Pvt. Jacob Harmon was one of five union soldiers who were given orders by President Abraham Lincoln to burn a local railroad bridge that the confederates were using to transport men and supplies. Being that East Tennessee was full of union sympathizers when these five men were caught the confederates made examples out of them by hanging them. These men were examples of the pro-union struggles in East Tennessee during the civil war.

He was hanged in Knoxville, Tennessee on December 17, 1861 along with his son Henry Harmon who is burried beside him.

A story has been passed down through the Harmon family, that they were first buried outside the cemetery fence, because the confederates considered them to be "traitors", and would not allow the family to bury them inside. The story continued, that the fence was later moved to enclose the two graves. It is not known if that is a true story, but it certainly could be, as confederate Colonel Leadbetter went to extreme limits at that time, to intimidate the pro-union population of East Tennessee, in the wake of the bridge-burning.

Jacob Harmon was a Pvt. in the Co. F 2nd Tenn. Vol. Inf. USA

These five men have inspired many books such as "The Bridge Burners: A True Adventure of East Tennessee's Underground Civil War " by Cameron Judd.

There is an annual memorial held for these men each year at the Pottertown Cemetery.

Pvt. Jacob Harmon was one of five union soldiers who were given orders by President Abraham Lincoln to burn a local railroad bridge that the confederates were using to transport men and supplies. Being that East Tennessee was full of union sympathizers when these five men were caught the confederates made examples out of them by hanging them. These men were examples of the pro-union struggles in East Tennessee during the civil war.

He was hanged in Knoxville, Tennessee on December 17, 1861 along with his son Henry Harmon who is burried beside him.

A story has been passed down through the Harmon family, that they were first buried outside the cemetery fence, because the confederates considered them to be "traitors", and would not allow the family to bury them inside. The story continued, that the fence was later moved to enclose the two graves. It is not known if that is a true story, but it certainly could be, as confederate Colonel Leadbetter went to extreme limits at that time, to intimidate the pro-union population of East Tennessee, in the wake of the bridge-burning.

Jacob Harmon was a Pvt. in the Co. F 2nd Tenn. Vol. Inf. USA

These five men have inspired many books such as "The Bridge Burners: A True Adventure of East Tennessee's Underground Civil War " by Cameron Judd.

There is an annual memorial held for these men each year at the Pottertown Cemetery.