Any Insight on My Confederate Ancestor?

PWHardin8

Cadet
Joined
Oct 10, 2017
Hey everybody, this is my first post, and I love what you have going on here. I'm at a standstill with the search of my 2nd great grandfather's time in the Confederacy, and wanted to know what you think of it.

Joseph R. Hardin.jpg
(Notice the gash on his forehead? I bet that's from his time in the war.)


32622_1220701439_0014-00540.jpg

(As with my name, they misspelled "Hardin" with an "en")


He’s been hanging on my grandparent's hallway for decades now, and just so recently have I been looking into his story. Thought I’d come here for some insight (if any).


So his name is Joseph R. Hardin (1836 - 1918, sometimes referred to as “Joe”), and he served as a confederate soldier with Co. E 17th Texas Infantry. Enlisted on April 1st, 1862 in Llano’s Camp Terry.


I’ve been digging, and digging, and digging for more information about his wartime records, but hardly a blip. I do know that he served under Commander Allen (as listed in the muster roll), and there’s a whole article on the 17th, but I haven't even found another document of a soldier from his specific company/unit besides himself. Article on The 17th

Funny thing though: as I’m looking last week, I find this article which talks about a soldier named Herbert T. Nash who refused to surrender at Vicksburg with a group of four: Jerry Nash, Jack Phillips, JOE HARDIN, & John West. They crossed the flooded Mississippi River, made it to Monroe Louisiana, and then back to Texas. Could it be him? I’m not sure, but it sounds close since the 17th served in Vicksburg. Here’s the article


I was wondering if anybody here would have any know-how about him, or ways I can find further information. We know all about his wives, kids, and family, but not much about his service. Wouldn't you think he'd have a picture of himself during the war, and not just the one we have when he's older? It's literally the sole picture we have of him.

Additional info: He married thrice. His wives names in order: Lucretia Arena Irene Jolly, Mary E. Holmes, & then Martha "Mattie" Eddowes.
He had nine kids: Roy, Nora Bell, James, Joseph, Mary, Lessie, Amanda, George, & Rensa.

He was born in Knox Tennessee, and he moved to Llano more than likely for the war. He died in Jarrell TX in 1918.

I believe his middle name is Robert.

Our family's last name is derivative from that of John Wesley Hardin - the famous Texas outlaw.
 
Last edited:
Welcome!

The 17th Texas Infantry wasn't in the siege of Vicksburg but was with Walker's Texas Division across the Mississippi in Louisiana. They were in the battle of Milliken's Bend at the time, but they never served east of the Mississippi River.

That excerpt from the article on Herbert T. Nash is not referring to the Vicksburg campaign or siege but the 6th Texas Cavalry's surrender near Vicksburg at the end of the war.
 
I find a Joseph R. Hardin aka Joseph R. Harding enlisted 1861 at the age of 24 with Stones Regiment Co. C 6th Cavalry Texas. Original records under Joseph Harding. This is from fold3 service records of civil war soldiers. I think you need a membership to view the records and I don't have one. Just google up fold three and do a search for him.
 
Welcome!

The 17th Texas Infantry wasn't in the siege of Vicksburg but was with Walker's Texas Division across the Mississippi in Louisiana. They were in the battle of Milliken's Bend at the time, but they never served east of the Mississippi River.

That excerpt from the article on Herbert T. Nash is not referring to the Vicksburg campaign or siege but the 6th Texas Cavalry's surrender near Vicksburg at the end of the war.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. At least I know some of the battles he may have taken part in. I bet there's a few more files I can find of him out there. He's always just sort have been an enigma in the family, but I bet his story in the 17th could be pretty neat.
 
I find a Joseph R. Hardin aka Joseph R. Harding enlisted 1861 at the age of 24 with Stones Regiment Co. C 6th Cavalry Texas. Original records under Joseph Harding. This is from fold3 service records of civil war soldiers. I think you need a membership to view the records and I don't have one. Just google up fold three and do a search for him.
That's a pretty interesting find. And one of his daughters said that a few public records of him were written down wrong, so who knows where he could have been documented. I think I'll give that a search - thanks :smile:
 
You wrote: "We know all about his wives, kids, and family, but not much about his service."

Please provide 1. wife's first name and maiden name if known. 2. Children's names if known 3. Anywhere (town & state) you know Joseph Harden (Hardin) might have lived after the war and 4. Harden's middle name if known.
Many times you can learn a great deal about a C.W. soldier's service from genealogical information of this type.
 
Many veterans just didn’t talk about the horrors of war. Much information died with them.

The image in my avatar is of one of my ancestors as an old man.
 
Hey everybody, this is my first post, and I love what you have going on here. I'm at a standstill with the search of my 2nd great grandfather's time in the Confederacy, and wanted to know what you think of it.

View attachment 161102 (Notice the gash on his forehead? I bet that's from his time in the war.)


View attachment 161103
(As with my name, they misspelled "Hardin" with an "en")


He’s been hanging on my grandparent's hallway for decades now, and just so recently have I been looking into his story. Thought I’d come here for some insight (if any).


So his name is Joseph R. Hardin (1836 - 1918, sometimes referred to as “Joe”), and he served as a confederate soldier with Co. E 17th Texas Infantry. Enlisted on April 1st, 1862 in Llano’s Camp Terry.


I’ve been digging, and digging, and digging for more information about his wartime records, but hardly a blip. I do know that he served under Commander Allen (as listed in the muster roll), and there’s a whole article on the 17th, but I haven't even found another document of a soldier from his specific company/unit besides himself. Article on The 17th

Funny thing though: as I’m looking last week, I find this article which talks about a soldier named Herbert T. Nash who refused to surrender at Vicksburg with a group of four: Jerry Nash, Jack Phillips, JOE HARDIN, & John West. They crossed the flooded Mississippi River, made it to Monroe Louisiana, and then back to Texas. Could it be him? I’m not sure, but it sounds close since the 17th served in Vicksburg. Here’s the article


I was wondering if anybody here would have any know-how about him, or ways I can find further information. We know all about his wives, kids, and family, but not much about his service. Wouldn't you think he'd have a picture of himself during the war, and not just the one we have when he's older? It's literally the sole picture we have of him.


https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qks12


17th Texas Infantry Rgt.

Cols. Robert T. P. Allen, George W. Jones, LtCol. Joseph Z. Miller,
Majs. R. D. Allen, John W. Tabor


The regiment was formed in March 1862 at Camp Terry, Austin, Texas and
included men from Belton, Austin, Columbus and the counties of
Burleson, Smith and Upshur. It was assigned to McCulloch's, Flournoy's,
Waterhouse's, Scurry's brigade, Trans-Mississippi Department. In June
1863 it lost 21 killed, 68 wounded and three missing at Milliken's
Bend.

One offficer and 39 men were captured during the Red River campaign and
it fought at Jenkins' Ferry. It moved to Hempstead, Texas in 1865. It
was included in the June 2, 1865 surrender of the Trans-Mississippi
Department.
............................................................................................................................

A Veteran of Company I :

P1040004.gif


Sergeant Richard Oscar Reed enlisted 4/15/1862. Transferred to the CS. Engineers 11/15/1863.
 
You wrote: "We know all about his wives, kids, and family, but not much about his service."

Please provide 1. wife's first name and maiden name if known. 2. Children's names if known 3. Anywhere (town & state) you know Joseph Harden (Hardin) might have lived after the war and 4. Harden's middle name if known.
Many times you can learn a great deal about a C.W. soldier's service from genealogical information of this type.

His wives names in order: Lucretia Arena Irene Jolly, Mary E. Holmes, & then Martha "Mattie" Eddowes (whom my grandfather remembers from his childhood).

He had nine kids (yikes): Roy, Nora Bell, James, Joseph, Mary, Lessie, Amanda, George, & Rensa.

He was born in Knox Tennessee, and he moved to Llano more than likely for the war. He died in Jarrell TX in 1918.

I believe his middle name is Robert.
 
This looks like your guy but it certainly does not make any mention of the escape from Vicksburg.

Tom

Thanks for that info - that's him. The Vicksburg thing is mostly speculation since there's nothing backing up it was him exactly, but who knows what we'll find.
 
Many veterans just didn’t talk about the horrors of war. Much information died with them.

The image in my avatar is of one of my ancestors as an old man.
I wouldn't doubt it, and I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case here. Unfortunately it looks like most my family hasn't a direct clue about him, so it makes me wonder what can be unearthed.
 
The notation on the second card posted above by TomP says "Absent sick at Washington"; that's referring to Washington, Arkansas, now a state park near the town of Hope in the SW corner of the state. Washington was after 1863 the capital of Arkansas and a supply and hospital center for what confederate troops remained in the state. If you haven't been there, it's well worth a visit.
 
The notation on the second card posted above by TomP says "Absent sick at Washington"; that's referring to Washington, Arkansas, now a state park near the town of Hope in the SW corner of the state. Washington was after 1863 the capital of Arkansas and a supply and hospital center for what confederate troops remained in the state. If you haven't been there, it's well worth a visit.
It's funny you point that out: I was just looking at that one last night and did research about it. That's definitely another piece of the puzzle right there. Surprised he made it after all the Camp Terry soldiers I've read about who died from disease in the war.
 
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