Colonel Carrick W. Heiskell

Colonel Carrick W. Heiskell was born ten miles west of Knoxville, Tennessee, July 25, 1836. He is the son of Frederick S. Heiskell, a native of Virginia, who made his home at Knoxville in 1814; was one of the founders of the "Knoxville Register" and its editor for more than twenty years. Through his mother, Eliza Brown, Colonel Heiskell is of Scotch-Irish descent, and of kin to Colonel Joseph Brown, soldier of the Revolution. He was educated at the University of Tennessee and Maryville College, graduating at the latter school.

He studied law at Rogersville, Tennessee, was admitted to the Bar in 1857. At the beginning of the war he enlisted as a private in Company K, Nineteenth Tennessee Confederate Infantry, the first company raised in Hawkins County, and at the organization of the regiment in June, 1861, at Knoxville, he was elected Captain of Company K. He commanded his company through Zollicoffer's campaign in Eastern Kentucky, was in the engagement at Barboursville and Fishing Creek. After the battle of Shiloh, in the reorganization of the regiment he was re-elected Captain of the company. Just after the battle of Murfreesboro, in which Major R. A. Jarnagin was killed, Captain Heiskell was promoted to Major of the regiment.

At the battle of Chickamauga, where the Old Nineteenth suffered a much heavier loss than any other regiment of Strahl's Brigade, General Strahl said: "Most of the field officers on my right were dismounted by having their horses shot from under them, and Major Heiskell, a very gallant officer, was severely wounded in the foot." The wound was so grave that several months had gone by before he was able to rejoin his regiment, and then on crutches.

Sometime after the death of Colonel Moore, and before the death of Colonel Walker, Major Heiskell was made Lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment, I think in January, 1864. After the battle of Jonesboro, Georgia, Atlanta campaign, and death of Colonel Walker, Heiskell was promoted to Colonel of the regiment.

At the battle of Jonesboro, Georgia, although not able for duty he remained with the regiment through the battle, but the wound giving him so much trouble, could not remain longer. He next joined the regiment at Columbia, Tennessee, after the battle of Nashville, and took command of Strahl's Brigade, which he kept until the close of the war.

Colonel Heiskell was an eye-witness to the dispute between Generals Cheatham and Forrest, as to who should cross the Columbia River first, the two generals having met at the river at the same time. He took part in and witnessed the fight of the hungry and bare-footed boys at Anthony Hill and Sugar Creek. He commanded the brigade in the gallant charge under Hardee at the battle of Bentonville, North Carolina, in which General Hardee lost his son.

At the close of the war. Colonel Heiskell moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where he resumed the practice of his profession. He was on the Bench as Judge of the Circuit Court for eight years, and served as City Attorney for four years.  

 Old Nineteenth History | AHGP Tennessee

Source: The Old Nineteenth Tennessee Regiment, C. S. A., June 1861 - April 1865, by Dr. W. J. Worsham, Knoxville, Tennessee, 1902.