150 years ago, on today's date in 1862, my great grandfather, Nathan R. Oakes, a private in the Confederate The Army of Tennessee, turned 17 years of age. Having enlisted earlier in March, following the fall of Forts Henry and Donelson, Pvt. Oakes served the last part of his 16th year in the newly formed 32nd Mississippi Infantry Regiment, participating in various skirmishes and maneuvers in and around Corinth, Mississippi. In just the past few days, however, he along with nearly 30,000 other troops, underwent an arduous rail transfer from Tupelo, Mississippi to Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is but a week away from his first real military campaign to Kentucky. And on his birthday today, Gen. Bragg is moving the army to a position above Chattanooga in preparation for the Kentucky invasion.
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| Great Grandfather Oakes after the war |
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