MUSCOGEE COUNTY, GA - MILITARY - CIVIL WAR DIARY John L. Odom Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Carol Odom Shaw Cashaw43@cs.com Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/muscogee.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm " John L. Odom, Sulphur Springs, Texas.---Born near Columbus, Ga. Enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1861, at Columbus, Ga., as Second Sergeant in Hatch Cook's Company, Sixtieth Alabama Regiment, Gracie's Brigade, Bushrod Johnson's Division, Anderson's Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. Hatch Cook first Captain and J.W. A. Sanford first Colonel. We were first in the Tennessee Army and sent from Missionary Ridge to reinforce Longstreet at Knoxville. After the battle of Missionary Ridge we were cut off from the Tennessee army and went to Virginia with Longstreet. I was captured on the 31st day of March, 1865, and sent to Point Lookout, Md. Was in the battles of Chickamauga and Bean's Station. We were enlisted as State troops for six months and spent this time at Savannah, Ga., building forts and breastworks. Our company came home in the spring of 1862; re-enlisted in the same company with Hatch Cook as Captain. Went to Montgomery, Ala., and joined H.W. Hilliard's Legion. Went to Chattanooga and from there to Knoxville, Tenn. Then went to Cumberland Gap, where we were placed in Gen. Stevenson's command, who had the Yankees cut off from the Tennessee side. The Gap was evacuated in a few days, Gen. Stevenson taking his corps went to reinforce Gen. Bragg in Kentucky. Hilliard's Legion was left to garrison the Gap. In a few days we went to Gen. Bragg's army. We marched about twenty miles per day until we reached Camp Dick Robinson, where we rested for one day and night. The next night we were again on the forced march and marched twenty miles, resting the next day. At dark we were ordered to build fires along the bank of the river and then ordered to march. We only stopped the half of one night at Big Hill and one night at Rock Castle River. We made this march on two days' rations. My brother was sick and I carried his gun and ammunition and assisted him along in order to keep the Yanks from capturing him. On the night that we reached Cumberland Gap we had a big snow, of which we knew nothing till the next morning at roll call, when we threw our blankets from over us and the snow poured in. Our regiment was left here to garrison the Gap, where we remianed until about three weeks before the battle of Chickamauga. We were then ordered to Knoxville and then to Chickamauga, arriving there on Friday, the 18th, 1863, and the battle commenced. We were held in reserve until Sunday evening about 4 o'clock, when we were ordered into service, and fought until dark. We were under Gen. Lonstreet in this fight. Had my knapsack shot off. That night the Federals left. The next morning our regiment was among those detailed to bury the dead. After getting our own men buried, we buried the enemy. We would did a pit about 6x8 feet and 4 feet deep; fill the ditch about three-fourths full of the dead, and then cover them with dirt. We were engaged at this for three days and then left for Missionary Ridge. Bushrod Johnson and Gracie's Brigades were ordered to Knoxville to reinforce Longstreet, who had Burnside cooped up in that place. Lonstreet charged the big fort, but being unsuccessful, fell back to Greenville, Tenn., for a few days, and then moved back to Bean's Station. From here we went to Morristown, built winter quarters, and in about three weeks Longstreet's men were on the march again without shoes, and you could actually track them by the blood from their feet on the snow. We marched up into the extreme eastern part of Tennessee, built winter quarters and remained there until the following spring. While here we lived mostly on oatmeal, one pint per day, and blue beef every other day. In the spring we went to Virginia. Reaching Lynchburg, Longstreet's Corps went to the Wilderness, while Gracie's and Johnson's went on to Richmond. Burnside was coming up James River with a fleet. Drewry's Bluff was seven miles below Richmond and the enemy was advancing on Richmond, and we had to make forced marches from one place to the other. Finally Burnside landed his forces below Drewry's Bluff. In a few days Gen. Beauregard and President Jeff Davis planned the battle. One morning just at the break of day our regiment charged the enemy's left flank, taking them on surprise, capturing their pickets and driving them from their breastworks back to their gunboats. When I was captured I told the officer that I belonged to Gracie's Brigade, and he said that he remembered Gracie, who was killed in the ditches at Peterburg. That afternoon we were carried to City Point, and that night placed on boats and started down the James River to Point Lookout prison. We were treated very nice until we were placed under those paper collar fellows who never heard a gun fired during the war. The whites and negro soldiers both thought that we were on starvation and would come up and empty their haversacks. We arrived at Point Lookout the 1st day of April, 1865. After we arrived we were told by the officers that we had to give up our money and that same would be given back to us on our release. I had $60 in Confederate money and some greenback, and on the morning I was captured I drew a pound of tobacco, and while on the boat I prized the tobacco open and put the most of the money in there and by doing this they did not find it. Lincoln was assassinated while I was in prison. A Sergeant came around and asked us if we were sorry. I told him that I was, as it would prolong my stay in prison. Gen. Buell was in command of the prison, and Major Bradley was the Adjutant and a very nice man, but I can't say this about Buell. We were kept in here until the latter part of May. We were then placed on boats and sent up the Potomac River to Washington City, where we received transportation to Tennessee, and upon our arrivel were met with open arms. I shall never forget the good ladies of Memphis, Tenn. I have gone as long as seven days with nothing to eat but one pint of cornmeal per day without salt or soda. While in East Tennessee we marched all day in the rain and mud and were issued two ears of corn for our supper and breakfast. I passed through all the hardships of war, and was in many battles, but was never wounded." ============ NOTES: John came to Texas in 1868, but I don't know where he first settled. According to his pension file, he came to Hopkins Co., TX in 1870. He married Nancy E. Russell on January 17, 1877. He died on July 16, 1916 and is buried in Gafford Chapel Cemetery in Hopkins Co., TX, along with his wife and two infant children. He had two sons Perry Lewis Odom (my grandfather) and Hatch Odom. I think the name Hatch was from Captain Hatch Cook, who John served under during the Civil War. This first hand account was also given to Mamie Yeary for her publication in 1912 of "Reminiscences of the Boys in Gray, 1861-1865"