Elijah Wood

Elijah Wood. A Soldier's Sacred Service. Across the road lies the grave of Elijah Wood, who served in the United States Colored Troops during the Civil War and became a community leader after the guns fell silent., Born into slavery in 1834 in Robertsville (now Oak Ridge), Tennessee, Wood volunteered for the Union Army during the Civil War, enlisting in the 1st United States Colored Heavy Artillery Regiment in Knoxville in August 1864. His regiment defended military locations and supported operations across Tennesee, Alabama, and North Carolina, including Union Gen. George Stoneman's famous 1865 Raid, significantly aiding Union military efforts., After the war, Wood returned to Robertsville and established the Wood Chapel and School, providing crucial educational opportunities for African Americans. This was a remarkable achievement during the post-war Reconstruction era, when many in the South bitterly resisted the efforts of freed men and women to build new lives. Wood's work to uplift the Robertsville farming community through education and spiritual guidance left a lasting impact., Elijah Wood's gravestone honors his life of service, and commemorates his roles as a soldier and a community leader, highlighting his contributions to secure both freedom and knowledge for future generations., (Captions) , The artillery shown in this November 1864 image of a Union camp in Johnsonville, Tennessee, which is labeled as the 1st Tennessee Colored Battery, is likely Elijah Wood's regiment. Courtesy Library of Congress, Wood Chapel Church. The church was located near where Wood's gravestone sits today. - Courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, from the Kingdom Demolition Range Collection, National Archives, Atlanta, Georgia, Elijah Wood's military record. Although this record indicates Elijah's year of birth was 1836, the 1870 U.S. Census indicates it was 1834. Courtesy Fold 3