Original Photo returned to Maury
COLUMBIA, TN DAILY HERALD
Virginia Alexander
Maury Historian & President of the 1970 UDC Chapter
A copy of the original photograph was sent recently to the United Daughters of the Confederacy Chapter here which bears his name, by J. Matt Sparkman, dean of students, Murray State College, Murray, Kentucky. Dean Sparkman is the grandson of Capt. Sparkman.
James Madison (called J. Matt) Sparkman was born in Maury County Jan. 25, 1833, and was the son of Williams and Elizabeth (Vestal) Sparkman of Maury, and the grandson of William Sparkman, Revolutionary Soldier and his wife Rosannah (Williams) Sparkman, early settlers of Williamson Co. J. Matt was married in 1854 to Minerva Ann Hill and they were the parents of two sons, Williams Andrew and James Madison.
When the War Between the States broke out, Capt. Sparkman was engaged in the mercantile business at Santa Fe with his brother John. It was largely through his efforts that Maury County’s only artillery company was formed early in 1861.
The Maury Light Artillery was organized at Santa Fe, composed mostly of farmer boys from northwest Maury Co., none of whom had any military training. Their few drills before departure were held on the square at Santa Fe.
Frank H. Smith, writing in 1908, said that in some respects this was one of the most interesting organizations of the Civil War, its principal claim to distinction being its achievements at Fort Donelson in February, 1862.
With only a few hours drill as heavy artillerists they defeated the newly invented Federal gunboats, at the time considered invulnerable, and they let not one succeed in passing the battery.
Captain Sparkman was captured at Fort Donelson on Feb. 16, 1862, and transferred to Johnson’s Island, on Sept. 1, 1862 being transferred to Vicksburg, Miss. As he was being herded into a prison compound at Vicksburg, a northern officer noting the Shriner’s pin which he wore, pulled him out of line and pointing to the pin said, “Masonry is thicker than any blood that has ever flowed.” He was kept captive on his honor after that.
Capt. Sparkman lost his life during the siege of Port Hudson, La., the last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi. The day he was wounded some of his men had warned him on more than one occasion that he might get hit, as he seemed to be getting a bit careless.
He said, “Boys, they haven’t dug that lead out of the ground yet that will get me.” A short time later they were having difficulty getting a cannon to fire and had called him to help.
According to one account, he had jumped up on the breastworks when a piece of shell cut his powder flask, driving it into his leg. Another account, related to his grandson, was that he was standing picking powder into the touch-hole when a shell hit the ground near his feet, and a piece of shrapnel cut the inside of his leg.
According to those who saw it, the wound was deep, but clean, and likely wouldn’t have amounted to much in our present day, with the use of antibiotics,
He was hospitalized in a field tent and live ten days, with Abe Fitzgerald nursing him until his death on June 5, 1863. He was buried at the foot of a large beech tree. Cal Miller, a relative, made the casket from some rough boards. His sword was wrapped in two greasy blankets and put in the casket with his body. Of course they expected to bring his remains home when the war was over, however conditions during the reconstruction period prevented this.
It was not until 1908 that a group of Maury Countians made a trip to Port Hudson trying to locate his resting place. His brother-in-law, William Hill, had said that even as he was being buried the mighty Mississippi was cutting against the bank. In 1908 no traces could be found of his grave.
Though he sleeps in an unmarked soldier’s grave, his memory lives on in the hearts of those who admire a life given in devotion to duty.