SIXTY-NINTH REGIMENT.

 

By W. W. STRINGFIELD, Lrevrenant CoLone..

 

This command was originally intended for local defense in
the mountains of East Tennessee and Western North Caro-
lina, and was generally known as part of “Thomas’ Legion of
Indians and Highlanders.” Colonel W. H. Thomas, its
founder, was an old-line Democrat, and a leading citizen and
politician in Western North Carolina—was a man of consid-
erable means, and was personally well known to President
Davis and Cabinet. He was born in Haywood county and
raised to manhood close by the Cherokee Indians and at an
early day espoused their cause, and prevented the forced re-
moval to the West, of those in Western North Carolina, by
General Scott in 1836 to 1838. He was adopted by the In-
dians and upon the deaths of their old chiefs, Yona-gus-kee
and Juna-lus-kee, he was made chief and for twenty-five years
prior to the war was also the Government Agent for these

_ Indians.

When the war had progressed for a year and conscription
had become a necessity and a certainty, this command was
organized at Knoxville, Tenn., into a regiment and a battal-

ion.

Several of the companies had been in service for several
months, but General E. Kirby Smith, commander of the De-
partment of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina (an
old West Point army officer), was very much opposed to a
temporizing or conservative policy, and would not allow Col-

Vee oe agenesis onel Thomas the latitude he wanted ; but the latter being a
2, James Robert Love; Colonel. 6. D. K. Coline 2a Lieut.,’ Co. personal friend of President Davis, generally carried his
4, J.W. Cooper, Captain, Co. He & Want Weld 2d Lieut Co. F. points, and often went to Richmond to consult with him.

The organization of the regiment was completed at Knox-

ville, Tenn., 27 September, 1862, by the election of the fol-

lowing Field and Staff officers: