Alvero Partee
1840 - 1864
Alvero, the oldest child of John and Nancy (Brown) Partee, was born on December 5th, 1840. His childhood was spent on the family farm that his grandparents had settled when they came to the wilderness area near Fort Defiance in 1824.
He was only four when his grandfather, John Partee, Sr., was buried in the little cemetery (Webb) on the banks of the Tiffin River where his father had played as a child. Two years later, his grandmother was buried in the same little cemetery.
Alvero attended school and worked on the farm. As he grew to manhood, the Country was gradually experiencing the threat that George Washington alluded to as a concern for the newly formed Union in his Farewell Address:
"When designing men or parties may endeavor to excite a believe that there is a real difference of local interest and views by geographical discrimination, Northern and Southerner, Atlantic and Western, it must end in peaceful dissolution or Civil War must follow."
His words were prophetic when the Confederacy was formed by seven Southern states and on April 12th, 1861, the guns sounded at Fort Sumter.
Soon after, Alvero, age 20, five feet, five inches, light complected, grey eyes, brown hair, went to Defiance and enlisted for three years. He was mustered in at Camp Dick Robinson on October 14, 1861. Information is sketchy, but in January and February, 1862, he was at Camp Calvert, Kentucky. On May 21st of that same year, he was promoted to Corporal.
By September 19, 1863, he was with a Union force of fifty-five thousand, advancing on the vital Confederate supply and communication base at Chattanooga, Tennessee. They met a Southern Army at Chickamauga Creek, south of the city. The Union forces fought admirably, but the blundering tactics of their commander, General Rosecrans, contributed to their defeat on September 20th. Corporal Alvero Partee was wounded on the field of battle and reported missing in action.
The final statement from the Adjutant General's office, dated June 15th, 1865, reads as follows:
"Cpl. Alvero Partee served faithfully in the field and is now discharged by reason of death. He died in the rebel prison at Atlanta, Georgia, February 21st, 1864, by reason of wounds received at Chickamauga."
One of Alvero Partee's letters home from 1862 has survived! It is in the possession of Roena Bayes and is transcribed as written below. Some words were difficult to see or were in the folds of the paper and could not be read. A line will indicate missing words.
"Near Lebanon Ky Oct 27th/ 62
Dear Sisters
With pleasure I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at pesent and hope when these few lines may find you the same
we are camped about six miles from Lebanon on the Rolling Fork we have water handy and as good times as we can expect without our tents
yours of the 9th and 12th were duly rec'd but we were on the march and I could not ans. then sooner than usual we did not have a hand in the late fight but we were within cannon shot Gen. Fry asked for his Brig. twice but we were not permitted to take any part perhaps it is as well the way _____ as any are comming and snowing night before last about dark and in the morning there was a nice little snow about 3 inches deep but it is all gone today it is a pleasant day
perhaps you wonder how we passed that snowy night we have a shelter made of fodder and rails and plenty of straw we sleep as snugly as a lot of pigs
I was glad to get that list of drafted men it is a pity that some more of them were not served the same
I have not rec'd one copy of that paper yet
I am glad you have so many apples they are very dear here now i want you to have plenty of boiled cider for I trust ere long I will be home to drink some of it. The Rebels can't hold out long if our men do their duty
I have not seen Nate or C. W. since I last wrote they were camped about 2 miles from here the other night some of the co. were here they said they left C. W. at Frankfort sick with the ague I was going to see them the next day but I heard they had left for Nashville
It is rather cool here for writing out of door ____ I will write to him tomorrow
______ no more this time but look for another soon if we stay here ______
we are going to bowling green Alvero"
*This research and letter was kindly donated by Roena Bayes, who gave permission for its publication here.
Soon after, Alvero, age 20, five feet, five inches, light complected, grey eyes, brown hair, went to Defiance and enlisted for three years. He was mustered in at Camp Dick Robinson on October 14, 1861. Information is sketchy, but in January and February, 1862, he was at Camp Calvert, Kentucky. On May 21st of that same year, he was promoted to Corporal.
By September 19, 1863, he was with a Union force of fifty-five thousand, advancing on the vital Confederate supply and communication base at Chattanooga, Tennessee. They met a Southern Army at Chickamauga Creek, south of the city. The Union forces fought admirably, but the blundering tactics of their commander, General Rosecrans, contributed to their defeat on September 20th. Corporal Alvero Partee was wounded on the field of battle and reported missing in action.
The final statement from the Adjutant General's office, dated June 15th, 1865, reads as follows:
"Cpl. Alvero Partee served faithfully in the field and is now discharged by reason of death. He died in the rebel prison at Atlanta, Georgia, February 21st, 1864, by reason of wounds received at Chickamauga."
One of Alvero Partee's letters home from 1862 has survived! It is in the possession of Roena Bayes and is transcribed as written below. Some words were difficult to see or were in the folds of the paper and could not be read. A line will indicate missing words.
"Near Lebanon Ky Oct 27th/ 62
Dear Sisters
With pleasure I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at pesent and hope when these few lines may find you the same
we are camped about six miles from Lebanon on the Rolling Fork we have water handy and as good times as we can expect without our tents
yours of the 9th and 12th were duly rec'd but we were on the march and I could not ans. then sooner than usual we did not have a hand in the late fight but we were within cannon shot Gen. Fry asked for his Brig. twice but we were not permitted to take any part perhaps it is as well the way _____ as any are comming and snowing night before last about dark and in the morning there was a nice little snow about 3 inches deep but it is all gone today it is a pleasant day
perhaps you wonder how we passed that snowy night we have a shelter made of fodder and rails and plenty of straw we sleep as snugly as a lot of pigs
I was glad to get that list of drafted men it is a pity that some more of them were not served the same
I have not rec'd one copy of that paper yet
I am glad you have so many apples they are very dear here now i want you to have plenty of boiled cider for I trust ere long I will be home to drink some of it. The Rebels can't hold out long if our men do their duty
I have not seen Nate or C. W. since I last wrote they were camped about 2 miles from here the other night some of the co. were here they said they left C. W. at Frankfort sick with the ague I was going to see them the next day but I heard they had left for Nashville
It is rather cool here for writing out of door ____ I will write to him tomorrow
______ no more this time but look for another soon if we stay here ______
we are going to bowling green Alvero"
*This research and letter was kindly donated by Roena Bayes, who gave permission for its publication here.
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