Brother vs. Brother Part One: William Noblin, my 1st cousin 5x removed

I didn't have to look very far before I ran into an example of brother against brother in my own family.  This is not the only situation I've run across in my research.  Other examples will be the focus of future blog entries. 

My 4th Great Grand Uncle, Samuel James Noblin, Sr. was born in Granville County, North Carolina in June of 1805.  His father, my 5th Great Grandfather, Allen Noblin was killed while fighting in the War of 1812 on October 25, 1814 in Petersburg, Virginia.  Sometime after 1820, Samuel Sr. relocated to Tennessee.  He married Cecillia Plyland in Bedford, Tennessee in 1825.  Samuel Sr. had 3 sons and one son-in-law who fought in the Civil War.  One son fought for the Union, the others for the Confederacy.   Part one of this entry will focus on William Noblin.  Part two will focus on his brothers, Thomas and Samuel and their brother-in-law, Williston Bates. 

William Noblin was born on March 14, 1829 in Bedford, Tennessee.   An interesting fact about William is that his first wife, Celia Wheeler, was my 2nd cousin 4x removed.  She was the daughter of my 1st cousin 5x removed, America Wheeler.   Celia had three brothers that also fought in the Civil War, all Confederates.  Her brothers Harrison and Thomas Jefferson Wheeler were the focus of a previous blog entry regarding the North Carolina 63rd Regiment/5th NC Cavalry.  Celia gave birth to her and William's 5th child, a daughter, Ida Belle Noblin on February 2, 1859.  She died from complications on February 12, 1859. 

William enlisted in Company F of the 1st Tennessee and Alabama Independent Vidette Cavalry in August of 1863.  This regiment was a part of the Union Army.  His two younger brothers were already serving in the Confederate Army, having enlisted in July of 1862. 

William's 1st Muster Roll

Companies D, E and F of this regiment were formed in Tracy City and Nashville, Tennessee in late 1863.  The men who enlisted in the regiment offered to serve for one year.  On orders from the War Department, this regiment was mustered out of service on June 16, 1864.   There aren't many mentions of this regiment in the formal war records.   Most references don't mention the Tennessee aspect of this regiment until January 20, 1864 when they took part in the Skirmish at Tracy, TN.  William was part of the garrison that occupied Tracy City.  Prior to the engagement, the company's Captain, S. P. Tipton reported his company consisted of one officer and 73 men, who were mostly unarmed with the exception of about a dozen or so squirrel rifles.  Tipton didn't survive long enough to take part in this engagement.  Shortly before the skirmish, he was shot down at his home while answering a knock at the door.

Major Willis Scott Bledsoe's Confederate riders attacked the garrison at Tracy City on Jan. 20, 1864.  Due to the fact that their commanding officer had just been killed, discipline was lax at best for the men who guarded the garrison.  It is said that only 3 or 4 people from this Unit were to be found during the assault.  Lack of supplies and leadership were the primary reasons.  The Confederate forces overwhelmed the unorganized Federals.   Bledsoe dispatched his conditions for surrender stating "Sir, Captain Upson, with 10 of your men, are now in my possession.  If the remainder of your command will surrender at once, without further bloodshed, the entire command shall at once be paroled and permitted to retain their personal effects."   The Federal commander, Lieutenant Jepson, declined this offer.  Bledsoe declined to negotiate any further and gave the order to destroy anything that could be conceived to be of use to the enemy.  The depot, the coal house and the buildings covering the coal chutes were burned to the ground.  He then took the captives overcoats and blankets before paroling them with the condition that they would not pick up arms against the Confederate government. 

This was the only engagement in which William was reported in participating.  He died in Marshall, TN on November 21, 1903.   His burial location is not know at the time of this entry.   His second wife, Louvenia Horton, received a Widow's Pension for his service. 

William's Pension

Here's my relation to William:

William Noblin (1829 - 1903)

is your 1st cousin 5x removed

Samuel James Noblin Sr. (1805 - 1897)

Father of William

Allen Noblin (1780 - 1814)

Father of Samuel James

Lucy Noblin (1805 - )

Daughter of Allen

William Henry "Buck" Daniel (1827 - 1896)

Son of Lucy

Phebe Lucy Daniel (1862 - 1946)

Daughter of William Henry "Buck"

Valeria Lee Moss (1890 - 1968)

Daughter of Phebe Lucy

Phebe Teresa Wheeler Lewis (1918 - 1977)

Daughter of Valeria Lee

Joyce Elaine Lewis (1948 - )

Daughter of Phebe Teresa

Chip Stokes

You are the son of Joyce