44th Tennessee Infantry
Confederate Army
Private James William Wade
44th Tennessee Infantry
Confederate Army
James William (Tobe) Wade enlisted as a private in Captain James' Company of the 44th Tennessee Infantry in 1861 according to his unsuccessful application for a Texas pension. In reality, he probably served in the 55th (McKoin's) Tennessee Infantry. It had a James Company which was merged into Company C of the 44th Tennessee Infantry after high casualties were suffered at the Battle of Shiloh. Five of his brothers, Elias, Eli Riley, Josiah (Joseph), David, and William C., were in this company.
James William Wade was honorably discharged before the unit fought at the Battle of Shiloh because of bad health and a withered arm. His seven brothers were not so fortunate. The 44th Tennessee Infantry fought in many more major battles including Corinth, Stones River (Murfreesboro), Chickamauga, Chattanooga, and Petersburg. Private Elias Wade died on February 19, 1865 from a Minie ball wound to the right thigh during the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia. Private Eli Riley Wade was wounded on December 31, 1862 at the Battle of Stones River. Private Josiah Wade apparently died of disease during the war. Private Thomas Wade, a sixth brother, served in Company E of the 44th Tennessee Infantry. None of the Wade brothers were still with the 44th Tennessee Infantry when it surrendered with General Lee at Appomattox Court House. Incidentally, there were only 58 men left in the 1,000 man regiment at the surrender. The total number of men who served in the regiment were many more than 1,000 because of consolidations with other units.
Private Hampton Wade, the seventh brother, enlisted in Company G of the 28th Tennessee Infantry. He died of a wound in a hospital on January 28, 1862. This was 9 days after the unit fought in the Battle of Fishing Creek (Mill Spring).
Tragedy did not end with the conclusion of the war. Oral family history from two sources indicated that many of the Wade family moved from Smith County, Tennessee to Hill County, Texas about 1871 after a preacher in the family was murdered for allowing Negroes to worship in his church.
James Carl Wade
Great-great-grandson
Burtonsville, Maryland