439th Signal Battalion Posted March 8, 2015 Share #1 Posted March 8, 2015 Being from and having family (both mother and father's sides) here since the end of the American Revolution, Mitchell County, North Carolina is rich with Appalachian history. The county was actually created out of Burke County, NC, in 1861 because of the strong Union/Republican sentiment that existed there, in direct contrast to the surrounding counties (Yancey, Burke, Avery) which were overwhelmingly pro-Confederate. My 3x grandfather (father's side) was a Union Soldier from Mitchell County, having served with the 3rd North Carolina Mounted Infantry (US) for two years, as were many of his friends and relatives. My mother's side of the family, which where "just down the road apiece," or actually from the next ridge over, were all Confederate soldiers, having served with the 29th and 58th North Carolina Infantry Regiments in the Army of the Tennessee. Red Hill Cemetery has been here since the early 1800's and is full (literally) of Americans that made this country the best in the world. The cemetery is located off of HWY 226 North, going towards the backwoods metropolis of Buladean and Fork Mountain. (If you know where those two places are, you've done a little bit of traveling..) In this particular part of the county, former Union and Confederate soldiers rest in piece feet from each other, considering that during the war, the mountains of western North Carolina were beyond violent and brutal. In the book, Bushwackers by William Trotter, the author states that there were more murders and senseless killings here than in the entire period of the Old West. I concur with his theory and know that many folks here believe that it was the worst place to be during the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
439th Signal Battalion Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share #2 Posted March 8, 2015 My gggggreat-grandfather. He was with the Rutherford Militia and fought at King's Mountain. His wife was the daughter of Colonel Andrew Hampton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
439th Signal Battalion Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share #3 Posted March 8, 2015 Confederate veteran of the 16th NC, who is nearly surrounded by Union Troopers from the 3rd North Carolina US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
439th Signal Battalion Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share #4 Posted March 8, 2015 These two veterans, one Union, one Confederate rest in a mere twenty yards apart from each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
439th Signal Battalion Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share #5 Posted March 8, 2015 Confederate veteran, upper left, and Union veteran, rest in peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
439th Signal Battalion Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share #6 Posted March 8, 2015 Folk art and designs are hand-etched into many of the markers here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
439th Signal Battalion Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share #7 Posted March 8, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
439th Signal Battalion Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share #8 Posted March 8, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
439th Signal Battalion Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share #9 Posted March 8, 2015 WWII KIA from 27th Combat Engineers. This unit was in the China-India-Burma theater and was with Merrill's Marauders from I understand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dag Posted March 9, 2015 Share #10 Posted March 9, 2015 Interesting story. Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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