Pvt. John Lemon Rutherford

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RUTHERFORDs of TIPPAH COUNTY MISSISSIPPI and OUR KIN

 

This web site updated 11 Sep 2018

Steven D. Rutherford

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Pvt. John Lemon Rutherford
Company G 23rd Reg't Miss Vols.
Company A 34th Reg't Miss Inf. (Tippah Rangers)
Company A 2nd Miss State Cavalry



John Lemon Rutherford was the 4th of 6 sons of Thomas and Margret Rutherford who fought for the Confederacy. John was born 5 Nov 1840 in Georgia and came to Tippah County with his family in 1848 to finally settle in Falkner. He was married after the war to Nancy Ann Elizabeth Ketchum (1842-1908) and they had 2 children that I know of.

John was a very determined and deeply dedicated soldier for the Confederacy. First enlisting at the age of 21 in Company A 23rd Reg't Miss Vols. at Hopkinsville KY by Capt. McCarly either 1 Nov 1861 or 6 Dec 1861, the records are not clear. What is clear is that he was wounded at Fort Donelson in Feb 1862 and sent home. Nothing is said of how bad the wound was or on what part of his body was injured. It must have been pretty bad to have him sent home. The rest of the regiment was captured at Fort Donelson and was exchanged about 20 Sep 1862. Nothing is said if John was part of those captured. I don't believed he was because on 1 May 1862 he enlisted in Company A 34th Reg't Miss Inf. (Tippah Rangers). I'm sure he looked up his brother 2nd Lt. James M. Rutherford (see his story) when he arrived. John's wound that he received at Fort Donelson must have been worst than we thought because on 24 July 1862 he was discharged upon Surgeons Certificate from the 34th Miss Inf.

After healing for about 5 months he again enlisted (for a third time) in the 2nd Miss State Cavalry in Ripley 16 Dec 1862 by Capt. Solomon Street the day after his big brother Capt. William W. Rutherford enlisted (see his story). After William was captured John continued on with the 2nd Miss Cavalry and they were with General Forrest at Selma ALA on 2 Apr 1865 when they were assaulted, many being killed, wounded, captured, or scattered. Nothing is said about John being captured or wounded. Since this was at the end of the war we believe he just headed home. No record of his parole or oath of allegiance.

Pvt. John Lemon Rutherford died 24 Aug 1896 in Tippah County and is buried at Little Hope Cemetery Tippah County Miss.

Steven Rutherford 3rd Great Grandnephew of John Lemon Rutherford

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