“Deserted Aug. 22, 1862” [was he one of many who went home for crop harvest?] [July+Aug.,1862],

then “Joined from desertion, Nov. 11, 1862” and then “Slightly wounded in Battle of Murfreesboro”

[Nov.+Dec.1862 card]. In the Confederate Heartland Offensive, under Brig. Gen. Nathan Bedford

Forrest [from Giles County, Tennessee]; the first battle of Murfreesboro was July 13, 1862 [Gn-10];

the next battle near Murfreesboro, Dec. 31, 1862 to Jan. 2, 1863, was also known as “Stones River”

[Gn-10], and an eyewitness account can be found in an article in The Confederate Veteran [Ms-15].

 

Alpheus was marked “Present” on the next two cards, [Jan.+Feb.,1863], and [Mar.+Apr.,1863].

The last two muster cards in his file give more information, “Wounded in the side” … “during the

operations before Murfreesboro, Tenn., Dec. 28, 1862, to Jan. 4, 1863”, and, regarding the desertion,

under Remarks, “Furlough expired 24th June” [1862]. There is nothing in the file about his death.

 

According to the local newspaper, The People’s Press, both Asbery and Alpheus died during the War.

May 1866 issues: “DeSoto’s Dead, in this number of the Press. We have commenced the publication

of the names of the DeSoto's brave sons, who surrendered up their lives in the late war” [Note Ms-7]:

“A. B. McAninch  Co. I.  29th Mississippi Regiment”  [Asberry]

and  “A. McAninch  Co. I.  29th Mississippi Regiment”  [Alpheus]

 

Before the War, Alpheus married Rebecca Nipper (b.ca.1843, Mississippi, d.bef.1866), daughter 

of William Nipper (1817-1845) and Eliza White (b.ca.1818, Alabama), and grand-daughter of

Jordan Nipper (b.ca.1794, Virginia, d.bef.1866) and Jane Snodgrass Nipper (b.ca.1796, Tennessee).

Alpheus and Rebecca had a daughter, Melissa, born ca.1861. After the War, on 23 Jan. 1867,

[grand-mother] “Jane Nipper and John S. Jones [appointed] ... Guardian to Nancy D. Nipper, Eliza

Nipper, Melissa McAninch, minor heirs of Alpheus McAninch and William Nipper ” [Note Ms-8].

“Melissa McAninch orphan” is also listed on the Soldiers Relief Fund petition in 1867 [Note Ms-9].

In 1870, Jane Nipper is in Lawrenceburg, Lawrence Co., Tenn., age 74 [born 1795-1796, in Tenn.],

with only Melissa McAninch, age 9 (b.Miss.), but no-one else (no husband, and no Nipper children);

Isaac Nipper, age 50 (another son of Jordan and Jane Nipper), and his family are nearby [Ms-10].

[this paragraph was re-written with new Nipper information, September 2007 /Frank McAninch]

 

Mississippi 29th Infantry (Erastus G. McAninch)

 

Erastus George McAninch was born 20 Oct. 1843, Elm Grove, DeSoto Co. (now Tate Co.), Miss.,

the third son of William and Maria (Starr) McAninch, and younger brother of Asbery and Alpheus.

On May 10, 1862, age 18, Erastus enlisted as a Private in Co. I, 29th Miss. Vols., at Corinth, Miss.

[Muster Cards, Ms-5]; his first card, “May + June, 1862”, confirms date and place of enlistment, for

“3 yrs or war”, by E. C. Walthal, and Remarks “Absent sick at Enterprise Hospital” [his brother

Asbery had just died, and Alpheus was serving “as Nurse at Enterprise Hospital” at this same time].

The “July+Aug. 1862” cards show Erastus “Present” [although brother Alpheus was not present].

 

Erastus is reported “Sick at Glasgow, Ky., [absent] by order of Reg’t. Surgeon, Sept. 13, 1862”

[Sept.+Oct. 1862], and then “Absent, Paroled since Sept. 13, 1863” [Nov.+Dec. 1862].

 

Somewhere during this time, Erastus may have been captured [in Kentucky?]; his name appears on a

list “Received Nov. 13, 1862, from Capt. H. S. Davis, U. S. A., … [192] paroled Prisoners of War”.

In the Confederate Heartland Offensive, under Gen. Braxton Bragg, the Army of the Mississippi was

in battle at Perryville, Boyle County, Kentucky, October 8, 1862 [Note Gn-10]; was Erastus there?

The next muster card shows “Reported as deserted Jan. 21, 1863” [Jan.+Feb. 1863], then “Joined

from desertion, Mar. 17, 1863 (Forfeits pay from Feb. 25 /63 to Mar. 29 /63” [Mar.+April 1863].

 

McAninch for the Confederacy, Eight Who Fought for Southern Independence   Conf Sold .doc

McAninch Family History NL, v.X.n.1  January 2002  Copyright Frank McAninch   page 2002-04

 

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