Eyewitness Account of the Wounding of J. B. Thompson

Eyewitness Account of the Death of Col. John Baker Thompson

(From Susan R. Hull, Boy Soldiers of the Confederacy, pp. 236-239.)

Historical Context: J. B. Thompson and the author of this letter, John Fellows, were both members of the First Regiment, Arkansas Infantry, called Colquitt’s Brigade after Brigadier General Alfred Holt Colquitt. Here is a brief summary of their activity during the war:

1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Colquitt's)

1st (Fagan's-Colquitt's) Infantry Regiment, formed during the early spring of 1861, contained men from Union, Clark, Ouachita, Jefferson, Saline, Pulaski, Jackson, Arkansas, and Drew counties. Ordered to Virginia, the unit entered Confederate service at Lynchburg. It fought at First Manassas, moved to Tennessee, participated in the conflict at Shiloh, then took an active role in the Kentucky Campaign. Later it was assigned to General L. E. Polk's and Govan's Brigade and was prominent in many battles of the Army of Tennessee from Murfreesboro to Bentonville. This regiment reported 11 killed and 90 wounded at Murfreesboro, lost forty-five percent of the 430 engaged at Chickamauga, and totalled 302 men and 217 arms in December, 1863. During July, 1864, this unit was united with the 15th (Cleburne's-Polk's-Josey's) Regiment and in the Battle of Atlanta lost 15 killed, 67 wounded, and 3 missing. Very few surrendered on April 26, 1865. The field officers were Colonels John W. Colquitt and James F. Fagan; Lieutenant Colonels William A. Crawford, W. H. Martin, Donelson McGregor, James C. Monroe, and John B. Thompson; and Major Stinson Little.

Both John R. Fellows and General William Nelson Rector Beall surrendered at Port Hudson, Louisiana, on July 9, 1863 after a prolonged siege. They were taken to Johnson’s Island in Sandusky Bay on Lake Erie, the only military prison exclusively for Confederate officers. General Beall was paroled the next year and spent the remainder of the war working to supply Confederate prisoners with blankets and other essential supplies.

Letter from Captain John R. Fellows

Military Prison, Johnson’s Island

November 4, 1863

Mrs. S. R. Hull, Baltimore, Md.:

My Dear Madam—Your letter of 29^th ult. To Brigadier-General Beall having made me acquainted with your name and residence furnishes me an opportunity which I have long desired, of acquainting the relatives of Lieut-Col. J. B. Thompson with some particulars of his death. He was, as you are probably aware, major of the First Arkansas Regiment from its organization, and served in such a capacity through the first year of the war. In the latter part of February, 1862, the regiment was ordered from Virginia to Corinth, Miss., where it reorganized and your brother was elected to the position of lieutenant-colonel. At the Battle of Shiloh the regiment was one of the first in action, and about ten o’clock Sunday morning it made three successive charges upon a strongly fortified position. It was in the second of these and while leading the command (being some distance in advance of the line) that Colonel Thompson fell.

His conspicuous position and gallant bearing evidently drew upon him the fire of sharp-shooters, as he was struck almost simultaneously by seven balls. He was immediately carried to a hospital in the rear and placed under the charge of skillful and attentive surgeons. The duties of my position in the regiment prevented me from seeing him (after he was wounded) that day, and at night we bivouacked some three miles away. The next day I visited him in company with Colonel Fagan. He bore his painful wounds with more of heroic fortitude and uncomplaining patience than I have ever witnessed in any other person, conversing cheerfully about his own condition and giving full and minute directions as to the disposition to be made of his effects. The management of these he entrusted entirely to Colonel Fagan, and the family in Virginia have been fully informed of what his instructions were and how they were executed.

We were compelled to leave him in the hospital on our retreat, as he could not bear removal. One of our own surgeons remained with him, and both from him and from the Federal surgeons he received every care and attention. He died on Thursday morning, April 10, and was buried near the hospital, his grave being marked. He died as he had often expressed a wish to do, upon the field of battle, meeting his fate with the fortitude of a true soldier and the calmness of a Christian.

Colonel Thompson was my intimate and cherished friend—nay, more, my ideal and model. I never knew a man of such fine and irreproachable character, and he carried the graces of his Christian calling into every act and operation of his life. The vices that always prevail in camp did not even assail him and had no influence upon him except to stimulate his efforts for their removal. He moved constantly in an atmosphere of integrity, purity, and virtuous action—an atmosphere of his own creation. His influence for good over the men of the regiment was something wonderful—the loud oath, coarse jest, or obscene story was never repeated in his presence. He was the idol of his command, and the roughest and most hardened soldier became subdued and gentle in his presence and eager to accomplish his wished. He ruled, too, almost alone by the power of his noble example, being firm but never harsh. His men loved him too well to disobey him.

One of Colonel Thompson’s remarkable characteristics was his unvarying cheerfulness. Always genial in manner, sportive yet brilliant and instructive in conversation, he was the delight of the circle which in camp or bivouac used to gather around him and listen to the music of that social life—melody that we, alas, shall hear no more.

Many of us lost dear friends in the bloody struggle of those two days, and by the side of the streams and under the trees in the dark forests of Shiloh are lying now, in their last sleep, those in whom our hearts were bound up. But when it was told us that Colonel Thompson was dead, all private griefs seemed forgotten in a contemplation of the great loss all had sustained. As for myself, I felt that it was irreparable. I used to sit in his presence as a child before a loved teacher. Possessed of the charm and fascination that cultivated intellect always imparts, enjoying with a keen zest the society of others and always adding to its interest by his own accomplishments, where shall we find another so worthy (of) our love? To the regiment he was at once an officer, a friend, and an oracle.

It is with feelings of sad and mournful satisfaction that I offer to his memory this brief, imperfect tribute, evoked by the thoughts of him with crowd upon me tonight.

I shall be very glad to hear from you, and if I have omitted to state anything respecting his military career and death it will gratify me to state it.

Believe me very respectfully your friend,

Jno. R. Fellows

Staff Brig.-Gen. Beall (General John A. Beall)