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The Clayton Boys


A Study of Clayton boys from Itawamba County Mississippi in the Confederate Army

Charles Collier Clayton was born in Virginia during the Revolutionary War, served as a Lieutenant in the Tennesse militia in the War of 1812, and lived to see a dozen or more of his grandsons march off to battle during the great conflict of 1861 - 1865. About 1840 his oldest son, also named Charles Collier Clayton, settled in the newly opened territory of Itawamba county, Mississippi. By 1850 Charles (Sr.) and seven of his eight sons had settled in that area.

I have done a brief study of the Clayton boys from Itawamba county who served in the Confederate Army. Most, but not all of them were grandsons of Charles Collier Clayton. The following information comes from the official records of the Confederate Army and is supplemented by my genealogy research. They are listed alphabetically as found in the micro-film records. Some may be listed more than once.

  1. Clayton, A. S. Pvt. Co. C. 2nd Ms. Inf. Abner S. Clayton, son of Warren Clayton and his wife, Mary Ann Ratliff enlisted as a private of Company C 2nd Mississippi Infantry, called "Town Creek Riflemen," at Verona October 1, 1861. He served under Captain William C. Bromley and 1st Lieutenant William M. Pounds (who married Nancy Clayton, Abner's cousin). Abner was among the first troops engaged at First Manansa; and was in the battles of Seven Pines, Cold Harbor, Malvern Hill, and Manassas Plains. He was killed at Sharpsburg at the age of twenty.
  2. Clayton, Andrew J. Pvt. Co. C. 10th Ms. Inf. Andrew Jackson Clayton, son of Charles Collier Clayton, Jr. and his wife, Eliza B. Richey , enlisted in Co. C. 10th Mississippi Infantry Febuary 18, 1861 at Saltillo. He was promoted to 1st Sargent in June of 1861 and was wounded at the battle of Shiloh in April 1862. In September 1862 he received a severe wound to the left leg at Munfordville, Kentucky but returned to duty and was again wounded at Rome, Georgia in March 1863. On July 18, 1863 Andrew was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant and transfered to the cavalry. After the war Andrew moved to Waxahachie, Texas where he died in 1892.
  3. Clayton, C. C. Pvt. Co. E, 2nd Ms. Cav. Enlisted at Guntown. This company, called "Mooreville Blues," formed at Mooreville Apr. 1, 1862 under Capt. J.L. McCarty and J.B. Vance. [Note: could be same as #4 below. Reports of 20 Aug. 1863 list the 2nd Ms. Cav. (state troops) in the organization of Chalmer's command. Chalmer's report of 24 Aug. 1863 says in part "the term of service of 2nd Reg. was about to expire . . . the greater part of the command had been disbanded leaving only 61 men in the regiment." On 11 Sep. 1863 all state troops (cavalry) were ordered into Confederate service under Brig. Gen. Chalmers. Men from the 2nd Reg. would have been placed in other units at this time.]
  4. Clayton, C. C. Pvt. Co. K. 12th Reg. (10th Ms. Cav.) Charles Collier Clayton, son of Warren Clayton and Mary Ann Ratliff, enlisted Aug. 1862 at Mooreville. His name is found on the roll of POWs at Mobile May 1865. About 1870 he moved to Kaufman Co., Tx. along with his father and other family members and was a member of J.E.B. Stuart Camp #45 of Confederate Veterans in Terrell, Tx. He died January 15, 1910 in Kaufman, Tx.
  5. Clayton, C. C. Cpl. Co. F 24th Ms. Inf. Enlisted in Itawamba county. This company, called "Cummings Grays" was mustered into State service at Itawamba City (County?) 1 Sep. 1861 under Capt. B. F. Toomer who was killed at Franklin. They reported to Gen. R. E. Lee at Savannah Nov. 22, 1861 and then ordered to Fernandina, Fl. where they remained until about 16 Mar. 1862. Family records say that Charles Collier Clayton, son of Charles Collier and Eliza B. Clayton, died of measles while serving in Fernandina, Fl. Mar. 2, 1862.
  6. Clayton, Charles C. Co. C 2nd Ms. Inf. Enlisted May 1, 1861 at age 27 in "Towncreek Rifles" by 1st Lt. William M. Pounds. He was captured at Gettysburg July 1, 1863 and reported "deserted to the enemy at Fort Delaware". This is another of the four grandsons of Charles Collier Clayton, Sr. who were named after him. He is probably a son of John Clayton and Agatha Milton but could be a son of William Clayton and his wife Mary (see note at end of this page).
  7. .Clayton, Collier C. Pvt. Co. B 1st Ms. Inf. Enlisted at Iuka, age 28, in"Mooreville Darts". This company was mustered into State service at Iuka 28 Aug. 1861 under Capt. Merriman Pounds as part of 1st Regiment, 1st Brigade, Army of Mississippi. Surrendered at Fort Donelson Feb. 1862 and became POWs until exchanged Oct. 1862. Regiment surrendered again at Port Hudson, La. 8 Jul. 1863 but all enlistedmen were paroled. Served with Gen. Bragg during his disasterous raid on Franklin, Tn. in winter of 1865. In Mar. 1865 the 1st, 22nd, & 33rd Regiments and 1st Battalion were consolidated into the 22nd Regiment. This is probably the son of William Clayton and his wife, Mary but could be a son of John Clayton and Agatha Milton (see note at end of this page).
  8. . Clayton, Collier C. Pvt. Co. C (or G) 22nd. Ms. Inf. This company from Carrol Co. This is apparently the same person as number seven above.
  9. Clayton, G. W. Co. E. 2nd Cav. Enlisted at Guntown. Family records say that George W. Clayton, son of Warren and Mary Ann Clayton, served in Co. C. 4th Ms. Cavalry. From notes in "Military History of Mississippi" the 2nd regiment was sometimes listed as the 4th.
  10. Clayton, J. S. Co. G. 12th Reg. (10th Ms. Cav.) James Stewart Clayton, son of Charles Collier and Eliza B. Clayton. Enlisted Oct. 15, 1862 at Mooreville. On rolls of POWs at Mobile May 22, 1865. He died January 20, 1919 and is buried in Cleburne, Tx. with Confederate marker inscribed "Sgt. Co. G. 12th Ms. Cav."
  11. Clayton, John M. 1st Sgt. Co. H. 43rd Ms. Inf. John M. Clayton, son of Charles Collier and Eliza B. Clayton enlisted Apr. 20, 1862. He received a medical discharge Aug. 18, 1862. John died March 21, 1925 at the age of ninety-four.
  12. Clayton, Joshua S. Pvt. Co. C 2nd Ms. Inf. Joshua was a son of Warren and Mary Ann Clayton. He enlisted May 1, 1861 at age 31. He was wounded at Gains Mill June 27, 1862 and again wounded and captured at Gettysburg July 1, 1863. He died as POW at Camp Delaware Oct. 2, 1863 and is buried in Finn's Pt. National Cemetery.
  13. Clayton, Newton. Co. H. 2nd Ms. Inf. Enlisted at Pontotoc. Wounded at Manassas. Died May 7, 1864 of wounds suffered in Wilderness. [Note: relationship, if any, unknown but Joshua S. Clayton who served in the same regiment named one of his sons Newton.]
  14. Clayton, Reubin M. Pvt. Co. B. 1st Ms. Inf. Enlisted age 19 at Iuka. AWOL Aug.23, 1863 - Aug. 1864. I am not sure of his identity. Reubin, son of William and Mary Clayton, is the only person of military age of this name on the census records of Itawamba county but he was twenty-four years old in 1860.
  15. Clayton, Robert Collier Pvt. Co. C. 10th Ms. Inf. Enlisted at Fulton Feb. 1862. Wounded at Murfressboro, Tn. POW at Fort McHenry, Md. Twice captured, twice parolled. "Military Annals of Mississippi" by J. C. Rietti says "R. Clayton, Pvt. Co.C. 10th Reg. died in service 1864. He was a son of Joseph T. and Eliza Clayton.
  16. Clayton, W. L. Capt. Co. E. 12th Ms. Cav. Washington Lafayette Clayton, son of Charles Collier and Eliza B. Clayton served as a Captain in the "Dixie Boys" 4th Reg of General Reubin Davis' Brigade Sixty Day Troops. After this brigade was disbanded he served in the 12th Cavalry. After the war he became a noted lawyer and historian in Tupelo and although his highest official rank was that of Captain he was known as "Colonel Clayton" for the rest of his life.

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    NOTE:Four of Charles Collier Clayton's sons (Charles, John, Warren, and William) named sons after their father. Because military records frequently list only initials, do not give ages, etc., it has been a chore to equate the military records to the family records. I know that Charles Collier Clayton (son of Charles Collier) is the C. C. Clayton in Co. F 24th Ms. Inf., because family records say that he died in March 1862 in Fernandina, Florida and that is the only one of these companies that was in Florida on that date. The identity of Charles Collier Clayton (son of Warren) was easy because Warren and his son moved to Kaufman county, Texas and Charles Collier Clayton of Co. K. 12th Reg. belonged to a veteran's camp in Kaufman county, Texas. The other two are a little harder to identify. William and John both had sons named Charles Collier Clayton who would have been about twenty-seven years old at the outbreak of the war. Due to the inaccuracy of census records the exact age cannot be used to identify these men. However, the two young children of Charles (son of John) were orphans raised by their grandfather and a number of aunts. Charles (son of William) definately survived the war. Collier C. Clayton of Co. B 1st Ms. Inf. was alive as late as March 1865 so almost surely survived the war. Charles C. Clayton of Co. C 2nd Ms. Inf. was captured and sent to Fort Delaware as a POW. I have found no record of him dying there but the chances of that were very good.

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