Colonel James G. Deadrick

James Gallitzine Deadrick was born April 25th, 1838, at Cheek's X Roads in Jefferson County, Tennessee, and moved to Jonesboro with his parents in early childhood.

Was educated at Washington College, Tennessee, finishing his college course at Centre College, Danville, Kentucky; studied law with his father. Judge J. W. Deadrick (who was afterwards Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Tennessee for fourteen years). His mother was Miss Adeline McDowell, a grand-daughter of Isaac Shelly, Kentucky's first Governor.

He entered the Confederate States army at the beginning of hostilities, as First Sergeant of Company B, Nineteenth Tennessee Regiment, and at the organization of the regiment was elected Third Lieutenant of his company.

At the reorganization of the regiment in 1862 he was elected Captain of the company; in 1862 he was promoted to Major, and in October, before Hood's campaign into Tennessee, in 1804, he was made Lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment.

At Bentonville, North Carolina, he received his commission as Lieutenant-Colonel in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States, with orders to report to General Joseph E. Johnston, and was by him placed in command of the Army Post at Smithfield Station, North Carolina, and continued in command of the Army Post until sometime after the army reached Greensboro, North Carolina.

A few days before the surrender he was ordered to Deep River, a few miles from Greensboro, and was there when the army surrendered.

After the surrender he spent a year in Illinois and Kentucky, after which time he returned home and resumed the practice of law in Blountville, Tennessee, where he remained but a few months, going thence to Bristol, Tennessee.

He was married September the 30th, 1868, to Miss Lizzie J. Sayers of Pulaski County, Virginia. To them two children were born, a daughter, Miss Ella H., and a son, H. S. Deadrick.

In February, 1869, he returned to Jonesboro, his old home, and remained there in the active practice of his profession until January, 1882, when he moved with his family to California, settling in Carpinteria, Santa Barbara County, where he purchased a small ranch and set it out in English walnuts, which have grown to full maturity, and he is now enjoying the fruits thereof.

Colonel Deadrick lost his wife January, 1888, and has remained single.

He was badly wounded at the battle of Shiloh from a falling limb cut off by a shell from the enemy's artillery. Was wounded at the battle of Chickamauga in the neck from a minnie ball, and at the battle of Peach-tree Creek was wounded in the arm by a piece of shell.

The morning before the battle of the 22d July, Colonel Deadrick and General Walker were standing together discussing the coming battle; Walker had his commission as Brigadier General in his pocket, and showed it to Colonel Deadrick. Deadrick remarked, "Then I must take the regiment into the fight." General Walker said, "No, I have not been assigned and will lead the regiment in the fight."

In a few moments the battle opened and they were ordered into the engagement, and soon General Walker was killed. Colonel Deadrick received a bayonet thrust in the right hand. He received also other slight wounds, but not sufficient to inconvenience him.

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.