DOB:  February 29, 1824 DOD:  April 30, 1891 Age at Enlistment: 37 Date of Enlistment:  May 9, 1861 Place of Enlistment:  Franklin, TN Rank at Enlistment:  3rd Sergeant Rank at Discharge:  3rd Sergeant Casualty:  None Comments:  James was born and raised in Williamson County, TN and lived on the same farm his entire life.  His family farm was located on he eastern side of Franklin Road (modern day Hwy 31).  His cousin, James Knox Polk McEwen, was also in the company.  He enlisted at the outbreak of the war and was promoted to 3rd Sergeant at the company’s formation.  A few months after the 1st Tennessee’s arrival in Virginia James became ill and was medically discharged at Staunton, VA on December 12, 1861.  He brought the flag the ladies of Williamson County had made the company earlier that year home with him.  The flag was placed in a bottle and buried.  It was dug back out after the war ended.  Goodspeed’s History of Tennessee has a short bio on him following the war: “He [James] took charge of his father’s plantation, and now owns 550 acres of good land as there is the county.  Mr. McEwen makes a specialty of raising fine stock, and was the breeder and owner of the celebrated trotting mare, Annie W.  Mr. McEwen’s house, one of the best and oldest brick houses in the county, was destroyed by fire April 6, 1877.” James never married and upon his death was buried in the McEwen family cemetery currently located in the center of Wyndchase Apartments in Franklin. 

James McEwen’s Grave