Merry Christmas to one and all, To continue with the Lafferty family, I will now present an article that includes significant portions of John A. Lafferty's Civil War Journal. The article itself is about my 3rd great uncle, Major John Shawhan, CSA. The journal entries involve John Lafferty's service under Shawhan during the early part of the war. I will present this in two or three parts. Enjoy! Bob Francis ______________ John SHAWHAN Major, CSA by Robert E. Francis _________________________________________ Birth: 2 Apr 1811 Military: 1846/1861-62 Veteran of the Mexican War; Confederate Officer Death:2 Oct 1862, Morgan County, Ky Age: 51 Occupation: Military Officer; sheriff, Ky. legislator Father: Joseph SHAWHAN (1781-1871) Mother: Sarah "Sallie" EWALT (1783-1837) John Shawhan, the son of Joseph Shawhan and Sarah Ewalt, is one of our most colorful ancestors. His exploits as a professional soldier have been well documented in several sources, including Civil War correspondence, eye-witness accounts, newspaper articles, and historical journals and books. The following brief essay will attempt to flesh out this most interesting man. John was born April 2, 1811 in Bourbon County, Kentucky. He grew up on a farm just north of the present day county line of Bourbon and Harrison Counties, about a mile west of State highway 27. He joined the family whiskey distilling business as a young man and continued the family tradition. He married the young and beautiful Tabitha Rush, daughter of George and Jane Rush. The story of how the couple met and fell in love is lost to history. However, one possible scenario has to do with John's much older 1st cousin, Nancy Shawhan. Nancy was the daughter of John's uncle. John Shawhan (1771-1845). Nancy's first husband, Nicholas, died in 1835 and Nancy eventually fell in love with a family friend, George Rush. George's wife, Jane, died in 1838, and the widowed couple began a romance that resulted in marriage, January 30, 1839. It may be that through John's acquaintance with Nancy's husband George, that he met and fell in love with Tabitha. John and Tabitha married early in 1839 and had their first child, Sarah Jane, some time in 1839. Over the course of the next few years, John and Tabitha began their family. Joseph and Maggie were born in 1844 and George H. followed in 1846. It was in May of 1846 that John Shawhan answered the call of his nation to go to war in what became known as the "Mexican War." John was selected as captain of the Cynthiana, Kentucky, contingent, consisting of 105 men. On June 6, the newly formed troop traveled to Louisville, Kentucky, where they joined up with volunteers throughout the state. The Cynthiana men were joined with eight other companies and designated "Company D," under Colonel Humphrey Marshall, and mustered into service. Of the original 105 men who signed up, Company D left Louisville, Kentucky, with only 96 men and, while enroute to Mexico, one man died, bringing the total to 95.(1) The army traveled from Louisville to Memphis, thence to Little Rock and on through Arkansas and Texas to Port Lavacha on the Gulf. The Rio Grande was crossed and the enemy's country invaded. The Battle of Buena Vista on February 21 and 22 1847, was the company's first taste of real war. In that battle Capt. Shawhan's company lost these men: Corporal J.A. Jones, Privates D.P. Rogers, W. McClintock, James Pomeroy. Wounded: Captain John Shawhan, Wm. Snodgrass, I.S. Bryson, W.C. Parker, S.M. Vanhook, George H. Wilson, James Warford and Chas. H. Fowler.(2) Years later, John Shawhan's bravery in battle is remembered by his one-time commander, Colonel, now Brigadier General Marshall: "I value him high; he served under me in Mexico, and I saw him borne from the field at Buena Vista badly wounded. I know he is gallant, and I would have appointed him to command my cavalry force had I the disposition of the matter."(3) The Battle of Buena Vista was the only battle of consequence in which the men were engaged and, while on their way to the City of Mexico, the company's services of twelve months expired. The company returned to New Orleans around the July 1, 1846, received their pay and were discharged from service.(4) John returned to his home in Harrison and Bourbon Counties and assumed the responsibilities of raising his family. Over the next several years, John and Tabitha had several more children. Helena was born in 1848, followed by John in 1850, Daniel in 1852, and Anna in 1855. While John continued in the family's whiskey business, his natural leadership skills led him into other areas of endeavor. He was sheriff of Bourbon county and represented both houses in the Legislature. Tragedy struck the Shawhan home on December 9, 1857, when John's beloved wife Tabitha died at the young age of 38. Tabitha was buried in the old cemetery in Cynthiana, Kentucky, and later moved to the Battle Grove cemetery. -- Bob Francis 1920A Butner St. Ft. Eustis, VA 23604 My Homepage is: http://www.shawhan.com Ruddell's Fort Page: http://www.shawhan.com/ruddlesfort.html Early Bourbon County Families Page: http://www.shawhan.com/bourbonfamilies.html