CSA Soldiers' Rest


Known CSA Veterans at Cedar Hill
Vicksburg, Mississippi
 

Not Forgotten

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George Marshall's grave marker
Cedar Hill Cemetery
down the hill and across the
cemetery from Soldiers' Rest

 

George Marshall enrolled 15 May 1862 in Jackson, Miss., for the war, signing on with the 1st Regt. Miss. Light Arty., Co. G.

He was at the Camp of Instruction 13 May and mustered in 15 May.

For "meritorious conduct," he was appointed to the staff of Gen. Martin Edwin Green, Commander of the 2nd Brigade of Forney's-Bowen's Division, Army of Vicksburg.

He took an active part in the battles of Baker's Creek (Champion's Hill, May 16, 1863), Big Black, and was finally captured with the garrison of Vicksburg.

He participated in the Sherman campaign in Mississippi and the entire campaign in Georgia. "He is a most capable and excellent officer, and discharges the duties of the position to the entire satisfaction of myself and the regiment." (From Letter of Recommendation seen below.)

At the time the war began, George Marshall was a resident of Vicksburg. At the time of the war, he already owned his cemetery lot in Cedar Hill (also called City Cemetery) in Vicksburg because a young Thomas Marshall was buried there in 1858. (See Cemetery Notes below.) According to the sexton, George Marshall purchased the lot in 1852.

See also Brig. Gen. Martin E. Green

 

George Marshall enrolled in the 1st Miss. Light Artillery 15 May 1862.
Record on fold3.com

 

The signature of George Marshall on his Parole of Honor (seen below) dated 14 May 1865, Meridian, Mississippi.

George Marshall was recommended for appointment as adjutant to Gen. Green.
Record on fold3.com


Register card showing 1 Lt. George Marshall's appointment to the 9th Miss. Cav. Regt. Note the Secretary of War, James Alexander Seddon.


In tender memory of my husband
George Marshall
Born in Augusta, Ky.
March 5, 1828
Died in Vicksburg, Miss.
May 9, 1905

 


Mrs. S. H. Marshall
[Susan Hansford Marshall]
wife of
George Marshall
Born Dec 10, 1834
Died Jan 19, 1917

A photo of the George Marshall cemetery lot. Note the name Marshall on the step. George Marshall and his wife Mrs. Susan Hansford Marshall are buried beneath the two identical markers in the front right-hand corner. His marker is on the right.

George Marshall and Brig. Gen. Martin Edwin Green

George Marshall served on the staff of Brig. Gen. Martin E. Green of Missouri.

He was a valuable asset to the CSA general from Missouri because he knew the geography of Vicksburg and surrounds. And being born in 1828, he was older than most of the soldiers and likely more comfortable with the General.

When Brig. Gen. Martin E. Green was killed by a sharpshooter during the siege of Vicksburg 27 Jun 1863, he was buried in George Marshall's lot, perhaps in the front left-hand corner.

George Marshall had been a resident of Vicksburg for some time and already had this cemetery lot. He had been serving with Gen. Green as adjutant when the general was killed, and he offered a place in his family lot to Martin Edwin Green.

The funeral home record for this event reads, "Green, Martin E. (Brig. General), 27 June 1863; of Mo.; Interred on George Marshals Lot." (Ragland's Fisher Funeral Home Records, Vicksburg, Mississippi 1854 - 1867, pg. 144)

George Marshall's New Position after the Death of the General

After the death of Brig. Gen. M. E. Green, George Marshall traveled to Richmond to seek a commission from the War Department 20 Aug 1863.

As the letter of introduction was written in Alabama, was Marshall on his way to Virginia?

Letter of Introduction

The letter of introduction was written to the Honorable James Alexander Seddon (Confederate States Secretary of War).

It was marked on the back of the second page, "Recd Aug 27/63."

The writing seems hurried and in places is difficult to read. The last half of the second page is not transcribed here; it appears to deal with plantation business of letter-recipient J. A. Seddon. I take it, then, that the signature which I can barely read as, perhaps, R. S. Buck is that of a land manager or worker for the Secretary of War or for the partnership that owns the plantation(s). I cannot read the town name where the letter was written. The photos of the letter follow. (This *may* be the plantation partnership that is mentioned.)

___ Springs, Ala.
Aug 2nd/63

Hon. James A. Seddon
Richmond

My Dear Sir

This will be presented to you by Mr. George Marshall, late of the garrison of Vburg & whose conduct there during the twenty-seven days of the siege in which I was in the city I had the satisfaction of knowing from personal observation ___ greatly to his conduct as a soldier.

Mr. M. for a number of months was a private in the artillery service of the army, ... (difficult to read) ... at the solicitation of Genl. Green of the Mo. Troops upon his staff during the operations of the army about and in Vburg. He was with this officer up to the time of his unfortunate death & the surrender of the city. He visits Richmond to try & have his temporary rank made permanent in the provisional army & such a commission could not be more worthily bestowed. ___ this I can recommend him & his application to your kind consideration.

...

Your Friend & Obt. Servt
R. S. Buck [?]



Record on fold3.com

 



Record on fold3.com

 

Letter of Recommendation

This letter was written by Col. H. H. Miller to Gen. Cooper in Richmond. A photo of the actual letter follows.

Richmond, December 17, 1864

General,

I have the honor respectfully to recommend that George Marshall, of Mississippi, be appointed adjutant of my Cavalry Regt.

Mr. Marshall entered the service early in the war as a private in Co "A" Withers Regt of Light Artillery, and served as such until for meritorious conduct, he was appointed upon the staff of the late Brig Genl Green, who fell during the siege of Vicksburg. Mr. Marshall bore an active part in the battles of Baker's Creek, Big Black, and was finally captured with the garrison of Vicksburg.

When my Regt first entered service in January last he was assigned to duty with it as adjutant and I then recommended his appointment to the position. He has served with me in that capacity since that time, and has participated in the Sherman campaign in Miss, and the entire campaign in Georgia. He is a most capable and excellent officer, and discharges the duties of the position to the entire satisfaction of myself and the Regiment. His appointment would give great satisfaction to my command, and I most earnestly urge the appointment.

I am, Sir, Very Respectfully,

Your Obt Servnt,
H. H. Miller, Col.

Genl S. Cooper
Adjt & Inspr Genl
Richmond



Record on fold3.com

 

Letter of Request for Action

This letter, transcribed as written, was written by Col. H. H. Miller to Gen. S. Cooper. A photo of the letter follows.

Also, shown is a photo of the back of the folded letter. Note the 20 Jan 1864 approval of Maj. Gen. Stephen Dill Lee. (Gen. S. D. Lee spoke at the 1893 dedication of the Monument to the Confederate Dead in Soldiers' Rest, Vicksburg.)

Jackson, Miss. January 19, 1864

General,

I respectfully request that private George Marshall, of Co "A" 1st Regt Miss Light Artillery, be appointed and commissioned as Adjutant, with the rank of 1st Lieut of my Regiment of Cavalry, which was organized by Major Genl S. D. Lee, Comd'g Cavalry [etc.], in pursuance of orders from the War Department dated August 20th 1863.

Mr. Marshall has been in service from the organization of the Regt to which he is attached, and his conduct as a Soldier has won for him the approval of his commanding officers. He was detailed from the ranks and placed upon the staff of the late Brig Gen Lee, which position he occupied until the fall of that officer in the defence of Vicksburg. He participated in the battles of Baker's Creek, Big Black, and in the defence of Vicksburg. His education and knowledge of the duties of the office eminently qualify him for the position.

I am, General
Very Respectfully
Your Obt Servn't

H. H. Miller
Col Comd'g Regt Cavalry

To General S. Cooper
Adjt & Inspr Genl
Richmond, Va.



Record on fold3.com



Record on fold3.com
This is the back of the letter. Note the fold line
(I have cropped away the blank paper in the photo.)

Col. Miller in Jackson, Miss., sends his recommendation. It has been forwarded, approved, by Maj. Gen. Stephen Dill Lee in headquarters in Jackson, and dated 20 Jan 1864.

The bottom third is from Lt. Gen. Polk, dated 23 Jan 1864. The request is again forwarded, approved.

Some Notes on George Marshall and Family

George Marshall's parents were Martin Marshall (d. 1853, Ky) and Matilda Battaile Taliaferro (d. 1846), natives of Virginia. George Marshall moved to Mississippi in 1850, living with his brother, Judge Thomas Alexander Marshall of Vicksburg (b. 29 Mar 1812, Ky). He attended Augusta College in Kentucky, read law with his brother, but never practiced.

He took up the life of a planter until the war began. Aside from serving on the staff of Brig. Gen. Martin Edwin Green, he took part in the battles of Vicksburg, Champion Hill, Atlanta, Jonesboro, and Franklin.

After the war, he was in real estate for two years, then moved to his 700-acre plantation in the bottomlands of Hinds County, Mississippi, on Big Black River. He had acquired the place in 1858 and lived quietly the remainder of his life.

In 1853, he married the daughter of Dr. Hartwell Harris of Virginia, a very early settler of Mississippi and a man of large real estate holdings. There were four children born to the marriage -- Leila, Thomas A., Elizabeth C., and T. D.

Daughter Elizabeth married Marye Dabney, a well-known attorney of Vicksburg (also interred in the George Marshall lot). T. D. Marshall was another Vicksburg attorney who was known for taking "an eight or nine mile chase with his hounds almost daily, his vigor and energy being remarkable for one of his years."

(Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi, pgs. 400-401)

At the time of the writing (1891) of the above biography of George Marshall, children Leila and Thomas A. were deceased. In Ragland's Fisher Funeral Home Records, pg. 164, we see "Marshall, ___, 24 Jun 1862; County." As we know Thomas A. Marshall, infant, died in 1858 (see Cemetery Notes), this child may have been Leila.

Echoing the girl's death, an entry in The Vicksburg Daily Whig for Tuesday, 1 Jul 1862, reads, "June 24th, The Child of George Marshall died in the Country."

There was no mention where she was interred.
 

Cemetery Notes

This cemetery lot begs attention not only because it is the burial site of a CSA soldier but because this writer has not yet found reason to believe Brig. Gen. Martin Edwin Green of Missouri has been removed from his unmarked burial space here.

With that in mind, I would like to post what notes I have on this lot.

Concerning the young Thomas Marshall burial:

This monument was shown in Salassi's Cedar Hill as being "small shaft, no names, leaning against fence." However, on this writer's visit, the monument was repaired, upright and in place in the back left corner and readable. It is visible in the lot photo above, being the tall, thin shaft. The fence referred to may have been the iron fence of the William H. Johnson Marshall lot to the left in the photo above.

The entry in the Fisher Funeral Home records for this child reads as seen, "Marshall, Thos., 30 Nov 1858; 13 months 10 days; Cholra Infantum; 1 Fine Casket, Case, Drayage $65.00; Grave $3.00; Use 4 Hacks $13.00--$181.00; George Marshall Dr" (Ragland's Fisher Funeral Home Records, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 1854-1867, pg. 60)

"Dr" mean debtor and is the person who paid the funeral expenses.

The funeral home records show this to be the earliest burial in this lot.

The next burial would have been that of Brig. Gen. Green in 1863.

In this cemetery lot is a Confederate Brig. Gen. and three Confederate veterans.

The known burials in order of date are:

  • Thomas Marshall, d. 1858

  • unmarked Brig. Gen. Martin Edwin Green, d. 27 Jun 1863

  • Hansford, Elizabeth C. "my mother," 20 Sep 1811 - 15 Jun 1885
       b. on the plantation home near Petersburg Va.

  • George Marshall, d. 1905

  • Dabney, Marye, 11 Nov 1846 - 21 Dec 1911

  • Mrs. S. H. Marshall, 10 Dec 1834 - 19 Jan 1917

  • Zelma B. Frey, Jr., 9 Mar 1928 - 20 Jul 1984

  • Dr. C. A. Cameron and S. V. Cameron, no dates

The honorable Marye Dabney, attorney, served the Confederacy, as did two of his brothers. He married Elizabeth "Lizzie" Marshall, daughter of George Marshall.

Dr. G. A. (Granville Alexander) Cameron, a surgeon, served the Confederacy. He enrolled in the 2nd Batt. Miss. State Troops. He was assigned as a surgeon.

Interment of Mrs. George Marshall

From the Fisher Funeral Home record,

"Marshall, Susan H. (Mrs.) January 23, 1917; To one Black Cloth Casket Metallic and Box $200.00; Use of Ambulance, Use of Hearse, Use of Parlors, Drayage of Box, Head Board & Services $20.00; City for Opening Grave $5.00; Funeral Notice in Herald & Post $2.50; Roach 2 Hacks $8.00; Bazinsky 3 Hacks $12.00--$247.50."

Salassi has the death date as 19 Jun 1917. Misreading the month (Jan or Jun) is easy on these old markers. The 19th of the month is the death date. The 23rd in the funeral home record is the date of the funeral.

An aside concerning Dabney Marshall, son of George Marshall

The Daily Commercial (Vicksburg) for 3 Jul 1879 reports that the son of George Marshall of Vicksburg, "Master Dabney," has returned home from Oxford on a visit, "having passed a most brilliant examination and bearing from that unrivaled institution the first honors in each and every class of which he was a member." The article goes on to say, "The following are some of the classes in which Master Dabney carried off the first honors: Latin, Greek, German, French, natural philosophy, chemistry, rhetoric, and the higher branches of mathematics. .... Vicksburg should be proud of the young man who has thus represented her in one of the most excellent and thorough institutions of learning in this country."

The 1880 Vicksburg census shows Dabney Marshall (gr-son), age 19, "at school." He is recorded in the same residence as Elizabeth Hansford (68 and keeps house), George Marshall (50, son-in-law, and farmer), Susan Marshall (44 and daughter), and John Hopewell (65 and servant). [NOTE: Elizabeth Hansford was Susan's mother; George Marshall was Susan's husband and Dabney Marshall was their son. Elizabeth Hansford was head of household, so Dabney Marshall was shown on the census as her "gr-son."]

Thanks to James Earl "Sam" Price of Vicksburg for help on this page.

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