DOB:  April 14, 1841 DOD:  December 7, 1924 Age at Enlistment: 20 Date of Enlistment:  May 9, 1861 Place of Enlistment:  Franklin, TN Rank at Enlistment:  Private Rank at Discharge:  Private Casualty:  None Comments:  Robert grew up on his family’s plantation “Mooreland” located on Franklin Road just south of Brentwood, TN in District 15.  The house is still standing.  Robert enlisted at the Company’s formation.  He states on his pension application that he was a 3rd Corporal but all of the rosters on his service record state he was a Private during his length of service.  Shorting after arriving in Virginia Robert became sick and is listed as being in a hospital in Staunton, VA in September and October of 1861.  He was discharged at Hot Springs, VA for deafness disability with two different dates listed on his service record, October 26, 1861 and November 10, 1861.  It is not certain if he contracted an illness that caused the deafness or if he was deaf to begin with.  After his discharge he returned home but still played a big part in operations in Middle Tennessee following his discharge.  After the Federals captured Nashville in 1862, Robert began receiving work as a guide and scout.  He led Col. Scott’s 1st Louisiana Cavalry down “by lanes and hog paths” that allowed them to ambush Federal pickets and outposts around Nashville.  In the fall of the same year he notified Capt. Tom Perkin’s cavalry (the 11th TN) that a Federal foraging party was on the Franklin Road near his house.  Perkin’s attacked the foraging party and was able to inflict about 50 casualties and capture the wagons and mules.  In December 1862 he gathered information on the strength and layout of the Federal Army in Nashville and reported it directly to General John C. Breckenridge, who wrote him a congratulatory letter afterwards.  In March 1863, Coburn’s Federal brigade camped on his property on the Franklin Road.  The Federals told Robert that they were marching south of Franklin in a few days and Robert was able to send that information to Van Dorn’s Confederates in Spring Hill.  Almost all of Coburn’s brigade was captured at Thompson’s Station on March 5, 1863.  Though Robert was not the sole reason they were captured, his information probably helped.  When Hood marched the Confederate army back to Tennessee in 1864 he was summoned by the general to collect information on the Federals in Nashville.  Robert was annoyed when Hood did not send someone to allow him through the Confederate Pickets.  He actually had to sneak through the pickets of both armies to get the information requested.  After reporting back to Hood, Robert states that Hood never thanked him or showed any sort of appreciation for what he had to do.  Robert states that he went to visit the 1st Tennessee’s camp at Nashville and wanted to reenlist but Lt. Col. John House denied him on the account of his deafness.  In reminiscing of his time as a scout he stated, “Gen. John C. Breckenridge was the most affable man I ever met, as for Gen. John B. Hood, well grease runs further than vinegar.”  Most likely, Robert’s deafness caused the Federals to never view him as threat, which would have led to his success.  Robert states on his pension application that he took the Oath of Allegiance in 1865 because the Federals were going to throw him in prison.  Robert married Lena Bell McKissack on April 17,1865 in Maury County, TN.  The two never had children.  Robert stayed on the family farm most of his post war life.  In the 1900’s he moved to New Orleans and on the 1910 and 1920 Census he is shown living there on Tchoupitoulas Street and 1124 North Galvez Street respectively and working as a carpenter.  By 1922 he had moved back to Tennessee and was living in Spring Hill when he filed for his pension.  By this time a doctor stated that he was deaf and was physically unable to work.  He died in 1924, some sources online state he died in New Orleans but it looks like that is based on the fact he was listed as living there on the previous census.  Robert most likely died in Tennessee, but either way he is buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Nashville in Section 6. 

Top Left:  Robert’s grave at Mount Olivet Top Right:  Moore Monument at Mount Olivet Bottom Left:  Mooreland Plantation taken in 2012.