Felix Kirk Letter
Felix Kirk wrote this letter to his father, John Kirk, from Knoxville on November 14, 1861. In it, he discuses a recent illness, mentions "some old union devil who burned a bridge," and describes his unit's recent activities in Chattanooga and Knoxville. The reverse of the letter's final page bears a printed poem entitled "Dixie: Southrons, hear your Country Call You!"
Dates
- 1861 November 14
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Conditions Governing Use
The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
0.1 Linear Feet (1 folder)
Abstract
Felix Kirk wrote this letter to his father, John Kirk, from Knoxville on November 14, 1861. In it, he discuses a recent illness, mentions "some old union devil who burned a bridge," and describes his unit's recent activities in Chattanooga and Knoxville. The reverse of the letter's final page bears a printed poem entitled "Dixie: Southrons, hear your Country Call You!"
Biographical/Historical Note
Felix Kirk, the sixth of twelve children, was born to John and Frances (Blaine) Kirk in Shelby County, Tennessee on January 2, 1843. He enlisted in Company D of the 38th Infantry Regiment (CSA) as a Corporal at Camp Abington near Collierville, Tennessee on September 16, 1861. After being slightly wounded at the Battle of Murfreesboro, he was paroled at Greensboro, North Carolina at the rank of 2nd Lieutenant on May 1, 1865. He returned to Shelby County after the war, where he married Rose Ramsey (1853-1880) in 1870. The couple had at least two children, Birdie (Kirk) Keough (1871-1950) and Lee (1873-1884). After his first wife's death, Kirk remarried Sallie Woods (1861-1926) and had eight additional children: John (1882-1949), Mattie (1884-1972), Fred (1886-1943), Felix Jr. (1886-1887), Florence (Kirk) Roper (1890-1946), Mozelle (Kirk) Alley (1892-1917), Mark Vernon (1894-), and Mary (Kirk) Morris (circa 1902-). Felix Kirk died on December 26, 1917 of stomach cancer and is buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Collierville, Tennessee.
Arrangement
This collection consists of a single letter.
Acquisition Note
Gerald McKinney donated this letter to Special Collections in March of 1996.
- Confederate States of America. Army -- History.
- Soldiers -- Tennessee -- Correspondence.
- Tennessee -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal Narratives, Confederate.
- Tennessee -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865.
- Tennessee -- Social life and customs.
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository