John Henry West Civil War Service

In 1861, everyday life was pretty normal for John West. He was the son of a blacksmith and helped his father in the blacksmith shop while growing up in Calloway County, Kentucky. He attended a country school 2 miles away and was fortunate enough to attend for 3 months a year. He attended school, all totaled, about 12 months. After reaching adulthood, he became a wagoneer hauling tobacco.

Everything changed on Friday, April 12, 1861, for that was the date that the confederate armies fired on Fort Sumter and the Civil War, or the War Between the States as it was called in the South, began. Our ancestor, John West, decided to enlist in the Confederate Army, at age 21. He went down to Union City Tennessee and enlisted on 13 September 1861 and became a private in the 33rd Tennessee Infantry, Company C.

But why would he enlisted in this war? He and his family owned no slaves. So the issue probably wasn't about slave ownership. Kentucky was one of the border states, it could go free or it could go slave. With this ambivalence about slavery, either for or against pretty well split, how could John West have felt about this issue? We have an indication in the diary of William Sylvester Dillon, who was a member of the 4th Tennessee Infantry. The 4th Tennessee stayed with the 33rd Tennessee for almost the entire war. He stated in his diary on 28 May 1861 that "I must here state that I was a strong Union man until Lincoln's call for 75,000 men, when I considered it time for every American to take sides in the issue and as I never was for a Union of States held together with bayonets I could not consistently support any cause but that of the South."

The regiment remained in Camp of Instruction near Union City until January 1862 when it moved to Columbus Kentucky. At this point only a few of the companies were partially armed, mostly with shotguns and hunting rifles, and that the regiment was not completely armed until a few weeks before the Battle of Shiloh.

The shortage of supplies and distribution of these supplies in the confederate army was well known and it must have made military life difficult. "Saturday March 1, 1862: It is rainin in torrents today and a great many of the men have no tents - nothing but a small tent fly. My mess, seven in number, has one small fly and I think this is all owing to the neglect of our officers for there are heaps of tents lying at our quartermasters department."

On 9 March 1862, the regiment was reported in Polk's Army of the Mississippi. John was admitted to the 1st Mississippi CSA Hospital in Jackson Mississippi on 21 March 1862.

On 03 April 1862, the regiment got their marching orders. "We have orders to cook three days rations and be ready to move at a moments notice - about an hour after dark we fell in and marched about five miles when we bivouacked until morning." {a bivouac is a temporary encampment often in an unsheltered area. } On 04 April 1862, they crossed the state line into the State of Tennessee, McNairy County. By the evening, they were within 4 miles of the enemy who are camped in force at Pittsburg Landing on the Tennessee River.

06-07 April 1862 was the first battle that the 33rd Tennessee Infantry was part of - The Battle of Shiloh. It was called such because "the old Chapel of Shilow occupying nearly the center of the battle ground." Dillon makes another comment about the provisioning of the Confederate Army. "After dark about one hour we were marched back one mile to the second camp that we charged through and took up our quarters in the fine comfortable tents of our beaten enemy and we had a fine supper already on the table which they had prepared for their breakfasts, but which the gallant Harder did not let them enjoy. Their tables were loaded with nice fried ham and eggs, butter and coffee, fried potatoes, etc, a great contrast to the way we rebels lived. I think if their army was fed and clothed like ours they could not keep it in the field for six months."

"Tuesday, April 8, 1862. This morning we are ordered to fall in without breakfast and we take up our line of march for Corinth again, which is fifteen miles distant, and the roads are in a very bad state with the recent heavy rains that have fallen, the mud in some places a foot deep. We arrived at our old camp about 9 o'clock P.M. almost worn out from hunger and fatigue." John states in his civil war questionnaire that he did indeed go back to Corinth at this point in time - so he most assuredly suffered these conditions.

"Wednesday 16th April 1862. According to the papers our loss in the battle of Shiloh was 700 killed and 4,500 wounded. Northern papers admit their loss to be in killed, wounded and prisoners 20,000. We also took 110 pieces of splendid artillery."

"Saturday, 26th April 1862. Our regiment reorganized today for two years of the war."

"Sunday 18th May 1862. For the past four or five days I have been very sick. I believe, however, I am mending a little. There is a great number of our men sick than ever before." John was admitted to the 1st Mississippi CSA Hospital in Jackson Mississippi on 21 May 1862.

Life in the military in the Confederate Armies was not easy. And some of the men were starting to desert. "Tuesday, 27th May 1862. Today we were formed in line to witness the punishing of a deserter, a man Reddon, belonging to Co. B of the 24th Mississippi. He went home last October and was brought back a few days ago. He received 39 lashes, was branded on the left hip with a letter "D" and had his head shaved and was then drummed out of service."

On 22 September 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued The Emancipation Proclamation. He said, in part, "That on the 1st day of January, A.D. 1863, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free…" John West, our ancestor, may have felt as William Sylvester Dillon did, when he wrote in his diary, "Wednesday Oct 2, 1862. I have read today Lincoln's proclamation freeing all the slaves of the South in the first of January 1863, this I take as good news, it will unite the people of the South better than anything else could have done and I think it will also increase the strength of the Southern cause in the border states."

This regiment moved with the brigade from Corinth, to Tupelo, to Chattanooga, and from there with General Bragg in the invasion of Kentucky, and the Battle of Perryville on October 8, 1862. On the retreat from Kentucky, the regiment was stationed at Shelbyville until the Battle of Murfreesboro, December 31, 1862. Sometime between the Battle of Perryville and the Battle of Murfreesboro, John West was taking prisoner. On 15 November 1862, J. H. West appeared on a receipt given by Maj. F. W. Hoadley CSA acting agent for exchange to Captain E. Morgan Woe, agent for the U.S. for prisoners of war received near Vicksburg, Miss. On board Steamer Mar Denning.

This parole and exchange system was based largely on the European method of warfare. During the early years of the civil war, if a soldier were captured by the enemy, the prisoner had to promise that he would not take up arms against the enemy until he was exchanged for an enemy soldier of equal rank. He stayed near his camp or went home until the paperwork was completed. This system grew increasingly complex as the war went on and was the Confederacy's chief source of keeping up the numbers of their troops. The parole and exchange system stayed in force until 1863. At this point in time, both the Confederacy and Federal Government started to build internment camps.

The regiment remained in Shelbyville until the retreat to Chattanooga began around the first of July, 1863. "Today we are on the march again. I think the force of the enemy must be very large to cause a General like Bragg to fall back without giving them battle. We marched about ten miles today in the direction of the mountains."

News of battles would get back to the regiment in a few days. "July 9, 1863. We have just got news of the great battle of Gettysburg fought in Adams County, Pa. In which our forces under Robert E. Lee gained another great victory - also the report of the fall of Vicksburg on the 4th of this month." July 11th. The fall of Vicksburg is confirmed and it causes a great depression on the spirits of the people of the Confederacy. The enemy took at least 18,000 prisoners and I suppose, about 25 or 30,000 stand of small arms."

The regiment was engaged in the Battle of Chickamauga on September 19-20, 1863. Then on 25 November 1863, the Battle of Missionary Ridge commenced. "Shortly after daylight the 31st and 33rd (Tennessee) Regiments were thrown out as a picket, or more properly as skirmishers, with ours (the 4th and 5th (Tennessee)) to support them…….The day was beautiful and from our position we had a fine view of the valley before us…….The heavy columns of the enemy were in plain view advancing against us in battle array in our immediate front, at least eight or ten (federal) to one (confederate)."

"Our boys stood their ground and not a man left his position until the enemy were within 30 yards of us, when our Lt. Col. Ordered a retreat. With the enemy only a few yards in front and having on a heavy knapsack and having been doing duty for two weeks, when in reality I was not able to do it, I knew it was impossible to gain the top of the ridge, so I was taken prisoner, as was several of the company and regiment……We were marched into Chattanooga and lodged in the railroad depot……The enemy gained the whole of the ridge and have taken a great many prisoners." John West's civil war records state that he also was captured at Missionary Ridge on this very same day.

"28th September 1863. There is now about 3,000 prisoners in the old car shed. It rained hard last night and we are packed up closely in the dirt. 29th September 1863. Yesterday evening just before dark we were marched across the Tennessee River and bivouacked for the night in an old field on the river bank and about 10 A.M. today we were started for Bridgeport, Alabama. We marched about 12 miles and biovouacked in an old field on the roadside. We suffered terribly from cold and exposure the last two nights." Wednesday 2nd December 1863. This morning we marched to the cars and started for Nashville, Tennessee."

"Saturday 5th [December 1863]. Today we started about an hour before daylight for Louisville, Kentucky, where we arrived on the morning of Dec 6th." This agrees with John West's service records which states, "John H. West appears on a roll of prisoners of war forwarded from Louisville, Ky to Rock Island."

"About 4 P.M., we were marched to the Jeffersonville Ferry and crossed over and put on the cars for Rock Island, Ill. Wednesday 9th [December 1863] "This afternoon we arrived at Rock Island, our place of destination. Thursday 20th [December 1863] Today we have had the laws and regulations of the prison read to us. They are very strict. The sentinel on guard are to fire on any person who will go to within forty feet of their lines without challenging him; to fire upon any crowd who will not immediatley disperse and to fire into any ward where there is any great noise or disturbance or if lights are not immediately put out when the horn blows; roll call twice a day and inspection once a day."

"Friday 18th [December 1863]…Our rations here are better than they were last winter and our quarters are cleaner but not so warm. We are in large wards, 120 men to a ward and two stoves to each ward. Saturday 19th [December 1863] The morning the thermometer stood at eight degrees below zero…. There is an average of six from each room in the hospital. We are suffering terribly from the cold being all very poorly clad. A great many have their feet and ears frozen - some few have no blankets. Monday 21st [December 1863] This is a pretty hard life in weather like this clad as we are."

"Friday 25th [December 1863] The third Christmas of the war…. in this cold and miserable prison. I sincerely hope that the next may find me enjoying life and our poor country enjoying peace. We have nothing to read and time drags along very wearily."

"Thursday 31st [December 1863] This is a very cold day - I am suffering more from cold than I ever suffered in all my life combined - water will freeze within five feet of our stoves in five minutes and when there is only one small stove to each sixty men there is a very poor chance to keep from freezing. This evening the cold continues to increase. Friday Jan. 1, 1864. Sixty-four comes in about 25 degrees below zero. It is the coldest day I have seen since I left the Allegheny Mountains. Saturday 2nd [January 1864]…. It is utterly impossible for me to describe the suffering of the prisoners the last five or six days but when I say that not the half of the men have any coats and only ragged jackets and thin cotton shirts, a many may imagine the sufferings of the men."

"Friday 12th [February 1864] Today the oath of allegiance was offered to the prisoners and I am sorry to add that a great many will take it if they can give sufficient reasons for it. On 18 March 1864, John H. West appeared on a roll of prisoners of war at Rock Island Barracks, Ill. who desire to take the oath of allegiance. He lives within federal lines and wants to go home." How would the other prisoners have felt about a man taking the oath of allegiance to the enemy? We have a glimpse in the diary entry of Dillon dated 01 May 1864. "Yesterday I received a letter from brother John informing me of the death of Father. He died in June 1863. This forces me to an act I hoped I would never be forced to do - that is to send up my name as wishing to take the accursed oath of allegiance and to return to my home. This I do in the firm belief that my reason for doing so is perfectly justified and right - as by my fathers death Mother is left with four children under the age of fifteen years, one sixteen and one a cripple aged about thirty-seven, and in embarrassed circumstances and herself over fifty-five years of age. I need only add that I do not take this step without a sever struggle in my own mind for I am very sorry to give anyone the least pretense for saying that I deserted the cause which I believed still to be just and holy and one which I sincerely hope will prosper and which I sincerely believe will also succeed.

Prison life was very monotonous for the men. There was very little to read and no amusement or occupation of any kind. "Tuesday15th [March 1864]. For the last ten days nothing has transpired to change our prison life in any manner. Today we organized a debating club in this ward for our own amusement and past time. Thursday March 17, 1864. The weather is now very fine and has been so for sometime past - the men are trying different ways of amusement. There is a kangaroo court held in some ward nearly every day and in this ward our debating club will meet three nights of every week - Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. There is also a club formed in wards 16 and 32.

Disease was also common in the close quarters of the prisoners." Sunday27th [March 1864]. For the past four or five days the weather has been very fine and the health of the men is improving a little. There is a great many cases of small pox but not many proving fatal, not so many, I am told, as in proportion as there is among the Yankee garrison. There is at present a great many rumors afloat relative to an exchange in a short time. I place little credit in these rumors but still always hope that they may prove true and that we may be exchanged in a short time." "Saturday April 16, 1864. ….The health of the men is improving a little the last ten or fifteen days, especially is this true of small pox. Pneumonia is proving fatal in more cases than small pox or any other disease. The weather is very fine but the nights are a little cold yet. Our rations are not quite what we could wish for but still no one really suffers for food and I believe we have the cleanest prison in the North."

In response to the northern prisoners' treatment at the infamous Andersonville prison in the south, all the northern prisoners started to have their food rations cut drastically. "Saturday 25th [June 1864]. Seven months today since our capture and they have been seven weary months to us, never to be forgotten, strictly guarded and half fed as we are. A few days ago our coffee and sugar was stopped and now we do not get much over half rations. The guard continues to fire into the crowds of prisoners occasionally and altogether since our arrival here there has been about 11 or 12 men killed and wounded in this way. Tuesday July 5, 1864. Time drags wearily along in our prison. Rations which were always short enough, having been lowered a short time ago are now very short and a great deal of murmuring and complaining is now heard amongs the men but of course this does no good. There is scarcely any talk of any exchange……The number of deaths since our arrival here is between twelve and thirteen hundred out of eight or nine thousand men. "Saturday Aug. 13, 1864. Nothing has transpired for sometime worth noting. Rations continues very short. There are a great many sick with scurvy now caused, of course, by our getting so much salt meat and no vegetables."

"November 25th [1864]. Today it is just one year since I was taking prisoner at Missionary Ridge near Chattanooga and such a year of suffering I hope never again to have to bear. I have several times stated that we are on very short rations but I will not state exactly our amount of rations ever since our arrival here.

When we arrived on the 9th of Dec. 1863, the prison had just been completed and we were the first prisoners that ever occupied it and our rations for the winter, if not quite what we wished or had a right to expect, were still sufficient to keep us from actual suffering. During the winter we drew every day about 12 ounces of light bread or sometimes cornbread and of meat ¾ of a pound of fresh beef, which when cooked falls off one half so that after cooking and taking out the bone we get about 4 or 5 ounces of fresh beef for a days ration. During the winter we got our days of beef and six days of pickled pork or bacon, which when cooked made us about 7 or 8 ounces of meat per day. Every ten days we got four messes of beans…and two messes of Irish potatoes…. And we got a pint of coffee every morning and evening and also got sugar and every man got about four tablespoons of molasses every ten days and about 1/3 of a pint of vinegar - so that with this amount of rations, although many large eaters did not get quite enough, there was no actual suffering….. Those who had no money had to live upon the rations they got and those who were fortunate enough to have money could purchase provision from the Yankee Sutler, who I am informed filled orders for bread and flour and meat to the amount of $3,000 in one week…. Add to this that there were many who received boxes of provision from their friends, so that there was amongst the majority no actual suffering - for if men (especially rebels) has any chance to keep from starving they will surely do so. I now come to the time when actual suffering by the large majority commenced.

About the first of September the Sutler was prohibited from bringing in any eatables of any kind and no boxes of provisions were allowed to come in from our friends, so our condition was very hard. Men volunteered to do any work no matter how laborious for an extra loaf of bread per day…..Our rations…. Were 12 ounces of bread … per day, our meat remains also the same….. and we will have 1 ½ pints of hominy or rice for dinner. This is our whole amount of rations, less than half sufficient for us. I am at the present time truly weak from hunger. My rations make me some small meal per day. I remain hungry all the time………I must not forget to state what may hereafter bring the blush to the cheek of an American of these Northern States, viz: that in a country the most plentiful under the sun they have reduced the rations of their prisoners until they are actually eating mice, rats and dogs. I know of four having been eatin in our prison and rats owing to the way they have been hunted are becoming scarce."

"Saturday, Feb. 4, 1865. Everything remains unchanged in our prison - rations small as ever. The men are grumbling and suffering as usual for the last six months with no immediate hope of an exchange…."

"Monday 6th [February 1865]. Yesterday the commander of the prison.. was in the prison and he said an exchange of prisoners was agreed upon and some would leave here in a few days. The invalids will leave first… This news has elevated the spirits of the men very much."

"Wednesday 15th [February 1865]. The first squad, that is the invalids, left today for exchange." John West was among the invalids who left on this date, for in his service record it states that on 15 Feb 1865 John West appears on a roll of prisoners of war at Rock Island, Ill. Transferred for exchange.

They left the prison and marched to the train cars. They traveled through the states of Illinois and Indiana and Ohio and into Pennsylvania. They crossed the Alleghenies. They arrived in Baltimore 3 days after leaving the prison and were marched to Fort McHenry. They had to lay in the open air on the cold frozen ground without any fire being allowed them.

The next morning they got on board a boat to Aikens Landing. They were now inside their own lines again. 7 days after leaving the prison they arrived at Camp Lee in Richmond Virginia. They received their pay for one year and reported to the Parole Camp at Richmond. John must have been very ill and was probably in the hospital at Richmond from the end of February until his parole date of 12 May 1865.

After his parole, John had to make his own way back home, from Richmond Virginia to Calloway County, Kentucky, a rough distance of about 500 miles. John describes this journey back home in his civil war questionnaire. He says, "I walked home. Had to sleep out of doors. Was one month on the road. Wasent alowed to sleep even on the porch or in an out house. Had terrible experience."