McCRORY, Ark., June 5 -- Like a page torn from history with its bloodshed, its building of a wilderness into a thriving country, its glamour and glory reads the life of Mrs. Florence Capshaw, pioneer builder of DeView, two miles south of McCrory, as she sits surrounded with relics and rare possessions and lives again those never to be forgotten days.
Mrs. Capshaw was born in Catoosa County, Georgia, in 1852, and was quite a "big girl" when her father and brothers went to war leaving her with several younger children and their mother. May 3, 1864, when Gen. William Sherman on his "March to The Sea" crossed Georgia advance word was given and Mrs. Capshaw's mother with the children made ready for the enemies--the kitchen floor was removed, bells taken from the sheep and they were penned under the house and covered with the flooring, food was hidden under rocks, silver in the well.
The company camped within one half mile of the home. About sundown the evening the army moved in. A man with a slouch hat and ragged clothes came to the gate and asked to spend the night. The mother refused and he replied "Lady, you don't know the tactics of war--you need a guard." She let him stay and in true southern hospitality gave him the best food she had. In return he gave them a package of Peaberry coffee, the first they had seen since the war began, for theirs had been Rebel coffee (consisting of water from cooked wheat). For two days and nights he guarded the house as a sentry and then disappeared. It was later learned that he was a spy from General Blackstone Bragg's company and was getting information of the Confederate Army.
One morning Mrs. Capshaw with a sister was searching for a lost sheep and as they parted the bushes at the bottom of a hill they saw General Sherman watering his horse not 10 feet from them, and those same eyes today, although dimmed with age, retain every detail of this federal general. As the army moved on, neighbors searched the woods and found large chunks of meat, saw their first crackers and found enough provisions for several days. Much loot that had been stolen was found.
Mrs. Capshaw was four miles from the battle of Ringo(1) and 10 miles from the Battle of Missionary Ridge. The yard was covered with cannon balls and the chickens, geese and dogs were killed. The Battle of Chickamauga, which was fought Sep. 19-20, 1864, was 14 miles from her home and was one of the most disastrous battles of the war. The armies began getting ready for the battle the day before, tearing down rail fences for breastworks. By 4 o'clock the afternoon of the nineteenth, it seemed as if the world was shaking. Smoke was so dense it hid the sun and when the second day of fighting was over one could have walked 300 yards on dead soldiers. Some 34,000 were killed, wounded or taken prisoners. Thousands of muskets were gathered from the fields and hundreds of heart-breaking letters.
Mrs. Capshaw has two which read in part: "My dear brother: At church last Sunday there was not a young man. Our wheat crop is good, but father is not able to gather it and we cannot get laborers."
Another: "My dear son: My daily prayer is that the Lord may shield you and that this terrible war may soon end." Some were from wives and sweethearts.
It was not an easy life for a little girl. She had to help kill beef, tan the leather and make her own shoes. She was plow-boy for three years. She spun the wool that made her clothing. One day her chance came to get even with the enemies and this woman who is loved and respected by her acquaintance was called on to do the most heroic deed of her life and she did it like a general. She carried messages through enemy lines and was as brave as the men who faced the cannons.
After the Federals took possession of Georgia, the southern soldiers would slip back in the hills to see their families. For two weeks little Florence carried breakfast and messages for the two Confederates hidden in the hills. She was only a lass of 12 and passed the Federals unnoticed, but she was cautious and took a new route each time.
One morning at 2 o'clock a voice was heard outside the window and a friend was looking for his wife--he learned she was living with a northern family and asked they get her word he was staying in "Deep Hollow". Little Florence was given the task to deliver the message in code, and just as the eastern sun rose on a bleak war-ridden country, the little spy went to the northern home to borrow meal. They were at breakfast and Florence, turning to the man's wife said, "Mama said to please go to Deep Hollow and feed the old sow some corn." The woman understood.
When the war ended it did not mean the end of hard work and trouble, for the reconstruction was a bitter experience. In 1870 she married Robert Capshaw, and two years later they started west to seek their fortune in a covered wagon drawn by oxen. They settled in Woodruff County and helped to change the wilderness into a thriving county. Mr. Capshaw died in 1922 and she lives with a son, Dandy Capshaw.(2)
Mrs. Capshaw has antiques that are priceless to her and would grace any museum. Her collection included a watch 125 years old, her husband's powder gourd, 90 years old, his pistol carried during the war; daguerreotypes of her grandparents, 200 years old; three family Bibles from 100 to 200 years old; a Methodist hymnal more than 100 years old; a speech book 90 years old. She possesses workbox made from an axelgrease box 125 years old. The most interesting of Mrs. Capshaw's collection is an account book of C. F. Capshaw(3), dating back to 1830, with the inclosed(sic) items: Wool, 20c; tobacco, 20c lb.; eggs 12 1/2c dozen; sugar,10c lb.; coffee, 8c lb. The book belonged to an uncle of her husband's who owned a store in Tennessee.
Mrs. Capshaw has five other children: Mrs. Ida Lou Collier of DeView; Gid Capshaw(4)of New Mexico, Lonnie Capshaw(5) of Augusta, Oscar(6) and Preston(7) Capshaw of McCrory; there are (unreadable) grandchildren and two great grandchildren. She has a sister, Mrs. (unreadable) Wilsford, 80, of Hughes, Arkansas, a brother, W. E. Smith, 79, of Forrest City, Arkansas. Mrs. Capshaw is alert for her 85 years and delights in entertaining her grandchildren with stories of her early days
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Mrs. Florence Smith Capshaw, aged 98 years, three months and 27 days, oldest resident of the Arkansas Confederate Home, died there Wednesday afternoon, March 21, 1951.
Mrs. Capshaw was born at Ringgold, Ga., Nov. 24, 1852, and lived there as a girl. She had told friends she remembered General Sherman passing her home during his march to the sea.
In 1870, she and her family moved to La Grange,Arkansas, where two years later she met and married her husband , R. D. Capshaw, a Confederate veteran. They moved to McCrory , Arkansas in 1900, where Mr. Capshaw died in 1922. She lived here until 1937, when she entered the Confederate Home.
At the Home, Mrs. Capshaw was fond of recalling the War Between the States. She said General Sherman ordered his troops to spare her family's home at her mother's pleading. She also told of carrying messages from a Confederate spy to troops hidden near her home.
Survivors are four sons, G. W. Capshaw of Boise, Idaho, Preston of Wynne, Oscar and G. D. of McCrory; a daughter, Mrs. Ida Lou Collier of McCrory; 13 grandchildren, and 10 great grand-children, and one great-great-grandchild.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30, Friday morning, March 23, in the McCrory Methodist Church, by the Rev. John W. Glover, pastor, assisted by Rev. Shoptaw of Little Rock.
Burial will be in Woodmen Cemetery, with Thompson-Wilson Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Florence Smith Capshaw died March 22, 1951. She was 95(8) years of age and the oldest living resident of the Arkansas Confederate Home.
She was born in Ringgold, Georgia. She remembered General Sherman passing her home during his march to the sea.
In 1870 she moved to LaGrange, Arkansas, where she met and married her husband, R. D. Capshaw, a Confederate veteran. They moved to McCrory, Arkansas, in 1900. R. D. Capshaw died in 1922. Florence lived there until 1937 when she entered the Confederate Home.
Surviving children of the couple are: G. W. Capshaw, Boise, Idaho; Preston, Ida, Oscar and Granville of McCrory. There are thirteen grand children, ten great grand children and one great great grand child.
Mrs. Florence Smith Capshaw, 98, a resident of the Arkansas Confederate Home died yesterday there. She was the oldest person there.
A native of Ringgold, Ga., Mrs. Capshaw often told friends that she remembered Sherman's historic march through Georgia. Her family home was on his route, but Sherman spared the house upon her mother's pleading.
Mrs. Capshaw also told of carrying messages for the Southern Army. She could recall many instances of the Civil War.
The Capshaw family moved to La Grange in 1870 where Mrs. Capshaw met and married her husband, R. D. Capshaw, a Confederate veteran. They moved to McCrory in 1900 and Mr. Capshaw died there in 1922. Mrs. Capshaw entered the Confederate Home in 1937.
Survivors include four sons: G. W. Capshaw, of Boise, Ida., and Presley(9), Oscar and Granville Capshaw, McCrory; a daughter, Mrs. Ida Lou Collier, McCrory; 13 grand children, 10 great grand children and one great great grand child.
The body will be sent to McCrory.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the 1st Methodist Church in McCrory by the Rev. Lewis Shoptaw, Little Rock, assisted by the Rev. John W. Glover, McCrory. Thompson-Wilson Funeral Home in charge.
1. This should be Ringgold, referring to Ringgold, GA.
2. Dandy was the nickname of Granville David Capshaw.
3. C. F. Capshaw should be B.(enjamin) F.(ranklin) Capshaw, a merchant from West Point, MS.
5. Lonnie is Lonnie Emmett Capshaw.
6. Oscar is Oscar Wylie Capshaw.
7. Preston is Preston David Capshaw.
9. Presley is wrong. Should be Preston.