier?
Confederate soldier
5. Name of
your Company?
6. What
was the occupation of your father?
Farmer and shoe maker
7. Give
full name of your father:___________________________________________
born at______________________ ; in the
County of__________________________
State of________________________ ; He lived at___________________________
Give also any particulars concerning him, as official
position, way services, etc.; books
written by him, etc.
John Adlad; at Hazle Patch; Willson co.; Tenn; lived in Franklin
county up to comencment of civil war
8.
Maiden name in full of your mother:_____________________________________
she was the daughter of:_____________________ (full name)_________________
and his wife:______________________(full name)____________________________
who lived at:__________________________________________________________
Sarah Moore; Abner Moore; Poly Moore; in Franklin Co.,
9. Remarks
on ancestry. Give here any and all facts possible in reference to your parents, grandparents,
great-grandparents, etc. not included
in the foregoing as where they lived, offices held Revolutionary or other war service; what country
they came from to America; first
settled-county and State: always giving full names (if possible), and never referring to an ancestor simply as such without giving the name. It is desirable to
include every fact possible, and to
that end the full and exact record from old Bibles should be appended on separate sheets of this size,
thus preserving the facts from loss
My mother spun cotters that growed on our farm and wove it in cloth
she all so carded wool in roles and spun it and wove it to cloth and she maid
flak (flax) cloth all so. My gran father Corn name was John Adlad Corn - he was
a Lieuteant in the war of 1812.
10. If you owned hand or other property at the opening
of the war state what kind of property
you owned, and state the value of your property
as near as you can:
I owed (owned) no land
11. Did you or your parents own slaves? If so, how many? no
12. If your parents owned land, state about how many
acres: 125
13. State as near
as you can the value- of all the property owned by your parents, including land, when the war opened
at glance I wold say my father property all told was worth $2600 dollars
14. What kind of
house did your parents occupy? State whether it was a log house or frame house
or built of other material, and state the number
of rooms it had
Log hous - 4 rooms
15. As a boy
and young man, state what kind of work you did. If you worked on a farm, state
to what extent you plowed, worked with a hoe
and did other kinds of similar work. (Certain historians claim that white men would not do work of this sort
before the war.)
at the age of 5 years I was taken to the field and given a hoe and
showed how to hoe corn and coten and at 6 years I learned to plow and at 7
years I could plow as mutch in day as any one on the farm of cours I used a
Bull toung plow.
16. State clearly what kind of work your father did,
and what the duties of your mother were. State all the kinds of work done in the
house as well as you can remember - that is, cooking, spinning, weaving, etc.:
as stated on the other sid(e) I will repeate. My mother carded the
cotton in to rolls, spun them to threds and wove it to cloth. She could weeve 2
yard a day and cook 3 meal day. After super (supper) she would get a lot of
cotten in the seed and hav me pick the seed out by hand
17. Did your parents keep any servants? If so, how many? non
18. How was honest toil -as plowing, hauling and other
sorts of honest work of this class
-regarded in your community? Was such work
considered respectable and honorable? it
was
19. Did the white men in your community generally
engage in such work?
yes evry body worked
20. To what extent
were there white men in your community leading lives of idleness and having others do their work for them?
as I remember evry boddy work theare
was loffers as I rember
21. Did the men
who owned slaves mingle freely with those who did not own slaves, or did slaveholders in any way show by their actions
that they felt themselves better than respectable, honorable men who did not own slaves?
not that I can remember at least I
heard any one speak of it
22. At the churches, at the schools, at public gatherings in general, did slaveholders and non-slaveholders mingle on a footing of equality? yes
23. Was there a friendly feeling between slaveholders and non-slaveholders in your community, or were they
antagonistic to each other?
They were frendly as far as I no
24. In a political contest, in which one candidate
owned slaves and the other did not, did the fact that one candidate
owned slaves help him any in winning the
contest?
not that I no of I never heard my
father say any thing about it
25. Were the opportunities good in your community for a
poor young man, honest and
industrious, to save up enough to buy a small farm or go in business for himself?
no in my boy dayes wates was so low
one could not mak any money above a living and farmers did not mak any money
but a good living
26. Were poor, honest, industrious young men, who were
ambitious to make something of themselves, encouraged or discouraged by slaveholders?
I think not I ___ they were not discouraged
27. What kind of school or schools did you attend? Subscription
28. About how long did you go to school altogether?
From 2-3 weekes in the yeare
29. How far was it to the nearest school? one mile or 2 miles
30. What school or
schools were in operation in your neighborhood?
Subscription I do not remember of any free schooles
31. Was the school in your community private or public?
as I rember Private
32. About how many months in the year did it run?
3 or 4 months
33. Did the boys and girls in your community attend school pretty regularly? no
34. Was the teacher
of the school you attended a man or
woman?
boath man and woman
35. In what year and month and at what place did you
enlist in the service of the Confederacy or of the Federal Government?
in April 1861. Captian JKard (Ikard?)
organized a co. at Dechard, Tenn. and we went from thear to Camp Trousdal(e)
beetwen Nashville and Boling Green, Ky. my Redgiment 32 Tenn. Vol. was organ. at
36. After enlistment, where was your Company sent
first?
Boling (Bowling) Green, Ky. 37. April 1862 near Corinth, Miss.
38. What was the first battle you engaged in?
Neare Corinth, Miss.
39. State in your own way your experience in the War
from this time on to its close. State
where you went after the first battle - what you did and what other battles you engaged in, how long they lasted, what the results were; state how you lived
in camp, how you were clothed, how
you slept, what you had to eat, how you were exposed to cold, hunger and disease. If you were in the hospital or prison, state your experience there:
I cant tell you in this space but will say that it is large. I will
name some of the Battles-Chicamaugia, Look out Montain, Mishanary Ridge, Rock
face Mountian, the Seige at Atlanta, Ga., Battle Jones Borro, Ga.
40.
When and where were you discharged?
Parold 26th of April - Greensboro, N.C. 1865
41. Tell something
of your trip home:
Wee left
42. Give a
sketch of your life since the close of the Civil War, stating what kind of business you have engaged in, where
you have living) your church relations, etc. If you have held any
office or offices?. state
what it was. You may state here any other facts connected with your life and experience which has not been
brought out to the questions:
I did anything I could get to do worked for irish potatoes onion corn
meal.
43. What kind of work did you take up when you came
back home
49 ____ I returned home in May 1865. I faced the hardest strugle of my life.
theare was nothing one the on the farm to live on and nothing to uth (use,
eat?) theare was not a hog cow calf hores (horse) or mule and not a chicken and
my father and mother and 3 sisters and nothing for them to do so you see
including myself theare was 6 in family. went out in
the neighborhood and as for work I maid board at 25 cts. hudr (hundred?), dug
potatos and took potatoes for pay worke for turnips and a litle meat heare and
theare People siad of me he will work at anything so many of them litle jobs I
held on to conditions or this condition held to me for 2 years. at whitch time
theare was more work and beter prices for wages.
44. Unable to determine the
specific question asked here
I hope you will look this over in a leniet (lenient) mind I am not satisfied
with it myself.
45.
Give the names of all the members of your Company you can remember: (if you
know where the Roster is to be had, please make special note of this.)
I do not (know) wheare the Roster of my Co. is-will give the names of as
many as can: Amos Austell, John P, Kenerly, John Boice, Mack Boice, Charley
Tuck, Dock Oliver, Georg South, Van South, Tim Castle berry, Al Elkins, Bill
Winford, Georg Winford, Ben Winford, John Burks, Chap? Saunders, John Powel,
Greene Riley, Bill Rose, Jim Wily Aught Benne-t, Clem
Fetheston, Jim Coins. Theas all names of my Co. K, 32
46. Give here the
NAME and POST OFFICE ADDRESS of living Veterans of the Civil War, whether
members of your company or not
G.W. Thompson Hlena (Helena?), Ark.
J.W. Howard Lonok (Loanoke?), Ark.
J.A. Reed Sweet Home, Ark.
(Dated Apr. 14, 1922) Battle of
Bentonville, N.C. by T.J. Corn
Smithfield, N.C. on the morning of the 18 March 1865 Gen. J.E. Johnston gave orders to prepare 3 dayes provisions and bee ready to march at1 o'clock at 1 wee were in line and mooved by the right flank as I recall it was 16 miles to Bentonville wee this march with out a haul arriving neare Bentonville at dusk wee ordered to rest and not to make any fires and not to talk any the righter placed his cartridge box on the ground and I laid my head on it and went to a sweet sleep all night. Just beefore day light I was wakend from hevey firing in the frount evry man was up instatly and in line theare was an old field just in front of us wee entered it in a flew stps mooving by the right flank just as wee entered this field Gen. Johnston passed us on the right all thow wee had orders to bee verry quiet the men cheered him and he raised his hat in rickignition of us the enemy was verry neare and hearing the cheering they comenced shelling us and just at this time orders was given to go in line on the wright by file in to line a slow moovement under fire with out any excitement the Battle line was formed and wee were ordered to stack arms and dig in but could not find shovle pick or ax. So wee were on to of the ground in this battle like wee all ways was. I can not recall that wee ever did fight a battle in the ditches but to the Battle. Conel (Colonel) McGuire of Nashville, Tenn. road up to us and siad Boys do you remember the 19th of Sep. 1863 all answered yes then he siad this is the 19th of March look out just as he siad this the enemy charged our out Post and drove them in rapidly and followed after them with a heavy line. Conel McGuire took his position just bee hind the righter (writer) and gave orders take arms. he all so ordered that wee must not fire untill he gave orders. the wrighter could see the enemy coming in heavey forse and it seamed to the wrighter that he was letting them come disagreeable clos to us. I look at Conel McGuire he was look them verry calm and just as it seamed they would run over us he gave the order fire. the Confederates gave them the led and they come to stand swaid right and left and weald on a ded run for theare brest works whitch waer all most impregnable but the conel gave orders to follow them whitch was did with great energy. some of the confedrates going in to thear works with the enemy the enemy neaver haulted at theare works crowest (crossed) them in great hast and went on to the lines of works some 200 yards from the first line. the confedrats in taken the line got out of line and was ordered to form a new lin the order was given to come in line and lay down on the ground this lin was formed under fere as soon it was formed orders was given for ward the confedrats went at this line with greate energy and frove Slocum's Corps out of the works and captured one peace of artilery. the confedrats did not cross this last line of fotifications but drove the enemy off the writer and comrad by name Gerge Winford was on my right Sid and Enoch Bryant was on my left I could see the enemy flags and the men manuvering and said to my comrad Winford the enemy was going to rout us he said he had run his last time I said if they got me they would have to shoot me first. I had hardly spoken this when the attact was maid from 3 sides our front and on each flank, the writer looked to left and saw the Brigad in full retreat and I attepted to follow but being well on the right flank I was cut off the enemy cursing me and firing at me at the same time I returned to wheare I started from I found the enemy had captured comard Winford and had shott Bryant and just at this time I heard some one call me I stopt to see who it was it was conel Searcy commanding the 45 Tenn. Regiment. he ast me what I thought of the situation. I replied that the enemy was all around us he come to me and siad wee were captured the ground heare was covered heare with water and he siad lets go over to a dry spot a fiew steps whitch wee did by this time it was discovered that about 75 of the Brigad was cutt off and when wee had reached dry ground the conel gave orders to lay down our armes that the enemy would take us soon wee stood theare some little time waiting and while waiting wee notice the pines shaking and to our surprise out come aleven yanks and they hid in the pines now you can see our delema wee had over them surendered because wee were in thare lines and they thaught they were in ours they (took) off theare nap sacks and said Johnies dont you want some tobaco wee said yeas and they deved it with us. the battle was still going on and after waiting a time conel Scearcy said boyes get yore guns wee are go out of heare the line was formed 1 Yank betweene 2 Confedrats and wee mooved by the right flank going south east as theare was no firing in that direction. wee went deep in them N.C. swamps and marched all night halting about 4 o'clock and waited for sun rise and as soon as the sun was up the conel ordered the righter to make a reckanoison and see if the enemy any wheare neare us I hadent gon not more 200 yd when I heard? taling (talking) I was verry cautious but went on till I could see and sure theare they were theare seamed to bee one Brigad I returned to the conle and told him what I had seene he called the men to attetion and mooved in to a dente swamp wee lay thear all day after the sun went down wee got in motion going in a south east direction and wee waided water for 5 hours and it was a verry dark night and the water was quite coole and wee suffered verry mutch after passing though this vast body of water wee come to higher ground the was in advance of the Just as I got on top of this ridge I saw an old field near whitch I approached couciously and was well I did for when I got wheare I could see over this field I saw 4 redgiments ling in colum by redgements. come to halt and waited for conel Scearcy and while he was coming I maid up my mind what I must do I did not stop the conel when he got clost so he could see the situation I mooved forword. I new if our capture and saw the enemy were all a sleep and our chances was to moove sloly and verry quiet and I led them over and across this field to the woods after getting in the wood wee halted and got a short rest while resting hear day broake on us and the righter maid or exzamind the road to see if it bin traveled any the day beefore to my greate stifadin it had not I reported to the conel and he said wee will move forward whitch wee did the righter leading the colum after going 4 or 5 miles the road turned to the right and led me up to the dismal Swamp and it was about 30 miles across it theare was a farley good Dump Road across it and wee maid good time for men starved like wee were while passing throu this swamp I had a chance to look at the men I neaver saw sutch sad faces as they prezented werey and leg sore and so hungry they went on wee arrived on the west of this swamp just a little beefore sundown but wee did not stop as wee thaught wee were cleare of the enemy and was getting as a wolf but wee were not cleare of the enemy about midnight wee come to big road and soon saw that the enemy was mooving over it. wee left the road to oure right and located theare picketts and the righter led them across to the woods on the other side and day was close at hand and wee must seek cover fore the day as wee dare not moove any father (further), so wee maid our way deep into a swamp fore the day late on this evning conel Scearcy called and ast me if I could see that light I said yes he said you go to it and see what you can learn of the enemy I maid hast and went the sun was about down when I started and when I come clost to the house it was dusk I had my eyes on the light in the house and got my foot on the doore steps and caught hold of the doore facing and was going in when I heared the command Halt dont go in theare this is a fedral pest house I glanced over my left sholder and theare was a fedral soldier in 10 feet of me. I hitt the ground on the other side of the steps from him on a ded run he was in full uniform with his gun and bayonet fxt. he could of killed me and I neaver would none what hurt me the next morning conel Scearcy saw a house about 400 yards from our hiding and ordered me to go to it and see what I could learn of the enemy I started strate for the house I come to the fence that enclosed about 15 acres of ground the house was in the center of this opning I looked cearfuly over the ground and could not see any yanks so I went over and maid my way up to the South doore theare was an other doore on the North side I struck the doore till with the Britch of my gun I could see through the house as boath doores was open so I slept in and walked to the center of the room I new theare was some one in the house as I had heard nois in sid as I aproached. as I siad I pound hard on the sill with the Britch of my gun but got no responce but when I got in the center of the room I saw a woman sitting in betwenen two beds I said good morning and ast if she had seene any soldeirs that morning She said yens last how they were dressed her riply was some of them was dressed grey and brown and a great many were dressed in blue while getting this information I heard a nois from north of the house looking that way I saw about 100 yanks mounted and tearing down the fence. I jumpt the south doore and hit ground runing I was about 100 yds from the wood I run and kept the hous beetwene me and the yanks and got into the woods with out getting heart (hurt) I went to the conel and maid my report he mooved the men further back in the swamp, and wee staid heare all day the wrighter was placed on out post I could heare the enemy passing on the road about 200 yds in my frunt two yank soldiers strgled in about 80 feet of me and I could of killed one of them but was a fraid to shoot as one whot was all I could get as I had a single barrel gun the. next morning wee moved on a parelel with the road the yanks passed over yesterday and not hearing or seeing any of the enemy wee ventured to get on the road and about 2 o"clock come to a farm hous and in quired the distance to Rolla the capital of North Carolina. wee arrived at Rolla beefore sundown and delivered our prisnors to proper officials wee remained all night next morning the righter went to hotel for breakfast the food was coarse but good as I had not et any thing for 3 dayes excep a yeare of corn. I hope Gentlemen you will at this report lenetly as posable as I have writen it from memery Parden mistakes and if you place it in history cull it if you want to and get the - I have did the best I could and will bee willing to bee qualified as to the trouth of very wood I have riten,
Respects T.J. Corn, 4th Sargent, Co. K 32
(Another letter, written on "Confederate
Home" paper, Little Rock, Arkansas, with: R.G. McDaniel, Superintendent;
H.L. B'Shers, M.C., Physician; H.B. Johnston, Steward; U.A. Obenshain, Sec. of
Board; W.H. Hall, Chairman of Board of Control; Geo. W. Donaghey and K.P.
Williams, members of Baord)
I will try to give an incident of the war. wee ware camped at inters Station near Chattanooga, Tenn. and orders was given for a brigad inspection and premium of $10 dolars was to bee given to the soldier whos gun and uniform would bare a close and rigid inspection. the Brigad was form in line and General Horthorn inspected us. when the General came to me he looked me over I pitched my gun to him he was waring white gloves and they were as white as snow, he drew the ram rod from the thimbles and shoved it down in the gun and tried his best to get som dirt on but fald he pitched the gun back to me and went back to the captian and said something to and went on inspecting in inspection. inspection over wee was dismist. my captian sent for me to come to his garters. as I went on the men quid me and said you are into it now. you will bee tarring a rail on youre sholder for 30 dayes, this was a penlty for rong or diobying orders. my captian sled he wanted me to go with him to the conels head quarters I went on with him he introdust me to the conel A.S. Marks. the conel ast me my Fathers name I told him and said he new him but said it is strainge I do not now you. he maid a little spech to me and said I have to give you the $10.00 that was to bee given the soldier that showd the best inspection because your uniform and gun was in the best conditon of any man in the Brigade and so the laughf was on the other fellow when I returned to my company. My captian expressed his self as beeing verry proud of me and to say that I felt proud of my success goes without saying,
T.J. Corn
"The
on
fryday night Browns Brigad slept on the east bank of Chicamauga river sturday
morning just bee fore day wee ordered to waid across to the west bank by the
time we shelling over day break was on us and the enemy seeing us
commend shelling us cuting off the tops of trees and limbs whitch caused some
excitment as wee was not in line but Gen. Brown got us in line quick and wee
mooved forword by the right flank in a north west direction going a short
distance wee halted and Gen. Steuart of Tenn. coming with Captian Corns of
Memphis, Tenn. having told Gen. Steuart the enemy had killed evry man in his
artilery and captured all of his guns. Genl Steuart ordered Gen Brown to form
his brigad in line and go forword and retake the guns. the
comand forword was given and the brigad mooved in line nicly at the enemy. the
advance was not rapid but the moove went steedy now Browns Brigad was armed
with cap lock musketts so the gunes was loaded with buck and balls and as soon
as wee got in raing of the enemy wee opend fire and kept mooving at them and
soon wee were in close rang they faught us hard they did not. want give up the prise they had won. beeing
at close rang now wee swept them back and captured the guns theare was many a
yank laying around the guns and captian Carns me was laying around the guns
they so bravly defended. the enemy and confedrats
mingled theare together around the guns it was a gasly sight. in this charg
Gen. Brown was noct off his horse a grape shot hiting him in the
This
is
I will give as good acount of my servises as I can frame tim to time and will forword them to you.... my eyes are verry weak.
(CORN,
T. J. Pension No.4401)