The Capture of Confederate James Madison Bedichek
- Karen Derrick-Davis
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Last year, I visited locations that represented the “bookends” of my great-great-grandfather James Madison Bedichek’s Civil War story: Lawrence, Kansas and Camp Chase, Ohio.
At 19, James joined William Quantrill’s August 21, 1863 guerrilla attack on Lawrence, Kansas. He was one of 450 guerillas (along with Jesse and Frank James) who ambushed the town, indiscriminately killing over 160 people. The museum and self-guided tour excellently describe the swift morning raid—with the guerillas riding out of town by 9 am. "The Lawrence Massacre" is still considered a turning point in the Bloody Kansas era, spurring an increase in the violent retributive acts along the Kansas/Missouri border.
James’ Civil War story ended with a January-May 1865 imprisonment at Camp Chase near Columbus, Ohio. Nothing of the Camp remains, though I did visit the military cemetery (both Confederate and Union) and the public library that now stands adjacent.
Several months after Lawrence on February 6, 1864 (and within a day of his 20th birthday), James enlisted with the Missouri Volunteers 5th, Company A. He fought in multiple campaigns with the Army of Tennessee until his December 1864 capture in Franklin, Tennessee. I was intrigued to visit the site of James’ capture.
Yesterday, I got my chance.
I came to the battleground not to celebrate a “fallen hero” or idolize his “sacrifice.” I came as an interested (amateur) genealogist—searching for a more complete story of James Madison Bedichek in Franklin, Tennessee. According to Civil War records on line, he was injured in the Battle of Franklin, which occurred on November 30, 1864 and was captured on December 17. The account in our family history book notes he “laid on the battlefield for two days.” So, one question I had was: What was he doing the other 14 days between injury and capture?
The Battle of Franklin Trust in the past few years has bought up areas of town central to the battle and created a great historical park with interpretive signs explaining the battle—from a very neutral and objective perspective (Well done!). The visitor center was staffed with knowledgable folks who helped fill in the missing pieces of James' story.
Since I knew James’ company, 5th Missouri, they were able to tell me exactly the path and movements of his company during the battle. They explained the Missouri companies were under the command of Brigadier General Francis M. Cockrell.
Cockrell was led by Division Commander Major General Samuel G. French
who served under Corps Commander Major General Benjamin F. Cheatham.
They were all under General John B. Hood who lead the Army of Tennessee.
The Battle of Franklin was unusual in that the battle area was so thick with soldiers that they engaged in upclose hand-to-hand combat, using their bayonets and musket butts to bludgeon their foes—rather than firing their weapons and risk shooting comrades.
James was likely wounded on the approach to the Cotton Gin on the Carter Farm, which is on the grounds of the outdoor museum.
As I stood near the canons positioned on the Federal Line and gazed across the field, I envisioned the area covered with men fighting, and then, later, strewn with dead and injured as the fighting pushed on toward the center of town.
The Confederates suffered heavy losses—over 1,000 dead and several thousand wounded—but, nevertheless, forced the Federals to retreat from Franklin to Nashville (25 miles north).
James, injured in his thigh, lay on Confederate soil in Franklin for two days until he was probably moved to an impromptu hospital set up in a nearby house. His wounds were described in Civil War records as minor, so I imagine others were triaged before him.
The museum staff explained that the Federals and Confederates regrouped and in two weeks on December 15-16 the Battle of Nashville was decisively won by the Federals. General Hood’s Army of Tennessee suffered mass casualties and was effectively destroyed.
James’ injuries kept him from going to Nashville, so he remained in Franklin, which accounts for the 14 days between his injury and his capture on December 17. Bedichek’s injury in Franklin likely saved his life.
James was taken as a prisoner of war and his fighting days came to an end. I have no idea how many people he killed, but I feel certain he killed many. (In one family story, he reluctantly demonstrates his shooting abilities to some curious and persistent students, later in life.) He was a lucky one--one who survived. As the librarian near Camp Chase told me, "I don't usually get folks in here asking about an ancestor who survived Camp Chase." He swore his allegiance to the US on May 22, 1865 and just like that, all was forgiven.
Interesting findings.