An East Tennessee "Galvanized Yankee"
David DeLafayette Franklin: Was born in 1833, in McMinn County (east) Tennessee. He enlisted on 5/15/1861 into Company C (Polk County) (John Carter Vaughn's & Newton Lillard's) Confederate 3rd Tennessee Infantry, the 1st Rebel regiment raised in east Tennessee. The 3rd Tennessee took part in the Battle of 1st Bull Run (or Manassas, Va). David was part of the Rebel garrison surrendered and paroled at Vicksburg. He was captured a second time in December, 1863. This time he was sent to prison at Rock Island, Illinois. He soon contracted smallpox and was admitted to the prison hospital. In October,1864, The Union Army began recruiting Confederate prisoners for military service in the west in exchange for their freedom. David became a "Galvanized Yankee" in Company B Third U. S. Infantry Volunteers. Ordered to Dept. of Missouri, arriving at Fort Kearney, Neb., April 9, 1865, and assigned to duty in the District of Nebraska and Colorado. Stationed by Companies. "A" and "B" at Fort Kearney, "E" and "F" at Fort Rankin, "G" and "H" at Julesburg Junction, Colo., and "C" and "D" at Cottonwood protecting overland mail routes from Indian attacks. Skirmish at Elm Creek May 20, 1865. Mustered out November 29, 1865.
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MAY 18, 1865.--Skirmish with Indians near Fort Kearny, Nebr. Ter.
Report of Lieut. William H. Barlett, Third U. S. Volunteers.
POST COTTONWOOD, NEBR. TER., May 22, 1865.
SIR: I have the honor to report that I have received information by letter
from Jefferson Fields, late fifth sergeant of this company, to the effect
that on the 10th instant he left Fort Leavenworth, Kans., in charge of
a detachment of men for Fort Kearny, Nebr. Ter.; and on the 18th
instant was attacked by Indians and lost 2 men killed and 6 wounded, he
being one of the latter, having received an arrow through his left
shoulder. among the killed was Private William J. Mers, of
this company, and among the wounded, beside the above mentioned,
was Private Rinaldo Hedges, also of this company. One of the wounded
men was scalped. The wounded are at Fort Kearny. Fields further states
that before leaving Fort Leavenworth he made application for arms, but
none were furnished him. In my opinion, the officer who ordered him
away from Fort Leavenworth, unarmed as he was, to make a march of
nearly 300 miles through a country known for the most part to be
infested by a savage and barbarous enemy, and unaccompanied by any
armed force whatever, committed a grievous error, and should be held
to account for so flagrant a breach of humanity, not to say neglect of
duty; and I beg leave to call the attention of the commanding officer of
the regiment to the facts in the case, and respectfully request that he
take the matter in hand and adopt such measures as will tend to attach
the a blame where it belongs, so that the guilty as well as the innocent
may share in the sufferings caused by some unworthy official dignitary's
mismanagement. It is too bad to have men thus massacred and not
institute an inquiry into the primary cause thereof and have the guilty
ones punished.
Hoping that action will be taken in the matter, I am, very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
WILLIAM H. BARTLETT,
First Lieut., Third Regt. U. S. Volunteers, Cmdg. Company C.
Lieut. J. L. CROWLEY,
Adjutant 3d Regt. U. S. Vols., Julesburg, Colo, Ter.
[First indorsement.]
HDQRS. THIRD REGT. U. S. VOLUNTEER INFANTRY,
Julesburg, Colo. Ter., May 24, 1865.
Respectfully forwarded to headquarters District of the Plains, for the
consideration of the brigadier-general commanding.
C. H. MCNALLY,
Col., Cmdg. Regt.
[Second indorsement.]
HDQRS. DISTRICT OF THE PLAINS,
Julesburg, Colo. Ter., May 27, 1865.
Respectfully referred to Col. R. R. Livingston, commanding East
Sub-District of the Plains, who will cause an immediate and searching
investigation of within alleged circumstance and return papers to this
office.
By command of Brig.-Gen. Connor:
GEO. F. PRICE,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
[Third indorsement.]
HDQRS. EAST SUB-DISTRICT OF THE PLAINS,
Fort Kearny, Nebr. Ter., May 29, 1865.
Respectfully returned, with the information that an investigation has
been had, and the report forwarded to headquarters District of the Plains
on the 27th instant.
R. R. LIVINGSTON,
Col. First Nebraska Veteran Cavalry, Cmdg. Sub-District.
Source: Official Records
CHAP. LX.] SKIRMISH NEAR FORT KEARNY, NEBR. TER. PAGE 273-101
[Series I. Vol. 48. Part I, Reports, Correspondence, Etc. Serial No. 101.]
The following (along with David's photo) submitted by David DeLafayette Franklin's great great grandson, Robert H. Fickies:
Later in life, his military pension application would show that he was 75 percent disabled, with vision, hearing, and back injuries. There was a very difficult process in making this transition from Confederate prisoner of war to the ranks of the Union army as a "Galvanized Yankee." These men knew that by volunteering for the Union Army, they would be shunned by their former comrades, and after the war, they were frequently shunned by Union and Confederate Veterans alike and most were not granted pensions from the Unites States Government. However, these men endured trials and tribulations well beyond the prisons, and their exploits in the American Territories out west were trying in themselves and, in the end, many of these men provided good and loyal service in the name of the United States on its frontier. David DeLafayette Franklin died in 1901, in Carroll County, Arkansas.
Notice the Federal Pension Office wanted to also know about his Confederate Service :