Pleasant Crump
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Pleasant Riggs Crump (December 23, 1847 - December 31, 1951) was a Confederate soldier, believed by some to be the last living American Civil War veteran who fought for the Confederacy. Although survived by several claimants of questionable status (such as Thomas Riddle, William Lundy, John B. Salling and Walter Williams), only Crump's status has been conclusively confirmed. Another claimant, William J. Bush of Georgia, seems to be on firmer ground; census research indicated Bush was about 106. Whether Bush served or not, however, has not been conclusively established.
Born in Crawford's Cove, Alabama, Crump and a friend left home and traveled to Petersburg, Virginia, where Crump enlisted as a private in the 10th Alabama Infantry in November 1864. Assigned to Company A, Crump saw action at the Battle of Hatcher's Run, participated in the siege of Petersburg before witnessing General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House as well as attending Lee's official surrender to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. Returning to his home in rural Alabama following the Confederate surrender, Crump soon relocated to Lincoln in nearby Talladega County. There, at twenty-two, he married Mary Hall, a local. Five children resulted from this marriage, which lasted until she died on December 31, 1901. Crump took Ella Wallis of Childersburg as his wife in 1905. Following her death in July of 1942, he shared a home with a grandson's family. The United Confederate Veterans awarded him the honorary title of colonel. In 1950, he met with 98-year-old Gen. James Moore, who was then recognized to be the only other remaining veteran of Alabama. He died having just turned 104.[1]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Pleasant Crump's obituary at Findagrave
- Linedecker, Clifford L., ed. Civil War, A-Z: The Complete Handbook of America's Bloodiest Conflict, New York, Ballentine Books, 2002. ISBN 0-89141-878-4
- Hoar, Jay S., The South's Last Boys in Gray: An Epic Prose Elegy, Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 1976, pp. 463-466.
