Pirtle, William G. (1832-1911) Memoirs, 1907
Held by The Filson Historical Society
Creator: William G. Pirtle (1832-1911)
Title: Memoirs, 1907
Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Collections Department.
Size of Collection: .66 cubic feet
Location Number: Mss. A/P672d/1-7
Scope and Content Note
Military memoirs, September, 1861 – November, 1864, written by William G. Pirtle, 2nd Lt., 7th Kentucky Infantry Regiment, C.S.A. Includes descriptions of daily military life in the Confederate army, personal reflections on the actions of Confederate generals, and observations of Battles of Brice’s Crossroads, Corinth, MS, Shiloh, Tupelo, MS and Franklin, TN. Collection includes over 400 pg. of photocopies and original handwritten manuscript.
Biographical Note
William George Pirtle was born on August 5, 1832 in St. Francois County, Missouri, the son of John A. and Mary B. Pirtle. The family later moved to Water Valley, Graves County, Kentucky. William, a farmer, married Sarah (“Sally”) Ann Webb. They had 4 children. He enlisted in the 7th Kentucky Infantry Regiment, C.S.A., on Sept. 12, 1861 and was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on Sept. 19, 1862. He received a field promotion to captain and put in command of Company A on March 25, 1864. He was paroled on May 16, 1865 and returned to Water Valley, KY where he resumed farming. In 1907 he wrote the memoirs describing his service in the 7th KY Infantry. He died in Water Valley on Sept. 23, 1911 at the age of 77.
To read a transcript of Pirtle’s memoirs, please click here.
Folder List
Folder 1: Preface, index, appendix (original, photocopy and typewritten transcription).
Folder 2: Chapters 1-12; pp. 1-26 (photocopy of original fragments).
Folder 3: Chapters 1-12; pp. 1-26 (fragments of original); Chapters 1-17; pp 1-19 (typewritten transcription); Chapters 13-20; pp. 27-78 (original and photocopy); description of events from Nov., 1860 – July, 1862.
Folder 4: Chapters 21-32; pp. 79-132 (original and photocopy); description of events from August, 1862 – March, 1863.
Folder 5: Chapters 33-43; pp. 133-247 (original and photocopy); description of events from March, 1863 – March, 1864.
Folder 6: Chapters 44-49; pp. 247-328 (original and photocopy); description of events from March, 1864 – July, 1864.
Folder 7: Chapters 49-57; pp. 329-418 (original and photocopy); description of events from July – November, 1864.
Subject Headings
Alabama-History-Civil War, 1861-1865
Belmont (Mo.), Battle of, 1861
Brice’s Crossroads, Battle of, Miss., 1864
Buford, Abraham 1820-1884
Champion’s Hill, Battle of, 1863
Cheatham, Benjamin Franklin 1820-1886
Confederate States of America-History, naval
Confederate States of America. Army. Alabama Infantry Regiment, 35th
Confederate States of America. Army. Bell’s Tennessee Brigade
Confederate States of America. Army. Kentucky Infantry Regiment, 7th
Confederate States of America. Army. Kentucky Mounted Infantry Regiment, 3rd
Confederate States of America. Army. Kentucky Mounted Infantry Regiment, 7th
Confederate States of America. Army. Kentucky Mounted Infantry Regiment, 8th
Confederate States of America. Army. Kentucky Mounted Infantry Regiment,12th
Confederate States of America. Army. Louisiana Infantry Regiment, 12th
Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi Infantry Regiment, 15th
Confederate States of America. Army-Recruiting, enlistment, etc.
Confederate States of America. Army-Supplies and stores
Confederate States of America. Army-Surgeons
Confederate States of America. Army-Transportation
Corinth (Miss.), Battle of, 1862
CSS Arkansas (Ironclad ram)
Desertion, military-Confederate States of America
Espionage-Mississippi
Forrest, Nathan Bedford 1821-1877
Fort Pillow (Tenn.), Battle of, 1864
Franklin (Tenn.), Battle of, 1864
Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson) 1822-1885
Hood, John Bell 1831-1879
Indians of North America-Sports
Jackson (Miss.)-History-Civil War, 1861-1865
Johnston, Joseph E. (Joseph Eggleston) 1807-1891
Kentucky-History-Civil War, 1861-1865
Lice-United States
Loring, William Wing 1818-1886
Louisiana-History-Civil War, 1861-1865
Lovell, Mansfield 1822-1884
Lyon, Hylan Benton 1836-1907
Military pensions-United States-Civil War, 1861-1865
Mississippi-History-Civil War, 1861-186
Paducah (Ky.)-History
Pemberton, John C. (John Clifford) 1814-1881
Pillow, Gideon Johnson 1806-1878
Polk, Leonidas 1806-1864
Price, Sterling 1809-1867
Roddey, Philip Dale 1826-1897
Shiloh, Battle of, 1862
Small pox- Mississippi
Smith, Andrew Jackson 1815-1897
Sturgis, Samuel Davis 1822-1889
Tennessee-History-Civil War, 1861-1865
Tupelo (Miss.), Battle of, 1864
Typhoid fever-Tennessee
United States–History-Civil War, 1861-1865
United States–History-Civil War, 1861-1865-African Americans
United States-History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Campaigns
United States-History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Casualties
United States-History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Destruction and pillage
United States–History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Equipment and supplies
United States–History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Hospitals
United States–History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Medical care
United States–History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Naval operations
United States–History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Prisoners and prisons
United States–History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Scouts and scouting
United States–History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Transportation
United States–History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Underground movements
United States. Army-African American troops
United States. Army-Barracks and quarters
USS Mississippi (Sidewheeler)
Vicksburg (Miss.)-History-Siege, 1863
