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Jesse Berryman II
B: 14 Dec 1845 Milltown, Chambers Co, AL
D: 19 Aug 1922 (Opelika Hospital)
Buried Canaan Cemetery
Married 27 Feb 1871 in Notasulga, AL

Helen Evelyn Cox
B: 29 Jul 1846 Notasulga, AL
D: 1 Oct 1921 Lee Co, AL
Buried Canaan Cemetery
Daughter of Willis Cox & Elizabeth Moore

Jesse Berryman Robinson II and Helen Evelyn Cox Robinson

Jesse Berryman Robinson II enlisted 1 Mar 1863 at Milltown, AL as a private in Company K of the 8th Confederate Cavalry Regiment. He was wounded several times and was hospitalized in Augusta, GA until 23 Feb 1865 when he was sent home on furlough and was there when the war ended. Click here for Jesse Berryman Robinson II Oath and Parole after Civil War.

Jesse II children in front of the old Robinson house around 1920. Double click on image to enlarge - one click to reduce.

Jesse II children in front of the old Robinson house in July 1948 Double click on image to enlarge - one click to reduce.

Jesse II grandchildren in front of the old Robinson house around 1920. Double click on image to enlarge - one click to reduce.

Seated across front left to right: Lelia Robinson, Mary Ann Holston, boy partially hidden may be Gilbert Maulsby, Daniel Robinson, girl between Jesse II and Helen Cox Robinson is Cordelia Holstun. Girl in front of Jesse II is Helen Maulsby and Samuel Robinson is to the right. Standing across back left to right: Evelyn Robinson, Benjamin Robinson, Nell Graves, Jesse Berryman Robinson IV, W.C. Robinson and Ervin Robinson.

Siegrid Robinson in front of the Robinson house in 1989

The old "Robinson" house was known as the Bigerstaff Plantation. Jesse B. Robinson II had purchased the home in 1870. It was family tradition, handed down from Jesse, that the home was originally built around 1830 when the land was still claimed by the Creek Indians. Deed records indicate that it was among the first permanent farms established in eastern Alabama. The original house was twenty by thirty with a half-story sleeping loft above. Later, a ten foot hall was added to the side and rooms were added on making four large rooms each with a chimney. Stairs in the hall led to the upper room. A dining room and kitchen formed the L, with porches on both sides, and a ten foot wide veranda with columns across the front. Vis1ble in the attic loft were thirty foot long hand hewn beams and rafters. All of the framing was joined by wood pegs driven in hand drilled holes. In front of the house was a grove of oak trees. In the rear a grove of pecan and hickory trees led to a large spring. Also, in the rear were the slave quarters, the foundations of which could still be seen as late as 1900.

The experiences of JESSE B. ROBINSON II in the Confederate Army were often told to his children. The following are narratives written by two of his children. By Willis Cox Robinson: My father, Jesse Berryman Robinson, attempted to enlist in the Southern Army in the "War Between the States" in 1861. He was 15 years old at the time and was turned down because he was too young and too small. In the winter of 1862 when he became heavy enough to enlist, he did so. The first company he was in was Company "E". He was later in Companies "I" and "K" in the Eighth Confederacy [Cavalry]. He was under the command of Col. Prater [John S. Prather] and General "Fighting Joe" Wheeler of Alabama. As cavalrymen smoked practically all the time, a soldier was detailed with Father, teaching him to smoke. He had practiced shooting a pistol until he was an expert. The night before the Battle of Chickamauga, September 19th and 20th, 1863, Wheeler's Cavalry camped across the Chickamauga Creek near Reed's Bridge. They went into battle early next morning going southwest into the battlefield and Father received his first wound in that battle. A little southwest of where the Alabama monument now stands, Father was wounded. He showed me the place during the dedication of the monument. A bombshell tube hit his big toe of his right foot. He got off his horse and picked up the tube and put it in his pocket. (The tube is in the Archives at Montgomery, Ala. placed there by my sister, Mrs. Helen R. Graves). A few minutes later, a minnie ball hit his sabre and broke it against his right hip and thigh. He fought through the battle to and through "Bloody Pond" near Lytle, just north of Wilders Tower. The cavalry on both sides fought with empty pistols as clubs in hand to hand fighting, also used sabres. Father's sabre being broken, he used his pistol as a club. The soldier's faces were so dark from tearing small containers of powder with their teeth to reload their pistols, one could not tell who anyone was except by their uniforms. After sundown, a pond of blood and water had formed in the flat section giving it its name. That night they cut Father's boot off and doctored his foot. There was quite a bit of scouting in and about Chattanooga. I don't remember the exact dates. A Fourth Michigan Cavalryman who fought in Bloody Pond told me that a group of his companions who were camped in North Chattanooga were detailed to go to Dalton, Georgia and burn the Confederate wagon train and supplies. They went, but he admitted that about the time they got there heard "Wheeler is coming" and rushed away, not doing a good job. He said "when we heard that Forest was coming, we knew we had to fight, but when we heard Wheeler was coming, our faces would break out with sweat, because we expected the fight at once." In the retreat through North Georgia, Father in crossing over a creek at Resacca, Georgia on slabs laid on cross ties on a railroad bridge had his horse's front foot slip between the slabs and hurt his knee badly. Near that time he had the measles. I don't remember whether he was cared for in Camp or in Dalton, Ga. Down somewhere near Kinnesaw Mountain north of Atlanta, Father was ordered to report to Gen. Morgan. He found Morgan lying on a pallet in his tent talking to Gen. Wheeler. Father only being 17 years old, Morgan asked Gen. Wheeler "do you propose to trust these papers in that lad's hands?" Wheeler replied: "Col. Prater [John S. Prather] selected Rob and knowing him personally as I do, I don't believe I know of a better man." One reason of Fathers selection was he was an expert shot. After some questions and instruction about destroying the papers if shot by the enemy, Morgan ordered him not to spare his horse, promising another if his horse was ruined, and gave instructions on how to get to Gen. A. P. Hill. Father was allowed to fill his canteen from a jug of whiskey setting beside Morgan's pallet. The whiskey was to be used only after he had delivered the messages, or destroyed them if severely wounded. While riding through, he stopped at a house and asked for "Buttermilk" and asked a lady if she had seen any "Rats". She said "two just ahead." Being a cold morning, Father took his saddle blanket off his horse mainly to cover his uniform as he knew he was in enemy territory. He rode on to Gen. A. P. Hill who was on a ridge with field glasses watching an infantry battle in the valley below. When Father delivered his message to Gen Hill, Hill complimented him on his being two hours earlier than the time given. When Gen Hill opened the papers, Father asked for the General's field glasses. Hill gave them to him and Father watched the infantry battle while Hill read the message. After Gen. Hill gave him a verbal reply, he instructed Father to retire as minnie balls were flying all around them. Gen. Hill said, "No need of two men exposing themselves unless necessary." The promised horse was not found waiting for Father and he being tired of riding a sore back horse, heard that Grandfather had him a good horse. After the Battle of Jonesburrough when Hood succeeded Johnston and because Father had the horse of a cousin killed in that battle; he tried to get a furlough to go home to deliver his cousin's horse and get his new one. Father, having failed to get a furlough and since Hood had started on his wild goose chase back up into Tennessee, like many others, Father left without leave. He swam his horse across the Chattahoochie at Fillpots Ferry [David Filpotts Ferry is now at the bottom of West Point Lake in Heard Co GA] and went home. Note: The Confederate Calavry soldier was required to provide his own horse. If his horse was killed he was responsible for replacing it or he would have to fight as an infantryman. Union Calavry soldiers were provide horses by their unit. After Father had rested up a while, he helped to organize and train a company of old men and boys. When Gen. Johnston succeeded Gen. Hood and called for the return of his men, two other soldiers on leave like Father started back to Gen. Johnston at West Point, Ga. They had to get a pass to go on not having furloughs. They decided to prove they were trained cavalrymen, so they got out in the main street and began knocking off each others hats and picking them up by whirling in the saddle with their horses at a gallop. A crowd gathered to watch them and someone pitched out a 25 cent piece. They picked it up several times until they felt they had satisfied the crowd and the soldiers watching them. One of the three asked Father to ride into a bunch of turkeys on a hill nearby, saying he would pay for the ones he missed, and in undertone told Father to kill only about three or four. Father rode in a gallop up into the turkeys and shot three times taking the top of the heads off two turkeys and unjointing the neck of the other. Thinking that they had satisfied the crowd, Father was elected to get the passes. An officer whom you could hardly tell his rank by his uniform, proved to be Gen. Tyler in charge of West Point. Father told him his business and was asked to Tyler's office upstairs. Gen. Tyler asked him for his furlough. Of course Father told him he had lost it. After some discussion he got a pass. He told Gen. Tyler the two men holding his horse were as brave as ever faced with the enemy and had lost their furloughs and wanted passes too. He got them and they went on to Johnston. The three soldiers went back and the final battle in which Jesse B. Robinson fought was near Aiken, S. C. A minnie ball passed through his thigh a short distance above his knee, shattering the thigh bone. His' comrades advised him that the Yankees would get to him before he could be taken eight miles to Aiken, S. C. He had them give him a drink, put him on his horse and he rode the eight miles to a church in Aiken being used as a hospital. There he was taken off his horse and carried to the church door. When he saw the treatment of the men, using saws, etc., because they had no better means, he refused to go in and he was finally put in the Pastor's study. This room was being used for the dead. While waiting his turn in the dead room, a preacher who appeared at the hanging of Sam Davis and at other times of slaughter, kneeled and examined Father and his wound. He asked Father his age. Father told him 19 years old and he said: "Don't let them cut your leg off, you are too young and in good health to lose it." At Father's request he gave him his saddle bags containing a pistol and some whiskey. The men in charge wanted to amputate the leg, but Father used his pistol in hand and saved the leg which lasted him until he died at 77 years of age. Note: Eric J. Wittenberg book "Five or Ten Minutes of Blind Confusion" on the Aiken battle. Mr Wittenberg list Jesse II as one of the wounded in the Aiken battle. My father was the first Commander of the Waverly, Alabama, Camp of the Confederacy. He went thru the War as "Rob" to his comrades. By Helen Robinson Graves: My father, Jesse Berryman Robinson II, born in Milltown, Alabama, was a young fellow when the "War Between the States" started. At the time my Grandfather had him away in West Point, Ga., at a private boarding school for boys. Spending his first Christmas at home, he found his two older brothers home from the War. William, a Captain and Thomas a Lieutenant, both in the cavalry, were in their uniforms and carrying swords and pistols. This appealed very much to his young mind as he asked his father to let him join up. Of course Grandfather sent him back to school but before the term was over he ran away from school and joined a Georgia Company. Many interesting episodes happened to him. He had a horse shot from under him and another one received a broken leg. He played in the snow and had to be hospitalized at Rassacker, Ga. He was in Company K, 8th Confederate Cavalry at the Battle near Aiken, S.C. when a Minnie ball struck him just above the knee. He did not realize he had been shot until some one called to him that blood was running from him down over his boots and called his attention to it. He was taken to the rear where he received some first aid. He was told he could not get back to the Confederate Hospital without being captured anyway, so he was told to ride eight miles into Augusta, Ga., where the Yankees had a Hospital in an old Church. On arrival he was placed near where they were operating and treating the wounded. He could hear the cries of the men so when he refused to go in, they put him elsewhere. An elderly Preacher or Doctor came to him and asked him how old he was and he told him he was 19 years. Then he was advised not to have his leg taken off, that he was too young, and that his youth would help him through. Later when they came for him he asked what they intended to do. When they said amputate his leg, he insisted they were not to do so and that he was told to wait for this older Doctor who would care for him. He was taken care of by the older Doctor, and with some trouble finally was able to be out of the Hospital on crutches when the War closed. Later he was told he could go home if he signed allegiance to the United States, but he stated he would sign when he arrived home. He wrote his father they would discharge him and for him to come for him. Grandfather took his carriage driver and went to Augusta, Ga. for him. On arrival Grandfather asked him to see if he could get his horse, which had been taken by the Yankees. When father asked the Officer in charge, he laughed at him and said, "Boy, we don't know which horse is ours." Father said, "If I can prove to you which is my horse, will you let me take him?" Father has lost so many horses in this War, he needs this horse on the farm." He was taken to the Commanding Officer and told if he could prove to the Officer in charge which horse was his, he could have him. So he and the Officer went to the enclosure where the horses were kept and father called "Monk, come here", probably once or twice, and Monk came to him. The Officer in charge said, "Boy, you have chosen one of our finest horses. How did you know what name to call?" Then father said, "I will go out here and lie down and when I call to him you let him come to me." This he did and when he called, "Monk, come," the horse walked over to him. Father then said, "Monk, down, down Monk". The horse got down on the ground beside father and he and his crutches climbed up on him. The horse got up gently and walked back to the Officer who said, "I believe that is your horse." So Grandfather tied the horse to the back of the carriage and they went back to Milltown. You see, the Slaves had taught the horse to lay beside on command so if father was ever hurt on the battlefield, he could climb on and get away. NOTE: There is some discrepancy between the two narratives concerning Jesse Robinson's final injury. However, the following information taken from his Alabama Confederate Pension application supports his daughter's rendition. Entered War March 1, 1861 from Mill Town, Alabama. Wounded: Three times. 1st. Resacca, Ga. Knee cap. 2nd. Tunnell Hill. Tube of Minnie ball struck foot and large toenail removed. 3rd. Aiken, S. C. Left limb, bullet split bone three inches above knee. Entered Hospital at Augusta, Ga. Feb 12, 1865. Discharged on crutches Feb. 23, 1865. Home on furlough when war ended.