On this Memorial Day it is time to reflect on military service and those who served. Some men/women are blessed with never being called to war. Timing, their age, conflicts all enter into a man or woman’s chances of serving the country in a military capacity.

Isaac Denton born 1815 and died in 1863. He has the distinction of serving in two different wars. First, he was a soldier of the Cherokee War (Removal).

Cherokee removal, part of the Trail of Tears, refers to the forced relocation between 1836 and 1839 of the Cherokee Nation from their lands in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Alabama to the Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma) in the Western United States, which resulted in the death of an estimated 4000 Cherokee.

Stories regarding this experience passed down by ancestor’s still alive today speak of his time in this War/Removal as “horrible experience” and that he found himself in a “difficult position.”

The second war that Isaac participated in was the Civil War. Isaac’s land in Bradley County ,Tennessee is on a Civil War Military Map identified as “Denton” land. Although Isaac was 46 years old in 1861 (too old for most soldiers) given the battles were fought so close to home it appears Isaac joined the 4th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry fighting for the Union. His name is found in the History of the Rebellion in Bradley County, East Tennessee by J.S. Hurlbert.

According to Grandma Owens she said that her grandfather, Isaac Denton, died in the Civil War in prison camp with the measles. The History of the Rebellion indicates that Isaac died in a Civil War prison camp in Knoxville, Tennessee. A Company Muster Roll records the likely time of his capture as “Regiment captured October 3, 1863 commenced reorganizing 1 Dec. Men paroled since that date. Station of the Company, Knoxville, Tennessee from June 30, 1863-Feb. 29, 1864. It is believed that Isaac died in prison sometime after his Regiment was captured in October 1863.

We still do not know where Isaac was buried -even today -although Judy has researched his place of death and the Denton Line extensively.

Isaac Denton (Private)