Stop 02 - Home of Colonel James Dearing Bennett

The Battle of Hartsville, Tennessee

Down the winding path to your left, Col. John Bennett’s homesite sits just out of view toward the back of the property. Colonel Bennett was the Commander of the 9th Tennessee Cavalry made up of local men from Hartsville, Coatstown (now called Westmorland), and Richland (now called Portland). It is believed that Bennett and Col. Morgan stopped at Bennett’s homeplace for breakfast on their way to the pre-determined rendezvous point with the rest of Morgan’s troops. Known to be a fine commander respected by his men, Col. Bennett died seven weeks following the battle of Hartsville of typhoid-pneumonia on Morgan’s second Kentucky raid in Elizabethtown, Kentucky on January 23, 1863. His body was transported back to Hartsville by his faithful servant, “Jeff” and buried here. Fourteen years later his widow, Martha (Hutchison), had his body reinterred in the Hartsville cemetery. She also honored her husband’s promise to his servant Jeff and deeded 60 acres of land to him free and clear once the war ended. (see stop #17)