In 1867 the bodies of 887 soldiers who had died in
Chattanooga Jan. 1 to May31, 1863 (the weeks immediately following the
battle of Murfreesboro), were moved from a cemetery close to the Tennessee
River, where they had been temporarily interred, to the Confederate Cemetery.
A board at the head of each grave was marked with the name of the soldier,
his state and his command, and a number. Col. R. L. Watkins copied the
names and prepared the following list. It is probable that when the headstones
were hastily made-six or seven each day for four month the names were frequently
misspelled, in the case of difficult ones at least. This explanation accounts
for the many peculiar and infrequent names on the list. Searchers for names
should allow for variation in sound and spelling.
Many of the wounded in the battle of Murfreesboro were
sent to Chattanooga by train. Some of them died en route and others in
the station immediately upon arrival. Homes and hospitals were filled with
other soldiers who lingered, some a few days and some for months. Col.
Watkins began his list with the number 142 and the date Feb. I, 1863. It
is presumed that 141 men died in January and were buried in the very low
ground where the water washed the graves and the wooden boards, and that
the names were not decipherable when he made his list in 1867. The last
number "887" is dated May 31, 1863.
The list bears this inscription:
"Presented to the Confederate Memorial Association
March i8, 1876, by R. L. Watkins, who assisted in obtaining this record
in 1867 and participated in removing the dead to the graves where they
now lie. This was when the Confederate Association was first organized.
Each grave was numbered and named on headboard as this list shows and was
easily identified.
"R. L. Watkins."
Note from Bonnie White, April 2001:
This cemetery is in Chattanooga, beside UTC and in very good condition.
A couple of weeks ago, a Civil War era soldier was moved into this cemetery.
His body had been found several years ago on the side of Lookout Mountain
and forensic research showed him to have died during the Civil War. Both
Northern and Southern Re-enactors were on hand to honor this comrade. To
view a listing of soldiers buried here please go to:
