Monticello Home Guard
Capt. John S. Handley
Monticello Home Guard
Capt. John S. Handley
The information on these pages was researched and edited and graciously given to the Edward G. GerdesArkansas Civil War page by Bryan R. Howerton, who we thank so much. He can be reached and thanked at this email address! If you have questions regarding this unit, please talk to Bryan. "Bryan R. Howerton"
The Monticello Home Guard was organized and enlisted on October 5, 1863, at Monticello, Drew county, Arkansas. With civil authority collapsing in many parts of the State, and Confederate troops being sent to faraway battlefields, local jurisdictions were encouraged to form companies of home guards to protect persons and property, enforce the Conscript Law, and support Confederate troops when requested. The home guards were generally composed of men too old or too young for regular military service. The Monticello Home Guard was composed of 47 men between the ages of 38 and 62, with an average age of 50 years. For this reason, it was popularly known as the “Old Man’s Company.”
The original muster roll is extremely difficult to read; however, most of the men have been positively identified as residents of Drew county and are listed in the 1860 census of that county. A few of the men defy identification. The ages shown are those listed on the muster roll. In a few cases, there are slight differences with the corresponding ages based upon the 1860 census. Being over the legal age for military service, none of these men are known to have served in regular Confederate regiments.
All of the men on this roster enlisted at Monticello, Arkansas, October 5, 1863.
Bigelow, John W
Private—Age 39, born in North Carolina; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Harriet; occupation farmer.
Bowden, Reese
Private—Age 55, born in Louisiana; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Diantha; occupation farmer.
Cameron, E Y
Third Sergeant—Age 38, born in South Carolina;
listed in Drew county 1860 census; occupation schoolteacher.
Chesnutt, John C
Private—Age 51; born in North Carolina; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Martha.
Craig, Norbert
Private—Age 49
Craig, William Alexander
Private—Age 59; born in North Carolina; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Mary; occupation farmer.
Dewberry, Joseph J
Private—Age 55; born in South Carolina; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Cynthia; occupation farmer.
Dickson, Samuel D
Private—Age 50; born in Tennessee; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Sarah; occupation miller.
Donaldson, S
Private—Age 43
Dykes, H
Private—Age 42
Easley, D J
Private—Age 46
Everett, William Thomas
Private—Age 54; born in North Carolina; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Frances; occupation farmer.
Fee, William N
Second Corporal—Age 51; born in South Carolina;
listed in Drew county 1860 census with wife Ellen; occupation farmer.
Ferguson, Jonathan
Orderly—Age 55; born in South Carolina; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Sarah; occupation hotel-keeper.
Fisher, L D
Private—Age 54; born in Tennessee; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Julia; occupation tailor.
Fleming, Mark Monroe
Private—Age 58; born in Georgia; listed in
Drew county 1860 census with wife Ellen; occupation farmer.
Galloway, Alfred D
Private—Age 60, born in Kentucky; listed in
Drew county 1860 census; occupation farmer.
Gaster, Colson
Private—Age 50
Giles, S
Private—Age 54
Hale, Alexander B
Private—Age 46; born in North Carolina; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife E. A.; occupation carpenter.
Hammock, Abraham
Fourth Corporal—Age 46
Handley, John S
Captain—Age 49; born in Alabama; listed in
Drew county 1860 census with wife Myra; occupation farmer.
Helms, J F
Private—Age 38
Hightower, Arnold G
Fourth Sergeant—Age 57; born in Georgia; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife E. B.; occupation farmer.
Huskey, Blake
Private—Age 55; born in Virginia; listed in
Drew county 1860 census with wife Elizabeth; occupation farmer.
Hutchinson, W B
Second Lieutenant—Age 52; born in North Carolina;
listed in Drew county 1860 census; occupation mechanic.
Lindsey, Edward B
Private—Age 53; born in North Carolina; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Ruth; occupation farmer.
Lyle, Thomas
Private—Age 50; born in Ireland; listed in
Drew county 1860 census with wife Sarah; occupation farmer.
McDermott, Charles C
Private—Age 50; born in Tennessee; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Sarah; occupation farmer.
McDermott, Charles M
Third Lieutenant—Age 50; born in Louisiana;
listed in Drew county 1860 census with wife Hettie; occupation farmer.
Millard, Charles W
Private—Age 50
Morris, Benjamin E
Private—Age 53; born in Mississippi; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Ann; occupation mechanic.
Nemly, M
Private—Age 50
Nichols, William B
Private—Age 59; born in Georgia; listed in
Drew county 1860 census with wife Missouri; occupation farmer.
Nowlet, E W
Private—Age 49
Owens, William E
First Sergeant—Age 38; born in South Carolina;
listed in Drew county 1860 census with wife Caroline; occupation merchant.
Procise, George
Private—Age 59; born in Virginia; listed in
Drew county 1860 census with wife Sarah; occupation schoolteacher.
Reabrook, B W
Second Sergeant—Age 47
Reaves, G W
Private—Age 54; born in North Carolina; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Candis; occupation farmer.
Sandusky, Emanuel
First Corporal—Age 45; born in Kentucky; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Ellen; occupation farmer.
Shanks, Robert
Private—Age 54; born in South Carolina; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Martha; occupation farmer.
Smith, Henry B
Private—Age 46; born in Mississippi; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Nancy; occupation farmer
Sweeney, Milton
Private—Age 56; born in Tennessee; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife M. J.; occupation blacksmith.
Thomasson, Gilbert L
Private—Age 43; born in South Carolina; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Martha; occupation farmer.
Watson, John L
Private—Age 46; born in North Carolina; listed
in Drew county 1860 census with wife Eliza; occupation farmer.
White, Charles C
Private—Age 62; born in Virginia; listed in
Drew county 1860 census with wife Mary; occupation farmer.
Yost, G E
First Lieutenant—Age 52
If you have any questions or comments or if you would like to have more information about the Civil War and Pension Records of the men who served in these Companies, contact me Jeri Helms Fultz or Bryan Howerton