Son of Katherine Spencer Hawkins and John Goode Farmer. MILITARY: 1st SGT in 6th Kentucky Infantry, Breckenridge's Brigade CSA. (Note: In 1870, after the Civil War Tishimingo and Tippah Counties were split to form Alcorn County. Corinth is the county seat of Alcorn now but not during the time of the Civil War.)
Report of the Adjutant General of the State of KY, Confederate KY Volunteers War 1861-65, (c)1979, Cook & McDowell Publications, Roll of Company K, Sixth Regiment Infantry, Kentucky Volunteers, Confederate States Army, page 328-9: W.B.H.Farmer: Rank 2d Corporal; Enlisted Oct 8, 1861 at Bowling Green, KY; was transferred to Company H, 1st Ky Cavalry, C.S.A.
BURIAL: Christiansburg Cemetery, Christiansburg, Shelby Co, Kentucky - near Bagdad. Source: Old Kentucky by Dr. J. F. Cook, 1908, p. 160-162
"Among the mortally wounded was handsome Shelby County boy, Willie, Farmer, who was scarcely grown. His thigh was shattered; he was laid upon a cot in Corinth in the great room where the wounded were placed, and where, every day, soldiers were dying; he was so badly wounded that the physicians said nothing could be done for him. The morning before he died the physician came to me (Joshua Flood Cook) and said, "You ought to tell Willie, he does not know it, but gangrene has set in and he will not live to see the sunset". So I went and talked with the boy. He was calm, brave, and made various requests, one was that if it was possible he wanted his body taken care of, and after the war was over or when it was possible he wanted it laid in the old Christiansburg (Shelby Co., KY) graveyard by the side of his mother. After his death it seemed impossible, as things were, to get the body out. I prepared it for burial as well as I could, and had a great box made, and as Bragg was then commander of the post I spoke to him about it. He paid me scant courtesy. I consulted Breckinridge, and there was a private understanding between us that I was to do as I pleased, and should I get into trouble he would stay with me, whatever the cost might be. That day there was to be brought a train of box-cars to carry off the wounded; and I spoke to some of the Kentucky boys and told them of my plans. I was acting absolutely contrary to what General Bragg had said. I intended to take that body out at whatever cost, for I had given my promise to a dying boy. When the train pulled in the box was sitting right on the platform. I made arrangements with the Kentucky boys immediately on the arrival of the train to shove that box into a car. I remember two boys more especially, from Shelby County, Kentucky - Henton and Thomas; it may be one of them is living to-day. As soon as the box was placed back in the end of the car wounded soldiers and all sat down upon it and covered it. It was carried to its destination, my home in Mississippi, put in a vault, and when the war was over all that remained of the young soldier was brought back and laid beside his mother. Without General Breckinridge I never could have done it."
Note: WBH Farmer was only 21 when he died. His older sister, Susan Goode Farmer Cook, was married to Joshua Flood Cook, who was the author of this book.
Report of the Adjutant General of the State of KY, Confederate KY Volunteers War 1861-65, (c)1979, Cook & McDowell Publications, Roll of Company K, Sixth Regiment Infantry, Kentucky Volunteers, Confederate States Army, page 328-9: W.B.H.Farmer: Rank 2d Corporal; Enlisted Oct 8, 1861 at Bowling Green, KY; was transferred to Company H, 1st Ky Cavalry, C.S.A.
BURIAL: Christiansburg Cemetery, Christiansburg, Shelby Co, Kentucky - near Bagdad. Source: Old Kentucky by Dr. J. F. Cook, 1908, p. 160-162
"Among the mortally wounded was handsome Shelby County boy, Willie, Farmer, who was scarcely grown. His thigh was shattered; he was laid upon a cot in Corinth in the great room where the wounded were placed, and where, every day, soldiers were dying; he was so badly wounded that the physicians said nothing could be done for him. The morning before he died the physician came to me (Joshua Flood Cook) and said, "You ought to tell Willie, he does not know it, but gangrene has set in and he will not live to see the sunset". So I went and talked with the boy. He was calm, brave, and made various requests, one was that if it was possible he wanted his body taken care of, and after the war was over or when it was possible he wanted it laid in the old Christiansburg (Shelby Co., KY) graveyard by the side of his mother. After his death it seemed impossible, as things were, to get the body out. I prepared it for burial as well as I could, and had a great box made, and as Bragg was then commander of the post I spoke to him about it. He paid me scant courtesy. I consulted Breckinridge, and there was a private understanding between us that I was to do as I pleased, and should I get into trouble he would stay with me, whatever the cost might be. That day there was to be brought a train of box-cars to carry off the wounded; and I spoke to some of the Kentucky boys and told them of my plans. I was acting absolutely contrary to what General Bragg had said. I intended to take that body out at whatever cost, for I had given my promise to a dying boy. When the train pulled in the box was sitting right on the platform. I made arrangements with the Kentucky boys immediately on the arrival of the train to shove that box into a car. I remember two boys more especially, from Shelby County, Kentucky - Henton and Thomas; it may be one of them is living to-day. As soon as the box was placed back in the end of the car wounded soldiers and all sat down upon it and covered it. It was carried to its destination, my home in Mississippi, put in a vault, and when the war was over all that remained of the young soldier was brought back and laid beside his mother. Without General Breckinridge I never could have done it."
Note: WBH Farmer was only 21 when he died. His older sister, Susan Goode Farmer Cook, was married to Joshua Flood Cook, who was the author of this book.
Son of Katherine Spencer Hawkins and John Goode Farmer. MILITARY: 1st SGT in 6th Kentucky Infantry, Breckenridge's Brigade CSA. (Note: In 1870, after the Civil War Tishimingo and Tippah Counties were split to form Alcorn County. Corinth is the county seat of Alcorn now but not during the time of the Civil War.)
Report of the Adjutant General of the State of KY, Confederate KY Volunteers War 1861-65, (c)1979, Cook & McDowell Publications, Roll of Company K, Sixth Regiment Infantry, Kentucky Volunteers, Confederate States Army, page 328-9: W.B.H.Farmer: Rank 2d Corporal; Enlisted Oct 8, 1861 at Bowling Green, KY; was transferred to Company H, 1st Ky Cavalry, C.S.A.
BURIAL: Christiansburg Cemetery, Christiansburg, Shelby Co, Kentucky - near Bagdad. Source: Old Kentucky by Dr. J. F. Cook, 1908, p. 160-162
"Among the mortally wounded was handsome Shelby County boy, Willie, Farmer, who was scarcely grown. His thigh was shattered; he was laid upon a cot in Corinth in the great room where the wounded were placed, and where, every day, soldiers were dying; he was so badly wounded that the physicians said nothing could be done for him. The morning before he died the physician came to me (Joshua Flood Cook) and said, "You ought to tell Willie, he does not know it, but gangrene has set in and he will not live to see the sunset". So I went and talked with the boy. He was calm, brave, and made various requests, one was that if it was possible he wanted his body taken care of, and after the war was over or when it was possible he wanted it laid in the old Christiansburg (Shelby Co., KY) graveyard by the side of his mother. After his death it seemed impossible, as things were, to get the body out. I prepared it for burial as well as I could, and had a great box made, and as Bragg was then commander of the post I spoke to him about it. He paid me scant courtesy. I consulted Breckinridge, and there was a private understanding between us that I was to do as I pleased, and should I get into trouble he would stay with me, whatever the cost might be. That day there was to be brought a train of box-cars to carry off the wounded; and I spoke to some of the Kentucky boys and told them of my plans. I was acting absolutely contrary to what General Bragg had said. I intended to take that body out at whatever cost, for I had given my promise to a dying boy. When the train pulled in the box was sitting right on the platform. I made arrangements with the Kentucky boys immediately on the arrival of the train to shove that box into a car. I remember two boys more especially, from Shelby County, Kentucky - Henton and Thomas; it may be one of them is living to-day. As soon as the box was placed back in the end of the car wounded soldiers and all sat down upon it and covered it. It was carried to its destination, my home in Mississippi, put in a vault, and when the war was over all that remained of the young soldier was brought back and laid beside his mother. Without General Breckinridge I never could have done it."
Note: WBH Farmer was only 21 when he died. His older sister, Susan Goode Farmer Cook, was married to Joshua Flood Cook, who was the author of this book.
Report of the Adjutant General of the State of KY, Confederate KY Volunteers War 1861-65, (c)1979, Cook & McDowell Publications, Roll of Company K, Sixth Regiment Infantry, Kentucky Volunteers, Confederate States Army, page 328-9: W.B.H.Farmer: Rank 2d Corporal; Enlisted Oct 8, 1861 at Bowling Green, KY; was transferred to Company H, 1st Ky Cavalry, C.S.A.
BURIAL: Christiansburg Cemetery, Christiansburg, Shelby Co, Kentucky - near Bagdad. Source: Old Kentucky by Dr. J. F. Cook, 1908, p. 160-162
"Among the mortally wounded was handsome Shelby County boy, Willie, Farmer, who was scarcely grown. His thigh was shattered; he was laid upon a cot in Corinth in the great room where the wounded were placed, and where, every day, soldiers were dying; he was so badly wounded that the physicians said nothing could be done for him. The morning before he died the physician came to me (Joshua Flood Cook) and said, "You ought to tell Willie, he does not know it, but gangrene has set in and he will not live to see the sunset". So I went and talked with the boy. He was calm, brave, and made various requests, one was that if it was possible he wanted his body taken care of, and after the war was over or when it was possible he wanted it laid in the old Christiansburg (Shelby Co., KY) graveyard by the side of his mother. After his death it seemed impossible, as things were, to get the body out. I prepared it for burial as well as I could, and had a great box made, and as Bragg was then commander of the post I spoke to him about it. He paid me scant courtesy. I consulted Breckinridge, and there was a private understanding between us that I was to do as I pleased, and should I get into trouble he would stay with me, whatever the cost might be. That day there was to be brought a train of box-cars to carry off the wounded; and I spoke to some of the Kentucky boys and told them of my plans. I was acting absolutely contrary to what General Bragg had said. I intended to take that body out at whatever cost, for I had given my promise to a dying boy. When the train pulled in the box was sitting right on the platform. I made arrangements with the Kentucky boys immediately on the arrival of the train to shove that box into a car. I remember two boys more especially, from Shelby County, Kentucky - Henton and Thomas; it may be one of them is living to-day. As soon as the box was placed back in the end of the car wounded soldiers and all sat down upon it and covered it. It was carried to its destination, my home in Mississippi, put in a vault, and when the war was over all that remained of the young soldier was brought back and laid beside his mother. Without General Breckinridge I never could have done it."
Note: WBH Farmer was only 21 when he died. His older sister, Susan Goode Farmer Cook, was married to Joshua Flood Cook, who was the author of this book.
Inscription
William H. Farmer of Breckinridge's brigade, CSA. Born Shelby Co, Kentucky, Sept 26, 1840. Died at Corinth, Mississippi, April 21, 1862 from a wound received at the battle of Shiloh, April 7, 1862. Dying among strangers, he said, let me be buried by Ma. Tell them good-by at home. Erected by Brothers and Sisters.
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