Ziba Hardee and son Bryant S. Hardee

Ziba and Tabitha Hardee son,
Bryant S. Hardee

Bryant S. Hardee is the sixth child of Ziba and Tabitha Hardee. Bryant was born about September 1842 in Coosa County, Alabama. 

I believe Bryant traveled with his family to Texas around 1861. In the 1861 tax records for Van Zandt Count, Texas Bryant is listed next to his father Ziba owning 40 acres worth $120. He paid .15 tax. In 1862 Bryant owns 120 acres.

Bryant Hardee enlisted in the civil war on September 16, 1861 at Quitman Texas. He served in Company H of the 10th Regiment of Confederate States Calvary. (This is the same unit Samuel Hardee served in, which makes a good argument that this Samuel Hardee is his brother.)

Bryant received a Certificate of Disability on April 30, 1863 that reads:

...he was born in Coosa County in the State of Alabama is Twenty Two years of age, five feet eight inches high, dark complexion, dark eyes, dark hair and by occupation when enlisted a Farmer. During the last two months said soldier has been unfit for duty 60 day.

Station: Shelbyville, Tenn

Date: April 30, 1863

I certify that I have carefully examined the said B. S. Hardee of Captain T. W. Summers Company, and find him incapable of performing the duties of a soldier because of gunshot wound received through the thigh at the battle of Richmond, KY. Aug. 30, 1862, fracturing the femur completely. I further declare my belief that said soldier will not be able to resume his duties in a less period than twelve months.

A.B. Hint Surgeon

Place where the soldier desires to be address may be here added. Town Edom County Van Zandt State Texas.

He was discharged July 30, 1863 by order of Gen. Bragg.

Sometime after the civil war Bryant to Monroe County, Alabama where his two older half brothers lived. 

In 1866 he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and attended the Lone Star, Alabama Branch.

On June 2, 1964 he married Mary Jane Patrick who was 12 years older then him. 

In the 1870 census Bryant lived next door to his half brother John Hardee. (Who some say also joined the LDS church.) Bryant and Jane had a five year old daughter and they also had another female named Mary who was 13 years old and listed as black and a laborer.

In 1880 Bryant and wife Jane have two girls, Mary P. and Elvira M. Hardee. Brother John still lives close.

M. Jane Hardee died in 1894 and Bryant married Virginia Mason on March 22, 1894.

In the 1900 census Bryant and wife Virginia have two daughters listed as Emma T. and Sugar.

In the 1910 census Bryant and wife Virginia have three daughters, Emma F., Willie Mae (Sugar) and Maggie I.

In the 1920 census only Willie Mae and Maggie are living in the household with their parents. 

Bryant Hardee died October 1, 1922 in Monroe County, Alabama. He was 80 years old.

Ziba and Tabitha Hardee's son Thomas Hardee

Military Monday - Civil War Ancestor - Whitson Hefley

Whitson Hefley is my Union ancestor. He was born about 1830 in Montgomery County, North Carolina but moved to Montgomery County, Illinois sometime before 1837.

He married Elizabeth H. Eckler on August 3, 1849 and they had one child, Frances Luella Hefley born May 5, 1853. Elizabeth died September 20, 1854 and Whitson remarried Louisa Catherine Lipe on Christmas day December 25, 1856. They had one child William Arthur Hefley born February 18, 1858 in Hillsboro, Montgomery County, Illinois.

Whitson Hefley enrolled in the Civil War on August 15, 1862 in Irving, Montgomery Co., Illinois, by L. R. Slaughter for three years. He was mustered into service as a Sergeant on September 4, 1862 at Alton, Illinois in Company D, 126th Regiment of the Illinois Volunteers by Lt. Curtiss.

The126th Regiment was initially in charge of guarding Confederate prisoners being held in the State Penitentiary at Alton, but when the prisoner were moved on November 20 the Regiment moved down the Mississippi River by the steamer B. M. Runyan  to Columbus, Kentucky. From there they marched to LaGrange, Tennessee and had duty there till January, 1863. From there  4 Companies were on duty at Jackson, Tenn., and 6 Companies at Humboldt, Tenn., from January to March 25; then at Jackson till May 25, 1863.The companies then moved to Vicksburg, Miss., May 25-28, and fought in the Siege of Vicksburg May 28-July 4. They then moved to Helena, Ark., July 24. Expedition against Little Rock, Ark., August 1-September 10. Bayou Fourche and capture of Little Rock September 10.

Whitson was in the Civil War for 14 months. But, according to his discharge papers he was "unfit for duty sixty days" and "Has done no duty for four months." So it looks like he became sick around June of 1863. In June of 1863 according to records Whitson and his unit were at the Siege of Vicksburg  from May 28 to July 4, 1863.

According to the book: The Big Book of Civil War Sites, Morris Book Publishing, 2010, Ulsses S. Grant began his siege operation on May 25 and had all lines of supply, reinforcements and communications successfully cut from Vicksburg. Grant intended to blast his way through by using mines and tunnels and by late June he was ready. I wonder if Whitson helped dig the tunnels? Is that when his sickness started? Working in dark, damp conditions with other soldiers? On June 25, 1863 the powder was fired. The entire top of the hill was blown off and a crater 50 feet wide and 12 feet deep was created. The Confederates had already moved back and immediately started shooting. Hand to hand combat followed but the "Illinois infantrymen attempted to stay in the crater, throwing up a hasty wall in front of them and forming in a double line of battle to keep up a continuous volley fire of their own." If Whitson was still well he would have participated in this fight. On July 4, 1863 the Confederates surrendered Vicksburg.

I do not know when Whitson was sent to Jefferson Hospital in St. Louis Missouri. On July 24 his unit went to Helena, Arkansas which is also on the Missouri River, so he may still have been with them there. Most likely he did not participate in the Expedition against Little Rock, Arkansas. He probably continued sailing up the Mississippi to Jefferson General Hospital in St. Louis. But, this is a guess on my part.


Whitson's Certificate of Disability for Discharge states that he was "born in Montgomery County, North Carolina, is 33 years of age, five feet ten inches high, Light complexion, Blue eyes, Light hair, and by occupation when enlisted a Blacksmith. During the last two months said soldier has been unfit for duty sixty days."    "...and find him incapable of performing the duties of a soldier because of Chronic Diarrhea and great emancipation, -Has done no duty for four months. Is not a fit Subject for Invalid Corps."
U.S. General Hospital Jeff Barracks Mo. Oct 15, 1863
Discharged this 16th day of October 1863 at St. Louis Mo.

It then shows that he would go to Irving, Montgomery Co., Illinois.

I had never heard of "Invalid Corps" before so I looked it up here. It says in April of 1863 the U.S. War Department created a Invalid Corps of men who were or had been in the Army. These were men who had been disabled in some way, by either by weapons, disease or accident. They would serve in a non-combat capacity, such as a cook or in a hospital. Whitson was so bad he could not even do this.


I also looked up chronic diarrhea in the Civil War and I learned that bowel disorders killed more men on both sides of the war than battle. It is sad that they had no idea what caused it or how to treat it.

Whitson was at the U.S. General Hospital Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis Missouri while he was ill. When I looked this up I learned that this was the largest Federal hospital in the country with over 3,000 beds. It was strategically located near a major city on a vital river and railroad transportation system. I could not find any information about the conditions of this hospital, but if it was like other hospitals during the war, the surgeons and nurses did what they could for the soldiers with limited supplies and education.


In his pension papers are an affidavit from his family physician William P. Marshall of Hillsboro, Illinois. He stated on the day Whitson came home from the army on October 18, 1863 he was "suffering from a very severe and unusually protracted attack of chronic diarrhea a disease which said Hefley must have contracted in the Army as he had there but-just returned home and the chronic character of the disease indicated that it was of long standing." He stated that Hefley died early the next day "on or about the 19th day of October 1863 at 4 OClock A.M."


He left a widow and two children ages 10 and 5.

One year later Whitsons brother Levi Liberty Hefley(I love his name) was drafted into Company H, 8th Infantry Regiment Illinois on 27 Oct 1864. Levi was 27 years old. He served one year and was mustered out on October 26, 1865. He was married at this time and I'm sure this was hard on the family, especially knowing that Whitson, his brother had died in the Civil War.

Civil War Ancestor - Hardee

Another Civil War Ancestor of mine is William Thomas Hardee. He was born in 1836 in Coosa County Alabama. Two of his brothers Samuel and Thomas Hardee may have died during the Civil War. I need to do more research on them as well as two of his other brothers who would have been the right age to fight, James Edward and Bryant Stidwell Hardee.

This is the only photo I have of William T. Hardee.

In 1860 William was living in Coosa County Alabama with his wife, Frances and four children. Frances' sister Jane Lee was also living with them.

William T. Hardee Enlists
William T. Hardee (sometimes indexed as Hardel) enlisted on April 1, 1862 at Coosa Alabama., by Capt. Walden for 3 years. He served with Company B 2nd Battalion Hilliard's Legion, Alabama Volunteers, (Confederate). That company  later consolidated to Company K, 59th Alabama Infantry.

Sites about the battles
Look at these sites to read more about Hilliard's Alabama Legion and Hilliard's Legion and the battles that were fought.



Served in Hospital

William served for 24 days as a nurse in a Hospital at Catoosa Springs, Georgia by order of Surgeon R. C. Foster. He served from March 1 to March 24, 1863.

See information on Catoosa Springs Hospitals at The Historical Marker Database.
To read more about male nurses during the Civil War read Hospitals, Surgeons, and Nurses.

William is Captured
He was captured near Petersburg on March 25, 1865 and became a prisoner of war on March 27, 1865 and sent to Point Lookout, Maryland. I had never heard of this prison so after researching it I found out that it is on  the southern tip of Maryland in St. Mary's County on the coast surrounded on three sides by water. It was the largest Union prison camp for Confederates. Like most POW camps it had deplorable conditions.

For a History of Point Lookout Prison read Descendants of Point Lookout POW Organization.


The Oath of Allegiance to the United States
He took the Oath of Allegiance to the United States and was released June 13, 1865.

According to Wikipedia: "During the American Civil War, political prisoners and prisoners of war were often released upon taking an "oath of allegiance". Lincoln's Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction featured an oath to "faithfully support, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and the union of the States thereunder" as a condition for a Presidential pardon."

William's Release Record
Williams record on his release states:
"Place of Residence: Coosa Co., Alabama,
Complexion: Light,
Hair: Black
Eyes: Hazed
Height: 5 ft., 8 1/2 inches
Note: Released at Point Lookout, June 13, 1865, by G. O. No. 109 A.G.O.
Number of roll, 23, sheet 6"

The Trip Back Home

I checked the map and it is over 800 miles to Coosa County, Alabama. I wonder if they were helped back or if each person was left to his own to return home. I would assume William was not in good condition after almost three months in prison. An 800 mile trip would have been hard for anyone but especially hard for a person in bad condition.

Served Three Years
He served his full three years in the civil war. The longest of all my Civil War Ancestors so far. Which proves to me that the Hardee's really do come from a Hardy Stock!

Civil War Ancestors - Alverson

In recognition of April 12, 2011 which marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War at Fort Sumter in South Carolina I will be posting about my Civil War Ancestors.

Henderson B. Alverson
My first ancestor to join was Henderson B. Alverson also know as H. B. Alverson.

In 1861 at the age of 44, H. B.Alverson decided to join the civil war. I don’t know why he decided to travel from Texas to Mississippi to join, but he enlisted in Corinth, Mississippi on May 28, 1861. He joined Capt. O. R. Singleton's Company, Company C, 18th Regiment Mississippi Volunteers as a private for a period of 12 months. The unit was ordered to Virginia, and fought at First Manassas under D.R. Jones, then was engaged at Leesburg. On September  21, 1861 H.B. was discharged.

His Certificate of  Disability for Discharge states:

“…H. B. Alverson, Private of Captain O. R .Singleton’s Company (C) of the 18th Regiment of

Confederate States Misp Vols, was enlisted by Capt. Walker at Corinth, Misp on the 28th day of

May, 1861, so serve one year; he was born in Surry Co., in the State of N. Carolina, is forty-five

years of age, 5 feet, 7-1/2 inches high, ruddy complexion, blue eyes, sandy hair, and by

occupation when enlisted a farmer. During the last two months said soldier has been unfit for

duty 10 or 12 days. He ought to be discharged on account of his family. He has a wife and eleven

children (nearly all small) upon the frontiers of Texas, poor, sick, and defenseless since the war

broke out in the west. Common humanity requires his presence at home.”

This document was signed near Leesburg, Virginia on September 21, 1861. He was allowed travel expenses for 1000 miles from Manassas, Virginia to Corinth, Mississippi. He was paid $29.70 for two months and 21 days service and 50 rations at .22 ½ for $11.25 for a total of $40.95. It would be interesting to learn H.B.’s method of transportation back to Corinth, Virginia. Did he travel the 1000 miles on foot, by horse or by railroad? We may never know, but whatever the method I'm sure it was a long and arduous trip. When he did finally make it back to Corinth, he still needed to travel 700 miles back to Texas. During this time there were no railroads to Texas so he would have to travel by foot or by horse or wagon. Let’s hope he had a horse.

Interesting to note he served four month before being discharged. I would love to see his pension record but don't have $75 to order it. So if anyone has H. B. Alverson's pension record I would love to see it.

He Served Three Times

This was H. B. Alverson's third time as a soldier. He served in the 1836 Creek War for about three months and he served almost five months as a Texas Ranger in 1860.

New Records for Curtis Alexander Galttana Part 3

Read Part 1 of Curtis Alexander Galttana
Read Part 2 of Curtis Alexander Galttana

My next great discovery
I had visited the Fort Worth Archives and a lady there pulled up my ggg grandfather's H.B. Alverson's civil war record from Footnote.com. When I got home I decided to subscribe to Footnote and started searching. Bingo, I found civil war records for Curtis A. Golttana. I was on a roll now and felt pretty confident that this was my Curtis Galttana.

Curtis A. Galttana Enlists in the Civil War
He enlisted April 13, 1862 at Granada, Mississippi. He served as a private in Company I, 30 Mississipi Volunteer Regiment.  If this is the same man as Alexander Goltana in the 1850 census then I wonder what brought him to Mississippi? Did he float down the Ohio River to the Mississippi River to get to Mississippi?


As the above record shows he was "Detailed as Teamster Jany 12, 1863 By order Col. G. F. Neill."

What is a Teamster and a Drayman
A Teamster in the Civil War was someone who drove a wagon with a team of horses, oxen or mules. This is interesting because the Alexander in the 1850 census was a Drayman. A Drayman is someone who drives a dray, which is a low, flat bead wagon with no sides usually pulled by horses or mules. Interesting.

Curtis A. Galttana Goes Missing
But, then on the night of August 22, 1863 Curtis Deserted. He "Left his command ... at Chattahorsckee Bridge, Ga."  He then "Joined from desertion December 29, 1863." Where did he go for four months? I know many men would desert for a few months to check on family and get their farm/house in order. This was common. Did Curtis have family in the area? What was he doing?


Also interesting to note, is if Curtis Alexander was born in Ohio or Indiana then why would he fight on the Confederate side and not the Union side?

I wish I knew the answer to this.