Today our walk was dedicated in honor of:
Confederate Capt. Champ Ferguson, Age 43 of Clinton County, KY
Died Oct. 20, 1865
Civil War Confederate Army Officer. He was known as the “most notorious” of the Confederate guerilla fighters for his activities attempting to harass Union soldiers along the Kentucky-Tennessee border. He was particularly known for his brutal and up-close-and-personal killings with his favorite bowie knife. Many of his victims were family and friends of the family. One story is Champ had killed a family member, cut off his head, and kicked it around with his men in front of the victim’s family. Champ wasn’t always a southern/slavery sympathizer. His ties with the Confederacy began in August 1858. Ferguson got into a dispute with Floyd and Alexander Evans and when the Evans brothers, some family members of Ferguson and Constable James Reed pursued Ferguson, James Reed was killed and Floyd Evans was seriously wounded by Champ. Champ later faced trial and as a means to avoid imprisonment, promised the Court to join the army. Champ joined the Confederacy in 1861—not because he sympathized with the southern cause, but because his northern family, by his account, turned their back on him—many of which testified against him during the murder trial. Champ started as a scout under General John Hunt Morgan, later forming his own band of guerillas (a quasi-cavalry) and earning the rank of Captain. Champ fought all over the Cumberland valley and saw action in other places, such as the Battle of Saltville (Virginia). Born in Clinton County, Kentucky his guerrilla activities were carried out in a region deeply divided over the issue of secession. A controversial figure, to some he was a patriot risking his life for the Confederate cause, to others he was a terrorist and cold blooded killer. On November 1, 1861, Champ murdered William Frogg in his bed near Albany, Clinton County, KY with Frogg’s wife and newborn close-by. Frogg was a family friend of the Fergusons before the war. A month after Frogg’s murder, Champ stole a horse and rode to the farm of Reuben Wood, a life-long friend of the Fergusons and care-givers of Champ. Reuben Wood reported begged Champ, reportedly saying “Why, Champ, I have nursed you. Has there been any misunderstanding between us?” To which Champ replied, “No, Reuben, you have always treated me like a gentleman, but you have been to Camp Robinson, and I intend to kill you.” Champ shot him but Reuben did not fall. Champ fired a second shot which missed, and Reuben retreated into the house after picking up a hatchet and waited behind the front door. Champ dismounted, went around and into the home through the back door. Wounded, Reuben struggled with Champ for some time—knocking the pistol from his hand twice. Reuben was able to fight off Champ but succumbed to his wounds the next afternoon. Shortly after the killing, Reuben’s son gathered a group of friends and family to pursue Champ, which was unsuccessful. Champ’s murders of friends and family, as well as the theft of livestock, stirred the community against him. Ferguson had retreated to Tennessee in 1862 and his brother Jim joined the 1st Kentucky Cavalry as a scout—serving alongside William Alexander Jennings. The Ferguson brothers vowed to kill each other. By winter that year, David Beatty and Jim Ferguson began gathering others to hunt Champ. The winter was terrible that year and both sides had agreed to a cessation of hostilities for the winter. Champ violated the agreement, pushing into Kentucky again and pursued Beatty and Jim Ferguson’s group. In the spring of 1863, the Ferguson, Capp, Jennings, Flowers and Wood families, along with David Beatty, members of the 1st Kentucky Cavalry, and others, chased Champ through Kentucky and Tennessee, but they were not able to capture Champ. James Marion Flowers was constantly harassed by Champ and his gang up to September 1863. Champ reportedly wanted James to join him but James refused, and enlisted in the Union Army on September 9, 1863 as soon as he was old enough. James was hidden by his family in a cave to escape the harassment of Champ. His family would carry food hidden in clothing on their way to drive cows out in the morning and home at night. It wasn’t ideal living for a teenager, but the alternative was much worse. Champ had a reputation for extracting revenge on others he thought to have wronged him, and joining the Union instead was certainly a deadly offense in Champ’s eye. James remained in that cave until he mustered for duty on December 23, 1863. After the war he was tricked by a false promise of being paroled, if he and his men would turn themselves in to United States military authorities. They did so at Nashville, Tennessee and all but Ferguson were released. Instead he was arrested and charged with over fifty counts of murder. His trial, which lasted from June to late September, 1865, was as controversial as his life, with supporters reporting that it was nothing but a “kangaroo court” filled with unsupportive evidence and hearsay, and others feeling it was a just procedure. At its conclusion he was sentenced to death by hanging and on October 20, 1865 the execution order was carried out. However, even his death is filled with controversy. Legend has it that the military thought Ferguson should not be hanged because others guilty of similar crimes had been paroled. The legend states that the army conspired to help him escape by having soldiers stationed under the scaffolding of the gallows to quickly untie the knot when the trap door was released. He was then placed into his casket, put in a wagon and whisked away with his wife and daughter. They allegedly settled in Oklahoma assuming new identities as a rancher. If the legend is false Ferguson joins Henry Wirz as the only two former Confederates of any rank to be executed for war crimes.
Our walk was in Sparta, Tennessee this morning. We had a great 4.42 mile walk. We started out at the Veterans Park in down town and our first stop was the Old Sparta Cemetery. We visited a few of our Fallen Veterans and then continued our walk down to the river trail and walked along the river. We then headed West on Sparta Hwy till we got to the 111 over pass. We then walked back to the Veterans Park and then we drove to the France Cemetery where Confederate Capt. Champ Ferguson is buried. We visited a few of our Fallen Brothers their before heading home. I want to thank my friend Robert for walking with us today. I want to thank everyone who honked, waved or saluted in helping us honor this hero.
Confederate Capt. Champ Ferguson will not be forgotten !
