OUR ROLES IN HISTORY?

INTERESTING NOTES

AND OTHER TRIVA

WAS THERE A CHILDERS ON THE HUNLEY???

Was there a Childers on the Hunley? There just might have been. J.F. Childers of the 21st Alabama Company G. might have been one of the crew members of the Hunley. The Hunley was the first successful submarine, built and commissioned by the CSA. The 21st Alabama was one of the primary units that were connected to this submarie.Sinking the the Union ship Houstonic at Charleston Febuary 17, 1864.

THE 26TH INFANTRY OF ALABAMA

Starting with 1200 men this regiment saw some of the most vicious of battle action. They were the rear guard at the battle of South Mountain holding an entire division ,as well as holding "Bloody Lane" while vastly outnumbered three days later at Sharpsburg. Of the 1200 men that were in the 26th, only 31 lived to see the end of the war. Of those only 16 were original (1861) members. Were any of these Childress/Childers of that group?

JAMES CHILDERS 26th Inf. Co. G
J.T. CHILDRESS 26th Inf. Co I
O.F. CHILDESS 26th Inf. Co.G

LITTLE JJ

Growing up in Buchanan County, Virginia, JJ. Childress was eleven years old when war came. His older brothers George and William joined the Confederate Army. That being the 10th Kentucky Cavalry, or Diamond's regiment. Diamond's regiment was a rough and tumble bunch, on the verge of being a guerrilla regiment. Regardless Little JJ must have thought it grand to join his brothers in this "playing" of army.

That was until one night when a Union Cavlary unit overran their camp. His brother George was shot in the thigh. JJ managed to drag him to safety and hiding him then cared for him until he well. JJ stayed with the unit until the end of the war, doing chores, getting water, etc. Sixty-seven years later, in 1932, and the beginning of the depression he applied for a pension from the state of Virginia. After several letters and a bunch of red tape,he managed to recieve a pension. This was quite difficult due to the fact that one needed to provide two statements from comrades. This was a bit hard due to the fact that most all of them were dead by this time.

J.J., is the youngest member of our family I've found to serve. There are 14 pages or more of documents that can be found at the Virginia State Library, covering his request. Also, the papers of his widow's application for a pension.

HOME SWEET HOME?

At least three times, that I'm aware of anyway, Childers/Childress family homes were in the centers of a major battle. At the battle of Chickamauga there was a Widow Childers home mentioned many times in the O.R. (Official Records a 128 volume set of records published at the turn of the century, by the Goverment. 10,000 sets were printed but today they are a bit hard to find. However!!!, they are online at the Cornel University)

During the battle of Mansfield or Sabine Pass in Louisanna. Here there was a classical "Gone with the Wind" type mansion. This home cost all of $20,000 to be built in the 1850's and that being with slave labor. Not much at todays market but in perspective an army private in 1861 was paid $13 a month! From primary accounts the home was used as a hospital for both North and South. Several times the home was hit by bullets and shot. (go to the LA section for a picture and complete story)

At the battle of Stones River the home of J.W. Childress an officer of the 1st. Tennssese Infantry CSA. His home it appears was used as a Union headquarters. The home was described by a descendant as having seen graffiti on the wall's in the plaster walls.

GENERAL LEE'S FAVORITE

The state records of Virginia note Houston Childress as being General Lee's favorite musican. He later is found in Colo.

The 34th Mississippi Infantry a Record ??

All of these men are from the Tippah County, Mississippi area. More than likely most or all are related!

David R.CHILDERS Sgt Co.A========enlisted 03/08/62
John CHILDERS Co.B
Steven H CHILDERS . Co. B========enlisted 02/26/62
James C. CHILDRESS Co. F ========enlisted 03/17/62
John T. CHILDRESS Co. F ========enlisted 03/17/62
Walter CHILDRESS Co. F========enlisted 03/17/62
H.W CHILDERS. Co. G ========enlisted 03/17/62
James A CHILDERS. 2 Lt. G========enlisted 08/26/62
Jesse N. CHILDERS Co.G ========enlisted 03/17/62
J.W. CHILDERS Co.G ========enlisted03/17/62
Wiley J. CHILDRESS Co.I ========enlisted 03/22/62
Levi H. CHILDRESS Co.I========enlisted 03/22/62
R. CHILDRESS Co.I========enlisted 08/01/62
Robert S. CHILDRESS Pvt I ========enlisted03/22/62
Samuel CHILDRESS Cpl I========enlisted 03/22/62
Albert W. CHILDRESS Pvt I========enlisted05/07/62
David M. CHILDRESS 2 Lt. I ========enlisted08/01/62
J.D. CHILDRESS CplCo. I ========enlisted03/22/62
Lucius P. CHEIRS Pvt K ========enlisted03/08/62

THE FIVE CHILDRESS BROTHERS OF THE 29th ALABABAMA

D.J. Childress Company "H" 29th Alabama Infantry

Joel B. Childress Company "D" 29th Alabama Infantry

Reuben B. Childress Company "H" 29th Alabama Infantry

Thomas Childress Company "D" 29th Alabama Infantry

Weldon E. Childress Company "D" 29th Alabama Infantry

From: TC153@aol.com Date: Thu, 6 May 1999 17:41:17 EDT

Subject: Re: Childress

What I know is this: My great grandfather David James Childress was shot in the leg at Kennesaw. My dad, Vernon Rhodes Childress, used to play with the bullet which his grandmother (and David James' widow) Emma (Acenath) Watson Childress kept in her sewing basket. Family legend says David James Childress was born in 1844 in Bibb County and died in 1899. I don't know where he's buried. His wife Emma Watson lived from 1868 to 1947 and died in Birmingham.

David James Childress was 5 feet 9 inches and was described (in the Federal records) as having dark hair and dark complexion. He went to Kansas to fight the Indians -- but rounded back home before his time with the feds expired. He may have been married before he married my great grandmother -- we don't know. My father told me that David James father's name was Alfred (b. 1800 -- according to the LDS's record it's 1801 in SC -- and died in 1865). Two Shilders (pronounced SHIL-Ree) settled in Wilmington, NC after leaving France. They were French Huguenots. I have never changed my name since my dad was an only child and then he had three girls. I'd love to know more about my people since I have chosen to remain a Childress. Is there a Childress family cemetery somewhere in Bibb County?

Childress enlisted February 08, 1862 at Randolph. He was captured at Big Shanty, Georgia June 15, 1864, imprisoned at Rock Island Prison, Ill. until released October 13, 1864 to join the U.S. Volunteer Infantry for frontier duty.

Subject: Childress

I have his record of imprisonment from the Federal Government (He was sent to Rock Island) and he signed his name "David" James Childress when they sent him off to Kansas to fight Indians. Tricia Childress PS Are my ancestors buried in Bibb County?

Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 20:20:29 -0600 To: awana@snowcrest.net From: Davy lee Minor - davyl@mindspring.com Subject: Co. D 29th Ala d Hi Patrick, My name is Margie Smitherman Wear and I am from Chilton Co., Al. I really like you Civil War site. I do have a name for you to add to COMPANY D 29TH ALABAMA, and that is JOEL B. CHILDRESS b. 2 October 1824 d. 15 March 1903 buried at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church #1 Cem. I obtained the pension application for the above JOEL B CHILDRESS and here is what was written in his application: The State of Alabama, County of Chilton. Personally appreared before me, Judge of Probate in and for said County, who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith that when a in Company of Regiment of he was wounded by being while in the discharge of his duty on the day of 186 at in the State of The above was filed 2 July 1887. I got a copy of this off the microfilm in Montgomery, Al. at the Archives. There is also a note on it that Joel B. was also at some point in Co. H 28th Al. This information is also in "Yours, Mine and Theirs". I have the family information of Joel B. Childress if you would like that information also. NOTE: Joel B. Childress (Pvt. Co. D, 29th Al. Inf. and also Co. H. 28th Al. Inf), Daniel James Childress (Co. H. 29th Al.), Reuben B. Childress (Pvt. Co H, 29th Al. Inf.), Robert Brown Childress (Pvt. Co. H, 29th Al. Inf.), Thomas Childress (Pvt. Co D, 29th Al. Inf.) and Weldon E Childress (Pvt. Co. D. 29th Al. Inf.) were all brothers and were sons of Alfred Childress and Bedia Baggett Childress. Alfred & Bedia had I know one son-in-law Blanton Box Riggins who also served in the C.S.A. but I don't know his military stats. I believe there was also another son-in-law in the C.S.A. who was also a Riggins. Margie e-mail: davyl@Mindspring.com

JOEL B. CHILDRESS b. 2 October 1824 d. 15 March 1903 buried at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church #1 Cem. I is what was written in his application: The State of Alabama, County of Chilton. Personally appreared before me, Judge of Probate in and for said County, who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith that when a in Company of Regiment of he was wounded by being while in the discharge of his duty on the day of 186 at in the State of The above was filed 2 July 1887. I got a copy of this off the microfilm in Montgomery, Al. at the Archives. There is also a note on it that Joel B. was also at some point in Co. H 28th Al. This information is also in "Yours, Mine and Theirs". I have the family information of Joel B. Childress if you would like that information also. NOTE: Joel B. Childress (Pvt. Co. D, 29th Al. Inf. and also Co. H. 28th Al. Inf), Daniel James Childress (Co. H. 29th Al.), Reuben B. Childress (Pvt. Co H, 29th Al. Inf.), Robert Brown Childress (Pvt. Co. H, 29th Al. Inf.), Thomas Childress (Pvt. Co D, 29th Al. Inf.) and Weldon E Childress (Pvt. Co. D. 29th Al. Inf.) were all brothers and were sons of Alfred Childress and Bedia Baggett Childress. Alfred & Bedia had I know one son-in-law Blanton Box Riggins who also served in the C.S.A. but I don't know his military stats. I believe there was also another son-in-law in the C.S.A. who was also a Riggins.

Margie e-mail: davyl@Mindspring.com

THE OLD TIMERS

Hamilton Childers D Co. 33rd Inf. N.C. 55YEARS OLD

William Childress Co.I 45th N.C. 51 YEARS OLD
from Virginia

JAMES F. CHILDERS 37th Inf. Co.A N.C. 49 YEARS OLL

33RD NC INF.

6 HERE!

From the the cemetery records of Brown Twn., Washington County, Indiana: "The only known Confederate veteran buried in the township was Paton F. Childress, buried at Mount Carmel. He was probably related to the Childers family of Brown Township and is buried next to William Childers, a soldier for the union. Childress (the name is spelled Childers in Union records) enlisted for one year at Nashville, Tennesse on July 8, 1861 in Company H, 26th Regiment Tennesse Infantry. On July 2, 1862 he reenlisted for the duration of the war in Captain Bradshaws Independant Company of Rangers at Ringgold, Georgia. By order of General Bragg, he was transfered to Company I 1st, Confederate Regiment on December 1, 1862. Promoted to Corporal Feburary 20, 1864, he was captured near Atlanta, Georgia July 20, 1864. Sometime later, he was sent to the militery prison (*first to Louisville, Ky. my note--jack) Camp Douglass, Illinois where, on March 25 1865, he took the oath of allegiance to the United States and enlisted Company E, U.S. Volunteers. At this time, he claimed he had always been a loyal citizen, and enlisted in the rebel army only to avoid conscription, and that he did not desire to return south to be exchanged. He died in 1885.