Knox Family History & Genealogy

Not proven, but family story says:

Samuel and Susan both went to war - he to fight - she as a camp follower (which meant that she would help prepare meals or do whatever was needed around the camp). Samuel D. Knox served in the Confederate Cavalry from May 5, 1862 until May 11, 1865. He was assigned to Company H, 3rd Confederate Cavalry. The company commander was Captain Sandusky, and the regimental commander was Colonel Howard. The men would usually come back from riding patrols each day. Susan told of sometimes riding side saddle on a horse following Samuel. One time, Susan and another wife had stopped at a farm house to rest. Once they were in the house, the occupants would not let them leave. (There were many Northern Sympathizers in Eastern Tennessee, and we can only guess that they were being held to turn over to the Union authorities.) When the women did not return, Samuel and the husband of the second woman started out to find them. They were able to locate them when they found their horses at the farm, and because they were armed, persuaded the farmer to release their wives.

On October 18, 1863, Samuel was captured near Philadelphia, Tennessee. A battle ensued on October 20-22, 1863. Samuel was probably swept up in the Union advance while on picket duty. He was taken first to Camp Chase, near Columbus, Ohio; then to Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island in the middle of the Delaware River. He was held there until May 11, 1865, and then was released after taking the oath of allegiance to the United States. He told of just being turned loose to find his way home by walking all the way back to Tennessee. Although he was just 20 years old when released, he had suffered so terribly in prison-and had such a harsh diet - that his health was bad for the rest of his life. He died at the age of 54.

We believe that Samuel and Susan were rejoined in Meigs County, Tennessee and then sometime after 1868, moved to Rockwood, Roane County, Tennessee. Susan spoke of crossing the frozen Tennessee River by wagon and a team of oxen during the winter they moved to Rockwood. Their twin girls died of Typhoid Fever, and were most likely buried in the Old Rockwood Cemetery, which was closed during the flu epidemic. Another child of theirs, William (called Willie), had a brain fever when young and never developed mentally past 3-4 years of age. When Samuel and Susan passed away, their daughter Louella took care of Willie for the rest of his life. Louella never had children of her own.