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Jessie Montgomery Henderson

11 Dec 1843 - 7 Mar 1862

Private, Company G.

9th Texas Infantry, CSA

By Gregg Henderson

Jessie Montgomery Henderson was born 11 Dec 1843 in Arkansas and died 7 Mar 1862 in Memphis, Tennessee. He was the son of Dr. Henry Jackson Henderson (11 Sep 1814 - 13 Jan 1889) and Nancy O. McMakin (2 Oct 1816 - 3 Jun 1891) who married 9 Jan 1843 in McCracken Co., KY.

Jessie was the first of six children to this marriage. His siblings were:

2. William Henry Henderson, 16 Aug 1845 - 11 Jun 1859

3. Mary Isyphina Henderson, 3 Nov 1847, TX - 11 Apr 1931, TX.

4. Jeremiah Martha Henderson, 19 Jan 1852, Hopkins Co., TX - 12 Mar 1902, San Angelo, TX.

5. John Woodson Henderson, 25 Nov 1856 - 24 May 1857.

6. Augustus Gaugh Henderson, 26 Jul 1860 - after 1893.

Jessie was a cousin to the Shelton family of Fort Shelton fame in Lamar County, Texas as his grandmother was Elizabeth Shelton (2 Oct 1816, KY - 3 Jun 1891, Fannin Co., TX) wife of William McMakin.

As a matter of fact, he received some of his early education by J. S. Shelton as evidenced by the following school record found in the Henderson family bible.

At the community of Tarrant in Hopkins Co., Texas, Jessie enlisted in the 9th Texas Infantry as a Private in Company G, by Capt. Joseph A. Moore. His short Confederate service record states: “sick, January, 1862; died, Memphis, 3/7/62 (pneumonia).” He was buried on March 8, 1862 in the Confederate Soldiers Rest section of Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee. A memorial tombstone for him is located in the Union Cemetery at Klondike, Delta County, Texas.

Two letters survive the ages that announced his death, one from his cousin E. J. Shelton who was also in the same regiment and the other from the Captain of his company. They are as follows:

Overton Hospital

Memphis Tenn. March 8^th 1862

Dear Cousin Henry

It becomes my melancholy duty this morning to announce to you the death of your son Jesse. He reached here yesterday with Lieut. Brookshires command. Being regarded as too ill to proceed with the command he was brought to this Hospital and died this morning. His disease I think was pneumonia. I had not the opportunity of seeing him which I exceedingly regret and would have been a source of Comfort to him and of satisfaction to his parents and friends besides a painful pleasure to me for one who knew him and felt bound by the ties of sympathy and relationship to have been present to minister to his wants and received from him his dying requests. He was surrounded by strangers but they were the kind ladies of Memphis who like ministering angels watch around the sick couches of our suffering soldiers. At the present I feel assured that his wants were relieved as far as it was in the power fo Mortals to do. I was not aware that he was here till late yesterday being very feeble myself and not knowing in what part of the building he was located and also learning that he was not thought to be dangerous I deferred my visit till this morning when the sad intelligence was conveyed to me that he was dead. I reproached myself for not making an effort to see him last night. I will have his affects conveyed to Capt. Moore who is the proper one to control them. I presume he will hold them subject to your order. I suppose of course he will write to you as soon as he is notified of his death. May God in his mercy sustain you Cousin Nancy and his friends in this your deep affliction.

I have been here a month endeavoring to recoup from a severe attack of Congestion during which was severely salivated. I am just getting able to be about and expect to start on a visit home for the benefit of my health in the course of three or four days. Our regiment is at Iuka near the Tennessee river and on the line of Tennessee and Mississippi. They are badly afflicted with Pneumonia and Typhoid fever the dreadful scourge of our armies. Sergeant Harper Died a few days ago. The last account I had three or four were dying daily. Our hope is that the near approach of warm weather will restore the health of our Regiment. Present my love to your family and relatives and accept the sentiments of kind wishes and regard from your friend and Cousin.

The movement of our armies are in great measure kept secret. Confidence is however being restored since our later reverses. Beauregard and Bragg are superintending the defense of the Mississippi valley.

E. J. Shelton

Headquarters, Corinth, Miss.

March 28th 1862

Doctor H. J. Henderson

Sir, in addressing this to you I fulfill the painful duty of announcing to you the death of your Son, Jessie. I am very sorry indeed to have such information to give you as I am Satisfied he was precious to you, he was a good Fellow and would have made a good soldier. He died at Memphis on his way to rejoin his Company. He was taken sick on the road, was left at Hospital from what I can hear he had good attention, was comfortably situated. He failed to draw his Money on account of not being up at the time of the drawing. I will have to apply to the Adjutant General at Richmond so as to draw his pay. I will as soon as I can attend to it. I will forward all his Money to you. His clothes will be forwarded to Me. I will try to do the best with his things I can if possible I will send them to you, there is no news of which you have not heard, except that we are expecting a fight here almost hourly at this place. It will be a heavy Battle large forces on Each Side. I must close write Me as Soon as you get this.

I am your Friend

J. A. Moore

© Gregg Henderson and Ron Brothers, 2007, All Rights Reserved.

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