The Bigby Greys

The Bigby Greys. Story of Service. Here on the square, on April 20, 1861, a hundred local men under Capt. Daniel F. Wade were sworn into Confederate service as the Bigby Greys. The women of Mt. Pleasant presented the company with its first flag, in the first Confederate national pattern. It bears the motto, “When they meet the foe, we feel secure.” The company sent the flag home from its first camp, because only regiments were permitted to carry colors. Union garrison troops stationed here later confiscated the flag, which is now on display at the nearby Mt. Pleasant Museum., The Bigby Greys became Co. C, 3rd Tennessee Infantry. The company first fought at Fort Donelson in February 1862, surrendered, and was imprisoned at Camp Douglas near Chicago. It was paroled in September 1862 and exchanged in November at Vicksburg. It remained in Mississippi during Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s campaign and fought in the battles around Port Hudson, Vicksburg, and Raymond., Late in 1863, the regiment fought conspicuously in the Battle of Chickamauga, losing half its already depleted strength. It fought at Missionary Ridge and all through the Atlanta campaign, then marched north with Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood’s army as it moved into Tennessee. On November 26, the remainder of the Bigby Greys marched quickly by this spot. The 3rd Infantry, which in 1861 numbered more than a thousand, was consolidated with the 18th Tennessee and totaled just seventeen men., This small remnant soldiered on through the rest of the war, fighting in the last battle at Bentonville, North Carolina. The unit was surrendered on April 26, 1865 and then paroled on May 1 at Greensboro, North Carolina., (captions) , (lower left) Camp Douglas, Harper’s Weekly, April 5, 1862 , (upper center) Lt. Johnson Long (left) in Greys uniform Courtesy Mary Clark Long , (upper right) Capturing Confederate artillery on Missionary Ridge, Harper’s Weekly, January 2, 1864