Photo on left taken in Nashville, TN after mustering out of service
in 1864.
Photo on the right was taken in 1881
Submitted by Sue Martin
Joseph Ardis
Joseph Ardis went into the 4th Georgia Cavalry along with Thomas Frasier, but neither Joseph nor Thomas was mustered in. They did not stay long enough to draw arms but did receive pistols. Both left the 4th Georgia and enlisted in the 1st Tennessee & Alabama Independent Vidette Cavalry 28 Aug 1863. Joseph was 23 years old at that time. After he was discharged 16 June 1864, he went to Nashville, Tennessee to be paid. The above picture was taken at that time. After his discharge, Joseph, along with several other men from Company A, hid out in the mountains until it was safe to go home. Joseph ran a blacksmith shop for a time after the war.
Joseph served with one of his brothers, Andrew Jackson Ardis. He also served with two brothers-in-law, Ivory Sanders and Levi Thrower.
Dr. J.O. Robertson said "he was a young man of splendid physique, a large and strong man."
In 1889 James M. Fowler who had moved to Montague County, Texas signed an affidavit stating that he knew Joseph Ardis was at the mill fight near Scottsboro, Alabama. He said "I remember soon after the mill fight that he (Ardis) was sick in camp and his wife visited him." Mrs. McAnely got dinner and we all laughed at his awkwardness." (Mrs. McAnely must have been mother of William H. McAnely?) James M. Fowler, suffering from neuralgia, was one of the men who had to lie out in the mountains with Joseph. Joseph became overheated at the Hunts Mill fight and he developed a cough that never stopped. His lungs were weakened and he was in pain the biggest portion of the time. Joseph had always been a hard working man but after he was discharged, Dr. Robertson advised him "to act with caution". He disregarded the Doctor's advice, exposed himself while manufacturing molasses, was taken with congestion of the lungs and liver terminating in pneumonia ending in his death. Thomas Frasier said of the mill fight, "We got over heated by fighting and backing. This continued for about two or three hours and a great many of our men got overheated. We go cut up and scattered and it was a week before we got together again.
In Delila Ardis’s pension claim James M. Fowler stated the following: "Soon after we was discharged and got home Joseph Ardis came to my house with some provisions cooked and after we had eat our dinner at my house we went to the mountains to lay out. We had just got out of sight when several bushwhackers galloped up to my house inquiring for me." Hiram Kirkpatrick was one of the men that hid out with Joseph and he made this statement: "We had to take to the woods just like hogs."
Taken from Malinda Thrower's pension file. Levi Thrower was sent with me (Joseph Ardis) by order of the commanding officer at Larkensville to aid me in making arrangements to remove my family from their home about 5 miles from Guess Creek to a place in Guess Creek where they would be safe from Guerrillas.
Thomas Frasier stated the following about their service in the Confederate Army: "Ardis and I went into the Confederate Army but never serviced or mustered into the Confederate Army. We did not stay long enough to draw arms only pistols. We were in the Confederate Army only 4 or 5 weeks. We scouted about a little bit and hunted conscripts."
Note: Dr. J.O. Robertson served as a Doctor in the 4th Georgia Regiment.
