P'POOL, David. Allen Pvt. - C.S.A.

David Allen P'Pool
By Yvonne Cameron

David Allen P'Pool was born 7 February 1844, in Caldwell County, KY. He was the fourth child of Henry Henderson and Sarah Susan Freeman Newsom P'Pool. He enlisted 24 Oct. 1861 at Hopkinsville, KY in Company B of the 8th KY Infantry, C.S.A. In February of 1862 he was moved with his regiment to Ft. Donelson and was captured there 16 Feb. 1862 by overwhelming Union forces. He was taken as a prisoner of war to Camp Morton near Indianapolis, Indiana. He and the rest of his regiment were taken to Vicksburg, Mississippi where they were exchanged for Yankee prisoners on 13 Sept. 1862.

His regiment was reorganized and engaged in battle at Coffeyville and Champions Hill, Mississippi. When Vicksburg surrendered, part of the regiment escaped with General Lyon and did battle at Jackson, Mississippi on 11July, 1863 where they suffered severe losses. David Allen and the 8th Regiment was in all engagements of that army on its retreat from Jackson to Meridian. They spent the winter of 1863 at Canton, Mississippi.

In January of 1864 they were ordered to Gainesville, Alabama reporting to General Nathan Bedford Forrest as mounted cavalry. The 8th were on the raids made into Tennessee and Kentucky and the capture of Union City, Tennessee as well as the battle of Paducah on 25 March 1864. They later fought at Brice's Crossroads, Tupelo, Verano, Old Town Creek, Harrisburg, Johnsonville, and Sulphur Trestle.

This regiment joined Hood's Army at Tuscumbia, Alabama and took part in the disastrous Nashville Campaign. During the Nashville Campaign the 8th KY was in 28 battles, including Franklin, Murfreesboro, Spring Hill, Columbia, Maury's Mills, and others. The 8th with General Forest made a stand with less than 3000 men against 14,000 U.S. troops just north of Selma, Alabama in March of 1865. The KY. Brigade, held their line as the rest of the command was swept from the field. In attempting to remount, the 8th was divided with less than 400 reaching Selma.

There they were organized into four companies and helped with the defense of Selma. They held out for two days against overwhelming odds but were overrun. A few, including David Allen, escaped and made their way to Columbus, Mississippi where they surrendered and were paroled. David Allen P'Pool's parole was dated 16 May 1865 at Columbus, Mississippi. The war was over for him. He stated that he did not take the Oath of Allegiance.

After his parole, he returned to Caldwell County, KY and on 17 October 1867 married Rebecca Ann Keller. David and Rebecca had 11 children of which ten lived to maturity. David and Rebecca lived in the Currys section of Caldwell County where he was engaged in farming.

On the 13th day of April 1912, he made his mark on his Confederate Pension application to the Commonwealth of KY. David died 3 April 1923 from senility, rheumatism and prostate problems. Rebecca applied for a Confederate Widows Pension on 1 May 1923. David and Rebecca are buried in the Mat Thomas Cemetery in Cerulean, Trigg County, KY.

David told his children that he walked home from Columbus, Mississippi, and wore his shoe soles out. He said he nearly starved on his way home and boiled potato peelings to have something to eat.

Note from Yvonne:  David P'Pool was my husband's, Haydon Cameron's great grandfather.