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AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JOSHUA M. DIXON
I was born near the Red River at a town named Nackatush,
Texas, in 1835. When I was four weeks old my father moved to
Tishomingo County, now Alcorn County, in Mississippi. At ten
years of age I attended my first school, taught by Mr. Eppie
White, in the 18th District of McNairy County. I boarded with
Bill Phelps. Later I attended school at Burrows School House.
I was then 16 years of age, when my father died leaving a
widow with 14 children, nine boys and five girls. The last
school I attended was taught by Isaac Derryberry at Jones
school house in Alcorn County, Mississippi. I was then 19
years of age. Due to my father's untimely death and the care
of my mother with a large family of small children, my
schooling was very limited. Among the ones whom I remember
going to school with me were Rebecca, Calvin and Nancy Young;
P. and Sam White; Zeke Wooten, and Mount Nichols. From this
time on until I was 26 years of age I worked on the farm
assisting my mother with the care of the family.
In 1861 the Civil War began and I enlisted for one year in Co.
C, Colonel Pickett's Regiment, at Pocahontas in Hardeman
County, Tennessee. On November 5, 1861 I was wounded in the
hip in the battle at Belmont, Missouri. I stayed in the
hospital in Belmont four weeks, until I was able to return
home. I spent two months convalescing at home. At the
expiration of this time I rejoined the Company at Columbus,
Kentucky, where I was immediately discharged, as my term of
enlistment had expired, and I returned home in April.
On August 14, 1861, I married Miss Nicie Ann Hendrix, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Green Lee Hendrix, at Chewalla, Tennessee. To
this union were born seven girls and three boys. Six of them
at still living. On August 15, 1862, next day after my
marriage, I was captured by Reed's Division of the Federal
Army. Immediately I was placed in prison for five months on
Johnson Island, Sandusky City, Ohio. At the expiration of this
time I was exchanged to Vicksburg, Mississippi, from which
place I went to Jackson, Mississippi. At Jackson I enlisted in
the Cavalry for one year. I stayed from January 'til August at
Chesterville, Mississippi, at which place I was joined by my
wife. In August I was recaptured at Ripley, Mississippi and
was carried to Indianapolis, Indiana, where I served 22 months
in prison. At the end of this time I was exchanged to
Richmond, Virginia, where I was given a 90-day furlough to go
home. I arrived home on the third of April, 1865, and Lee
surrendered at Appomattox April 9, 1865. Immediately after the
surrender, having a wife and one child, I settled in McNairy
County, three miles west of Chewalla, where I am now living.
Courtesy of Vicki Burress Roach |
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