3rd.Corp. LA 12th Infantry (Claiborne Rangers) C.S.A.


David Matthew "Matt" Haynes was born in Troup County Georgia in 1842. He was the 2nd child out of 5 children of Samuel and Caroline Dickson Haynes. Caroline Dickson's grandfather David Dickson was a Captain in the Revolutionary war and a General in the War of 1812. The Haynes family moved to Claiborne Parish, Louisiana sometime between 1855 and 1859. They settled at a place called Taylor's store but it was later renamed Haynesville after Samuel. They stayed a short time there and moved a few miles to Shongaloo, Louisiana. Matt Haynes married Mary Evelyn Hodges who also moved to that area from Arkansas. They had 14 children of which my Great Grandmother Carrie Jane "Jenna" Haynes Strong was one of them. Matt died in 1915 and was buried in the Haynes Family Cemetery in Shongaloo. All I ever knew about him was that he was a Baptist preacher. He was said to have married more people in that area than all the other preachers put together. I remember asking my Grandmothers sister about Matt before she died. She was 13 years old in 1915 and remembered him well. All she told me was his name, where he was buried and that he was a preacher. No one in our family knew he was even in the Civil War until I found out a couple of months ago. I also found his name listed as the treas. of the Burnsville Lodge.

The Compiled Military Service Records show that David M. HAYNES enlisted on 2 SEP 1861 at Union City, Tennessee to serve as a Private with the Claiborne Rangers in the 12th Louisiana Infantry. The main body of the company had enrolled in Confederate service at Camp Moore, Louisiana on 13 AUG 1861. Why David joined later is not clear. David was elected 3rd Corporal when the regiment re-enlisted and re-enrolled to serve for the duration of the war at Fort Pillow, Tennessee on 10 MAY 1862. He was present for duty with the company until midsummer of 1864. The company muster roll covering July & August 1864 (reflecting his status as of 31 AUG 1864) shows that he was absent sick in an unnamed military hospital in Georgia since 18 JUL 1864. Company muster rolls covering September 1864 through March 1865 were lost or destroyed during the war. I rather imagine that he recovered in time to make the march to Tennessee (Franklin & Nashville) although there is no definite proof of that. He did go with the regiment to North Carolina at the end of January 1865. The regiment was surrendered under the Johnston/Sherman agreement dated 26 APR 1865 at Greensboro. The final muster for the 12th Louisiana Infantry was done on 28 APR 1865 in the regimental camp near Greensboro, North Carolina. The final parole roster shows that David was present with the company at the rank of 3rd Corporal.
After Matt and what was left of his unit were paroled in North Carolina they walked back to Shongaloo,Lousiana by traveling about 30 miles a day.

Children

Mary Lee Haynes O'Neal (1868 - 1928)*
S.R.J. Haynes (1870 - 1945)*
Carrie Jane Haynes Strong (1872 - 1938)*
Michael Madison Dickson Haynes (1874 - 1911)*
Anna V Haynes McEachern (1875 - 1947)*
Lushie Haynes (1878 - 1879)*
Alexander George Haynes (1879 - 1960)*
Alice E Haynes McEachern (1881 - 1961)*
Nellie Pearl Haynes Raley (1883 - 1932)*
Mollie Haynes White (1885 - 1963)*
Ruel Haynes (1888 - 1959)*
David Haynes (1890 - 1891)*
Aretus Haynes (1894 - 1905)*
Lillie Haynes Norrell (1898 - 1979)*