Erasmus G. Osgatharp and family in later years

Erasmus Gaw Osgatharp was born on 01 January 1843 in Jackson County, Tennessee. He was the son of John Osgatharp and Susannah Carlisle. On the 26th of August, 1862, Erasmus Osgatharp traveled to the county seat of Gainesboro, where he joined what became G Company of the 8th Tennessee Cavalry Regt (also known as 13th (Dibrell's) Tennessee Cavalry Regt. More information on the 8th TN Cavalry can be seen here.

Erasmus Osgatharp was a prisoner of war twice during his service. First, he was captured on 30 Dec 1862 at Parker's Crossroads in west Tennessee. He was sent to Camp Douglas in Chicago, Illinois until April of 1863.

Second time, he was captured at Mossy Creek, Tennessee on 26 Dec 1863. He and others from his unit were first sent to Knoxville, then about 10 days later to Rock Island, Illinois. He was a prisoner at Rock Island until the end of February 1865.

Erasmus Osgatharp was discharged from the Confederate Army at Washington, Georgia in May of 1865.

Erasmus G Osgatharp married Rachel Prescovia Plumlee on 14 Oct 1872 in Clay County, Tennessee. Rachel was the daughter of George Henshaw Plumlee and Mary "Polly" Kirk. More information on the ancestry and descendants of Erasmus Osgatharp and Rachel Plumlee Osgatharp can be found by clicking here.

At the age of 79, Erasmus Osgatharp completed the Tennessee Civil War Veteran's Questionnaire. The questions and his answers can be found by clicking here.