Not Forgotten
In Memory of
Maj Gen
Martin E. Green
CSA
Jun 3, 1815
Jun 27, 1863
Above, a memorial marker for Brig. Gen. Green on Generals' Row in Soldiers' Rest.
Martin Edwin Green
He was appointed to the rank of
Brig. General in the late
summer of 1862.
A monument in the Vicksburg National Military Park honoring Brig. Gen. Martin Edwin Green.
Though warned about gazing over the top edge of the defenses, he would say, "A bullet has not been moulded that would kill me." On that 27 Jun, however, he took too long to peek over the parapet at the enemy, and a Union sharpshooter's bullet struck him in the head.
He was known to have fought all day and prayed all night.
His son, Capt. Thomas B. Green, was exchanged after the surrender of Vicksburg, 4 Jul 1863. He was killed in the Battle of Franklin, Tenn.
Brig. Gen. Martin E. Green
Commanding 2d Brigade
Forney's-Bowen's Division
Army of Vicksburg
Killed in this redan June 27, 1863
https://www.fold3.com/image/71724075
It reads:
Confederate Archives show Martin E. Green of Missouri served as a private (see Rebellion Records, Series 1, Vol. 24, Part 2, page 421) in the Mo. S. G. [Missouri State Guards] and Brig. Genl. Mo. S. G. Date of entry into and appointment as an official in said service not found of record. [See webmaster's note below.]
He was appointed Brig. Genl. CSA July 23/62 to take rank July 21/62 and ordered to report to Genl. S[terling] Price for duty.
He was killed Jun 27/63, at Vicksburg, Miss., shot through the head by a sharp-shooter.
No record found of location of his home in Missouri.
Nov. 26/10
Declared elected Brig. Gen. Mo. S. G. Dec. /61.
Webmaster's note: This last notation of Nov. 26 identifies extant the record
that was not
found above, wherein Green was elected Brig. Gen. of Missouri's State Guard.
Death Notice
"We now have to record an event of a most melancholy nature. On the 27th of June, Brig.-Gen. Green of Missouri, was shot in the neck by a minnie ball. He lingered for about an hour, when he died. He was an aged man, beloved by all who knew him, for his devotion to our cause, his intrepid valor, and his genial and amiable qualities; he was a quiet and unassuming man; the meanest [lowest] private in his command had free access to his presence, and he was looked upon by his men, not as a general but a father to his brigade. Many noble sons of Missouri have fallen during this war but none of her martyrs in our war of independence will be spoken of in more glowing terms, or more deserved praise, than 'the old man' who fell in defense of Vicksburg. His wish was gratified -- he lived not to see Vicksburg fail!"
From Commercial Appeal, Wed., Jul 22, 1863, Memphis, Tenn. (vol. 14, pg. 2)
According to the 1860 Missouri census, Martin Edwin Green was residing in Canton Township, Lewis County, Missouri. Like most men at that time, he was a farmer.
Less than three years later, he was a
Brig. General.
When Brig. Gen. Martin E. Green was killed by a sharpshooter 27 Jun 1863 during the siege of Vicksburg, he was buried in George Marshall's lot at Cedar Hill Cemetery, Vicksburg, perhaps in the front left-hand corner.
The funeral home record for this event reads, "Green, Martin E. (Brig. General), 27 June 1863; of Mo.; Interred on George Marshals Lot." (Ragland's Fisher Funeral Home Records, Vicksburg, Mississippi 1854 - 1867, pg. 144)
This lot is located down the hill and across the cemetery from Soldiers'
Rest.
Left and below, the George Marshall lot at Cedar Hill (City) Cemetery in Vicksburg where Gen. Martin Edwin Green was interred. Note the name Marshall on the step.
George Marshall and his wife, Mrs. S. H. Marshall, rest under the two large monuments in the right front corner.
The left front corner is the obvious place of honor for Gen. Green. Is he still there? No records of a re-interment have been found yet.
As late as 1905, according to the NPS, his grave in the Marshall lot was marked by a wooden headboard. (This was probably noted when George Marshall died May 1905.)
From the Official Proceedings of the Tenth Annual Reunion of the Missouri Division, United Confederate Veterans (1897):
RECOMMENDING THAT A COMMITTEE BE APPOINTED TO SECURE THE REMOVAL OF THE REMAINS OF MISSOURI GENERALS TO THE SPRINGFIELD CEMETERY. Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed by the Commander to take under consideration the removal of the remains of General Bowen, General Martin E. Green, General Little and General W. Y. Slack to the Confederate cemetery at Springfield, Mo., with power to act.
How far was this resolution carried?
The findagrave.com page for the General's family lists the following:
Margaret Jane Marks Green, wife of the general
Miranda Elizabeth Green McMurray, daughter of the general
W. Fletcher McMurray, son-in-law of Brig. Gen. Martin E. Green
Are those stylized Union shields on the two markers for the daughter and son-in-law?
(Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 30 June 2018), memorial page for Martin Edwin Green (3 Jun 1815–27 Jun 1863), Find A Grave Memorial no. 9114, citing Cedar Hill Cemetery, Vicksburg, Warren County, Mississippi, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave.)
In the St. Louis Republic newspaper of Sunday, 31 May 1891, entitled, "For Heroes in Gray - Subscriptions to the Ex-Confederate Home Pouring In - Progress of the Work, it was noted that "Mrs. Sallie T. Adams of Edina, Knox County, urges a united effort of the Daughters of the Confederacy of Northeast Missouri to erect a 'Martin E. Green Cottage' at the home."
This news article is referring to the Confederate Home at Higginsville, Mo. (St. Louis Republic newspaper of 16 Sep 1891)
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| An aside: John Thomas Graves ("Uncle Johnny") was the last Confederate veteran to live at this above-mentioned home for veterans, the State Confederate Veterans Home. He died there at the age of 108 on 9 May 1950, Higginsville, Lafayette Co., Mo. He was born 1 Jan 1842, Pike Co., Mo., and was the last of Shelby's Men (the Iron Brigade). After his death, the 92-acre veterans home was demolished. |
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General Green must have been known for his sense of humor, a man who enjoyed a good joke. At a veteran's gathering reported in the Kansas City Times newspaper of 21 Aug 1891 (genealogybank.com), an officer told of an incident which occurred while all the state generals were under command of Gen. Green of the Fourth Division at Van Buren, Arkansas. Short on supplies, the officers had been sending orders out on folded sheets of paper. But now Green had managed to restock the division's stationery. He sent an order out from his headquarters, and the courier, riding at breakneck speed into Gen. Parson's camp, a bright pumpkin-orange message envelope under his arm, "created quite a stir among the soldiers and officers." Gen. Parson being absent, Maj. Lindsay read the order.
"Colonel Standish, the adjutant, came rushing up to learn what order of sufficient importance to warrant such haste had been received. It was a simple order to reduce camp equipage and directing that all cooking utensils should be washed and dried before turning them over. The major had just read it when Standish, breathless from running and excitement, inquired about the order.
"The major opened the paper and began to acquaint the excited adjutant of its contents, turning into doggerel verse as he read:
| To troops
composing the Fourth brigade, This general order here is made! Pots and plates and everything Must be washed in water from the spring; Then take the same and hang them high, And let them swing until they're dry; Or you will meet with disaster In settling with our quartermaster, Now, by these presents it is seen, 'Tis done by order of General Green, And signed by Colonel B. C. Brent, This general's acting adjutant. |
"Standish had the major write out his versified paraphrase and furnished to the boys, who made up a chorus and sang it to the tune of 'Dixie' every time Colonel Brent passed them."
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