Pontotoc County, Mississippi
Genealogy and History

BIOGRAPHIES COMPANY G, 2ND MISSISSIPPI INFANTRY, PONTOTOC COUNTY

Surnames F G H I J K L

• Fallon, Daniel Daniel Fallon was a 25 year old saddler in April 1861 when he joined the company. He participated in the Battle of First Manassas, but was sick during Seven Pines, Gaines Farm, Malvern Hill and Second Manassas. He was captured  at South Mountain, Maryland on August 15, 1862 and, according to Union Army records, refused to be exchanged. Company records thereafter listed him as deserting.
  


• Fontaine, Charles D. Charles D. Fontaine was a 46 year old attorney from Pontotoc when he joined the Pontotoc Minute Men March 2, 1861. He was active in Democratic Party politics, and was elected state representative from Pontotoc in 1844 and in 1846. He ran for circuit judge in 1853 to succeed Hugh R. Miller, and lost in a three way race. He ran in 1855 as the Know Nothing candidate for governor, and lost. In 1860, Fontaine was elected as one of the four delegates from Pontotoc County to the Secession Convention along with Hugh R. Miller. He enlisted in the Pontotoc Minute Men and was elected Third Lieutenant.  However, personal animosity between Miller and Fontaine broke into the open when Miller explicitly criticized Fontaine for the latter's report of the Battle of First Manassas in The Examiner. Shortly afterwards, in October 1861, Fontaine resigned from the Minute Men. After the Civil War, he is believed to have been the leader of the Ku Klux Klan in Pontotoc County. He died September 1871 and is buried in the Pontotoc Cemetery.
   
  


• Fontaine, Charles D. Jr. Charlie Fontaine enlisted as a 16-year old student with his father, who was elected Third Lieutenant. He was discharged for disability (probably because he was underage) on June 20, 1861.
  


• Gregg, Robert E. Robert Gregg was a 26 year old doctor at Pontotoc who enlisted as a private in Company G in 1861. He was present at the Battle of First Manassas, but was discharged  for disability at Camp Fisher, Virginia on October 8, 1861 by order of General Johnston.
  


• Griffin, Eli Eli Griffin was the son of John Griffin and was 19 at the time of his enlistment. He was slightly wounded at the Battle of First Manassas, and was sick for the first, but not the second, day of the Battle of Seven Pines. He also participated in the Battles of Gaines Farm and Malvern Hill. He was detailed to other duty during the Second Manassas, South Mountain and Sharpsburg Battles. In 1863, he was present at the first and third days of the Gettysburg Battle, but was captured at the Battle of Falling Waters on July 14, 1863. He was taken to POW camp at Point Lookout, Maryland, and was exchanged on March 14, 1865.
  


• Handley, William C. William Handley was a 22 year old single farmer who in the 1860 census owned real property valued at $2.400 and personal property valued at $1,500. Despite being characterized in the census as a farmer, in a letter dated July 21, 1862 to his mother, George Miller included Will Handley as one of the "town boys" in the Minute Men:
  


• Alas for the Minute Men, they made a bright beginning but a bad ending. Of all that noble band who marched up the streets of old Pontotoc fifteen months ago only town  from town remain with it, Tom Rye & John Wray. Will Handley poor boy is stuck with them I fear for good, so is McCurley and John Hunt and one or two others. Fred Daggett & Charley Earle also. The former a miserably bilious little wretch. Tom Rye will I suspect soon get a substitute in order to go home and join our cavalry. They are all ready to get out of the company. Poor fellows, They have been over frequently to see Pa, hoping that he could effect something for them. But I fear he will not be able to do anything for them. Tom H. & Mooser are released for good to join whatever they please. Tom Pierce & Jugg Winston are in the Eleventh regiments band. Mr. Topp, Lafargue Moore & some others are going home being over age.
  


• Will Handley enlisted in April 1861 (when his age was shown on the original muster roll as 27).  He was sick at the time of the Battle of first Manassas. He recovered and was present in 1862 at the Battle of Seven Pines. He was sick for Gaines Farm and Malvern Hill, but was present at Second Manassas and South Mountain. He was sick again at the Battle of Second Manassas.  He was present at the first day of the Gettysburg battle, and was wounded on the third day. He recovered and returned to duty on August 10, 1863, and was present at the engagement at Bristoe Station. He was furloughed for 40 days from November 27, 1863. He was present at the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5 and 6, and he was named to the Roll of Honor for his bravery at that battle. He was present at Talley's Mill, Spotsylvania Courthouse, and Bethesda Church and was promoted to Corporal in July 1864.  He was present at Weldon Railroad on August 18 and 19, Fort Archer and at the Hatcher's Run battle on October 27. He was sick at Hatcher's Run on February 5, 1865.
  


• Harris, John W. John W. Harris was a 40-year old farmer who substituted for Andrew J. Miears in April 4, 1863.  He was absent from the 1863 battles and deserted in September 1863.  According to the Archives he rejoined the company on  November 24, 1863.  He was court martialed and sentenced to one year labor working on the fortifications around Richmond, to date from  January 24, 1864. His sentence was remitted during  the May/June, 1864 time period. He was listed as sick at Richmond in hospital, where he died on July 17, 1864.
  


• Harrison, Thomas Tom Harrison was a 22 year old carpenter when he enlisted in April 1861.  He was sick at the Battle of First Manassas and was discharged on December 31, 1861 for disability.
  


• Harrison, William F. William Harrison was a stage driver from Pontotoc who was born January 10, 1835 and enlisted with the Pontotoc Minute Men when he was 26.  He participated in the Battle of First Manassas, Seven Pines (on detail), Gaines Farm, and Malvern Hill. He was on authorized absence during the Second Manassas, South Mountain and Sharpsburg battles. He was wounded at Gettysburg on the first day's battle, although official records indicate that he was not admitted to the hospital for gunshot wounds until July 14.  He received a furlough in February 1864 and did not return on its expiration in March 1864, and thereafter he  was listed as having "deserted to the enemy."
  


• Heard, Isaac N. Isaac was probably the brother of John T. Heard , who was co-publisher of The Pontotoc Examiner in 1859, along with George D. (Jug) Wilson.  Isaac lived with Edmund Winston's family, including George D. Winston, at the time of the 1860 census. Isaac Heard and George D. Winston both joined the Pontotoc Minute Men. Also in Edmund Winston's family was Nancy Fontaine, age 84, who was probably Charles D. Fontaine's mother (and Edward's wife Elizabeth Winston may have been Charles' sister). Clearly from the Fontaine letters the Winstons were related to the Fontaines. Isaac listed his occupation as printer at the time of this enlistment in 1861.  He was sick at the Battle of First Manassas, and was listed as a deserter by March 1862.
  


• Heist, Lewis Lewis Heist was a 39- year old married carriage framer (listed as 30 and as the head of household 111 in the 1860 Pontotoc County census) when he joined the Minute Men in 1861. He was present at the Battle of First Manassas, and on authorized absence during the Seven Pines, Gaines Farm and Malvern Hill Battles in 1862. He was discharged on August 2, 1862, apparently for being overage.
  


• Henry, James F. James Henry, 26 years old, resided in Pontotoc County with Guilford Tally, who was probably his brother in law, at the time of the 1860 census. He was married to Lucy Ann Talley on September 12, 1853. After enlisting in April 1861, he participated at the Battles of First Manassas, Seven Pines, Gaines Farm, Malvern Hill, Second Manassas, South Mountain, where he was wounded on September 14, 1862. He was furloughed, and returned to duty on November 10, 1862 (one source says he participated in the Sharpsburg battle). He was wounded again at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863 and was sent to hospital at Richmond.  He returned to duty again on November 15, 1863.  He participated in the Battle of the Wilderness and the Battle at Talley's Mill, where at least one record indicates he was wounded again. Another record lists him as having been wounded at Bethesda Church. He was sent to hospital at Richmond and returned to duty by the end of 1864. He participated in the February 5, 1865  engagement at Hatcher's Run, and was captured during the Federal breakthrough on April 2, 1865. He was taken to the Point Lookout POW camp, and was released on oath of allegiance on June 27, 1865.  See in Pontotoc County Mississippi History and Families, p. 253 for additional information on James F. Henry's parents and descendants.
  


• Herron, Thomas F. Thomas Herron was the son of Ann Herron, who was listed in the 1860 Pontotoc County Census as owning $2,500 in real property and $4,000 in personal property, including 14 slaves. He was a 22-year old merchant in Pontotoc at the time of his enlistment in April 1861. He was appointed First Corporal, and was promoted to 4th Sergeant on July 26, 1861 after the Battle of First Manassas. He was promoted again to Ordnance Sergeant on May 10, 1862. He was listed in one record as sick for the first day of the Seven Days Battle, but as present on the second day.  He was replaced by his substitute, Green L. Kidd, on June 1, 1862 and discharged.  After the Civil War, he operated the C. D. Mitchell Drugstore on the northwest corner of Main Street.
  


• Hunt, John C. John Hunt was listed as 18 years old at the time of his enlistment in April 1861. He participated in the Battle of First Manassas. He was not present at the Seven Days battles, but was present for the Battle of Second Manassas.  He was sick thereafter. According to the Confederate Archives, he deserted from hospital in July, 1863. He appeared on an April 3, 1864 Federal register of prisoners of war at Memphis, Tennessee as deserters from the rebel army.
  


• Johnson, John Calvin John Johnson was born July 11, 1842 to Lindsey and Susan Johnson. Lindsey was a farmer from the Tallibenela District who was listed in the 1860 census as owning $1,000 in real property and $2,300 in personal property. John enlisted in Company G on September 16, 1861. He participated in the Battles of Seven Pines on May 31 and June 1, 1862, but was sick for the other 1862 battles. He was captured at Gettysburg on July 1, 1862, probably at the Railroad Cut.  He was taken to Fort Delaware and held in prison there for the rest of the war. He was released on June 11, 1865.  According to Pontotoc County Mississippi History and Families, p. 278, he married Fannie Pritchard on October 11, 1866 and died on October 30, 1876 and is buried at Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
  


• Kidd, Green L. Green Kidd of the Redlands District in Pontotoc County was listed in the 1860 census as owning $300 of personal property. His son, William Kidd, joined Company G in April 1861.  Green joined the Company June 1, 1862 at age 45 as a substitute for Thomas F. Herron. He was killed at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863.
  


• Kidd, William D. William Kidd was the 21-year old son of Green L. Kidd, above. He was sick at the Battle of First Manassas. He participated in the Battles of Seven Pines, but was listed as sick for the remaining 1862 battles and all of the 1863 battles.  In 1864, he was listed in one Company record as present at the first day of the Wilderness battle and as wounded on the second day. He was listed as sick at Talley's Mill, but as present for the Battles of Spotsylvania Courthouse and Bethesda Church. According to one record, he was on furlough during the engagements at Weldon Railroad  and at Fort Archer in late 1864.  He was present at the engagements at Hatcher's Run on October 27, 1864, but was listed as having deserted in February 1865.
  


• Lafargue, Henry Henry Lafargue was listed as a 53-year old farmer at the time of his enlistment in April 1861 who was born in England.  Capt. Miller in his muster book noted that communications in the event of his death should be directed to Messrs. Darthez Bros., 15 Austin Friars, London.  Henry participated in the Battle of First Manassas and the Battles of Seven Pines. He was listed as sick at Gaines Farm and Malvern Hill. He was discharged on August 1, 1862 because he was overage.
  


• Leland, William W. William W. Leland was postmaster of Pontotoc from 1837-1847, and also founded, with Charles A. Bradford, the first newspaper in Pontotoc, The Chickasaw Union and later The Spirit of the Times , The Southern Tribune and The American Sovereign. In politics he was a staunch Democrat, although one source incorrectly states he was known as an "old-line Whig."  He was an original trustee of the Pontotoc Female Academy.  He operated the mercantile firm of "Bell & Leland" in partnership with General John Bell, his brother in law.  At the time of the 1860 census, he owned $2,300 in real property and $10,000 in personal property (including three slaves).  He and his wife Eliza had six children. He was 45 according to the Archives when he enlisted as one of the original members of the Minute Men in December 1860 (his signature is the second after Hugh R. Miller's in the organizing agreement). He was elected Second Lieutenant.  He was discharged by reason of disability on August 1, 1861. He apparently fought for a while at the Battle of First Manassas, according to Capt. Miller's statement in The Examiner:
  


• It is proper to state here that Lieut. Leland had remained with us during the day until his strength was completely exhausted.  He was so feeble from protracted  illness that he scarcely ought to have gone upon the field at all.
  


• Lindsey, Samuel H . Samuel was the son of Clements Lindsey, a farmer who is listed in the 1860 Pontotoc County Census as owning $500 of real and $250 of personal property. He enlisted in April 1861 at age 20 as a private in Company G. He participated in the Battles of First Manassas and Seven Pines. He was slightly wounded in the hand at the Battle of Gaines Farms and returned to duty in late June 1862.  He participated in the Battles of Second Manassas, South Mountain and Sharpsburg.  He was wounded at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863 and was captured on July 5, 1863 near Cashtown, Maryland.  He was taken to Fort Delaware and remained there in captivity until he was released on his oath on June 11, 1865.
  


• Long, Thomas E. According to Pontotoc County Mississippi History and Families, Thomas E. Long, born in 1843, was the son of Harrison S. Long and Barthenia E. Owen. Thomas, who listed his occupation as farmer when he enlisted in April 1861, participated in the Battles of First Manassas and Seven Pines. He was sick at the time of the Gaines Farm and Malvern Hill battles, and he was killed at the Battle of Second Manassas on August 29, 1862.
  


• Lowry, David David Lowry, a 20 year old farmer, initially enlisted in Company C of the Second Mississippi Regiment.  He transferred to Company G on April 30, 1862. He was sick during the Seven Days Battles (Seven Pines, Gaines Farm and Malvern Hill) and died of disease at a hospital in Richmond on July 15, 1862.
  


• Lyon, Thomas Jefferson According to Pontotoc County Mississippi History and Families, p. 296, Thomas Jefferson Lyon was the son of Washington Rubin Lyon.  According to the 1860 census, Washington Rubin had real property valued at $5,000 and personal property valued at $7,000, including three slaves.. Thomas listed his age at his enlistment in April 1861 as 22 and his occupation as farmer. He was sick at the time of the Battle of First Manassas, and was detailed as a regimental teamster for the Seven Pines, Gaines Farm and Malvern Hill battles. He participated with the company in the battles of Second Manassas, South Mountain and Sharpsburg. He was detailed again as regimental teamster for most of the rest of the war, being listed with the company again at Hatcher's Run on October 27, 1864 and February 5, 1865.  He was placed under arrest at Petersburg on February 19, 1865 for desertion under attack. His ancestors and descendants are listed at to Pontotoc County Mississippi History and Families, p. 296.

Copyright 1999 - 2002 by B. F. Thompson . All rights reserved.
 

The USGenWeb Project was begun in 1996 to provide free internet access to genealogical data for every county in the United States. Volunteers coordinate the collection of databases and individual county and state web pages. There is no fee or charge of any kind to view the information posted on project pages and no subscription is required. You may print any of these pages for your own personal use so long as you include this statement on each page.

Copyright 1996-2018 by the USGenWeb Group, maintaining 2008 until present Peggy A. Young, except where otherwise noted.