Burnet County TXGenWeb



John Pankey - Confederate Soldier

- 1906



Source:  Burnet Bulletin, 1 March 1906
Transcribed by Edna Cheatham, 2014






HIS OLD WAR COMRADE

The following letter was written February 25th, 1906, and is re-printed at the request of some of the friends of the writer:

With great sorrow I read in the Bulletin of Feb. 22nd, the notice of the death of my old friend and comrade, John Pankey.

He and I, with Charles B. Taylor, Israel Taylor, James Caruth and Harvey Caruth, left Burnet January 15, 1862, to join the Confederate army. On the 20th we were sworn in and attached to Company D, 24th Texas Cavalry. We were known as the “Burnet Mess No. 1,” and camped at Hempstead until the spring of 1862, when we went to Arkansas and the regiment was dismounted.

Jim Caruth died of typhoid fever in El Dorado in July, 1862. The regiment was captured at Arkansas Post January 11th, 1863, and was exchanged and sent to Virginia in the spring of 1863. Later on they were sent to Bragg’s army in Tennessee, where they were placed in Deshler’s, afterwards in Granbury’s brigade, and took part in all the engagements of tat command, until they were surrendered in North Carolina in 1865.

Israel Taylor died with smallpox at Camp Butler near
Springfield, in Illinois, in 1863. Charley Taylor was transferred to Gen. A. R. Johnson’s company in Kentucky and served until the end of the war, came home and died many years ago. I escaped capture at the post by being absent on furlough at Little Rock, and immediately joined Capt. Rust’s (afterwards Buck Walton’s) company, and stayed with them until the break up in 1865. This company was from Burnet county, and in it were Frank Thomas, Geo. Lacy, Gus Green, Ples Fowler and many other friends and neighbors.

Harvey Caruth was wounded at New Hope church and died during the Georgia campaigns.

John Pankey was wounded and lost his leg at Atlanta, Georgia, Feb. 22, 1864. When he was discharged all the six from Burnet were dead or scattered, but it was still known as the “Burnet Mess” until the surrender.

John I considered one of the best soldiers in the army. He was as brave as the bravest, but had none of the bad qualities which many of the best fighters had. He was patient and obedient to discipline. In fact I can not think of any faults in him, and have nothing but words of warmest praise to say of him as a comrade, friend and citizen, and I hope you will publish this tribute to my old comrade.

I believe it would interest many of their relatives and friends who are still left among your readers.

Respectfully yours,

John Moore

Published in “The Burnet Bulletin” 1 Mar 1906

--------------------
Burnet Bulletin Obituary

From the Burnet Bulletin, 22 Feb 1906

J.B. Pankey Dead

J.B. Pankey, one of the landmarks of Burnet County, died at the home of his sister, Mrs. Dodd, in the Spring Creek community, last Saturday evening, February 17th 1906, and was buried the following Sunday in the Bluffton cemetery.

The life of "Uncle John" Pankey, almost since the days of the Civil War, in a battle of which contest he lost a leg while gallantly serving the Confederacy, has been closely identified with the history of Burnet County. He has held a number of positions of public trust, among which was that of County Tax Assessor. by the conscientious discharge of every duty entrusted to him, he was deservedly considered by everyone a man of sterling character and strong principles for the right.

He was truly a good man and his relatives should cherish his memory.

The Bulletin extends condolence to the bereaved relatives.








Obituary List
Newspaper Indexes

 
Burnet County TXGenWeb

GO TO
Burnet Main Page | Photo Album | Military | Lineages | Marriages | Obituaries |


Created 10 Jan 2015

Last update:  21 July 2019