The Pillaged Grave of a Civil War Hero, Part 3
Conclusions
The person,
or persons, responsible for vandalizing the grave of Colonel Shy was never
apprehended. Many of the local resi- dents are sure that they know the
identity of the vandal but this does not necessarily mean that they are
correct. The vandal may have escaped punishment from the law but he will
probably have nightmares for the rest of his life over this gruesome deed.
The statement
that Colonel Shy's body was found naked and impaled to a tree with a bayonet
will possibly bring about much comment. This could explain his not being
buried in his uniform but his uniform, most likely, was in too tattered
a condition for it to be used as a burial suit anyway. The part about him
being "impaled to a tree with a bayonet" will probably disturb
some Civil War buffs because it suggests undue brutality by the Federal
troops. If indeed he was impaled to a tree it could have been done by the
looters and scavengers that were always attracted after a battle.
There is
also the possibility that it was done by the attacking forces. The Federals
paid heavily in taking this hill. One historian states:
It has
been said that in the taking of Shy's Hill Minnesota's losses were the
greatest suffered by the state in any Civil War engagement - 302 men killed,
wounded or missing, from the Fifth, Seventh, Ninth and 10th Minnesota Regiments
(Huddleston:1964, Part IV, p.39).
Chivalry
had worn thin this late in the war. Perhaps some of the troops, angered
at seeing so many of their comrades fall, did perform this shocking deed.
There is one case of documented brutality connected with the fall of Shy's
Hill. Colonel Shy's commanding officer, Brigadier-General Thomas Benton
Smith was captured during this engagement. While being marched to the rear
under guard he was struck over the head three times with a saber by a Federal
officer. At first the wounds were thought fatal but he survived. Some years
later the effects of this injury to his brain caused him to be committed
to the Tennessee State Hospital for the insane, where he remained until
his death. (Horn 1968:141).
The Science
of Forensics has, in recent years, become recognized as an aid to law enforcement.
If this case of vandalism had not been properly investigated by a competent
Forensic Anthropologist such as Dr. Bass, the truth might have never been
learned and the law would still be looking for a murderer in Williamson
County.
Acknowledgements
The author
would like to thank Dr. William M. Bass (Head: Department of Anthropology,
University of Tennessee, Knoxville), for allowing me the use of his report,
the photographs used as Figures 1 and 2, and for his confidence and encouragement.
Also I would like to thank Mrs. W.J. Montana of Silsbee, Texas who is "family
historian" for the Shy family, for her concern and interest in this
matter. My appreciation also goes out to the ladies who manage the Carter
House in Franklin, Tennessee for their kindness. I would also like to thank
my close friends, Buddy Brehm and Dick Weesner, for their aid in acquiring
research material. And last, but surely not least, to Dr. Charles H. Faulkner
for his editorial assistance.
The author
has tried to assemble this work in a readable and interesting manner, using
as a basis historical fact laced with things as they came about. This story
was built around the work of Dr. William M. Bass. Again, I would like to
thank Dr. Bass for allowing me the use of his data.
References Cited
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Archaeological Society, Columbia, Missouri.
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