Sam Davis burial monument

Sam Davis was the Boy Hero of the Confederacy during the Civil War. He is buried in a small cemetery behind his family's home in Smyrna, TN.

2011 Tennessee State Capitol Christmas with Sam Davis Statue

Sam Davis was nicknamed the Boy Hero of the Confederacy, who's story is well known. He lived in Smyrna, was captured in Minor Hill and executed in Pulaski. In his honor, the state built a statue which resides at the front corner of the Capitol Hill grounds. To see more photos of Sam Davis Landmarks, click here.

The Tennessee State Capitol sits upon Capitol Hill in downtown Nashville. It was designed in a Greek Revival style by prominent architect William Strickland and completed in 1859.

For Christmas, all of the lights along the base of the capitol have added a red tinting which colors most of the building. Only the lights for the cupola have not changed to red, however the lights inside the cupola window are green if you look closely. The Sam Davis statue is lit nightly, and like most metal statues has turned green over the years, which contrasts well with the red illumination of the Capitol.

Sam Davis Executed here

The Boy Hero of the Confederacy was executed at this spot in Pulaski, TN on Nov 27, 1863. A small museum was erected near this spot. This area of town is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Sam Davis Avenue Historic District.

Sam Davis Museum - Pulaski, TN

Located in a National Historic District near the center of Pulaski, TN, the museum stands almost on the spot where the "Boy Hero of the Confederacy" was executed on November 27, 1863. Captured behind enemy lines with damaging information in his possession, Davis faced death by hanging rather than betray his source. The museum contains Civil War memorabilia as well as leg irons worn by young Sam Davis. The Museum is maintained by the Giles County Historical Society by Appointment Only. The actual spot of the execution is marked with a simple stone marker.

The day before I found this museum, which is tucked away in a residential neighborhood, I found a post card of this place in an antique store in the town of Cowan.

The Place Where Sam Davis was Captured

If you are a fan of Civil War Confederate Boy Hero Sam Davis, there are two well known places to visit, his mansion is Smyrna and his museum in Pulaski. There is a third spot which has become more forgotten, perhaps because it's more in the middle of nowhere.

The area is known as Minor Hill, a rural area in Giles County. It's just off of highway TN11 just 2 or 3 miles north of the Alabama border. The actual street this is located on is Sam Davis Dr. To help you spot it, between Sam Davis Dr and TN11 is a small street with a median named Monument Dr.

On the top of the monument is a capital D in a circle, then this text:

Place where Sam Davis was captured Nov. 19, 1863. Minor Hill, Tennessee
Executed at Pulaski Tenn. Nov. 27, 1863
When Offered his freedom for information, his answer was, "No, I cannot, I would rather die a thousand deaths than betray a friend or be false to a duty."
No Greater Love hath man that this: Life for one's friend to give, that soul divine, speaks to his foe, "I Die that you may live.

Tomorrow is Free Day in May

Are you in or near Rutehrford County and looking for something free to do? Well this Saturday is the annual Free Day in May for several attractions. Included among the places you can see for free is the Sam Davis home in Smyrna and the Oaklands Historic House and Museum in Murfreesboro.





For full details, check out this story on the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal website, DNJ.com:
'Free Day in May' to kick off the 2012 tourism season in Rutherford County

Sam Davis Statue at Giles County Courthouse

The Sam Davis Monument on the south side of the square, was erected in honor of the young "Boy Hero" confederate scout who was captured on the old Lamb's Ferry Road south of Minor Hill and executed in Pulaski on November 27, 1863. The monument was erected through the joint efforts of the John H. Woolridge Bivouac and the Giles County Chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy and cost $2,000.00. The same Italian sculptor who carved the figure marking the grave of Governor John C. Brown in Maplewood Cemetery carved the statue. The monument in front of the ornate courthouse cupola was dedicated October 11, 1906 as a part of the program of the Confederate reunion which met in Pulaski at that date.

Speaking of the courthouse, a different courthouse would have made the backdrop when the statue was built, the same one seen in a famous civil war photograph. In that photo, many citizens are lined up along the street when Sam Davis was to be hanged. That courthouse burned down in 1907, and the current courthouse was completed in 1909.

There is another Sam Davis statue on the grounds of the Tennessee State Capitol and also, the Sam Davis Mansion in Smyrna, TN is available for tours. Finally, there's a monument where he was captured at Minor Hill. For all my Sam Davis related pictures, Look Here.

Post Card Tuesday: Sam Davis Statue at State Capitol

This vintage post card depicts the Sam Davis Statue at the State Capitol. It is located at the Southeast corner of Capitol Hill. There are stairs that lead up to the statue and a concrete bench allows people to sit at the base on either side.

The biggest change between now and then has to do with the landscaping. Back then, you can see red flowers were planted to spell out his name, but today this entire area is just grass.

Sam Davis Statue & Courthouse Cupola

The Sam Davis Monument on the south side of the square, was erected in honor of the young "Boy Hero" confederate scout who was captured on the old Lamb's Ferry Road south of Minor Hill and executed in Pulaski on November 27, 1863. The monument was erected through the joint efforts of the John H. Woolridge Bivouac and the Giles County Chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy and cost $2,000.00. The same Italian sculptor who carved the figure marking the grave of Governor John C. Brown in Maplewood Cemetery carved the statue. The monument in front of the ornate courthouse cupola was dedicated October 11, 1906 as a part of the program of the Confederate reunion which met in Pulaski at that date.

Speaking of the courthouse, a different courthouse would have made the backdrop when the statue was built, the same one seen in a famous civil war photograph. In that photo, many citizens are lined up along the street when Sam Davis was to be hanged. That courthouse burned down in 1907, and the current courthouse was completed in 1909.

There is another Sam Davis statue on the grounds of the Tennessee State Capitol and also, the Sam Davis Mansion in Smyrna, TN is available for tours.

As an aside, if you look just below and to the left of the clock on the courthouse cupola, you will see what looks like a bird.  In reality, it is a kite.  If you look closely, you might see the pole and the rope that holds it up.  There was a second one on the other side.