The Camerons of Co. C, 4th TN Cav (USA)

From: Ross Cameron [email protected]

Jessie,

I have more information on the Camerons you list. They are an uncle and his two nephews who were brothers. Frank was the youngest son of my g-g-g-grandparents, Absalom and Elizabeth (Gallion/Galyon) Cameron. William and Nelson were brothers, the sons of Frank's older brother, James Cameron, my g-g-grandfather.

Frank was ill in Union hospitals at the end of the war and died a few months after returning home. He had never married as far as I can determine.

Nelson died of illness during the war as you indicate. His military record shows that his father came and got the body and reported his son as single when he claimed the body. However, there is a marriage record and his widow filed for a pension. I'll send more on this later.

William survived the war and shortly after the War moved to Lawrence County, Missouri, where his uncle Harden Cameron had moved many years earlier. William married, had a family, and died there. William's younger brother, my great grandfather Hardin Cameron, moved there in 1894.

I have not entered all of Nelson's and William's military information yet as I have for Frank. Frank's age in his military record is incorrect according to his birthdate recorded in the family Bible.

Here's is more data on them from my history file:

Franklin Cameron

born 22 Jun 1835, Grainger Co., Tenn.
died by 4 Dec 1865
military service, 1 Jan 1863 - 12 Jul 1865, Civil War, Union, Private, Co. C, 4th Regiment Tennessee Cavalry, then 1st Sergeant and Regimental Adjutant, 4th Regiment Tennessee Cavalry
mar.: never

Notes:

LAND DEED RECORDS:

Andrew Sellers, conveyor, to F. Cameron, conveyee, 1859, Book N, p. 673. (Grainger County, Deed Index, Direct & Reverse, 1796-1855.)

WILL AND PROBATE RECORDS:

Inventory of Estate, 4 Dec 1865, by Absalom Cameron, Administrator. [His brother not his father.]

MILITARY SERVICE RECORDS:

Frank Cameron enlisted as a private in Company C, 4th Regiment Tennessee Cavalry Volunteers, 1 Jan. 1863, in Rutledge, Tenn., for a term of three years.
On the Muster In and Descriptive Roll his age is given as 25 years, description as 6 ft., 1 � in. tall, dark complexion, hazel eyes, black hair, birthplace as Grainger Co., Tenn., and occupation as farmer.
He served as a clerk in the Quartermaster Office from 14 May 1863.
He was on duty as a teamster, June 1863.
He was on duty as clerk in the Quartermaster Dept., July 1863.
He was promoted to sergeant on 19 Aug 1863.
He was a sergeant major, Aug 1863.
He was Regimental (Adjutant) Clerk and Regimental Color Sergeant (Color bearer), Oct - Nov 1863.
He was absent with the regiment under General Smith, Chief Cavalry, Jan. - Feb. 1864.
He was convalescent and admitted to U.S.A. Hospital Steamer, R. C. Wood, 17 Mar 1864.
He returned to duty, trip from Memphis and Paducah to Nashville, 19 Mar 1864,
He was in the hospital, Camp Catlet, 9 Apr 1864.
He was absent in East Tennessee on recruiting service from 21 Apr 1864.
He was promoted to 1st Sergeant and Regimental Adjutant, 4th Regiment Tennessee Cavalry on 21 Apr 1864.
He was present, May - Jun 1864.
He was absent with a detachment of 4th Tenn. Cav. under Major Stephens in Marietta, Ga., Jul 1864.
He was present, Aug 1864.
He was absent, awaiting transportation, Decatur, Ala., Sep 1864.
He was present, Oct 1864 - Feb 1865.
He was admitted to McPherson U.S.A. General Hospital, Vicksburg, Miss., from the field, 5 Mar 1865. The diagnosis was typho malarial fever.
He was transferred from the General Hospital, Vicksburg, and admitted to U.S.A. Hospital Steamer Baltic (Mississippi River Steamer), for transfer to Hospital, Cairo, Ill., 27 May 1865.
The diagnosis was febrous typhoid.
He was admitted to U.S.A. Post Hospital, Cairo, Ill., with diarrhea, 1 Jun 1865.
He was to return to duty, 24 July 1865.
He requested 30 days leave with a surgeon*s certificate of disability, from Crittenden U.S.A. General Hospital,
Louisville, Ky., 26 Jun 1865.
He is listed on the Field and Staff Muster Out Roll of 12 Jul 1865 as 28 years old and sick at Louisville, Ky.

William M. Cameron

born 1 Jul 1843, Grainger County, Tennessee
died 18 Apr 1900, Lawrenceburg, Lawrence County, Missouri
buried Johns Chapel Cemetery, Ash Grove, Greene County, Missouri
military service, 1 Jan 1863 - 12 Jul 1865, Civil War, Union, Private, Co. C, 4th Regiment Tennessee Cavalry
mar. 6 Aug 1871, Floyd Box residence, Ozark Township, Lawrence County, Missouri, by Floyd Box, M. G. to Sarah Independence Paris:
- daughter of Jacob Blackwelder Paris and Mary Elizabeth Faires
- born 4 Jul 1855, Missouri
- died 6 Jun 1915, Lawrenceburg, Lawrence County, Missouri
- buried, Johns Chapel Cemetery, Ash Grove, Greene County, Missouri
Their children:
- Alice M. Cameron, born 30 Sep 1872, Lawrence County, Missouri
- Mary C. Cameron, born 5 May 1874, Lawrence Co., Missouri
- James R. L. Cameron, born 6 Feb 1876, Lawrence Co., Missouri
- Albert Perry Cameron, born 20 Sep 1880, Lawrence Co., Missouri
- William C. Cameron, born 17 Apr 1882, Lawrence Co., Missouri
- Emery Cloe Cameron, born 1 Aug 1894, Lawrenceburg, Lawrence Co., Missouri

William Cameron, enlisted in January 1863, as a private in Co. C, 4th Tennessee Cavalry, with Uncle Frank. He served with the field staff under General Smith during the winter of 1863-1864, fought in the Battle of Franklin in December 1864, and was mustered out in July 1865.

Nelson Cameron

born 1845
died 1864
mar. 1862 Lucinda Oakley

Nelson Cameron, married Lucinda Oakley (1862) before joining his brother and uncle in Company C, 4th Tennessee Cavalry, in March 1863. He was promoted to corporal in July. In May 1864 he was hospitalized with measles and died 19 May 1864, at U. S. Army Hospital No. 19, Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 19. I will check these dates since your record indicates he died in 1863.

Like many East Tennesseeans, the Camerons were pro-Union during the Civil War as demonstrated by service in the Union army and the reimbursement my great great grandfather James Cameron, William and Nelson's father, received from the Southern Claims Commission for supplies taken by the 25th Army Corps. On November 25, 1863, General Wilcox*s troops took his 3-� year old, iron gray mare for troops at Cumberland Gap. And, again, on December 10, 1864, Gen. Bainbridge*s troops took hogs, bacon, oats, fodder, cornmeal, wheat, flour, and an ax for troops garrisoned at Bean*s Station. The Confederates also took wheat and corn for which he was paid in Confederate money. The Camerons lived on a farm about 5 miles southeast of Rutledge, which is still owned by descendants.

Just recently, I have made contact with descendants of his sister, Florence (Cameron) Mathes and from others in their ancestral line, whose research indicates that Absalom Cameron and his sister Florence, were first cousins of Charles Cameron, the father of Simon Cameron, Lincoln's first Secretary of War.

You may add any of this you wish to your website for 4th Tenn. Cav.

Ross Cameron

Last updated July 9, 1999.

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