Riley M. Richardson

Born: About 1836 in Jackson County, now Putnam County, Tennessee

Died: 22 Feb 1864 in the Battle of Dug Hill, White/Putnam Counties, Tennessee

Company I, 5th Tennessee Cavalry

24 Nov 1862-22 Feb 1864

Riley is the son of Barnett Richardson Jr and Madison Riddy.  This line of Richardsons have been proven by DNA as not related to our line of Richardsons.  Riley married Melissa Arminta Elmore daughter of George Washington Elmore and Sarah "Sally" Bussell.  They only had one child born in August 1864 after Riley was dead.  Arminta remarried in 1866 to Hizer Valentine Richardson (one of our relatives).  With Hizer, she had another seven kids between 1867 and 1879.  She drew a widow's pension until her remarriage.  Riley's one kid also drew an orphan's pension until he reached 16 years of age.

Riley's military record shows a promotion from Private to Sergeant on 22 Feb 1863.  Previously, in Jan 1863 he had been listed as deserted from a forage train.  This was later changed to being "sick in hospital".  Who knows the facts?  In any case, he was with his company on the fateful patrol when they were ambushed at Dug Hill.  He was one, of at least, three Mine Lick Creek men killed in that battle.

Many reports are on the internet regarding the battle.  They vary widely in their accounts.  The above is a newspaper report from the Nashville Daily Union of 15 Mar 1864.  The reports vary from 21 to 75 Union soldiers killed.  In any event, Riley was one of them.  Riley is buried in the William Heizer Richardson Family Cemetery on Mine Lick Creek. 

For more info on this battle, I recommend John Banks Civil War Blog.  John seems to be "fair and balanced".  His Dug Hill Battle blog is at: 

John Banks Civil War Blog - Dug Hill Battle