Looking for William Courtney, Forrest's command

luinrina

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I'm currently following a rabbithole regarding Frances "Fannie" Courtney who was in Franklin during the battle in 1864. Her older brother William served in Forrest's command. I'm hoping some of our Forrest experts can help - I tried googling muster rolls and failed because I don't even know (yet) what units served with that guy. :redface: Paging @diane and @7th Mississippi Infantry !

Here's what I found:
According to the 1860 census, William is 17 years old - so probably born in 1843. The family lived in Franklin before the war; the father, Robert Courtney, died in 1859 and is buried there (his Find a Grave entry). His mother was Eliza Jane Haynes Courtney, aged 45 in 1860. Haven't found her grave yet.

I also found this passage in the book The Tennessee Campaign of 1864 by Woodworth and Grear, p. 192:
Courtney_The Tennessee Campaign of 1864, p 192.jpg

Courtney_The Tennessee Campaign of 1864, p 192_footnotes.jpg


The text says a cousin of William served also in Forrest's unit. I have no idea if that's a maternal or paternal cousin. I tried the link given for Middle Tennessee Eyewitnesses; the domain is up for sale so no longer available.

Any and all information is welcome! Many thanks in advance. :smile:
 
Is this Frances Courtney the same who married Union soldier George Grummond? He ended up featuring rather largely in the Fetterman Massacre after the war.
Yes, that's exactly her. I've done a bio on her second husband, Henry B. Carrington, and was researching her some more as she was at the Battle of Franklin. That's when I discovered while she was a Unionist, her brother and cousin joined the CSA army.

I also just found that William's middle name probably started with a W. They both had a younger brother John:
2) Elizabeth Graham was born about 1855 in Union, Montgomery County, Indiana and died November 29, 1918 in Franklin, Tennessee at the home of her daughter Mary Courtney Merrill; she married John Courtney born about 1852 in Tennessee (Franklin?) who died December 08, 1930 in Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana. He was an attorney in Crawfordsville. They had 4 children:
a. Mary Courtney born about 1875 in Indiana (probably Crawfordsville, Montgomery County); married Dr. John O. Merrill, a dentist, who was a wealthy plantation owner in Franklin, Tennessee on February 03, 1903 at the home of her uncle W. W. Courtney in Franklin, Tennessee in a surprise ceremony.
b. Robert Courtney born about 1878 in Indiana (probably Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana).
c. Ned Courtney born after 1880 in (probably Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana).
d. Madge Courtney born after 1880 in (probably Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana).

I tried Find a Grave again and now get this gentleman: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74269435/william-wirt-courtney But he was infantry, not cavalry. :confused:
 

William W. Courtney: Residence Franklin TN; 19 years old. Enlisted and mustered on 10/28/1861 at Franklin, TN as a Private into "D" Co. TN 32nd Infantry. 2nd Lieut 10/1/1862 (Estimated date)
POW 2/15/1862 Fort Donelson, TN. Confined 2/18/1862 Camp Morton, IN (Estimated day). Paroled 9/15/1862 Camp Morton, IN (Estimated day). POW 3/19/1865 Bentonville, NC. Oath Allegiance 6/15/1865 (place not stated) (Released). Born 11/16/1842 in Franklin, TN. Died 12/20/1928 in Franklin, TN. (Parents: Robert & Eliza Courtney. Married Annie Neely in 1868.
 
Thank you!

I'm still confused though that it's now infantry. Wasn't Forrest's command cavalry? :confused:

Forrest often had infantry with him - the combination of cavalry and well-led infantry was very effective. It depended on what his mission was. Raiding - cavalry all the way! They could dismount and be used like infantry. Forrest was the Swiss army knife of cavalry!
 

Attachments

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Thank you so much, everyone! :thumbsup: My curiosity has been satisfied.

The text reads "Fannie's brother and one of her cousins who was in Forrest command" not that he was.
Thanks. To me it always read as if both of them rode with NBF.

Pity that William and Fannie's Find a Grave memorials are not connected. Maybe I should register and get that corrected. Wonder whether they'll take old publications as proof...
 
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