Trivia 9-12-16 Triple Trivia - Who Did That?

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I was born in 1845 and, at the age of 16, enlisted in the 15th Alabama Infantry. After surviving Gettysburg, and about 2 weeks after the battle of Chickamauga, I was captured at Lookout Mountain and sent to Camp Morton. A sutler store was available there and the sutler sold us large guttapercha buttons for a nickel a piece. We boiled them until they resumed their original shape and, with great patience, cut out the center and made rings. Coins, brass buttons, and other metals were used to adorn the rings. With my two bunk mates as partners, we started a "ring factory." These men were both from Henry County, Alabama. One was a blacksmith; the other a farmer. We sold the rings and, with the proceeds, purchased extra rations and some few articles for our comfort. Although many prisoners at Camp Morton died of disease or slow starvation, I was lucky enough to be exchanged in late 1864 and make it home. What is my name? AND what are the names of my two partners in the Camp Morton ring factory?

credit: @lelliott19
 
You were Mitchell B Houghton and you co-wrote a book entitled "Two Boys in the Civil War". You wrote the section ending on page 56 (of the linked book) detailing your own experiences in the war and in Camp Morton.

Your brother, William R Houghton, wrote at greater length of his war experiences in the second half of the book commencing on page 57 and ending on page 242. He wrote this: "The writer (i.e. himself) had a brother, an only brother, in the fifteenth Alabama, who was captured in a night fight in Wills Valley near Lookout mountain in November, 1863."

Michell wrote about the ring factory and name his two co-entrepreneurs:

The sutler was allowed to sell us large guttapercha coat buttons at five cents each. These we would boil in tin cups until they resumed their original shape. With great patience the worker would cut the centre out and fashion it into a ring. Old gold pens, pieces of silver, brass buttons, and any other bright metal was used in making sets representing clasped hands, hearts and shields and other designs which were nicely engraved and highly polished The sets were riveted in with pins or strips of metal so perfectly that the fastenings could not be detected. We used sand paper and a greasy cloth to polish. With my two bunk companions for partners I started a ring factory. These men were Johnathan Smith, farmer and blacksmith and R. M. Espy a farmer, both from Henry county, Alabama.
Page 46 http://www.docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/houghton/houghton.html

This book is great - thanks to @lelliott19 for both the question and an enjoyable read.
 
Answer: Mitchell Bennett Houghton, With my two bunk companions for partners I started a ring factory. These men were Johnathan Smith, farmer and blacksmith and R. M. Espy a farmer, both from Henry county, Alabama.
source: http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/houghton/houghton.html

BTW- very interesting question. I had to learn about guttapercha and enjoyed reading about the methods of manufacture they used. I had a nice bit of trivial detail to add to this answer, but for some reason, I could not paste anything into the text box (from the internet or from a word doc).
 
I was born in 1845 and, at the age of 16, enlisted in the 15th Alabama Infantry. After surviving Gettysburg, and about 2 weeks after the battle of Chickamauga, I was captured at Lookout Mountain and sent to Camp Morton. A sutler store was available there and the sutler sold us large guttapercha buttons for a nickel a piece. We boiled them until they resumed their original shape and, with great patience, cut out the center and made rings. Coins, brass buttons, and other metals were used to adorn the rings. With my two bunk mates as partners, we started a "ring factory." These men were both from Henry County, Alabama. One was a blacksmith; the other a farmer. We sold the rings and, with the proceeds, purchased extra rations and some few articles for our comfort. Although many prisoners at Camp Morton died of disease or slow starvation, I was lucky enough to be exchanged in late 1864 and make it home. What is my name? AND what are the names of my two partners in the Camp Morton ring factory?

credit: @lelliott19


M B Houghton
Johnathan Smith
R M Espy

2 Boys In The Civil War
 
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