1865 Burning

During the war, guerrillas supporting both sides operated in Overton County, and the residents experienced early the dangers of living in the borderlands. In October 1861, William E.B. Jones of Livingston wrote Tennessee's Confederate governor Isham G. Harris, "We are in danger here of an invasion from the Lincolnite Kentuckians, because, by the order of Gen. [Albert Sidney] Johnston, all our troops here are now removed and we are left without troops, and constant invasion threatened. The troops in leaving here are going through the border counties of Kentucky creating a violent spirit of hatred against them and this country because troops were formed here into regiments."

On December 15, 1863, Confederate Col. John M. Hughs's 25th Tennessee Infantry attacked a 250-man detachment of the 13th Kentucky Mounted Infantry (US) near Livingston. In March 1864, Gen. Edward H. Hobson ordered Federal forces to move through town "to clear the country of guerrillas."

In the spring of 1865, Capt. John Francis's company of Confederate guerrillas rode here from Kentucky, raided Livingston, and burned the county courthouse. Federal authorities were storing documentary evidence for potential use against local residents suspected of pro-Confederate activities. When the courthouse and the evidence were destroyed, these residents avoided prosecution. The county registrar, James Richardson, had removed the deed books from the courthouse to his home, so those vital civil records were saved from the fire.

The county rebuilt the courthouse from 1868-1869.

(Inscription under the photos in the lower left corner)
Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston-Courtesy Library of Congress—Governor Isham G. Harris-Tennessee State Library and Archives.—-James Richardson-Tennessee State Library and Archives.

(Inscription under the photo in the center)
Overton County Courthouse as it appeared in 1865, by local artist Jim Loftis.

(Inscription under the photo in the lower right corner)
Guerrillas supporting one side or the other operated in Overton County throughout the war-Courtesy Tennessee State Library and Archives.

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Show me all markers in:  Livingston, TN  |  Overton County  |  38570  |  Tennessee  |  United States of America

Overton County Courthouse
Specialist 4 James T. Davis
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