J. C. COX TALKS ENTERTAININGLY OF HIS EXPERIENCES DURING THE WAR.
J. C. Cox, (Uncle John, as he is best known) was yesterday, by the aid of a crutch on the streets. Aside from the lameness which is caused by wounds received during the civil war, Mr. Cox, though 75 years old, enjoys good health.
Mr. Cox said to the Courier-Times man, "This is my anniversary."
"What do you mean, Mr. Cox, by your anniversary," asked the Courier-Times man.
"Yesterday, 47 years ago, " said Mr. Cox, "I was shot down on the battlefield of Chickamauga. The battle raged two days, the 19th and 20th. I did not get hurt the first day and I got through the second day until 5 o'clock, when I received the minie ball." Mr. Cox exhibited here a large lead minie ball which he carried in his body 30 years, 4 months and 5 days, and which he now carries in his pocket.
"I was the last flag-bearer of the day," said Mr. Cox. "Well it was in 1874, at a reunion in Galveston , Mrs. M. J. Young presented the old flag I was bearing when wounded, to Hood's Texas Brigade. In giving something of the history of the flag my name was called as one who was shot down while carrying it. Comrades shouted out that I was present and before I knew it they had borne me to the front. Mrs. Young clipped off and gave me a piece of the flag which I have here." Mr. Cox exhibited a piece of red alpaca cloth, old and scarred with bullets.
Mr. Cox exhibited a silver star, made in 1861, by Peter Colstaid, here in Tyler, from a silver dollar. The star bears the words "J. C. Cox, 5th Texas Regiment, and 'T-E-X-A-S' the letters spelling Texas, being in the 5 points of the star. This star Mr. Cox wore all through the war.
Mr. Cox will exhibit all of these relics at the coming fair. We reproduce a special to the Dallas News, from Sweetwater, where Mr. cox then lived, of February 15, 1894:
"Sweetwater, Nolan Co., Tex., Feb. 15.-Considerable interest was manifested on the streets today, when the old report became current that an old yankee minie ball had been brought to light by Drs. Moody and Archer from the body of Uncle John C. Cox.
"Uncle John is an old Confederate having been a member of Co. C, fifth Texas, Hood's Texas Brigade, under Captain J. E. Anderson. He was wounded several times during the war, having lost a finger at the battle of Sharpsburg, Md., and was wounded again at Gettysburg, Pa., but the ball which he has carried for thirty years, four months, and twenty-five days was received at the battle of Chickamauga, Sept. 20, 1863, in the last day's fighting, and the last charge on Thomas' corps. He was the first man to cross the temporary breast work and fell wounded early in the fight. He was color bearer and fell with the colors flying in his hand. He lay for seven days on the field of battle attended by army surgeons, Drs. Crawford and Ware, and was finally removed from the field by a cousin, E. C.Cox, who is now living in Atlanta, Ga., where Uncle John has many relatives and friends. "Uncle John," as he is familiarly known, still carries with pride a hickory stick that was cut from the tree under which he lay while wounded on the battle field.
"Mr. Cox came to Texas in the early days and was for many years a resident of Smith county, Texas. He has lived in this, Nolan county, for the past ten years. He was appointed district clerk of the county in 1885, and county clerk in August, 1887, which position he has held with honor and credit ever since. He was first married to a Miss Allen, by whom he has four boys and two girls, who are still living and secondly to a Miss Eugenia Barron, by whom he has one girl, a golden haired girl of 6 years.
"The ball which has caused him much suffering for several years, entered his body a little to the left of the median line of the sacrum, cutting its way through the rectum and striking the right pubic bone about center of its shaft, battering the front end of the ball and the large end turned downward and resting three-fourths of an inch to the left of the femoral artery and almost directly over the great saphenous vein.
"The removal of the bone was a successful operation and the doctors entertain geat hopes of his complete recovery. When the leaden chunk was removed Uncle John remarked: 'Now, more than ever, I am ready to make peace with the yandees.' He is resting perfectly easy at this hour, chatting pleasantly as he enjoys his favorite pipe with the minie ball under his head in a little velvet bag made for the purpose by his joyous wife.
"Dr. Archer, one of the attending physicians, is also an old Confederate surgeon, having enlisted and served as surgeon of the thirty-second Mississippi regiment. J. W. Germany, ex-county judge of this county, and also an old honored member of Company I, fortieth Mississippi, was present at the operation and was enthusiastic with old war stories."-Dallas News.
Source: The Semi-Weekly Courier-Times, Tyler, Texas, Saturday, September 24, 1910; Pg. 3, Columns 3-5
