A long-forgotten Civil War soldier will be recognized with a memorial marker dedication at 2 p.m. today (May 19) at Four Mile Baptist Church, where many of his family members lie at rest. The ceremony will be hosted by Capt. W.Y.C. Hannum Chapter 1881, United Daughters of the Confederacy. The public is invited to attend.
Private Bennett Amburn, Co. E 5th Battalion (McClellan’s) Tennessee Cavalry, CSA (Confederate States of America), died while a soldier in the Confederate Army on Feb. 8, 1862. His service card shows he was born in 1836.
The memorial marker was donated, engraved and set in place by Maryville Monument Company beside Amburn’s nephew, Joseph Amburn, with permission of Four Mile Baptist Church. Bennett’s place of death and burial are not known.
Sharing the story
Elaine Russell, a member of the Hannum Chapter, UDC, discovered Bennett Amburn’s service card in the process of doing other research. Since there is no record of his burial, she decided to approach the Veterans Administration and request a memorial marker to be placed at Four Mile Baptist Church. That request was denied, but Russell was determined the young soldier would not be forgotten. When she asked Maryville Monument Company how much a memorial marker would cost, she was told the company would donate the stone.
“I’m so pleased that Four Mile Church granted us permission to have the marker placed right next to Bennett’s nephew, who has his service with the CSA on his marker,” Russell said.
She explained that Bennett Amburn’s remains are not interred at Four Mile.
“This is strictly a memorial marker,” she said. “It’s possible he is buried in a mass grave someplace, possibly Kentucky, since a big part of the 5th Battalion was in Kentucky around that time. His service cards don’t mention if he was killed or died of disease, only that he died and the date.”
The ceremony will take place at the cemetery, and attendees are asked to bring seating. Light refreshments will be served. Those who wish to attend in period attire are welcome to do so.
“This is being held on Four Mile’s Decoration Day, so we felt it was appropriate,” Russell said. “The ceremony will take place rain or shine. We can use the church in case of rain.”
Russell said she feels proud that she can share Amburn’s story and share history at the same time.
“Bennett was only 26 years old and never married,” Russell said. “Now, this memorial marker will show his place in history as a permanent record of Bennett’s service.
“This is a close-to-home story of Confederate history and must be told, lest we forget.”
Family history
Russell has done extensive research on Bennett Amburn and his family. With her permission, that information is included here.
Bennett Amburn was born in Blount County, Tennessee, in 1836. His father, Joseph Amburn, had relocated to Blount County from North Carolina about 10 years earlier. Joseph had a Tennessee Land Grant for 100 acres on the waters of Nine Mile Creek, dated February 1826. Bennett’s mother, Franky, was assumed to be Joseph’s second wife. Amburn family genealogists say the family was of Cherokee ancestry.
According to his service cards, Bennett Amburn enlisted in Knoxville on Aug. 13, 1861, to serve a period of 12 months. He was 25 years old when he mustered into service. He had his own horse and was paid 40 cents per day for use of the horse. Five and a half months later, on Feb. 8, 1862, Amburn died in service, place and cause unknown. He was unmarried at the time of his service.
Bennett’s brother, Uriah, joined the same company on the same day. Following the war, Uriah’s residence is listed as Bryson City, N.C. Bennett’s nephew, Joseph Amburn, was the son of Bennett’s brother Alexander Amburn as documented by the 1850 Census and his death certificate from 1929. He is buried next to Bennett’s memorial marker. Joseph enlisted in the Confederate Army on July 14, 1862.
An older brother of Bennett’s, Gabriel Amburn, died in 1907, and is buried in Arkansas. Gabriel has a CSA iron cross on his grave, although no record of his service has been found. He may have been a citizen employee, as he was a blacksmith by trade. He lived in Louisiana in 1860, so his service was probably in that state.
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