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I had
known for years that my Great Grandfather, James
Knox Polk Burnett from Sharps Chapel fought for the
Confederacy during the Civil War . James was buried
in Big Barren Cemetery and the year of birth was
wrong on his headstone. I never really had the
burning desire to find out more about him or other
members of our family until a few years ago when my
mom, Bonnie Burnett Sanford indicated she wanted to
find out more about her heritage. Growing up as a
youngster in Union County our family seldom talked
about their past and when questions were asked of my
grand parents, Cleatus and Della McBee Burnett, and
other relatives the typical response was “Why do you
want to talk about that for?”
On One particular visit home about three years ago,
I met Lynn Sexton at Big Barren Cemetery and he gave
me an email address of a man who was researching the
Burnett’s. I contacted Eric Beeler, a Confederate
Civil War Re-enactor, from Knoxville to find he was
a cousin and a 4th great grandson of Martin Burell
Burnett Eric had found quite a bit of information
including several of their Civil War Pension
Applications and indicated that Martin and William
Burnett were also buried in Big Barren and he knew
the exact location of John’s grave in Ousley-Graves
Cemetery in Sharps Chapel. Eric had not been able to
find the pensions or graves of Pleasant or Daniel
Franklin and felt Daniel along with Martin and
others who were captured and sent to Camp Morton, IN
that Daniel had possibly died in prison.
Returning home I began searching for Pleasant and
Daniel Franklin Burnett and after several months and
untold countless hours of research via the internet
and phone calls and through the grace of God, I
finally located the burial places for both Pleasant
and Daniel and soon afterwards made a trip home to
visit all six grave sites and place Confederate
Flags on each grave.
Daniel Franklin’s grave was the only one who had a
Confederate Military Veterans marker. I ordered the
remaining brothers markers via the Veterans
Administration and had them delivered to my home in
IN.
Martin and James Knox Polk’s applications were
denied because their graves were already marked. I
had one made for James and Eric is in the process of
obtaining a marker for Martin. In March of 2007 I
met Eric Beeler in Middlesboro and he helped me
proudly place the stones. In Ky and in Union County.
My Mom, Uncle Milus Burnett and Cousins Sue, Hilda,
and I went back to Big Barren Cemetery the following
morning and placed James Knox Polk Burnett’s marker.
All six sons of Bayless Sylvester and Louisa Miller
Burnett were born in a part of Claiborne County
which is now Union County and fought for the
Confederacy during the Civil War. Family versions
state Bayless went to Cumberland Gap to take ID tags
he made for each of his sons and to fight with them.
Bayless was sent to the rear because he was too old.
He rode off and was shortly killed by or for his
horse. Another family version is he was captured by
the Union Army and hung for treason.
Martin Burell Burnett, born 30 Dec. 1830. died 29
Dec. 1899. Served as a Private in Carter’s 1st,
Tenn. Cav. Company L.. Buried in Big Barren Memorial
Cemetery, Union County, TN.
(Martin was captured at Cumberland Gap, TN. taken to
Camp Morton, IN.. It is documented he was absent
from his command in March, 1864 Martin was later
exchanged for Union Prisoners. Martin did not take
the Oath Of Allegiance at the surrender at
Cumberland Gap.)
John Burnett, born 12 June 1832. died 23 Dec 1905.
Served as a Private in Carter’s 1st, Tenn. Cav.
Company L..Buried in Ousley-Graves Cemetery, Sharps
Chapel, Union County, TN.
(In the Battle of Piedmont VA. John was wounded in
the right forearm by a gunshot breaking his radius
and dislocating the ulna at the lower extremity
causing loss of use of his right arm. He was left
wounded in the battlefield and when found taken to a
house and from there to a hospital in Arlington, VA.
The attending surgeons were Dr Hoffman and Dr
Lightfoot. John remained in the hospital until Lee
surrendered. John took the Oath in 1865 for
Protection.)
Pleasant Burnett, born 02 Feb 1837. died 16 Dec
1915. Served as a Private in Ashby’s 2nd. Tennessee
Cavalry. Buried in Colson/Middlesboro Cemetery,
Middlesboro, Bell County, KY
(Pleasant was never taken prisoner nor was he listed
as injured during the war. Pleasant took the Oath of
Allegiance at the surrender at Cumberland Gap on the
5th of May 1865. In Pleasant's wife’s, Matilda Jane
Barker Burnett, pension application as stated by
witness Steve Owsley that he was with Pleasant when
they were cut off from their command by the enemy
about six months before the surrender).
William M Burnett, born 06 Jun 1840. died 16 Jan
1914. Served as a Private in Ashby’s 2nd. Tennessee
Cavalry. Buried in Big Barren Memorial Cemetery,
Union County, TN.
(William was not wounded but developed diabetes
during the march from Clinton to Monticello, KY in
March 1863. Chronic diarrhea and rheumatism was
contracted in Georgia in the spring of 1864.William
was incapacitated for duty due to these illness and
was not discharged from the Army, he was sent to GA
for the purpose of resting up and nurturing his
health. William was furloughed from Dalton, GA for
14 days to get a horse for service and furnished
transportation to Bristol VA.. William could not get
back to his command because the enemy was between
him and his command and he could not travel at
night. William then found and was attached with Col.
Carters 1st Tenessee Cavalry and served until the
end of the war. William was captured and taken to
Camp Morton, In and paroled on May 5th 1865.by US
Army Col. W. Y. Dillard.)
James Knox Polk Burnett, born, 06 May 1842. died 03
Jan 1929. Served as a Private in Carter’s 1st, Tenn.
Cav. Company L.. Buried in Big Barren Memorial
Cemetery, Union County, TN..
(James Knox Polk Burnett filed a Tennessee Soldier's
Application for Pension on 9 /8/1913. Louisa
Angeline Carter Burnett, wife of JPK Burnett, filed
for Civil War Widow's Indigent Pension on Feb. 4,
1929.
In his State of Tennessee Soldiers Application for
Pension dated Sept. 8th, 1913 he listed his date of
birth as 5/6/1842. He received a flesh wound in the
hip. Their unit was disbanded in 1865. In this Civil
War pension application James indicated he did not
take the Oath of Allegiance. A Knoxville Journal
death notice which ran in 1929 indicated James was
the last surviving Confederate Soldier left in Union
County at the time of his death. James headstone is
engraved he was born in 1882 which is incorrect)
Daniel Franklin Burnett, born 20 Feb 1845. died 29
Mar 1918. Served as a Private in Carter’s 1st, Tenn.
Cav. Company L.. Buried in Nurseries/Old Thompson
Cemetery, Rose Hill, Lee County, VA.
(No pension or Widows pension has ever been found
for Daniel Franklin or his wife Rhoda Bales Thompson
Burnett. His name is listed in the roster of
Tennessee Confederate Soldiers and his grave was
identified by a Confederate Bronze Civil War
Marker.)
Some of the battles the Burnett brothers fought in
are: Piedmont, VA. in 1864, Winchester TN, Jefferson
Springs, La Vergne, Nolensville, Murfreesboro,
Cumberland Gap, Kingsport, Dalton, GA, Marietta, GA
(on 6/20/1864), and New Hope Church VA.(27 Nov 1863
- 2 Dec 1863)
The following was communicated on 28 July 2005 From
1st. Sgt E. Beeler 63rd. Tenn. Inf. who is the 4th
great-grandson of Martin Burell Burnett to his
cousin, Don Sanford, family researcher and the great
grandson of Martin Burell's brother, James Knox Polk
Burnett.
"My dear sir, why would I fill uncomfortable with
that with what you have gathered; now Martin and his
brothers will live forever and another generation
that I have never seen will know their hardships.
The information I did give you, but without your own
free will, you would have never emailed me. You took
the journey that James has asked you to take. There
is a reason you search for these answers, there is a
reason I reenact the war that cost us so dearly. I
am 50 percent southern and 50 percent Cherokee and
in the Cherokee belief, if you forget of these men
and what they tried to protect, then they are dead,
but if you and I and the ones that read what you
have written then they will live forever in our
hearts and minds. If we forget what they witnessed,
then our children, our grandchildren will repeat the
same mistakes. I am much honored that you mention me
in your history and so is Martin. Hard times they
lived in cuz, the war cost them everything. They
died poor and we people of the south still fill the
scares of the Great War today. Teach your children
and grandchildren of the horrors and pain these
great men went through."
Don Sanford
Anderson, IN
Email
ohno2311@sbcglobal.net |
