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1903 NEW ORLEANS UCV BADGE OF JOHN W. ASHCRAFT, TENNESSEE CAVALRY

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John W. Ashcraft was active in Confederate veteran affairs. According to his 1932 obituary in the Confederate Veteran, he was a subscriber from its first issue, missed only two Confederate reunions, rose to be a Major General in the UCV, and was buried in his Confederate (presumably UCV) uniform. A photo of him on a genealogical website appears to bear out his dedication. He appears holding a rifle and bayonet, and wearing what appears to be a veteran’s badge. We are offering a number of his badges in separate listings.

This is a 1903 badge for UCV reunion in New Orleans with red and white ribbons giving the date and location, spreading out from a convex stickpin button bearing a portrait bust of General John B. Gordon, the “General Commanding” of the UCV in 1903. Overhead is the monogram of the UCV between the dates of “61” and “65.” Behind him is a Confederate battleflag crossed with a Louisiana banner showing a Pelican feeding her young. Below that in crescent, another state symbol, is the location and date of the reunion. The period of 1903/1904 marked a high point in membership in the UCV and also marked the final years of Gordon’s life. The ribbons show some soiling, tears and losses, but the date is intact and most of “New Orleans.” The botton has a bronze color, with some reddish tones and a little bit of verdigris at upper left.

John White Ashcraft (1847-1932) enlisted in the Tennessee cavalry at age 15 on February 23, 1863, and was captured September 1863 in Tennessee, and spent time as a prisoner of war at Camp Chase and then the Rock Island Barracks before being sent to Point Lookout for parole and exchange in February 1865 and made it to Richmond, where he was hospitalized for debility in March and furloughed 3/8/1865. According to one obituary, at the close of the war, “was somewhere in North Carolina. On account of the bushwhackers in East Tennessee, he walked to his home in Middle Tennessee by way of South Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi.” He was active in Confederate veteran affairs after the war and was commander of the Bill Dawson Camp, United Confederate Veterans, at Dyersburg, TN, and is titled “Maj. Gen. John W. Ashcraft, U.C.V.” in the 1932 obituary indicating he held higher office as well.

His service record is complicated by the changing designations of the company in which he served. The best summary is that provided in his compiled service record, which lists him as a private in Co. I of the 1^st Tennessee Cavalry, and then notes: “This company (also called Company A) was formerly Company C, 2^nd (Biffle’s) Battalion Tennessee Cavalry. This regiment was formed about May, 1862, by the consolidation of the 2d (Biffle’s) Battalion Tennessee Cavalry and the 11^th (also called the 10^th) Battalion Tennessee Cavalry and then called the 2^d Regiment Tennessee Cavalry. It was re-organized June 12, 1862, by order of the Secretary of War and known in the field and paroled as the 1^st Regiment Tennessee Cavalry, although officially designated as the 6^th Regiment Tennessee Cavalry by the A. & I.G.O.” [Adjutant and Inspector General’s Office.]” That summary accords with his military record, which shows him enlisted by “Col. Lewis,” who must be Captain James H. Lewis, who had been Captain of Company C in Biffle’s 2^nd Battalion.

According to the NPS summary, the regiment “was assigned to F.C. Armstrong's, H.B. Davidson's, Humes', and H.M. Ashby's Brigade. The unit participated in the operations in North Mississippi during the balance of 1862 and in January, 1863, contained 430 officers and men. It went on to fight at Chickamauga, skirmished in Middle Tennessee, then was active in the Atlanta, Campaign. Later the regiment saw action in various engagements in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, moved to South Carolina, and in 1865 joined the Army of Tennessee. After fighting at Averysboro and Bentonville, it was included in the surrender on April 26.”

This chronology would place Ashcroft’s capture, dated both September 17 and September 18, 1863, during the Chickamauga Campaign, though the location is given as “Hillsborough” and as a “Franklin,” Tennessee, so the circumstances are not clear and one citation lists him as “arrested.” CWData gives him an estimated date of enlistment of November 1862, but his service file clearly says 2/23/63.  [sr] [ph:m]

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