Williamson County, Tennessee Genealogy and History

Williamson County
Genealogy and History

Historic Places

Carnton Cemetery Photos

225 Unknown Soldiers buried here ---------------- The C S A Symbol

Sign at the entrance of the Cemetery

L.R. Townsend from Carroll Co TN -- Johnson K. Duncan from East TN

NOTE: SOME ARE BURIED AT THE MCGAVOCK CEMETERY
1) On page 38 of the booklet MCGAVOCK CONFEDERATE CEMETERY, FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE by Franklin Chapter #14, United Daughters of the Confederacy, copyrighted in 1989, the total numbr of soldiers buried at the cemetery was said to be 1481. A note follows saying: "in the handwriting of Mrs. McGavock is the following: 'Gen. Duncan of La. removed here from E. Tenn. and his grave marked by his family who reside in New Orleans, La.' (General Johnson Kelly Duncan)"

A sign at the cemetery says: "Following the Battle of Franklin, Nov. 30, 1864, John McGavock, owner of "Carnton," collected and buried here the bodies of 1496 Confederates. The five general officers killed there were interred elsewhere after being brought to the house. Other Confederates were later buried here, including Brig. Gen.Johnson K. Duncan."

2) N. H. B., #66, is actually Col. William H. Bishop, according to Tim Burgess, who for the last twenty years has been researching and collecting information about the soldiers who are buried at the McGavock Confederate Cemetery, preparing to write a book about them. One of his goals is to correct the many mistakes in past records, including the very ones I used from the afore-mentioned booklet.

3) The remains of Col. G. A. Smith of Georgia, #895, were removed to the Rosehilt Cemetery in Macon, Georgia.

4) Captain J. L. Riggs of Tennessee, #804, was erroneously buried in Missouri Section 9.

5) J. C. Wells of Georgia, #1029, was erroneously buried in Tennessee Section 79.

6) In the list I used from the afore-mentioned booklet, a soldier's name was followed not by the state he served, as in my list, but by his company letter. It is not clear to which the question mark refers or if it refers to both.

7) Tim Burgess, Ibid, wrote that 565 [soldiers], a "full one third of the total killed" are Unknowns.

8) On page 16 of the aforementioned booklet is a picture of a tombstone for the only non-Confederate buried here: The marker reads:

Marcellus Cuppett
Born Jan. 16, 1841
Died April 26, 1866
Whilst assisting in reintering of the confederate dead."

The following was typed and sorted by Betty Jane Carl. The information came from McGavock Confederate Cemetery Book and is reprinted with written permission from Frances Hall, President of the Franklin #14 - United Daughters of the Confederacy.

Those veterans with asterisks (*) following their names did not die on the battlefield but died at Carnton Plantation Home [which temporarily served as a hospital].

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