Page 40 - july-joa-23

by John Sexton
the Confederates suffered three killed and seven wounded. The next day,
First National Flag
they were in the battle of Britton’s Lane in which they captured two pieces
Q: I am loaning my family heirloom flag of Barrows Light Guards of the of artillery and took 160 prisoners. Then in September, they captured a
1st (6th) Tennessee Cavalry Co. C to a national museum and need to have regiment of infantry at Burnsville, were in battle at Iuka, MS, and partic-
it appraised for insurance. Family legend states that Lucinda East ipated in the battle of Corinth on October 5th and 6th, 1862. During this
Buchanan crafted the flag. The flag dimensions are 25.5” x 57.5”. period, the Guards were described as being poorly armed with only shotguns
and hunting guns.
On December 20, 1862, they were instrumental in the surprise attack
on the Supply Depot at Holly Springs, MS, which was the event that caused
Grant to withdraw to Memphis.
In February of 1863, the Guards were stationed at Spring Hill, TN,
and in March were under General Forrest’s command and participated in
the battles of Franklin, Brentwood, and Thompson’s Station.
In May 1863, Buchanan’s Company was consolidated with another
Company. Buchanan resigned his commission on June 18, 1863, and in

“BARROW LIGHT GUARDS” painted scroll on the middle bar,
all hand sewn by the loving hands of Capt. Buchanan’s mother, Lucinda.
My ancestor Capt. Edward East Buchanan (1818-1876) was one of
sixteen children born to James Buchanan and Lucinda East. He was the
first physician in the Donelson area and his patients include Andrew
Jackson’s son at Tulip Grove. The office was at the corner of his yard at
Lebanon Road and Donelson Pike.
In 1860 Edward was responsible for overseeing the old Buchanan
family farm (260 acres) that was worked by about 15 slaves. Edward and
his brother William joined the Confederate Cavalry in 1861. He personally
funded his own company called “The Barrows Light Guards” and enlisted
on Dec. 18, 1861. They became part of Lt. Colonel W.W. Gordon’s 11th
Cavalry Battalion. 1-8-1862 at Camp Weakley near Nashville.
On April 1, 1862, General Bragg from Corinth, MS, issued a memo
asking, “Where was Gordon’s command?” Gordon’s 11th participated in
the battle of Shiloh (one of the bloodiest battles in the U.S. to date with over
23,700 casualties) and
was on scout duty from
Shiloh to Corinth. In
May of 1862, they were
combined with the 2nd
to form the 1st (6th)
(Wheeler’s) Tennessee
Cavelry Regiment. In
late May, they were left
before Corinth without
orders to move and
were cut off from the
main Confederate Army.
General Hardee expected
them all to be killed or
captured. They had to
cut their way through the
enemy in the retreat
from Corinth.
Then on August 31
the Guards were involved
Company “C” 11th TN cavalry, “Barrows Guards.” in the battle of
The unit was also known as 1st and 2nd TN Cavelry A couple of signed requisitions signed by your ancestor
before being redesignated the 6th TN Cavalry under Middleton in which 60 were found in the National Archives database.
General Joe Wheeler early in 1862, Federals were killed and
Dr. E. E. Edwards was still captain. 71 taken prisoner while Continued on page 40

38 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles