Captain John Wilson

Enrolled 9/23/1861 Estill Springs, He was 40 years old.
Mustered in 1/15/1862 at Lebanon Kentucky

9/23 – Dec31 1861
not stated assumed present

9/23 – 2/28 1862
not stated assumed present

Mar-Apr 1862
Present

May-June 1862
Present

Apr30 – Aug 31 1862
Present

Aug 31 – Dec 31 1862
Absent
Remarks: "Absent with leave by Special Order No. 21 from Gen Rosecrans"

Jan-Feb 1863
Present

Special Muster
April 10, 1863
Present

Mar-April 1863
Present

2/28/63 – June 30 1863
Present

July-Aug 1863
Present

June 30 – Oct 31 1863
Present

Nov-Dec 8163
Present

Jan-Feb 1864
Present
Listed as company A(possibly due to consolidation)
Remarks: "Commanding the Battalion"

March – April 1864
Present
Remarks: "Daily Duty Commanding Battalion"

May-June 1864
Present
Remarks: "On daily duty commanding battalion"

July-Aug 1864
Present
Remarks: "Daily Duty commanding Battalion"

Sept-Oct 1864
Present

Muster Out Roll
11/17/1864
Chattanooga Tenn
Remarks: "was Captain of Co C 8 Ky Inf Vol Mustered out on separate roll to facilitate final payment(company responsibilities due since Oct 1, 1864)

Individual Muster Out Roll
11/17/1864
Chattanooga Tenn
Remarks: "Due $10 per month for Company Responsibilities since October 1, 1864. Mustered out on account of expiration of term of service. Has acknowledgements of all ordnance except 1 Dr 1863 and pres’t Dr of 1864"

Notes from Record

Letter Requesting Furlough

Dated January 1864

"                                                                                                                                     Headquarters 8^th Ky Vols Inf
                                                                                                                                      Shellmound Tenn January 1864

Brig Gen’l Wm. D. Whipple
Asst Adjt Gen’l
Dept Commd

                                                                        Gen’l,

For meritorious conduct at Lookout Mountain on the morning of the 25^th day of November 1863, I much respectfully ask that leave of absence for thirty(30) days be granted to Capt John Wilson Co "C" of this regiment and furloughs for same length of time be granted to the following non. Com’d officers and privates:

Viz:

Harris H Davis, 1^st Sgt Co A
Joseph Wagers 5^th Sgt Co B
James Wood 4^th Sgt Co B
William J Witt Pvt Co A
Joel Bradley Pvt Co I(?)

Early on the morning of the day above named while one brigade was lying under the cliff near the point of Lookout. Gen’l Whittaker then commd’g the brigade came to Col Barnes, then Commd’g this regt and asked if there could be formed in his command an officer and eight or ten men who would volunteer to make an effort to plant the colors of the regt on top of the mountain saying, at the same time, that the attemt would be hazardous and unsafe and that he would not order it, but would be pleased to see the colors planted there.

The attempt had been made on the evening before by a lieut and ten or fifteen men from this regt but being so fiercely and desperately apposed by rebel sharpshooters on top of the cliffs, they were compelled to abandon for the time its further prosecution.

But now, Capt Wilson of the Color Company stepped out with the flag and started toward the summit and was immediately followed by the five gallant young men above named. Col Barnes assumed then that the regiment would at all hazards support them. The Rebel Sharpshooters were not then firing from the cliffs but it was feared that they had withdrawn a short distance in order to enable a small forceto ascend and then over power and capture them.

After some delay caused by the difficulty of ascent, they gained the top, The Captain deployed his men and sent them in the direction of the Summit town and he then carried the flag to the point of the cliff and unfurled it to the breeze. Instantaneously loud and prolonged cheers broke forth from our whole army and the colors being plainly visible to the whole of the Rebel Army no doubt caused terror and despondency in their ranks. Immediately the 8^th KY started to their colors and within an hour the last man had reached the summit. Skirmishers were thrown forward and rifle pits were made. The Regt on that day after reaching the top of the mountain captured over one hundred prisoners, besides a large amount of commisary stores and a great many tents, blankets, knapsacks, etc…

I hope that Capt Wilson and the fiv e men will be rewarded for the collness and bravery they carried on that morning. By the granting of the leave of absence and furloughs.

From this regiment there is one officer now absent on leave and his like application is pending. If this leave is granted there will be twenty-one officers present for duty.

There are now six men furloughed and three other like applications pending.

Capt Wilson’s post office address

Irvine Kentucky