CALVIN HOLLY KILLED BY REBEL BUSHWACKERS
Laurel Hill DeKalb Coutny January 2nd 1869
I Prettyman Jones, Capt. Of Company H of First Regiment of Tenn Mtd Infty certify on honor that William J. Holly was a Private in my Company, and is, as I am informed an applicant for an Invalid Pension: That said Wm J. Holley was discharged at Nashville Tenn by Reason of expiration of term of service disectly he became able from the following Statement of events. That the said William J. Holly was on or about the 7th of May 1864 near Carthage Smith County Tenn in Company with a squad of my Company three in number attacked by Guerrillas by number superior. Killing two of the squad to which said Holly was with wounding said William J. Holly after exchanging some shots said Holly Received a very bad wound in th side of his face, the ball from a large Navy entering the side of his face just under the eye and coming out partly in and through the left ear thereby greatly damaging his eyesight and hearing and so damaging his Physical powers as to render him unable to procure his livelihood by Manual labour.
Signed: Prettyman Jones Capt
Co H 1st Regiment Tenn Mtd Ifty.
April 13, ’69. Chas O. Shoyer Regt Surg. Testified that he treated the soldier for a pistol shot wound in the head in region of the ear and extracted some grains of powder from cornea of the eye. The wound was received in an engagement with guerillas.
The families in Silver Point, Laurel Hill and Love Valley, also Buffalo Valley, and up and down the Cainey Fork River were more or less all related-directly or by marriage most came from North Carolina and Virginia.
Most of our families didn’t own slaves and didn’t believe in it. So they couldn’t join the Union Army in Putnam Co. So they joined in Nashville. Calvin Wade Holley, John S. and William James, along with James S. Maxwell and Francis Deweese.
These were all family members. You will see later how related. These along with others in the Valley’s made up the "First Tenn Mounted Infantry." They were to Muster in Carthage, Smith Co., TN. So Capt. Prettyman Jones sent William James up to Silver Point to get Calvin Wade and Francis Deweese.
While going back they were jumped by "Bushwhackers" and Calvin Wade killed with Francis taken prisoner. William J. had dropped out of the chase and hid in a tobacco barn. One man came after him and William J. shot him in the right chest but being a large man he took William’s Rifle and beat him some with it. There was five to three-So when the four came back to the barn-the Man evidently from loss of blood and being shot through his lun-he was on the ground by this time when thry returned-the other four. This man said, "Capt. This damn feller shot me." The Capt. Said "oh, he did". With the he pulled his pistol and shot William in the face. Which the bullet went in under the left eye and came out under the ear. Evidently he fell and they thinking him dead rode away. With tht William came to and Rode on to Carthage. The Army went after them but it grew late so they never seen them. Also Francis Deweese was never seen again. His wife Frances is a sister to Rebecca Ellen.
William James drew a pension for 12 years until he passed away in 1877. The Rebecca E. filed for penison and it was granted for a short while. Then some one reported William J. wasn’t even in the Service-So she was cut off. From Letter to Mildred 24 Jan 1991 from Cousin Orville Holly.
(It would appear that family story on the death of Calvin Holly and wounding of William James Holly has some factual basis. Calvin Holly and Francis Deweese joined the First Tennessee Mounted Infantry in Dec 1863 and William J. Holly joined on 10 Feb 1864. The records of the regiment indicates that Deweese was killed on 7 May 1864 and at the time he was a member of D Company. Calvin Holly was killed on 8 May 1864. Some information indicates that the battle was near Chestnut Mound which is North of Buffalo Valley and East of Carthage, Tennessee. That Captain Prettyman Jones sent Calvin to get the other two men because of a muster I believe is because these men were to be part of his Company H which was mustered on 17 May 1864 at Carthage, Tennessee.DMJ)
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