The following information about Calaway Stephens was provided by William Gorman, Calaway's great-great grandson.
Calaway Stephens was born to Joshua Stephens and and Elizabeth Morgan in the Pendleton District of South Carolina on October 13, 1824. Some researchers say that his full name name was William Calaway Stephens but this has not been substantiated. The family moved to Gwinette County, Georgia sometime between 1825 and 1828 where Cal grew up.
He married Sarah Ann Little in Carroll County, GA on Jan 10, 1841. He moved his family to Tallapoosa County, Alabama about 1843 and is living there at the time of the 1850 Census. He moved his family again to Benton County, Alabama in 1852 and finally to Lawrence County, Alabama before 1860. They were living there in 1861 at the start of the Civil War.
Cal signed on with Company "C", 23rd Alabama Volunteers on November 19, 1861at Montgomery, Alabama for a three year enlistment or until the end of the war. The 23rd trained near Mobile and then went by train to Knoxville, Tennessee in February, 1862. Confederate troops stationed at Knoxville guarded the Cumberland Gap, made excursions into Kentucky, and served as an occupying army to keep Eastern Tennessee from going over to the Union. Soon after arriving in Knoxville, the 23rd was ravaged by typhoid and reduced in strength by over thirty percent due to a combination troops being confined in the hospital with many dying. Calaway was promoted to Sergant, but apparently he too came down with typhoid and he was sent to the Knoxville hospital missing his muster call for over 6 straight months. The 23rd was sent by train to Vicksburg in January 1863 and fought courageously at the Battle of Vicksburg until they surrendered with General Pemberton's Army on July 4, 1863. We believe that Calaway remained in Knoxville when the Regiment went to Vicksburg. Pay vouchers signed by Cal show that he received $102 from the 23rd quartermaster in Knoxville on May 15, 1863...the very day the General Grant began his final assault on Vicksburg. After the surrender at Vicksburg, the 23rd Alabama Volunteer Regiment was marched to Demopolis, AL and given a furlough for 30 days, after which they were re-mustered and exchanged for Union prisoners on September 12, 1863.
The 23rd was re-armed and next fought at the battle of Lookout Mountain with General Hood's Texas brigade. They
were still in service in Georgia when Lee surrendered. Over 1200 men served in the 23rd Alabama Volunteers during the war and only 76 were present when the unit surrendered with Lee. Word of the 23rd's surrender and furlough reached Knoxville and its ill members who had been left there (and who were able to travel) were also given furloughs with orders to re-join the 23rd when it was reconstituted on September 12. Since Calaway's parents lived in Marengo County less than 30 miles from Demopolis, Calaway headed in that direction...still suffering the lingering effects of typhoid. His plans were to recuperate there and thus have only have a short distance to rejoin his unit. Instead, he became worse and died soon after his arrival home. He was the first person buried in the Stephens family cemetery at Wayne in Marengo County, AL. His tombstone inscription
(erected about 13 years later) shows he died on July 5, 1862. However, we know that he was alive on May 15, 1863 when he received his pay in Knoxville.
As mentioned above, the inscription on Calaway's tombstone lists his date of death as July 5, 1862. This inscription
is also off a year in his date of birth, showing it to be 1823 when other documented evidence shows he was born in
1824. It appears that the passage of time between his death and the placement of his tombstone may have contributed to these errors.
Calaway Stephens was born to Joshua Stephens and and Elizabeth Morgan in the Pendleton District of South Carolina on October 13, 1824. Some researchers say that his full name name was William Calaway Stephens but this has not been substantiated. The family moved to Gwinette County, Georgia sometime between 1825 and 1828 where Cal grew up.
He married Sarah Ann Little in Carroll County, GA on Jan 10, 1841. He moved his family to Tallapoosa County, Alabama about 1843 and is living there at the time of the 1850 Census. He moved his family again to Benton County, Alabama in 1852 and finally to Lawrence County, Alabama before 1860. They were living there in 1861 at the start of the Civil War.
Cal signed on with Company "C", 23rd Alabama Volunteers on November 19, 1861at Montgomery, Alabama for a three year enlistment or until the end of the war. The 23rd trained near Mobile and then went by train to Knoxville, Tennessee in February, 1862. Confederate troops stationed at Knoxville guarded the Cumberland Gap, made excursions into Kentucky, and served as an occupying army to keep Eastern Tennessee from going over to the Union. Soon after arriving in Knoxville, the 23rd was ravaged by typhoid and reduced in strength by over thirty percent due to a combination troops being confined in the hospital with many dying. Calaway was promoted to Sergant, but apparently he too came down with typhoid and he was sent to the Knoxville hospital missing his muster call for over 6 straight months. The 23rd was sent by train to Vicksburg in January 1863 and fought courageously at the Battle of Vicksburg until they surrendered with General Pemberton's Army on July 4, 1863. We believe that Calaway remained in Knoxville when the Regiment went to Vicksburg. Pay vouchers signed by Cal show that he received $102 from the 23rd quartermaster in Knoxville on May 15, 1863...the very day the General Grant began his final assault on Vicksburg. After the surrender at Vicksburg, the 23rd Alabama Volunteer Regiment was marched to Demopolis, AL and given a furlough for 30 days, after which they were re-mustered and exchanged for Union prisoners on September 12, 1863.
The 23rd was re-armed and next fought at the battle of Lookout Mountain with General Hood's Texas brigade. They
were still in service in Georgia when Lee surrendered. Over 1200 men served in the 23rd Alabama Volunteers during the war and only 76 were present when the unit surrendered with Lee. Word of the 23rd's surrender and furlough reached Knoxville and its ill members who had been left there (and who were able to travel) were also given furloughs with orders to re-join the 23rd when it was reconstituted on September 12. Since Calaway's parents lived in Marengo County less than 30 miles from Demopolis, Calaway headed in that direction...still suffering the lingering effects of typhoid. His plans were to recuperate there and thus have only have a short distance to rejoin his unit. Instead, he became worse and died soon after his arrival home. He was the first person buried in the Stephens family cemetery at Wayne in Marengo County, AL. His tombstone inscription
(erected about 13 years later) shows he died on July 5, 1862. However, we know that he was alive on May 15, 1863 when he received his pay in Knoxville.
As mentioned above, the inscription on Calaway's tombstone lists his date of death as July 5, 1862. This inscription
is also off a year in his date of birth, showing it to be 1823 when other documented evidence shows he was born in
1824. It appears that the passage of time between his death and the placement of his tombstone may have contributed to these errors.
The following information about Calaway Stephens was provided by William Gorman, Calaway's great-great grandson.
Calaway Stephens was born to Joshua Stephens and and Elizabeth Morgan in the Pendleton District of South Carolina on October 13, 1824. Some researchers say that his full name name was William Calaway Stephens but this has not been substantiated. The family moved to Gwinette County, Georgia sometime between 1825 and 1828 where Cal grew up.
He married Sarah Ann Little in Carroll County, GA on Jan 10, 1841. He moved his family to Tallapoosa County, Alabama about 1843 and is living there at the time of the 1850 Census. He moved his family again to Benton County, Alabama in 1852 and finally to Lawrence County, Alabama before 1860. They were living there in 1861 at the start of the Civil War.
Cal signed on with Company "C", 23rd Alabama Volunteers on November 19, 1861at Montgomery, Alabama for a three year enlistment or until the end of the war. The 23rd trained near Mobile and then went by train to Knoxville, Tennessee in February, 1862. Confederate troops stationed at Knoxville guarded the Cumberland Gap, made excursions into Kentucky, and served as an occupying army to keep Eastern Tennessee from going over to the Union. Soon after arriving in Knoxville, the 23rd was ravaged by typhoid and reduced in strength by over thirty percent due to a combination troops being confined in the hospital with many dying. Calaway was promoted to Sergant, but apparently he too came down with typhoid and he was sent to the Knoxville hospital missing his muster call for over 6 straight months. The 23rd was sent by train to Vicksburg in January 1863 and fought courageously at the Battle of Vicksburg until they surrendered with General Pemberton's Army on July 4, 1863. We believe that Calaway remained in Knoxville when the Regiment went to Vicksburg. Pay vouchers signed by Cal show that he received $102 from the 23rd quartermaster in Knoxville on May 15, 1863...the very day the General Grant began his final assault on Vicksburg. After the surrender at Vicksburg, the 23rd Alabama Volunteer Regiment was marched to Demopolis, AL and given a furlough for 30 days, after which they were re-mustered and exchanged for Union prisoners on September 12, 1863.
The 23rd was re-armed and next fought at the battle of Lookout Mountain with General Hood's Texas brigade. They
were still in service in Georgia when Lee surrendered. Over 1200 men served in the 23rd Alabama Volunteers during the war and only 76 were present when the unit surrendered with Lee. Word of the 23rd's surrender and furlough reached Knoxville and its ill members who had been left there (and who were able to travel) were also given furloughs with orders to re-join the 23rd when it was reconstituted on September 12. Since Calaway's parents lived in Marengo County less than 30 miles from Demopolis, Calaway headed in that direction...still suffering the lingering effects of typhoid. His plans were to recuperate there and thus have only have a short distance to rejoin his unit. Instead, he became worse and died soon after his arrival home. He was the first person buried in the Stephens family cemetery at Wayne in Marengo County, AL. His tombstone inscription
(erected about 13 years later) shows he died on July 5, 1862. However, we know that he was alive on May 15, 1863 when he received his pay in Knoxville.
As mentioned above, the inscription on Calaway's tombstone lists his date of death as July 5, 1862. This inscription
is also off a year in his date of birth, showing it to be 1823 when other documented evidence shows he was born in
1824. It appears that the passage of time between his death and the placement of his tombstone may have contributed to these errors.
Calaway Stephens was born to Joshua Stephens and and Elizabeth Morgan in the Pendleton District of South Carolina on October 13, 1824. Some researchers say that his full name name was William Calaway Stephens but this has not been substantiated. The family moved to Gwinette County, Georgia sometime between 1825 and 1828 where Cal grew up.
He married Sarah Ann Little in Carroll County, GA on Jan 10, 1841. He moved his family to Tallapoosa County, Alabama about 1843 and is living there at the time of the 1850 Census. He moved his family again to Benton County, Alabama in 1852 and finally to Lawrence County, Alabama before 1860. They were living there in 1861 at the start of the Civil War.
Cal signed on with Company "C", 23rd Alabama Volunteers on November 19, 1861at Montgomery, Alabama for a three year enlistment or until the end of the war. The 23rd trained near Mobile and then went by train to Knoxville, Tennessee in February, 1862. Confederate troops stationed at Knoxville guarded the Cumberland Gap, made excursions into Kentucky, and served as an occupying army to keep Eastern Tennessee from going over to the Union. Soon after arriving in Knoxville, the 23rd was ravaged by typhoid and reduced in strength by over thirty percent due to a combination troops being confined in the hospital with many dying. Calaway was promoted to Sergant, but apparently he too came down with typhoid and he was sent to the Knoxville hospital missing his muster call for over 6 straight months. The 23rd was sent by train to Vicksburg in January 1863 and fought courageously at the Battle of Vicksburg until they surrendered with General Pemberton's Army on July 4, 1863. We believe that Calaway remained in Knoxville when the Regiment went to Vicksburg. Pay vouchers signed by Cal show that he received $102 from the 23rd quartermaster in Knoxville on May 15, 1863...the very day the General Grant began his final assault on Vicksburg. After the surrender at Vicksburg, the 23rd Alabama Volunteer Regiment was marched to Demopolis, AL and given a furlough for 30 days, after which they were re-mustered and exchanged for Union prisoners on September 12, 1863.
The 23rd was re-armed and next fought at the battle of Lookout Mountain with General Hood's Texas brigade. They
were still in service in Georgia when Lee surrendered. Over 1200 men served in the 23rd Alabama Volunteers during the war and only 76 were present when the unit surrendered with Lee. Word of the 23rd's surrender and furlough reached Knoxville and its ill members who had been left there (and who were able to travel) were also given furloughs with orders to re-join the 23rd when it was reconstituted on September 12. Since Calaway's parents lived in Marengo County less than 30 miles from Demopolis, Calaway headed in that direction...still suffering the lingering effects of typhoid. His plans were to recuperate there and thus have only have a short distance to rejoin his unit. Instead, he became worse and died soon after his arrival home. He was the first person buried in the Stephens family cemetery at Wayne in Marengo County, AL. His tombstone inscription
(erected about 13 years later) shows he died on July 5, 1862. However, we know that he was alive on May 15, 1863 when he received his pay in Knoxville.
As mentioned above, the inscription on Calaway's tombstone lists his date of death as July 5, 1862. This inscription
is also off a year in his date of birth, showing it to be 1823 when other documented evidence shows he was born in
1824. It appears that the passage of time between his death and the placement of his tombstone may have contributed to these errors.
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