History of Company "I"
Submitted by Judy West

Taken from "HISTORY of the  Twentieth Tennessee Regiment CSA" 
Published in 1904

The "Tennessee and the Civil War" Project wishes to thank Judy for her submission.

The boys that belonged to the Hermitage Guards could not help being good soldiers when in their boyhood days they played around the tomb of Old Hickory, and often laid flowers of love and respect upon the grave of his 
beloved Rachel.

This section of country from which this Company was raised is one of the most historical, not only in the State of Tennessee, but in the American Union. This was the home, and is the last resting place of the man of nerve.  It was here at his Clover Bottom Race Course, on one occasion, when a number of Kentuckians came down to Tennessee to the races, and brought with them their horses, a certain class of horses were to enter the race. When just before starting, Jackson was inform that the Kentuckians were entering a higher grade horse than was agreed upon. This so infuriated General Jackson that he mounted the stand without consulting anyone and shouted out, "By the eternals, there will be no races here today," and there was none.

Could Company I fall short of being good soldiers when reared in such an atmosphere?

 It was also in this section, on the banks of Stones' River, the Indians committed their bloody Clover Bottom massacre, about the year 1780. This spot lies hard by Jackson's old race course, and legend has it that in a little hillock adjoining the two last named spots, that Aaron Burr spent six months of his time contemplating his Western Empire, just before he went to the beautiful Isle of Blennerhassett in the Ohio River. Legend also says that it was thought at the time that Burr and Jackson were consulting together on this project, but this has never been definitely proven. But, Jackson did ride all the way from the Hermitage to Richmond, Va. on horseback to defend Burr before Chief Justice Marshall. It is here that the Tennessee Confederate Soldiers' Home is(was) located. This generous donation of the old Volunteer State to her brave sons stands as a perpetual wall between Tennessee's unfortunate chivalry and the county's poor houses of the state; and we trust in God that it may be perpetuated as long as lives a single one who wore the gray.

Company I was organized at the Hermitage by the election of Timothy F. Dodson, Captain, wounded at Shiloh; Jas. F.Cockrill, First Lieutenant; Andrew Adams, Second Lieutenant; W.M. Donaldson, Third Lieutenant, wounded at Shiloh. E.E. Patterson Orderly Sergeant; Jno. T. Watkins, Second Sergeant; T.A. Jones, Third Sergeant; W.M. Chandler, Fourth Sergeant; Jno. W. Goodlett, First Corporal; Jno.E.B. Ridley, Second corporal; Riley Hager, Third Corporal, wounded at Shiloh ; Ben Carroll Seaborn, Fourth Corporal.

Company I was mustered into State service for one year from June1,1861, on Front Street, near Broad, in the city of Nashville, and was put on the cars of the L&N Railroad and carried to Camp Trousdale, and there was incorporate in the Twentieth Tennessee Volunteer Infantry Regiment as Company 1, and known as the boys from the home of Old Hickory.

The roster of this Company was as follows:
Dobson, Timothy F., First Captian , wounded in the heel at Shiloh, and never went into service again; died near Hermitage, 1890.

Cockrill, Jas F., First Lieutenant, Living in Nashville.

Adams, Andrew, Second Lieutenant

Donaldson, W.M., Third Lieutenant, died near the Hermitage.

Patterson, E.E. Promoted to Lieutenant; badly wounded at Fishing Creek, and elected Sheriff of Davidson County in 1870; dead.

Watkins, Jno.T., Promoted to Captain; killed near the Cowan house at the Battle of Murfreesboro; he was always the neatest dressed officer in the Regiment.

Jones,T.A., Killed at Fishing Creek.

Chandler,W.M., lives near the Hermitage.

Goodlet, Jno.W., Shot in the wrist at Fishing Creek; Studied medicine after the war, and died in Mississippi.

Ridley, Jno.E.B. Died 1862 

Hagar, Riley. Dead

Seaborn, Ben C. Promoted to Lieutenant; badly wounded at Chickamauga; recovered and lives near the Hermitage.

Blair, W.H.H., Dead

Brown, R.W.

Brown, H.D.

Binkley, Jack

Binkley, Henry

Binkley, Fred M.

Bryan, W.M., wounded at Shiloh

Bryant, John O., Hermitage

Brooks, J.M.

Brooks, Jas.

Brown, G.R.

Blair, Jas.

Brooks, Moses

Brown, Flod

Beard, Jno.

Beard, Martin

Binkley, Wm.

Castleman, Ben

Castleman, J.B.

Castleman, Wes Wounded at Shiloh

Cook, Jno.

Cary, Sam

Cary, Richard

Cotton, A.B. Killed at Jonesboro

Cotton, Willis, Promoted to Captain; wounded several times

Creel, Whitman

Earheardt, J.H.

Ellis, Jas

Fuqua, A.L., Practicing medicine in Donelson. Wounded at Missionary Ridge and 
Franklin, TN

Fuqua, W.H. 

Fuqua, Adolphus, Died at Mills Spring, KY

GLeaves, Jno., Wounded at Shiloh

Graves, John

Gann, Jno., Killed at Fishing Creek

Hessey, Wm

Hessey, G

Hessey,L.C., living near the Hermitage

Hayes, Anderson

Hayes, Wyatt, Killed at Shiloh

Hayes, Jas

Hoffstetter, Jno, Killed at the Battle of Nashville

Harris, G.W.

Johnson, Henry

Johnson, Gabriel

Jones, J.B. Promoted to Colonel, guard, lives in Nashville

Jones, Charles

Mitchell, Ed

Massey, J.H.

Massey, Wm., died at Beech Grove

Matthews, Billie

Moore, Robt.,Living near Una, Rural Rt# 15, Wounded at Shiloh.

Morris, Will

McClendon, Jas, Living near Donelson Station

McClendon, A.J.

O’Brian, Jno.,Hermitage

Page, Wm.

Rogers, Robt.

Rogers, Jno.

Ridley, Jones, Willow Beech

Stevens, Jno.

Scott, Joseph

Steel, Jas

Studivant, Morgan

Smith, Currin

Towns, Westly, Wounded at Shiloh; lives near Hermitage

Utly, Jno. Died in Nashville, 1903

Wright, J.H.

Wright, W.T.

Wright, M.W., Wounded at shiloh

Wright, Wade

Wright, J.C.

Wright, Jas.

Wright, R.A., Killed at Fishing Creek

Wright, Hampton

Wright, J.S.

Wright, Polk

Rank and File 91

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