She mentioned that she had a cousin who had tried to prove it but was unsuccessful. Twice before I've been asked to prove the legend of the Native American ancestor and both times I was able to clearly show the family's heritage was 100% European. I felt I might be able to prove this one way or another.
I started with my friend's grandfather and very quickly moved back several generations. Thus far I've not found even a hint of Native American ancestry. What I did find was just as interesting. My friend's gg grandfather was John Siler Tye. He was a Union soldier with Company D, Kentucky 8th Infantry Regiment. On February 3rd, 1863 he wrote his future wife a letter a month after the Second Battle of Murfreesboro (also called the Battle of Stones River or in the South, the Battle of Murfreesboro - 31 Dec, 1862, to 2 Jan 1863.)
This extraordinary letter tells the tale of the battle. "Well Susan", he writes, "the truth is the bullets rained around me as thick as hail falling in water." I have more research to do, but this great find is why genealogy is so exciting. Below is a full transcription of the letter.
Till next time, keep the blue side up ... Lynn
Murfreesboro Tenn.,
Feb., 3rd 1863
3rd Brigade 3rd Division
8th Regt., Ky Vol., infty
Dear Miss
I am in good health thank god I hope these few lines may reach you and find you enjoying good health. I have nothing strange at present to write to you my dear. it has been one month to the day since the Battle of Murfreesboro. It lasted 9 days in succession; well Susan the cannons and small arms did roar terrible; well I have been in 3 battles since I entered Tennessee the second time. The first fight was at Rural Hill Tenn. [Nov 18, 1862], the 2nd fight was at Dobing Ferry near a little town called Laverne Tenn [Dobbins' Ferry, near La Vergne, TN, Dec 9, 1862]., the 3rd battle was at or in front of Murfreesboro Tenn. [Dec 26, 1862-January 5, 1863], But I have been quite lucky. I was slightly wounded in the shin with a buckshot they Rebs shot a whole [sic] in my hat that you can let in your fist through.
Well Susan the truth is the bullets rained around me as thick as hail falling in water; I can inform you that I am well sattisfied [sic] if I never git another fight with them; on Friday Jan., 2nd 1863 our Brigade was in the fight. The Rebels drove us for awhile but we turned them and chased them killing a large number. They say their loss in officers was heavy. They lost out of 2 divisions that attacked us some - turn over - four thousand men and we were not engaged over 2 hours in the main fight. But we were skirmishing with them all day. I [illegible, perhaps -was assigned to-] advance skirmishing when they attacked us. Capt. Ranton, commanding, he was killed before we came in from the skirmishing line; so you must excuse me for not writing more. I would like to see you the best in the world but I know not when that will be
So farewell yours truly
John S. Tye To Susan Jones
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