- Joined
- May 18, 2005
- Location
- Spring Hill, Tennessee
Private William M. Woods was thirty-two years old when he enlisted in Company G of the 6th Tennessee in May 1861 in Jackson, Tennessee. He was originally from Hawkins County in East Tennessee. In the 1860 census he was a thirty-one year old merchant living in Jackson, Madison County Tennessee with a personal estate worth $5,000. Little did he know what his fate would be only two years from then.
"From different sources we are informed of unparalleled atrocities committed upon our helpless soldiers who were left in Kentucky, after the retreat of Gen. Bragg, by the Union bushwhackers of that State. A correspondent of the Knoxville Register details the particulars of one case—that of Willie M. Woods, of Col. Porter’s Tennessee regiment, who was wounded at Perryville, and had his leg broken by a wagon, and was left at the house of John Pitman, three miles beyond Loudoun. He had been there about two weeks, when a notorious Unionist named King, with five others, went to Pitman’s, tied a rope around his neck and dragged him from the bed to a wagon and threw him in, breaking his leg anew. They drove a short distance, to the nearest tree, where they hung Woods, and shot him while hanging. Woods was a native of Hawkins county, and entered the service, at the commencement of the war, under Col. Stephens. There was, also, a Mississippian named Gray at the same house who had been left sick. The same party tied a rope around his neck, and hung him to the same tree with Woods and he was buried in the same grave. Two others were hung with telegraph wire, and another soldier who was on the very verge of death was dragged out and hung.—Dispatch, 6th."
Sure would be interesting to find out a little more about the Unionist named King. @lelliott19 ?
"From different sources we are informed of unparalleled atrocities committed upon our helpless soldiers who were left in Kentucky, after the retreat of Gen. Bragg, by the Union bushwhackers of that State. A correspondent of the Knoxville Register details the particulars of one case—that of Willie M. Woods, of Col. Porter’s Tennessee regiment, who was wounded at Perryville, and had his leg broken by a wagon, and was left at the house of John Pitman, three miles beyond Loudoun. He had been there about two weeks, when a notorious Unionist named King, with five others, went to Pitman’s, tied a rope around his neck and dragged him from the bed to a wagon and threw him in, breaking his leg anew. They drove a short distance, to the nearest tree, where they hung Woods, and shot him while hanging. Woods was a native of Hawkins county, and entered the service, at the commencement of the war, under Col. Stephens. There was, also, a Mississippian named Gray at the same house who had been left sick. The same party tied a rope around his neck, and hung him to the same tree with Woods and he was buried in the same grave. Two others were hung with telegraph wire, and another soldier who was on the very verge of death was dragged out and hung.—Dispatch, 6th."
Sure would be interesting to find out a little more about the Unionist named King. @lelliott19 ?