- Joined
- Oct 17, 2012
- Location
- Middle Tennessee
Oliver Hazard Perry Foster was born on April 16, 1838 in Barren County, Kentucky. In 1860 he was living in Gallatin at the outbreak of the war. Filled with patriotic fervor, he enlisted as a Corporal in Co. C, 7th Tennessee Infantry on May 24, 1861 by Colonel Thomas Boyers. Trained at Camp Trousdale, the regiment left for Virginia on July 15, 1861. By this time, he was the company 1st Sergeant with the regiment being formed in Staunton, Virginia on July 25th. Grouped together with the 1st and 14th Tennessee, the 7th formed part of Anderson's Tennessee Brigade. The unit began active service as part of the unsuccessful Cheat Mountain campaign. On December 23, 1861, he was elected as 1st Lieutenant while the regiment was assigned to Stonewall Jackson's to destroy the railroad bridge at Bath, Virginia. He continued in Co. C, actively engaged at the Seven Days battles in June, 1862 and he came to command Co. C when Captain John Fry was wounded at Seven Pines on July 31, 1862.
He continued in active campaigning with the battle of Cedar Run, 2nd Manassas, Harper's Ferry, Sharpsburg and Shepherdstown by which time the 7th was down to less than 100 effectives. After a brief respite, he was present at Fredericksburg where the regiment took an additional 38 casualties after which the regiment went into winter quarters near Fredericksburg.
Foster commanded Co. C during Chancellorsville in which the regiment led the charge and captured Chancellor house on May 3, 1862. At Gettysburg in July, the regiment participated in Pickett's Charge, briefly penetrating the Federal lines before falling back. He was promoted to Captain on September 11, 1863.
The next active service of the regiment was at the Battle of the Wilderness where he was captured on May 5, 1864. After his capture he was sent to Fort Delaware, Maryland from which he promptly escaped on July 1st. He attempted to make his way across the North to get back to Tennessee. He was arrested on August 8th by Captain R. W. Thompson, Provost Marshal of the 7th Indiana District near Greencastle, Indiana. By August 10, 1864 he was at Camp Morton in Indianapolis before being transferred to Johnson Island, Ohio near Sandusky where he was released on June 14, 1865 having taken the oath of allegiance. At the time he was described as 27 years of age, 5 foot 6 inches in height, with sandy hair, hazel eyes and the florid complexion.
After the war, Foster returned to Gallatin and married Sarah "Sallie" Cantrell on November 29, 1866 resuming work in his father's Tailor shop. He became dissatisfied as a tailor and in 1880 became the County Circuit Court Clerk and becoming a practicing attorney. He continued to practice law until his death on March 1, 1914. He and Sallie had three daughters and three sons.
He is buried in the Gallatin City Cemetery.
He continued in active campaigning with the battle of Cedar Run, 2nd Manassas, Harper's Ferry, Sharpsburg and Shepherdstown by which time the 7th was down to less than 100 effectives. After a brief respite, he was present at Fredericksburg where the regiment took an additional 38 casualties after which the regiment went into winter quarters near Fredericksburg.
Foster commanded Co. C during Chancellorsville in which the regiment led the charge and captured Chancellor house on May 3, 1862. At Gettysburg in July, the regiment participated in Pickett's Charge, briefly penetrating the Federal lines before falling back. He was promoted to Captain on September 11, 1863.
The next active service of the regiment was at the Battle of the Wilderness where he was captured on May 5, 1864. After his capture he was sent to Fort Delaware, Maryland from which he promptly escaped on July 1st. He attempted to make his way across the North to get back to Tennessee. He was arrested on August 8th by Captain R. W. Thompson, Provost Marshal of the 7th Indiana District near Greencastle, Indiana. By August 10, 1864 he was at Camp Morton in Indianapolis before being transferred to Johnson Island, Ohio near Sandusky where he was released on June 14, 1865 having taken the oath of allegiance. At the time he was described as 27 years of age, 5 foot 6 inches in height, with sandy hair, hazel eyes and the florid complexion.
After the war, Foster returned to Gallatin and married Sarah "Sallie" Cantrell on November 29, 1866 resuming work in his father's Tailor shop. He became dissatisfied as a tailor and in 1880 became the County Circuit Court Clerk and becoming a practicing attorney. He continued to practice law until his death on March 1, 1914. He and Sallie had three daughters and three sons.
He is buried in the Gallatin City Cemetery.
Bringing the