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Facts and Fancies of Corinth History
Taken from the Daily Corinthian May 18, 1954
Submitted by: Vicki Burress Roach
(Original article written by Mrs. Don Watkins in 1954)
Mrs. Gene C. Striplin's grandmother was Mrs. Eugenia Polk Hyneman who lived to
be nearly 104 years old. Mrs. Hyneman was the girl who clipped a few locks of
hair from Gen. Johnston's head after her mother, Mrs. Ellen Polk and Mrs. W.M.
Inge, Johnston's hostess before the Battle of Shiloh, had prepared the body for
burial.
This is a document that belonged to Mrs. Hyneman. It is unsigned. Mrs. Striplin
doesn't know if the paper was prepared for typing by her grandfather D.J.
Hyneman, who was one of Forrests' soldiers; or Judge W.H. Kilpartick who
organized, drilled and was elected captain of the Corinth Rifles, or Judge W.M.
Inge who organized a cavalry company here.
"History of Companies From Our Town Who Served in the Confederate States Army."
"In the Organization of the Confederate Army, Corinth contributed very
liberally. We sent to the front five companies of as brave young soldiers as
wore the gray. They marched away with high heads, high hopes and high
expectations-many of them never to return-their bodies were left on the
battlefields from Vicksburg to Gettysburg.
The first company to leave was the Corinth Rifles; commanded by that grand old
warrior Capt. W.H. Kilpatrick. This company was put with the 9th Mississippi
regiment and sent to Pensacola, Florida and were the first troops to leave the
State. After remaining in Pensacola a year they returned to the army at Corinth
just in time to take part in the bloody battle of Shiloh where they played a
distinguished part. No regiment on that fearful Sunday of bloodshed did better
execution than the 9th Mississippi. It was the 9th with Chambers Brigade that
reached the nearest point to Pittsburg Landing and if the word had been given
they would have gone there then there would have been a different tale to tell
about bloody Shiloh.
The next company to organize was a company of cavalry commanded by Capt. W.M.
Inge. It was a fine looking company and made a splendid show on their fine
mounts. The first year of the war cavalry was not much in demand. They were so
slow in ordering them out that many of the company including the captain drifted
to infantry commands and went to the front. The remainder of the company
commanded by Capt. J.N. Duncan consolidated with Capt. Roddy's Company and
became a part of Roddy's command.
The next company was the Annie Terry Guards, commanded by Capt. H.C. Hyneman.
This company was named for Miss Annie Terry of East Port, a young lady who
manifested great interest in the organization of the company, as an appreciation
of the honor of having the company named for her she uniformed it at her own
expense. She afterwards married Col. D.M. Wisdom and is still living in
Muskogee, Oklahoma. This compnay became a part of the 26th Mississippi and was
sent to Fort Donelson, where they did their first fighting. They were in the
thickest of the battle, had many killed and wounded. Capt. Hyneman was mortally
wounded and died a short time afterwards. What was left of the regiment were
captured and sent north, but were soon exchanged and sent to join the Virginia
Army to fight with Lee and Jackson.
The next company to enlist was commanded by that hightoned Christian gentleman
and soldier Capt. Wm. Irion. This company became a part of the 32nd Mississippi
Regiment, commanded by Col. M.P. Lowery (afterwards Gen. Lowery), Capt. Irion
received his death wound on the bloody field of Perryville, Kentucky. The
regiment remained in Lowery's Brigade, Pat Claiborne's Division, Army of the
Tennessee until the close of the war.
The fifth and last company to organize before the evacuation of Corinth in May
1862 was a Company of Cavalry, commanded by Capt. G.L. Baxter. This company was
made up mostly of man who had served the first year of the war in Infantry. They
were assigned to Gen. Van Dorn as scouts and remained as such until his death a
year later at Spring Hill, Tennessee. They then became Co. H, 12th Mississippi
Cavalry commanded by Col. Inge at the time the company was commanded by Capt.
J.B. Hyneman and remained with the 12th until the surrender. It was with Joseph
E. Johnston in his five months almost continuous fighting from Chattanooga to
Atlanta. It was in the wake of Sherman on his famous march to the sea. It was a
part of the escort of President Davis on his retreat from Richmond and was with
him when he was captured.
In connection with the above I might mention an organized company of boys, 15
and 16 years of age. Our present townsman T.D. Duncan was Captain and D.J.
Hyneman, Lieutenant. This company was regularly organized and well drilled. They
tendered their services as a company, but of course were declined on account of
their age. They disbanded at the evacuation of Corinth, but they all enlisted in
other companies before the close of the war and became Confederate soldiers.
Now through the generosity and thoughtfulness of Mrs. Gene C. Striplin the
people of this town have an authenticated record of the different companies that
were organized in Corinth during the War between the States. |
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