Signers of Cleburne's Memorandum, and their Later Fates

Luke Freet

2nd Lieutenant
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Palm Coast, Florida
P. R. Cleburne, major-general, commanding division
D. C. Govan, brigadier-general
John E. Murray, colonel, Fifth Arkansas
G. F. Baucum, colonel, Eighth Arkansas
Peter Snyder, lieutenant-colonel, commanding Sixth and Seventh Arkansas
E. Warfield, lieutenant-colonel, Second Arkansas
M. P. Lowrey, brigadier-general
A. B. Hardcastle, colonel, Thirty-second and Forty-fifth Mississippi
F. A. Ashford, major, Sixteenth Alabama
John W. Colquitt, colonel, First Arkansas
Rich. J. Person, major, Third and Fifth Confederate
G. S. Deakins, major, Thirty-fifth and Eighth Tennessee
J. H. Collett, captain, commanding Seventh Texas
J. H. Kelly, brigadier-general, commanding Cavalry Division

These are the names listed on the last surviving copy of Cleburne's proposal (https://www.battlefields.org/learn/primary-sources/patrick-cleburnes-proposal-arm-slaves).
I am of course quite familiar with many of these names, most particularly the 4 generals, as well as some the Colonels of Govan's brigade.
J. E. Murray, who's regiment (the 5th/13th Arkansas) held Ringold Gap at that famous encounter, was killed at the Battle of Atlanta. Baucum and Warfield were both wounded at that battle, and Person was captured; Colquitt had lost his leg some time earlier in the Atlanta Campaign. Ashford was killed at Franklin.
However, I know very little of the remainder. More information on these individuals would be wonderful

Sources:
Cleburne's Memorandum: https://www.battlefields.org/learn/primary-sources/patrick-cleburnes-proposal-arm-slaves
John E. Murray: http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryid=5774
George Baucum: http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=8563
J. W. Colquitt: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3131202/john-w-colquitt
 
Was born and raised in Georgia. My ancestors at the time of the War were in Pennsylvania. Grandfather moved down to Alabama soon after my Father was born, then to Georgia by the time he finished high school.
 
J. H. Collett, captain, commanding Seventh Texas
From the roster of Co. G "Freestone Freemen" 7th Texas Infantry: http://sites.rootsweb.com/~txfreest/military/company-g-7th.htm

*1st Lt. COLLETT, James H. (36)​
born January 13, 1825, in Caldwell, North Carolina; elected 1st Lt. by company, August 1, 1861; POW, Fort Donelson, Tennessee, February 16, 1862-received, Camp Chase, March, 1862; received at Johnson's Island, April 17, 1862; transferred to Vicksburg for exchange, September 1, 1862-received, September 20, 1862; ordered to report to Col. Granbury, Special Order #84, October 17, 1862 (Gen. Van Dorn's order); shown on recruiting duty in Texas, October 16, 1862-December 31, 1862; present, January-February, 1863; March 15, 1863-promoted Captain to rank from February 15, 1862; (w), Raymond, Mississippi, May 12, 1863, slightly; Mentioned in Col. Granbury's report, Official Records, battle of Raymond: "Captain [J.H.] Collett was wounded by a grapeshot." Left sick at Yazoo City, Mississippi, June 30, 1863-October, 1863; absent, on sick furlough, July-October, 1863; paid $900, October 13, 1863, for December 1, 1861-October 1, 1862, by H.T. Massengale; shown as commanding the regiment, November-December, 1863; paid $260, December 7, 1863, by W.H. Moores, for July 31-September 31, 1863; paid $260, December 23, 1863, by W.H. Moores, for September 30-November 30, 1863; paid $130, January 3, 1864, by W.H. Moores, for November 30-December 31, 1863; present & commanding regiment, Field & Staff muster rolls, dated January-April, 1864 (as Captain); granted leave, Special Order #105/1, April 16, 1864 (Gen. Johnston's order); (w), Franklin, Tennessee, November 30, 1864 (thigh); POW, Columbia, Tennessee, December 21, 1864; received at Louisville, Kentucky, January 28, 1865; sent to Ft. Delaware, February 1, 1865, received, February 5, 1865; released from Ft. Delaware on June 17, 1865 on his oath of allegiance to U.S. 5'8", light complexion & hair, blue eyes. James H. Collett moved to Fairfield, Texas, in 1852 or 1853. He made his money by buying land at .10 an acre, and selling for $1.00 an acre. He married Margaret A. Daviss on October 2, 1856. They had two daughters, Mary; and Margaret, who died in 1859 in an accident. Collett's wife also died. After returning to Fairfield on July 6, 1865, Collett married his sister-in-law, Eliza, and they moved to Galveston in 1867. In 1877, they relocated to Austin, Texas. They had five children: Eugenia, James D., Guy A., Ed K., and Rosa. Collett died on June 28, 1916, at the age of 91, and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Austin, Texas.​
Here's the link to his Find A Grave page: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/41662904/james-hamilton-collett
 
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A. B. Hardcastle, colonel, Thirty-second and Forty-fifth Mississippi
From The Third Battalion Mississippi Infantry and the 45th Mississippi Regiment by David Williamson, p. 372:

Hardcastle, Aaron Bascum, 1st Lt. to Col.; age 25; 19 Sept 1861 appointed 1st Lt.— Mustering Officer for Gov. Harris of TN; 15 Oct to 19 Nov 1861 Mustering Officer at Vicksburg; 16 Nov 1861 appointed Major in Provisional Army CSA with authority to raise a battalion and ordered to report for duty to 3rd Battalion Mississippi Infantry at Bowling Green, KY; 18 Apr 1862 the battalion increased to regiment and was re-named the 45th Mississippi (Hardcastle elected Colonel); Aug 1862 disabled by broken leg in Sequatchie Valley near Chattanooga; July/Aug 1863 detached, commanding post at Dalton, GA; Sept/Oct 1863 detached, commanding Sub-Conscript Bureau at Aberdeen, MS; Nov 1863 returned to regiment at Missionary Ridge, TN; June 1864 regiment declared illegal and reduced to former status as 3rd Mississippi Battalion — Hardcastle removed as commander and appointed Captain in Regular Army; assigned to command post at Tuscaloosa, AL; 23 Mar 1865 promoted to Colonel and appointed a member of the Military Court of Wheeler's Cavalry; 3 or 4 Apr 1865 surrendered to Croxton's Cavalry and paroled at Tuscaloosa.​


The Confederate Veteran, Vol. 23, p. 325:

COL. AARON B. HARDCASTLE.​
Col. Aaron Bascom Hardcastle, a native of Caroline County, 'Md., and son of Edward Burke Hardcastle and Mary Ann Lockwood, of Delaware, died at his home, in Easton, Md., February 10, 1915. He was born in Denton July 5, 1836. One brother was the late Capt. Edmund Lafayette Hardcastle, a graduate of West Point Military Academy July 1, 1846, who was twice promoted for gallantry in the Mexican War, and another was the late William R. Hardcastle, a gallant Confederate soldier.​
Colonel Hardcastle entered the United States army from civil life in 1855 and became a second lieutenant in the 6th United States Infantry. During the Utah expedition against the Mormons he served as aid-de-camp on the staff of Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston and accompanied him on his perilous horseback ride from California to Texas to join the Confederate army in the summer of 1861. He recruited a battalion of Mississippians and Alabamians which he commanded with the rank of major.​
General Bragg, in his special report on the battle of Shiloh, says: "At daylight on Sunday, April 6, 1862, the order was given to advance. An attack upon the skirmishers in front, commanded by Major Hardcastle, had been handsomely resisted by that promising young officer, and half an hour later the battle was fierce. In Wood’s Brigade, which distinguished itself in the capture of a battery, Hardcastle’s Battalion won honor; and its brave commander, at one time separated from his men, seized a musket and joined the 16th Alabama in a charge."​
Colonel Hardcastle was one of the original members of the Charles S. Winder Camp, U. C. V., at Easton, of which Col. Oswald Tilghman is Commander.​


Find A Grave page: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75386927/aaron-bascom-hardcastle
 
You alongside OldReliable1862 (the reactionary monarchist of CWT) were doing a thread about if the Confederate States had accepted Patrick Cleburne's proposal and enlisted black troops.

When I reacted to this well had there been actual black Confederate troops (probably segregated like black Union troops given this is the 18th-19th century) racial attitudes are probably going to change for both the North and South sure many whites would likely stop short of full-on equality since they opposed it but in regards to how it affects Reconstruction since there were both black Union and black Confederates fighting each other the tension perhaps becomes nowhere near as bad as it was in OTL.
 
From what I can tell, the younger officers were more likely to support forming black troops. Do we have any letters from officers like John C. Carter and John C. C. Sanders that mention their feelings on slavery?

Thanks to Jeff Brooks, I was about to mention James Collett's actions in his books.
 
There were two George S Deakins in the 35th Tennessee Infantry who were first cousins. Major George Deakins after the War moved to Tullahoma , Tenn. from Marion County. His cousin George S Deakins moved to McMinnville , Tenn. from the Marion and Sequatchie Counties areas. George S. who moved to McMinnville was a brother of my great, great grandmother.
 
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