Macon County, TN Historical Society   

Macon County was equally split during the Civil War with approximately 500 men serving in the Union army and 500 men in the Confederate army. The dividing ridge in the county seemly served as the dividing line as to which side was chosen to fight for.

1. Enlistment Center at Red Boiling Springs: Organized 22 Oct 1861 Companies A, B, C, F, G, H, K 30^th TENN. Infantry (CSA) and Company E 28^th TENN. Infantry (CSA)
2. Enlistment Center at Epperson Springs: Organized 15 Nov. 1861 Company E 7^th Confederate Tenn. Cavalry (Later officially known as Company G Barteau’s Cavalry)
3. General Braxton Braggs Headquarters at Gibbs Cross Roads 11 Sept. 1862.
4. Skirmish near Gibbs Cross Roads at Kirbytown Road & Union Camp Road vicinity 11 May 1863 between 100 men of the 14^th Illinois Cavalry (USA) and 125 men led by General John Hunt Morgan (CSA). Federal losses were 1 officer and 2 privates wounded. Confederate losses were 2 killed, 1 wounded left behind, and several wounded carried off.
5. Skirmish at Goose Creek near Meadorville between Union Companies D & E Eleventh KY Infantry (USA) and Confederate Company I Eighth KY Cavalry (CSA). Casualties of this were two Confederates killed and one captured and eight Union horses killed.
6. Skirmish near Lafayette at the West farm (now owned by Marty Coley) on the Akersville Road in the Williams community 12 May 1863 between Company K Indiana Cavalry (USA) and Rebel Guerrillas. Nine guerrillas were killed and two Union were wounded.
7. Civil War Hospital in the Dedman Hotel in Red Boiling Springs (where the Palace Nursing Home is) used by Union and Confederate forces with Dr. James Carson Weir of Jackson County, Tenn. operating it.
8. Saltpeter cave at Oakdale used during the War to mine saltpeter for gunpowder. Possibly another saltpeter cave nearby in the Barefoot community.
9. Provost Marshall Office 1 block off square Hwy. 10 South across from Lafayette Cinema
10. Possible Underground Railroad on Long Creek in Nigger Hollow. The cave there was said to be a haven during one winter (Owed by Geraldine Hire).
11. A Union Camp near Union Missionary Baptist Church on Union Camp Road.
12. Union camp sites at Shiloh Church and Winding Stairs at the spring
13. Heavy guerrilla activity in the county. Robert P Merrill of Macon County was according to Edwin L Ferguson in his book Sumner County, Tennessee in the Civil War, "a very bad man" and "the worst guerrilla in Tennessee". Lieutenant Colonel Love, Union Army, stated, "there were two gangs of these thieves in that neighborhood (Goose Creek)." One gang comprised of 30 and the other 60 persons and was "deserted soldiers from the Rebel army and citizens banded together for plunder and robbery." He also stated that the whole country is infested with the thieving party. They have nearly devastated that country and stolen nearly all the good horses from the citizens."

The following were killed in action in Macon County: John W Morgan 26 Feb1864; Carroll W Wilmore, 1864: and William A York and Cyrus J Shoulders 13 Nov 1864. These men served in Company E 1^st Regiment Mounted Infantry USA.

Researched by Randy G. East

County Historian