| Notes |
- 1 - Joe McFarlin was the personal Guard for General Bedford Forrest during the entire Civil War.
2 - Forrest's Escort.
Letter from Commander Charlie Lott; Forrest's Escort Camp 1239; Sons of Confederate Veterans
McFarland, J.S. TN Cav. Jackson's Co.
Organized September 1862 at Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Paroled at Gainesville, Alabama, May 10, 1865. This company was recruited at the instance of Nathan Bedford Forrest shortly subsequent to his promotion to brigadier general, by Captain Montgomery Little, a native of Bedford County who had been before the war a planter and business man in Memphis. It was made up mainly of me from Bedford County, part of which is now Moore County, who were assembled in Shelbyville in September and moved from there to Murfreesboro just before the town was temporarily occupied by a Federal raiding force. They were integrated into Forrest's command in
time to participate in the confused fighting around Lavergne on October 7, 1862.
Thereafter, the combat record of this company is the record of battles in which Forrest was himself engaged. After taking part in the demonstration against Nashville on November 6, they moved with Forrest to his West Tennessee Raid, and from there to the frequent fighting around Spring Hill, Thompson's Station - where Little was killed - College Grove, Franklin and Breutwood; they also participated in the pursuit and capture of Streight during the early summer of 1863. They then moved south and east, screening Bragg's withdrawal in the Chattanooga Campaign, to take part in the Battle of Chickamauga. From here they were transformed, a part of the
nucleus of Forrest's new command, to West Tennessee.
In West Tennessee, they took part in the operations incident to Forrest's mobilization of a force from the stragglers hiding in that area and North Mississippi, and gathering supplies. The mobilization having been accomplished, they took part in the Battle of Okolona, the raid to Paducah, the capture of Fort Pillow, the Battles of Brice's Crossroads and of Harrisburg and the Memphis Raid. Following the Middle Tennessee Raid and the destruction of Johnsonville, they moved with their commander to the screening action ahead of Hood on his invasion of Tennessee, which was followed by coverage of the retreat. During all these operations, they were frequently mentioned favorably in orders. It would not be unusual for the general commanding to make favorable mention of his Escort, but the facts are that all these commendations were richly deserved.
It is significant to note that, whereas the Escort had numbered 90 men at its first muster, and had been 65 strong on its arrival in West Tennessee, it had, when paroled at Gainesville, Alabama on May 9, 1865, mustered a strength of 119. Part of this increase may be attributable to the gathering in of stragglers from other units, but a part is also due to the fact that the Escort, from its first organization to the final surrender, had an incomparable morale.
2 - MCFARLIN, J.S. - J.S. McFarlin, or "Uncle Joe" as he was best known, died Monday morning at three o'clock in Rogers and was buried the same day in the city cemetery. The funeral services were held at the M.E. Church, South, being conducted by the pastor, J.F.E. Bates, the Masonic Order being in charge and holding their regular burial services. Mr. McFarlin was born in Bedford Co., Tenn. March 9, 1835 and died at his home in Rogers March 9, 1908, being just seventy - three years old. He was one of th oldest men in Rogers, having moved to Rogers from his native state and county in November of 1881. He was the youngest son oldest the family and the last one of them to pass away, his oldest brother, W.H. McFarlin, preceding him only a few months. He was married early in life to Miss Martha Jane Arnold, and to this union were born four children, two of whom survive him, Jesse McFarlin, so well known her, and Mrs. R.R. Carson [Sarah Jane Belle McFarlin Carson], also of Rogers. He leaves an only sister in Tennessee. His wife died eighteen years ago and these years have been years of loneliness to him. He was a good citizen, true to what he believed to be right. He served four years in the Southern army and was a strong believer in the rights of the Southern cause. He was an honored Mason and his brethren trusted and respected him, as was shown by the large procession of the brotherhood, being more than sixty who did him honor. After the funeral sermon, T.J. Keller paid a tribute to him in behalf of the Masonic Lodge. "Uncle Joe" was a familar figure on our streets and will be very much missed. Many friends sympathize with the family and the whole community will feel the loss of her oldest citizen. [Rogers Democrat 3/11/08]
( OBIT 04 Joseph S. McFarlin, Compiled by Barbara P. Easley, Obituaries of Benton County, Artansas; Volume 3 1905-1909 (Heritage Books, Inc.; 1995), Page 306. )
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1835 - 1908 (73 years)
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