A Tennessee Ancestor; His Life and Death in the American Civil War

This Essay was written by Steven H. Domke in the Winter of 1981/82. Steven is a Yates descendant through his Grandmother Thelma Yates. This essay was written when Steven was (30) years old and is traditionally attached to the collection of Yates Family records previously gathered.

(This is an abreviated version of the original paper).

The Civil War fascinated me since the 1960's when I, as a young boy, experienced the centennial anniversary of that great conflict. This interest grew and evolved into my choice of career, that of a high school history teacher, and also into my choosing, for relaxation or pleasure, to join the Michigan Civil War Re-Enactment association. Needless to say, I was intrigued when I discovered I had an ancestor who fought in this War Between the States. He was my Great-Great-Great Grandfathers younger brother. The information that this paper contains was taken from a number of sources. The primary sources would include the National Archives War records in Washington, D.C., the Yates family group records, and an account of the Battle of Ft. Donelson by Union General Lew Wallace, who saw the attack on Private cases' position. The secondary source would include the Confederate Military History, Volume VIII: Tennessee, edited by General Clement A. Evans and republished in 1962, as well as a variety of general histories on the Civil War. What follows is what I have been able to discover about him and his part in the Civil War.

His name was Major Jethro Yates, a private in Company B of the 42nd Tennessee Confederate Volunteer Infantry regiment. He was recruited by Captain Hubbard of Hickman County, TN, mustered on October 29, 1861 for the duration of the war (and his life).He was stationed in Clarksville, TN.

After steaming up the Cumberland River some thirty miles, Private Yates stopped off the river boat at the small town of Dover for the short march to Ft. Donelson. He and his regiment came under fire for the first time of the war when, while filing through the small town, several Federal shells were hurled from a lurking Yankee gunboat nearby. This must have been the "Carendelet", an iron-clad boat with rifled cannon which was under the command of Union Naval Commander Walke. One man was killed during this shelling but the men regrouped and headed toward Ft. Donelson.

The 42nd Tennessee was the last regiment to arrive bringing the garrison up to about 15,000 troops. U.S. Grant had already claimed victory at Ft. Henry and was closing in on Ft. Donelson.

Private Yates and the Tennessee 42nd spent the night of February 12 digging rifle pits and throwing up breastworks on the summit of a hill located between two ravines. This V-shaped hill jutted out in the center of the Rebel outworks, and dominated a field 2,500 feet in width. Any Union assault would have to be directed against this hill, allowing the Confederates to sweep the Union forces along both sides of the line.

Dawn, on the 13th, brought both a cold, chilling rain and Yankee sharpshooters. The Tennessee 42nd commanded by Colonel Heiman, General Johnson's Division, consisted of five regiments dug into the crest of this hill. The Union attack came at mid-day directly against the Rebels of the Tennessee 42nd. Waiting until they could see the whites of their eyes, the Tennessee 42nd opened fire and crumbled the Union charge. Two more failed attempts by the Union forces at this hill forced a retreat. The advances lasted 45 minutes and cost the Union 160 men.

On February 15 the left wing of the Confederate troops attempted to break out of Ft. Donelson, while the Union forces attacked the right. They broke through the weakened lines and threatened to destroy the Confederate line.The 42nd Tennessee ran to reinforce the weakened line, and with a Rebel yell, repelled the Union forces.

After holding the fort, and the Union forces, for three days, the Rebel soldiers must have felt betrayed as General Floyd had fled the night of February 16th, leaving General Buckner to surrender the fort.

Major Jethro Yates and about 12,000 Confederate soldiers would be put on a riverboat and transferred to a prisoner of war camp in Chicago. Private Yates remained at Camp Douglas until September 1962, whereas he was paroled and released at Vicksburg, Mississippi. Here the Tennessee 42nd re-organized and was equipped to re-enter the war.

The Tennessee 42nd was sent down the Mississippi River to join Confederate forces north of New Orleans, to repel Union forces after the Confederate defeat there. Major Jethro Yates, now 45 years old, probably mal-nourished and sick, reported to the medical hospital on April 24, 1963. He then died in Clinton, Louisiana on May 6, 1863.

His final years as a soldier, after parole, are sketchy at best. Muster records did indicate that he returned to service prior to his death. And so , Major Jethro Yates, 42nd Tennessee Regiment, C.S.A. gave his life for the Southern cause.