Iredel Buttram

Iredel Buttram (1841-1864) was a Scott County man who died in captivity during the Civil War.

See Also: Scott Countians killed in war

Biography

Born in 1841, Iredel Buttram was the son of Bailey Buttram (1814-1898) and Lucinda McCoy (1816-1881). His father served as Scott County’s second sheriff.

Iredel’s siblings included Joel Buttram (1838-1875), Rosa Hamon (1839-1908), Parzidia Thompson (1848-1880), Ellen Hurtt (1849-1883), Martha Jeffers (1853-1898), Leonard Buttram (1855-1875), and Pauline “Polly” Cecil (1858-1938).

His paternal grandparents were John Buttram and Jane Stephenson. His maternal grandparents are unknown.

Iredel does not appear to have married.

Civil War

Buttram served in Co. G of the 2nd Tennessee Infantry and died at Andersonville prison in Georgia.

Although Iredel’s paternal grandparents were Scott County’s most prolific slaveowners, his family was loyal to the Union. His father served as sheriff of Scott County during the war and carried the results of Scott County’s secession vote to Nashville. Iredel’s older brother, Joel, also served in Co. G of the 2nd Tennessee. Joel and Iredel were the only sons in the family who were fighting age at the time of the war. However, their youngest sister’s husband, Beaty Cecil, rode from Scott County to Nashville on horseback to enlist in the Union army.

Iredel enlisted on Jan. 7, 1862, in Somerset, Ky., and mustered into service on June 5, 1863.

On Nov. 6, 1863, the 2nd Tennessee was overrun by Confederate forces at the Battle of Rogersville in Hawkins County, Tenn. Many of the regiment’s soldiers were captured, including Joel and Iredel and several others from Scott County.

Most of the captured men were held at either Andersonville in Georgia or Belle Isle in Virginia. The prisons became death traps due to disease and illness. Iredel fell ill of dysentery and died on April 20, 1864.

He was buried at Andersonville National Cemetery, in Grave #645.

His brother, Joel, survived imprisonment but died at a young age, in 1875.