| 12. |  David Corn Watson was born 11 Nov 1825, Haywood County, North Carolina (son of John Watson and Susannah "Susie" Conner); died 29 Jun 1913, Sevier County, Tennessee; was buried Shady Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Sevier County, Tennessee. Notes:
David C. Watson is listed in the 1850 Federal Census of Haywood County, North Carolina, and in the 1850 Federal Census of Sevier County, Tennessee.
Serving with the Union army during the Civil War, David C. Watson enlisted in 1 October 1861 at Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee in Company H, 9th East Tennessee Cavalry and served as a private.
David C. Watson fought in a number of battles. He fought at Knoxville, Blue Springs, Morristown, and two battles at Rutledge and Johnson City. He was also in the battles at Bulls Gap, Watagua and Panther Springs. He was wounded by gunshot in the neck at Greeneville. He was discharged 11 September 1865 at Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee.
9th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry
Organized at Knoxville, Tenn., August 13, 1863. Joined DeCourcy at Crab Orchard, Ky., September 24, 1863. Attached to District of North Central Kentucky, Dept. of the Ohio, to April, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 4th Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to October, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 4th Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, to November, 1864. District of East Tennessee, Dept. of the Cumberland, to March, 1865. 3rd Brigade, Cavalry Division, District of East Tennessee, to July, 1865. Cavalry Brigade, District of East Tenneseee, to September, 1865.
SERVICE.-Duty at Crab Orchard, Ky., till October, 1863. (A Detachment on march to Cumberland Gap September 24-October 3, 1863, and operations about there.) Duty in District of East Tennessee, at Knoxville, Nashville and on line of the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, and at Bull's Gap, Tenn., till October, 1864. Rogersville August 21, 1864. Pursuit to Greenville August 21-23. Blue Springs August 23. Operations in East Tennessee August 29-September 4. Park Gap and Greenville September 4. Death of Gen. J. H. Morgan. Gillem's Expedition from East Tennessee toward Southwest Virginia September 20-October 17. Rheatown September 28. Watauga River September 29. Carter's Station September 29-October 1. Operations in East Tennessee October 10-28. Greenville October 12. Bull's Gap October 16. Clinch Mountain October 18. Clinch Valley, near Sneedsville, October 21. Mossy Creek and Panther Gap October 27. Morristown and Russellville October 28. Operations against Breckenridge's advance into East Tennessee November 4-17. Russellville November 11. Bull's Gap November 11-14. Russellville November 14. Strawberry Plains November 16-17. Flat Creek November 17. Stoneman's Expedition to Saltsville, Va., December 10-29. Big Spring, near Rogersville, December 12. Kingsport December 13. Glade Springs December 15. Marion and capture of Wytheville December 16. Mt. Airy December 17. Engagement near Marion December 17-18. Capture and destruction of Saltville December 20-21. Duty in East Tennessee till March, 1865. Stoneman's Raid into Southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina March 21-April 25. Wytheville April 6. Shallow Ford and near Mocksville, N.C., April 11. Salisbury April 12. Catawba River April 17. Swannanoa Gap, N. C., April 20. Near Hendersonville April 23. Duty in East Tennessee till September. Mustered out September 11, 1865.
On 21 September 1897 the Shady Grove Baptist Church in Sevier County, Tennessee adopted a church house site at the corner of Brother D. C. Watson's fields between the forks of the public road and the graveyard. It was ordered by the church that a committee procure a title for the house site. To which the following deed is recorded, 27 September 1897:
"We, D. C. Watson and wife Mary Watson have this day bargained and sold and do hearby transfer and convey to the Baptist Church at Shady Grove and their successors in office for the consideration of the love we have for said church. We make this deed as a gift. The following described parcel of land lying in the 13th District of said County (Sevier) and on the waters of Birds Creek -- Also said Church is to have the use of a spring on the South side of said branch"
On 9 August 1907, David C. Watson made a will to dispose of his property in the 13th Civil District of Sevier County, Tennessee. In the will, he gave each one of his children "1/14 interest out of my estate, both real and personal."
There is a David Watson death cert. #73578.
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Reference:
"Smoky Mountain Clans", Donald B. Reagan, 1978, p 263, 285.
"Smoky Mountain Clans, Volume 2", 1983, Donald B. Reagan, p 163, 187.
"Smoky Mountain Clans, Volume 3", Donald B. Reagan, 1983, p 141.
"The Townsend Heritage", Kathy Townsend, 1984, p 60.
David C. Watson Civil War pension papers, US National Archives.
"9th Tennessee Cavalry Reg.", http://www.tngenweb.org/civilwar/usa9cav.html.
Civil War Details:
9th TN Cavalry
Organized: on 8/13/63
Mustered Out: 9/11/65
From
To
Brigade
Division
Corps
Army
Comment
Apr '64
Oct '64
3
4
Cavalry
Dept and Army of Ohio and Cumberland
Oct '64
Nov '64
3
4
Cavalry
Military Division of the Mississippi
Mar '65
Jul '65
3
Gillem's Cav
District East TN
Department of Cumberland
Jul '65
Sep '65
Cavalry
District East TN
Department of Cumberland
Mustered Out
9TH TENNESSEE CAVALRY REGIMENT, U.S.A.
Organization begun in August 1863; 11th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment merged into regiment March 24, 1864; mustered out at Knoxville, September 11, 1865.
FIELD OFFICERS
Colonel-Joseph H. Parsons.
Lieutenant Colonels-John B. Browniow, Pleasant C. Rutherford.
Majors-Ethelred W. Armstrong, Samuel Hunt, Jr., James H. Hornsby, Pleasant C. Rutherford, Edward Black, John C. Wright, David C. Dossett.
CAPTAINS-T. Hopkins Bunch, John Haynes, La Fayette Jones, Co. "A". Mustered at Nashville, Tennessee, August 13 1863. Most men from 1st, 3rd and 5th Congressional Districts.
John A. Thornhill, David M. Caldwell, Co. "B". Mustered at Camp Nelson, Kentucky, August 15, 1863. Men from Union, Jefferson, Knox, Claiborne and Rhea Counties.
Pleasant C. Rutherford, Rufus McSpadden, Co. "C". Mustered at Camp Nelson, Kentucky, August 15, 1863.
James S. Fain, John Haines, James W. Bell, Co. "D". Organized at Knoxville, October 11, 1863.
Robert Cochrane, Henry E. Warren, Co. "E". Organized at Knoxville, October 16, 1863.
Isaac A. Duncan, James B. Shurp, Co. "F". Organized at Knoxville, October 17, 1863.
Aaron W. Armstrong, John C. Wright, John W. Harrington, Co. "G". Organized at Knoxville, October 17, 1863.
William J. Trotter, Andrew L. Scruggs, William C. Peterson, Jacob Fritts, Co. "H". Organized at Knoxville, October 28, 1863.
E. S. Hollingsworth, David C. Dossett, Co. "I". Organized at Knoxville, October 30, 1863.
La Fayette Jones, Thomas McDermott, Co. "K". Organized at Knoxville, November 9, 1863. Men from Jefferson, Sevier and Knox Counties.
Mathew J. Dunford, Benjamin F. Green, Co. "L". Mustered at Nashville, February 29, 1864. Men from Knox, Jefferson, Hancock, Sevier, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Monroe, Sullivan and Grainger Counties.
Guilford C. Duggan (1st Lt.), John Wilson, Richard Ellis, Co. "M". Mustered at Nashville, June 28, 1864. Men from Jefferson, Claiborne, Washington, McMinn, Sevier, Marion, Hamilton, Knox and Hancock Counties.
Some of the officers shown had served with the 11th Tennessee Cavalry until the merger was effected on March 24, 1865.
The first mention of this regiment in the Official Records was in a note dated July 25, 1863, to Brigadier General W. S. Rosecrans with regard to a set of plans of the defenses of Mobile drawn up by Captain T. H. Bunch. The note stated that Bunch had been seized in East Tennessee, while trying to reach the Federal lines, and conscripted into an Alabama Confederate regiment which served for a while at Mobile, but was later transferred to General Braxton Bragg's army. When Bragg retreated from Tullahoma, Bunch managed to escape, and promptly raised a company for the 9th Tennessee Cavalry, U. S. A.
On August 15, 1863, Colonel John F. DeCourcy was ordered to organize a brigade at Camp Nelson, Kentucky, and report to Major General I. G. Parke, Commanding IX Army Corps. Colonel Parsons' 9th East Tennessee Cavalry was assigned to the brigade. On August 24, at Crab Orchard, Kentucky, Colonel DeCourcy reported: "The 9th and 11th Tennessee Cavalry joined today." Colonel DeCourcy was at the time enroute to Cumberland Gap, where he arrived on September 8, and took part in the operation resulting in the capture of Cumberland Gap on September 9, 1863.
On October 1, 1863, Secretary of War Stanton was advised: "Colonel Parsons' 9th Tennessee Cavalry, 800 strong, at Camp Nelson, has neither arms nor horses, and is ordered forward. General Burnside gave them orders for horses and arms, but they are not here." On October 5, 1863, Colonel W. C. Lemert, at Cumberland Gap, reported: "Colonel Parsons is anxious to move his regiment to East Tennessee to recruit." On November 18, 1863, it was reported: "The Sevierville road is strongly guarded by a detachment of the 9th Tennessee Cavalry about 332' miles from the bridge."
No further reports on the regiment were found until April 30, 1864, when the 9th, along with the 8th, and 13th Tennessee Cavalry Regiments, were assigned to Colonel John K. Miller's 3rd Brigade, of Brigadier General Alvan C. Gillem's 4th Division, Cavalry Corps, Department of the Cumberland. This brigade was assigned to duty guarding the railroads in the Middle Tennesseee area. On May 31, 1864 it was reported at Gallatin where it remained until August 4, 1864. At that time, General Gillem, with the 9th and 13th regiments, started on a march of 128 miles to Strawberry Plains, in East Tennessee, where they arrived on August 18. The 8th regiment rejoined the brigade in October. General Gillem reported seven companies of the 9th Tennessee, under Lieutenant Colonel Brownlow, took part in a fight at Blue Springs on August 23, 1864, with Confederate General John H. Morgan's old brigade under Colonel Giltner, in which the Confederates were put to flight. He stated: "The 9th and 13th regiments are improving rapidly, and require but little more experience to make them excellent soldiers." On August 31, 1864, the 9th was reported at Bull's Gap, Tennessee.
For the next several months the regiment, as part of Gillem's Division, took part in the fighting in East Tennessee: on September 4, at Greeneville, where General John Hunt Morgan, C.S.A., was surprised and killed; with Brigadier General I. Ammen on an expedition to Carter's Station on September 27; in a skirmish near Greeneville on October 12, where Brigadier General J. C. Vaughn, C.S.A., reported the capture of a flag of the regiment; in the Clinch Valley at Sneedville on October 21; and around Cumberland Gap, Russelville and Morristown on November 13, when General Gillem reported his forces suffered a terrible reverse. Of this engagement he reported the 9th Tennessee held the enemy in check for over an hour till their ammunition was exhausted. Following this engagement the brigade retreated to Strawberry Plains, and thence to Knoxville, where it went into camp at Love's Station on November 16, 1864.
On November 18, one battalion of the regiment was ordered to Greeneville, Tennessee. On December 10, 1864, the regiment, with the brigade, left Knoxville on an expedition under Major General George Stoneman into western Virginia, which resulted in the capture and destruction of the Confederate salt works at Saltville, on December 19. The brigade returned to Knoxville December 29, after a march of 461 miles.
On February 5, 1865, the regiment was reported at Dandridge, Tennessee. On March 17, Colonel Miller's 3rd Brigade, Gillem's Division, Major General George Stoneman's District of East Tennessee, was still reported as consisting of the 8th, 9th, and 13th Tennessee Cavalry Regiments. Although Miller's Brigade went with General Stoneman on his expedition into Virginia and North Carolina from March 21 to April 25, 1865, no record was found of the 9th Tennessee's having gone with the brigade. General Gillem's report of the expedition made frequent mention of the activities of the 8th and 13th Regiments, but none of the 9th.
On April 19, 1865, the 9th Tennessee, at Boyd's Ferry, was ordered to send a detachment to Greeneville, to hunt down and chastise the guerrilla forces operating in that area. On the 20th it was ordered to send one company to Talbott Station and another to Rutledge, Tennessee. On April 25, the regiment was ordered to move to Rogersville Junction, and make reports to General Stoneman. General Stoneman advised that the 9th Tennessee would be needed for a short time in clearing out the country between the Holston River and the Cumberland Mountains. The instructions issued read in part as follows: in the performance of this duty you are authorized and instructed to use the most vigorous and severe measures. The persons with whom you have to deal are outlaws so long as they are at liberty and should be treated as such. When taken prisoners they must be treated as prisoners, and are entitled to trial, which takes time and entails trouble and expense. Give them to understand that no false mercy will be shown them and no prisoners taken, and that every man found in arms under whatever pretense, and acting without authority from Federal officers or the legally constituted authorities of the State of Tennessee, will be treated as a public enemy and an outlaw and killed like a mad dog by anyone who meets him. See that your command does not interfere in any way, either in their persons or their property, with the peaceably disposed, and with those who stay at home and mind their own business."
On April 30, J. W. Harrington, Captain Co. "G", in a report to Stoneman of his activities along the Clinch River, explained: "I have endeavoured to carry out your instructions, but it is necessary to explain why I have taken some prisoners. When I found these men, the most of them had hidden or othenvise disposed of their arms, and others came and gave themselves up. I had not sufficient evidence at the time of their being bushwhackers or guerrillas, until they were identified by citizens who knew them to be such." On July 20, 1865, the regiment was placed in Brevet Major General Emory Upton's Cavalry Brigade, District of East Tennessee. It was mustered out of service on September 11, 1865.
David married Rachel Ogle 24 Dec 1846, Sevier County, Tennessee. Rachel (daughter of William "Black Bill" Ogle and Nancy Bohanon) was born 1828, Sevier County, Tennessee; died 18 Oct 1859; was buried White Oak Flats Cemetery, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet]
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