Germantown in Shelby County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
Confederate Germantown
Shelby Grays, 4th Tennessee Infantry
Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, July 11, 2020
1. Confederate Germantown
Inscription.
Confederate Germantown. Shelby Grays, 4th Tennessee Infantry. Although in 1860, Germantown numbered fewer than 300 people, almost every able-bodied man, 85 of them, enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1861. They formed the Shelby Grays and were designated Co. A, 4th Tennessee Infantry. The regiment, under Col. Rufus P. Neely, was composed of companies from Collierville, Memphis, Raleigh, and other west Tennessee towns. With great fanfare from Germantown residents, newly sewn flags from the ladies, and a carnival atmosphere, the new unit was mustered into service in May 15, 1861. The men boarded the Memphis and Charleston Railroad train to Memphis and then took a steamboat to the training camp at Fort Wright and then to Fort Pillow., They first saw action on April 6-7, 1862 at the Battle of Shiloh, where the 4th Tennessee captured a Federal battery at a cost of almost half their 512 men. The regiment, with the Army of Tennessee, later served in the Battles of Perryville (1862), Murfreesboro, Chickamauga (1863), Missionary Ridge, Atlanta (1864), Franklin, and Nashville, where they joined Forrest’s cavalry to fight a successful rearguard action in December 1864., In January 1865, after a 30-day furlough, the regiment assembled again at West Point, Mississippi. It then rejoined the army under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and was present at the Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina in March 1865. It surrendered at Greensboro, North Carolina on April 26, and was paroled on May 1. At war’s end only half of Germantown’s Shelby Grays survived to return home and start life anew., (sidebar) , Pvt. John Anderson Kirby (July 26, 1842-Nov. 19, 1929) was born near Danville, Virginia. His family moved to Germantown early in 1860. He was a bookkeeper in a local store when he enlisted in the Shelby Grays at age 18 in May 1861. He fought at Shiloh on April 6-7, 1862. On November 25, 1863, he was shot in the leg and captured during the Battle of Missionary Ridge, and imprisoned at Rock Island, Illinois. He was later released on parole on April 15, 1865, took a steamboat back to Memphis, and returned to Germantown., (captions) , 4th Tennessee Infantry battle flag, issued just before the Battle of Shiloh and carried throughout the war - Courtesy Lee Miller , Battle of Shiloh, April 6th, 1862 - Courtesy Library of Congress
Although in 1860, Germantown numbered fewer than 300 people, almost every able-bodied man—85 of them—enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1861. They formed the Shelby Grays and were designated Co. A, 4th Tennessee Infantry. The regiment, under Col. Rufus P. Neely, was composed of companies from Collierville, Memphis, Raleigh, and other west Tennessee towns. With great fanfare from Germantown residents, newly sewn flags from the ladies, and a carnival atmosphere, the new unit was mustered into service in May 15, 1861. The men boarded the Memphis & Charleston Railroad train to Memphis and then took a steamboat to the training camp at Fort Wright and then to Fort Pillow.
They first saw action on April 6-7, 1862 at the Battle of Shiloh, where the 4th Tennessee captured a Federal battery at a cost of almost half their 512 men. The regiment, with the Army of Tennessee, later served in the Battles of Perryville (1862), Murfreesboro, Chickamauga (1863), Missionary Ridge, Atlanta (1864), Franklin, and Nashville, where they joined Forrest’s cavalry to fight a successful rearguard action in December 1864.
In January
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1865, after a 30-day furlough, the regiment assembled again at West Point, Mississippi. It then rejoined the army under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and was present at the Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina in March 1865. It surrendered at Greensboro, North Carolina on April 26, and was paroled on May 1. At war’s end only half of Germantown’s Shelby Grays survived to return home and start life anew.
(sidebar)
Pvt. John Anderson Kirby (July 26, 1842-Nov. 19, 1929) was born near Danville, Virginia. His family moved to Germantown early in 1860. He was a bookkeeper in a local store when he enlisted in the Shelby Grays at age 18 in May 1861. He fought at Shiloh on April 6-7, 1862. On November 25, 1863, he was shot in the leg and captured during the Battle of Missionary Ridge, and imprisoned at Rock Island, Illinois. He was later released on parole on April 15, 1865, took a steamboat back to Memphis, and returned to Germantown.
(captions)
4th Tennessee Infantry battle flag, issued just before the Battle of Shiloh and carried throughout the war - Courtesy Lee Miller Battle of Shiloh, April 6th, 1862 - Courtesy Library of Congress
Erected by Tennessee
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 25, 2022
2. Confederate Germantown Marker
Featured marker is on the right.
Civil War Trails.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical date for this entry is May 15, 1861.
Location. 35° 5.219′ N, 89° 48.662′ W. Marker is in Germantown, Tennessee, in Shelby County. It can be reached from West Street south of Poplar Pike, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2260 West St, Germantown TN 38138, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in West Tennessee and in Greater Memphis. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, in the Upper South, in the Mississippi Delta, and in the Great River Road Region. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: War Comes to Germantown
Photographed by Cosack & Co., circa 1885
3. Battle of Shiloh - April 6th 1862
Théophile Poilpot, artist. Library of Congress [LC-DIG-pga-00540]
Credits. This page was last revised on June 27, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 17, 2020, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 880 times since then and 52 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on December 17, 2020, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. 2. submitted on June 27, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 3. submitted on December 18, 2020. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
