Peter Turney

(1827 - 1903)
Home State: Tennessee
Command Billet: Commanding Regiment
Branch of Service: Infantry
Unit: 1st Tennessee Infantry (Provisional Army)

Before the Antietam Campaign:
He was a lawyer in Franklin County, Tennessee before the war.

In the Antietam Campaign:
"At Sharpsburg 'Old Pete' Turney climbed the top rail of the board fence along the Harpers Ferry Road. Private Felix Motlow wondered how the old man escaped death as he perched himself in the open admidst a storm of lead. 'Hog drivers, advance!' the colonel whooped. "
(from Priest)

He had commanded Archer's Brigade on the march from Harpers Ferry that morning during General Archer''s absence, and returned to his Regiment as their attack began, late on 17 September, on the left-most flank of the Army of the Potomac.

The remainder of the War:
He was wounded at Fredericksburg (December 1862) in the face and neck, and retired from service 26 May 1864 after a long absence.

After the War:
He later served on the Tennessee Supreme Court for 22 years (1870-92), and was Governor of Tennessee (1893-97).

References, Sources, and other notes:
Sources: Priest, John M., Antietam: The Soldiers' Battle, White Mane Publishing Co., 1990; and
biographical details from the fine Archer's Brigade site of 'stevent'.

More on the Web:
See a picture of him as Governor at Nostalgiaville (scroll down to 1893).

Birth Date: 9/22/1827 Place of Birth: Jasper, TN
Death Date: 10/19/1903 Death Place: Winchester, TN Burial Place: Winchester Cemetery, Franklin County, TN

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