352. Pensacola's Last Confederate Veteran 1938

Updated: Mar 23, 2022

John Ely Spoon was born in Chambers County, Alabama on July 27, 1841, the son of Levy J. (farmer and constable) and Eliza S. Spoon. Eventually, the family migrated to Pike County, Alabama, fifty miles south of Montgomery. Here, John and his brother James would both marry, with John's wife Miss L. Ames passing away two months later. As the storm clouds gathered over the nation, the two brothers would enlist at Camp Davis in company "I" of the 17th Alabama Infantry Regiment, while their father Levy joined the 1st Alabama Cavalry. Even his future Pensacola neighbor, Daniel Majors had joined up with John and James. They were known as the "Pike Rangers" and were sent to Pensacola to assist in the bombardment of Ft. Pickens. Eventually, they were sent north to confront Grant at the battle of Shiloh.

On the morning of April 6, 1862, Spoon and the regiment woke to eat a cold breakfast so not to awaken the unsuspecting enemy lines. Spoon’s regiment was placed in line, shoulder to shoulder, behind their regimental colors. Their mouths were already dry with fear and the day had hardly begun. There was hushed whispers as the men became absorbed in the arrangement of their clothing, buttoning, and unbuttoning their short gray jackets. There was nothing chivalric with what was about to happen. These men were preparing for battle and many of them would soon be torn apart, eviscerated, or blown into a fine red mist before the muzzles of the enemy guns. With that a definite possibility, even buttoning their fly assumed the dignity of a final act.

Finally, the regiment surged forward. Thousands of men walked shoulder to shoulder along a mile and a half front. As they marched, Spoon and his comrades had no way to know the real hell was yet to come. They whispered encouragement back and forth to as they climbed over obstacles in their way. At first, there appeared to be no reaction from the enemy, but they all knew that would not last. Suddenly, the whistles of the Minie balls flying past became noticeable, then the screams of the shells overhead making them instinctively duck their heads. But there was no cover to protect them. Then, came the unmistakable sound of men hit by rifle fire up and down the line. The sound was like a whizzing followed by a hollow “thunk” as the bullet slammed into flesh and bone. Spoon was hit in his right hand but kept moving forward. Gaps began to appear in the gray lines. Soldiers around Spoon were sprayed with blood as orders came down the line, “quick time!” Then out of the smoke came a cannon shot that struck a soldier squarely in the chest cutting him in half and continuing into the ranks behind. Suddenly, a sheet of flame leapt out from the Union line, no more than a hundred yards away. The sound was like a single crash, louder than the cannon’s roar. But Spoon scarcely heard the roar as he raised his loaded musket to his shoulder, sighting along the shining barrel and fired into the smoke and flame ahead.

Nearby was Pensacola’s 1st Florida Infantry Regiment where many influential Pensacola families were well represented in its ranks. There was Henry Bonifay, the 18-year old son of Felix Bonifay, killed on the first day of battle. Auguste Christian went down not far away from Sergeant Thomas Commyns, both seriously wounded. James G. Gonzalez was wounded as well. Albert Hyer was seriously wounded as was William Bell Runyan’s son. His son would survive Shiloh and return home to establish Runyan Machine Works. Other Pensacolians who failed to return from the fields of Shiloh that day was Laurence Anderson, William Buckner, James Hall, Albert Hall, Josh Hinton, H. Lindsey, and Isaac McCardle.

By 4:00 that afternoon the exhausted regiment had run out of ammunition but were ordered to advance with the bayonet and advance. By 6:00 almost all Federal resistance had collapsed and over 2,000 had been taken prisoner and massive casualties on both sides. During the night, Grant received huge reinforcements that led to more death the next day. The battle would end with a Union victory but with a total of 23,000 dead and 84,000 wounded or captured and a nightmarish vision of what was to come!

Afterwards, they were sent to Mobile, where John left the regiment in 1864 to join the 2nd Engineer Corps under Captain John L. Bones. Cpl. Spoon would fight once more at the Battle of Spanish Fort before surrendering in Meridian, Mississippi in 1865. He would remarry Emaline "Emily" M. Wright (1830-1903), widow of David F. Wright who died with the 61st Alabama Regiment in 1864. With her came her four children Theodosia "Dosie" Wright (1860-1909), Rebecca L. and Tempsy L. Wright, and Thomas Jackson Wright (1864-1923). Together they would have two children: Dora A. Rowe (1869-1949) and Laura Jane Spoon Berry (1870-1951). Following Emily's tragic death in 1903, John remarried on June 15, 1910 to Mrs. Francis “Fannie” Kelly Jernigan Spoon (1850-1943).

John spent most of his post war years as a mechanic, but he remembered Pensacola from his military days. So, he relocated to Pensacola around 1880 where he became a millwright and carpenter. A lot of his carpentry work was for the L&N railroad where he helped build the round house downtown and other railroad structures. He moved to Brent, Florida in 1883 and built himself a house that was standing until just a few years ago. During the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1882, he and his wife and a brother came down with the dreaded disease, which eventually took his sibling’s life. When they built the L&N depot in Brent it was Spoon who became the station agent and then the Postmaster where he served for the next forty-one years. The post office was finally closed when the rural free delivery service went into effect. He was also a member of the United Confederate Veteran Camp #10. For many years he could be seen dressed in his old gray uniform and telling stories about his ward experiences. John had applied for his Florida Confederate pension in 1907, which was granted for $100 per year. Dr. William D. Nobles and W. C Dewberry reflected he was suffering from rheumatism and debilitation due to age and unable to perform manual labor.

Finally, the old soldier had one last battle to fight, one that he lost on November 27, 1938. Accompanied by volunteers from the Camp #1 of the UCV, he was laid to rest amidst Emily and his family. Upon his death, Fannie applied for a widow's pension in December 1938 and was approved in the amount of $600 per year.

17th Alabama Infantry Regimental colors

Spoon's original commander, Colonel

Thomas H. Watts (1819-1892)

John's father Levi J. Spoon enlisted in the 1st Alabama Cavalry

John's brother James H. Spoon enlisted in same company

The bloodbath battle known as Shiloh on April 6-7, 1862

John joined the 2nd Engineer Corps in 1864 in Pensacola where he was responsible for construction of earthworks, artillery pads, fortifications etc. throughout the remainder of the war. John's gravestone states he was in Company "C" yet it was Company "I" that remained in the Mobile area of Ft. Gaines and Ft. Morgan at the end of the war.