Veterans of Scott County; Legendary Stories
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Submitted by David Jeffers, Scott County Historical
Society, President
The sons of Enoch and Elizabeth
Robinson
Enoch Robinson was born in 1793 in what is now, Hawkins County, Tennessee. He married Elizabeth Childress and moved to what is now Scott County sometime before 1850 and later to Fentress County, Tennessee. He and Elizabeth had 15 children and many of their descendants still live in Scott County today. Of the seven sons who served in the Civil War six of them died. Also he had one son by the name of Jacob who has descendants living in Scott County today. One of his daughters, Ollie Belle Robinson married George Washington Massey and lived in Scott County.
The following Civil War Vets are the descendents of Enoch and Elizabeth (Childress) Robinson.
1-Pvt. George G. Robinson, 2nd Tn Inf Co B Kil beck Cem. born1845 captured at Rogersville, Confined to Belle Isle; in Hosp 21 Richmond VA 9 Mar 1864, Diarrhea; paroled at City Point VA 21 Mar; Honorable Discharge.
2-Cpl. Alexander H. Robinson, 1836-1864 Co. B 2nd Tn Inf; Captured at Rogersville, confined to Belle Isle and Andersonville POW camps. Died of dysentery, grave 4086
3-Pvt. Elijah Robinson, 1823-1862 Co. E 2nd Tn Inf. Was captured at Somerset Ky and the Confederates took him out of his barracks and shot him from behind, found alive and was taken to a nearby house where he later died on October 16, 1862.
4-Pvt. Joel (Josiah) Robinson, 1843-1864 Co. K 2nd Tn Inf. Captured at Rogersville and confined to Belle Isle, died March 15, 1864 in Hospital 21 of diarrhea.
5-Sgt. John C. Robinson, 1825-1864 Co. B 2nd Tn Inf. Captured at Rogersville and confined at Andersonville, died June 20, 1864 of diarrhea; grave 2219
6-Pvt. Obediah Robinson, 1842-1864 Co. B 2nd Tn Inf. Captured at Rogersville and confined to Belle Isle, died March 13, 1864 at Hospital 21, cause unknown.
7-Pvt. William Robinson, 1832-1863 Co. B 2nd Tn Inf. Pvt. Robinson was killed by gun fire on November 6, 1863 when the 2nd Tennessee Infantry was overrun and surrounded by the Confederate 4th Ky Infantry during the Battle of Rogersville.
Cpl John H. Chitwood and his sons.
Cpl John H. Chitwood and his sons
Cpl John H. Chitwood of Co. G 2nd Tenn. Inf was captured at the Battle of Rogersville along with three of this sons. He died April 24, 1864 in the Andersonville POW camp.
Harvey Hamby Chitwood born 1836, also captured at Rogersville died April 18, 1864 in a POW camp in Baltimore, Maryland.
Daniel M. Chitwood, son of Cpl John H. Chitwood born 1838, also captured at Rogersville died March 19, 1864 at a POW camp in Richmond, Virginia.
James Harrison Chitwood, another son captured at Rogersville born 1841, died April 6, 1864 in Richmond, Virginia.
Capt. Henry Polk Gibson; Scott County Rangers
Henry Polk Gibson was born in Whitley County, Kentucky in 1819 and was the son of James Gibson, Jr. who was a grandson of Robert (The Great) and Isabella (Patterson) Gibson in 1840. Henry and his family were one of the founding families of Scott County and can be found in the 1850 Scott County Census. The Civil War drasticly changed the Gibson family, their sympathies were with the Southern Confederate states. When Henry enlisted into the Confederate Army, so did his oldest son Frank. Henry became the Captain of a unit who would become known as the Scott County Rangers.
Prior to the war, Henry recognized that most of his neighbors and most of the people in Scott County were sympathetic to the Union and President, Abraham Lincoln. Henry sought a safer place for his wife and younger children during the war. He found and bought a 600 acre farm in Anderson County and moved them there. Duing the war the Scott County Rangers had forged themselves quite a reputation as fierce defenders of the Confederacy, who fought in many bloody skirmishes in the East Tennessee area. As is true for all of the small bands of soldiers there were numerous attempts to hunt down and capture or kill the Scott County Rangers by the Union forces. On October 8th, 1863 Henry was killed in a battle, his body was taken by his son Frank to their home in Anderson County to be burried. The Union troops learned of Franks return to their home and were intent of capturing him. Frank was alerted to the fact of the Union soldiers advance on their home and hid in some scrub bushes near the home, close enough to see what was happening. When the soldiers ascinded on the home Elizabeth was washing clothes and one soldier emptied his pipe ashes on a stack of clothing that she had folded and they caught fire, as she tried to stomp out the fire the soldier spoke rudley to her and Frank, with his father being killed and his mother being demeaned, impulsivley shot and killed the soldier. He then fled to North Carolina and rejoined the Confederate forces until the end of the war. After the soldier had been. shot and killed, Elizabeth’s home was completely burned by the soldiers. She loaded her belongings on to a wagon with her children and moved to North Carolina, she did return the the old farm of Captain, Henry P. Gibson to sell it in 1867. After selling the farm she returned to her home in Jackson County, North Carolina and later died in Swain County, North Carolina and never returned to Tennessee. There are still several descendants of Capt. Henry and Elizabeth (Patterson) Gibson who live in Scott County today.
Pvt. Archie Leroy Lewallen; two Purple Hearts
Archie L. Lewallen was born September 4, 1893 in Glenmary and was the son of John H. and Lydia (Landrum) Lewallen, the brother of WWI veteran Hugh T. Lewallen who was killed during the Battle of the Argonne Forrest. Archie Lewallen saw action in the Battle of Argonne also. He was wounded twice but returned to action soon after. He was married to Ella Jane (Miller) who died soon after the birth of their daughter Maxine (Moore). He later married Mary Irene (Robbins) and their children were; Eugene, Calvin, Archie, Betty (Glander), Irene and Mildred (Sexton).
Pvt. Archie Leroy Lewallen, Sr. died February 7, 1982 and is interred in the Archie L. Lewallen Cemetery, Coal Hill, Scott County, Tennessee.