The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-06
United Daughters
 G 1he C Confederacy

jor John c. Thompson. of Hernapdo. Miss.
 Without going into details of his early history suffice it to say that he was by birth a Georgian. At an early period of his life he removed to Hunts ville, Ala, where he studied and prac-
 ticed law with success for several rious positions of honor and trust with credit to himself and advantage to
 the public.
 In lS47 he removed to DeSoto, Coun-
 ty, Miss, where he lived in tho high
 est domestic and social happiness until
 the beginning of the war. In the
 quietude of retired life, wife and chill
 dren poured into his life their varied
 contributions, while books and leisure
 offered to his cultivated mind an un-
 limited field of research and enjoy
 ment Warm in his attachments and
 hospitable in his habits, friendship to
 him was neither a name nor con-
 venience, but an honest reality, and
 from its interchange of obligations he
 drew many of the sweetest solaces
 that cheered his later years. With a family cultivated in taste and refined in manners; with the comforts of life and many of its luxuries. his home presented attractions well calculated
 to enchain a younger man than Judge Thompson. Such was our friends situation when the tocsin of war re- sounded through the land.
 In politics he was of the straight est sect of States rights. and bcliev- ing that these rights had been for many years wantonly violated by the North, he did not hesitate to avow
 himself a secessionist; and now that the time had come to test in the fiery crucible of war the candor and sim cerity of mems opinions, he stood ready to unsheathe his sword in their de- fense and fight upon the field or battle for what he had so often and so earnestly counseled in private and in public. At an early period of the | war he entered the service as pri- vate connecting himself with the well known regiment of the gallant Blythe, who fell in the hard fought battle of Shiloh. A man so intelligent and | so brave soon won the respect Of his companions in- arms, which resulted in promotion, until he was finally raised | to be major of the regiment. Although he accepted honors when offered. he | did not ever seek them, or finch from what he thought his duty for fear of calumny.
 Like many others of equal consti- tutional vigor who proclaimed seces- | sion from the house tops, he could have remained at home under the pro- lection of his age, but actuated by a | lofty sense of duty and the generous | impulses of a chivalrous nature he re- | solved to put his principles In prac- | tice and work them out to success | full issue or fill a soldiers grave in the effort. Nobly did he keep his vow. | As a soldier in rank he shared the labors of the toilsome march, and the ted.um of camp life with cheerful ness and spirit As an officer he ruled without harshness and obeyed with out murmuring and whether on the march, in the camp, or upon the field | of battle he ever had a hand to give | and heart to feel for the distressed. Upon the battle field he was the very | impersonation of courage and daring, and the sobriquet of "Blucher." by which he was often called, was in some respects by no means misapplied; and as an illustration of his intrepidity when at Murfreesborough his regiment was ordered to lie down in order to protect themselves from the leaden
 tempest that was bowling around them
 he was marching up and down before | them with words of encouragement and l cheer. When some of his men remind | ed him of his danger. and pointed to l the blue coats that were pouring volley after volley upon them he looked at them for a second with the most un-
 utterable scorn and proceeded on his promenade, with the simple remark, T have contempt for them."
 At Chickamauga his regiment as well as his brigade was ordered to retreat, which order. he not hearing, being in advance, supposed they were showing the white feather and immediately be- gan rallying them with exclamations | of surprise and modification. when a bullet passed through his head. killing | him instantly. thus enabling him to die If he must, as he had often wished.
 without a groan or struggle. Thus acted and fell our gallant friend. John | c. Thompson His remains now lie
 buried upon the rocky undulations of | Chickamauga. When the historian in future years shall come to write the names of gallant heroes who fell on | that bloody field and give each his need of praise, John c. Thompson will be historic, and go down to posterity with
 the bravest of the brave. He leaves a wife and several children to mourn his | loss, and may the mantle of his fath- CTS virtues fall upon the noble boy who still lives to avenge his death. | J. W. W.
 Copied from war of the Rebellion"
 Official Records of the Union and Con federate Armies. Series l., Volume
 xxx, Part IT. Reports, Chickamauga | Campaign.
 Among the killed regret to record
 the name of Major John c. Thompson,
 of the 44th Mississippi Regiment. A man of education and position at home.
 of an age far beyond that prescribed
 by the laws of the land for involuntary
 service, at the first tocsin of war he enlisted in the ranks and fought as a private at Belmont and Shiloh. having been severely wounded at the latter.
 His gallantry and services marked him before the men of his State for pro- motion, which he soon received. and he commanded his regiment with his usual gallantry at the battle of Murfreesboro. On the memorable field of the Chicka- | mauRa his devotion to the cause of his country has been sealed with the blood
 of a patriot.
 | Patton Anderson, Brig. Gen. Commanding.
 Major J. P. Wilson.
 Asst Adj. Gen, Hindman's Div. Among the killed was Major John
 Clarke Thompson. fearless among the
 fearless He fell as he had wished to fall, fighting the foe that had invaded hia home. J. H. Sharp, l Col Comdg. 44th Miss. Reg. | Capt W. G. Earth.
 1 sst Adi Gen