Pvt. David Flynn Rutherford
Company G 23rd Reg't Miss Vols.
David Flynn Rutherford was the 6th of 6 sons of Thomas and Margret Rutherford who fought for the Confederacy. David was born 22 Oct 1844 in Georgia and came to Tippah County with his family in 1848 to finally settle in Falkner. He was married after the war to Mary
Delilah (Dillie) Ketchum (1845-1931). They had 2 daughters that I know of and up to 9 infants that died.
David enlisted at Ripley Miss 23 Oct 1862, age 18, in company G 23rd Reg't Miss Vols. by Capt. John Riddlespurger, commanded by Col. Joe Wells.
On 5 Dec 1862 David was wounded (in his left hip) in the action near Coffeeville Miss and was returned to duty by order of the surgeon in charge (General Hospital,
Meridian Miss) on 25 Mar 1863.
On a Muster Roll dated 28 Feb-30 Jun 1863 he is listed as 'absent cut off from his command 16 May 1863 and is in Vicksburg'. David was captured on 4 Jul 1863 at Vicksburg and paroled. David never made it back to the 23rd Reg't and is listed on several Muster Rolls as 'Captured and paroled at Vicksburg' 'Absent' 'Present on Parole' and finally 'Absent without leave since 12 Feb 1864'. David signed his mark 'X' on a certificate in Vicksburg giving his solemn parole under oath not to take up arms against the US…………………….dated 5 Jul 1863. The paroling officer was Capt. Davis of the (I believe it says) 97th Reg't ILL Vols. Being unable to read and write he didn't think much of the oath and went on to continue fighting for the Confederacy with the 2nd Miss. On his application for pension David tells that after he was paroled from Vicksburg he was unable to make his way back to his command, so he attached himself to the 2nd Miss and remained with them until the end of the war. The 2nd Miss surrendered at Demopolis ALA. I do not know what company in the 2nd Miss David was in, so I have no information on any battles he may have been in. I also have no Muster Rolls of the 2nd Miss with him listed but am still looking. After the war he went home to Tippah County and married on 31 Jan 1867 and started his family life.
Pvt. David Flynn Rutherford died in Tippah County on 4 Aug 1924 and is buried at Little Hope Cemetery Tippah County Miss.
Note: Thomas and Margret Rutherford had 7 sons with 6 known to have served in the war. Alexander W. Rutherford their youngest son would have been 13 years old when the war started and 14 when his oldest brothers all joined and left home to fight. I have no record on his service but it was very common for kids of that age to run away from home and fight. I'm sure that it crossed his mine many times and that his mother must have been a total wreck trying to keep him at home.
Steven Rutherford 3rd Great Grandnephew of David Flynn Rutherford
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