He was the son of Michael Wolf and Elizabeth Adams. He had a storied Civil War military record.
He enlisted in the army July 1861 at Yellville Ark with his many area friends ( the minimhjm age for enlistment may be 21). It is not clear exactly what George Washington Wolf served in Company I, ?Fourteenth Arksnsas Infanthyr REgiment (Powers) which was commmanded by Captain Wythe Adams, a cousin. But this George Washington Wolf had a brother in this unit so it is thought it might be this person serving in the same unit as his brother. They fought the same battles on both sides of the Mississippi River. Unlike his brother, though, when John was captured he was able to escape and was decorated by the Confederate Government for this meritorious act of a large body of Confederate prisoners escaping. (See account under John B. Wolf). George Washington Wolf appears to have been captured twice; paroled and or exchanged twice in one year - OR it could be that it was two different George Washington Wolf as it is known that George Washington Wolf son of William M. Wolf was also serving CSA and his family thinks he is the one who was Drummajor of this company. More research needs to be done here.
A George Wolf was captured; made a Prisoner of War and appears on the POW list after the balltes of Iuka, Miss, 19 Sep 1862: Corinth, Miss, 3 & 4 Oct. 1862: Hatchie, Miss, 5 & 6 Oct, 1862: The lists are dated at Corinth, Federal Hedaquarters, October 14, 1862,
A receipt for /george, the prisoner, was given by Major Watts, the agent for "exchange for POW" heretofore paroled on board the steamer DACOTAH near Vicksburg, Miss. Oct 18, 1862.
Confederate hero was Milam history maker
By Jeanne Williams
Temple Daily Telegram - 2011-01-31
CAMERON — John B. Wolf made Milam County history as the last person to officiate in the combined offices of sheriff and tax collector, and the first to become the county's designated tax collector.
But American history remembers Wolf for his involvement in a famous Civil War episode chronicled by newspapers as The Maple Leaf Incident — a victory for the Confederates, and an embarrassing defeat to the Union Army.
Wolf mustered into the Confederate Army as a private, and was commissioned captain of Company I, 14th Arkansas Infantry in 1862. Though never wounded, Wolf's capture and escape made head lines.
On the capture of Port Hudson, La., in June 1863, federal authorities paroled privates, but retained commissioned officers, including Wolf, with the intention of imprisoning them.
One of Wolf's fellow escapees was Capt. Joseph H. Long, a former Milam County deputy sheriff who enlisted in Capt. Charles Buckholts' 4th Regiment Texas Mounted Volunteers, and who served in Sibley's Brigade in the Battle of Glorieta in New Mexico. Long, captured in the Battle of Port Hudson, "was one of the prisoners of war, who on June 10, 1863, while being transported ...rose on the guard, overpowered it and made their escape."
Long survived the war and returned to Milam County.
"We were put aboard a gunboat at Port Hudson and sent down to New Orleans, where we were transferred to the steamer Catawba guarded by Billy Wilson's New York Zouaves and taken to Fortress Monroe," Wolf stated in a narrative for the book "History of Texas."
At that point the prisoners were transferred to another steamer called The Maple Leaf manned by a captain and crew of 15 sailors, plus federal soldiers commanded by a lieutenant. The intention was to transport the Confederate officers to Johnson's Island near New York City, Wolf said.
"We had no desire to go to prison and we were not long in making up our minds to affect an escape if such a thing were possible," Wolf said. The 75 Confederate officers began plotting an escape, though they recognized the advantage of armed federals guarding them.
"But the Confederates, being officers and, as you might say in a certain sense picked men, were not lacking in brains, resource and courage," Wolf said.
The Confederates waited quietly for the opportunity to take over. Once the ship was out to sea, the federals relaxed their vigilance "trusting, I reckon to the waters and to our supposed submission to fate."
At 10 a.m., the Confederate prisoners rushed the guards and crew, took over the ship, and headed for the shore. About sundown, the ship secured a safe landing off Cape Henry in Princess Ann County, Va. The escapees paroled federal guards and crew and left behind about 10 of their sick or wounded on board. The rest set out on foot for Richmond.
"We were then, although we did not know it, in Union lines, but we soon began to encounter obstacles and these multiplied as we proceeded until it became expedient for us to seek safety in the swamps of North Carolina," Wolf said. "We were concealed in those swamps some 10 to 12 days, being fed and protected by the families of Confederate soldiers who were then at the front and kept informed by them the movements of the enemy. "
An old guerrilla captain named W. B. Sandlin and a company of boys secured small boats and transported the escaped prisoners into Confederate territory, where they set out toward Richmond. Enroute, they were met by a detachment of Gen. D.H. Hill's Cavalry, which had been sent by Confederate President Jefferson Davis to assist the escapees. The Maple Leaf incident reported in northern newspapers had been channeled to authorities at Richmond.
"We received a royal welcome at the seat of the Confederate government, and what we needed and appreciated fully as much, rest and food. For my part I remained there only a few days when I started west to rejoin my command," Wolf said.
Wolf received an honorable discharge at Marshall in May 1865.
From 1865 to 1869, Wolf resided in Arkansas and farmed. In 1866 he married Agnes Adams of Marion County, Ark. They moved to Milam County in 1869, where Wolf farmed and operated a mercantile business in Davilla and Rockdale.
He was elected sheriff/tax collector in 1878, and held the dual office for two years. When the offices of sheriff and tax collector were separated, Wolf was elected Milam County's first tax collector in 1880 and served until 1904.
Accounts provided by the Milam County Historical Museum described Wolf as "one of the most efficient officers the county has ever had. No man could have held as important an office as that of collector as long as he has without giving satisfaction in an eminent degree."
He enlisted in the army July 1861 at Yellville Ark with his many area friends ( the minimhjm age for enlistment may be 21). It is not clear exactly what George Washington Wolf served in Company I, ?Fourteenth Arksnsas Infanthyr REgiment (Powers) which was commmanded by Captain Wythe Adams, a cousin. But this George Washington Wolf had a brother in this unit so it is thought it might be this person serving in the same unit as his brother. They fought the same battles on both sides of the Mississippi River. Unlike his brother, though, when John was captured he was able to escape and was decorated by the Confederate Government for this meritorious act of a large body of Confederate prisoners escaping. (See account under John B. Wolf). George Washington Wolf appears to have been captured twice; paroled and or exchanged twice in one year - OR it could be that it was two different George Washington Wolf as it is known that George Washington Wolf son of William M. Wolf was also serving CSA and his family thinks he is the one who was Drummajor of this company. More research needs to be done here.
A George Wolf was captured; made a Prisoner of War and appears on the POW list after the balltes of Iuka, Miss, 19 Sep 1862: Corinth, Miss, 3 & 4 Oct. 1862: Hatchie, Miss, 5 & 6 Oct, 1862: The lists are dated at Corinth, Federal Hedaquarters, October 14, 1862,
A receipt for /george, the prisoner, was given by Major Watts, the agent for "exchange for POW" heretofore paroled on board the steamer DACOTAH near Vicksburg, Miss. Oct 18, 1862.
Confederate hero was Milam history maker
By Jeanne Williams
Temple Daily Telegram - 2011-01-31
CAMERON — John B. Wolf made Milam County history as the last person to officiate in the combined offices of sheriff and tax collector, and the first to become the county's designated tax collector.
But American history remembers Wolf for his involvement in a famous Civil War episode chronicled by newspapers as The Maple Leaf Incident — a victory for the Confederates, and an embarrassing defeat to the Union Army.
Wolf mustered into the Confederate Army as a private, and was commissioned captain of Company I, 14th Arkansas Infantry in 1862. Though never wounded, Wolf's capture and escape made head lines.
On the capture of Port Hudson, La., in June 1863, federal authorities paroled privates, but retained commissioned officers, including Wolf, with the intention of imprisoning them.
One of Wolf's fellow escapees was Capt. Joseph H. Long, a former Milam County deputy sheriff who enlisted in Capt. Charles Buckholts' 4th Regiment Texas Mounted Volunteers, and who served in Sibley's Brigade in the Battle of Glorieta in New Mexico. Long, captured in the Battle of Port Hudson, "was one of the prisoners of war, who on June 10, 1863, while being transported ...rose on the guard, overpowered it and made their escape."
Long survived the war and returned to Milam County.
"We were put aboard a gunboat at Port Hudson and sent down to New Orleans, where we were transferred to the steamer Catawba guarded by Billy Wilson's New York Zouaves and taken to Fortress Monroe," Wolf stated in a narrative for the book "History of Texas."
At that point the prisoners were transferred to another steamer called The Maple Leaf manned by a captain and crew of 15 sailors, plus federal soldiers commanded by a lieutenant. The intention was to transport the Confederate officers to Johnson's Island near New York City, Wolf said.
"We had no desire to go to prison and we were not long in making up our minds to affect an escape if such a thing were possible," Wolf said. The 75 Confederate officers began plotting an escape, though they recognized the advantage of armed federals guarding them.
"But the Confederates, being officers and, as you might say in a certain sense picked men, were not lacking in brains, resource and courage," Wolf said.
The Confederates waited quietly for the opportunity to take over. Once the ship was out to sea, the federals relaxed their vigilance "trusting, I reckon to the waters and to our supposed submission to fate."
At 10 a.m., the Confederate prisoners rushed the guards and crew, took over the ship, and headed for the shore. About sundown, the ship secured a safe landing off Cape Henry in Princess Ann County, Va. The escapees paroled federal guards and crew and left behind about 10 of their sick or wounded on board. The rest set out on foot for Richmond.
"We were then, although we did not know it, in Union lines, but we soon began to encounter obstacles and these multiplied as we proceeded until it became expedient for us to seek safety in the swamps of North Carolina," Wolf said. "We were concealed in those swamps some 10 to 12 days, being fed and protected by the families of Confederate soldiers who were then at the front and kept informed by them the movements of the enemy. "
An old guerrilla captain named W. B. Sandlin and a company of boys secured small boats and transported the escaped prisoners into Confederate territory, where they set out toward Richmond. Enroute, they were met by a detachment of Gen. D.H. Hill's Cavalry, which had been sent by Confederate President Jefferson Davis to assist the escapees. The Maple Leaf incident reported in northern newspapers had been channeled to authorities at Richmond.
"We received a royal welcome at the seat of the Confederate government, and what we needed and appreciated fully as much, rest and food. For my part I remained there only a few days when I started west to rejoin my command," Wolf said.
Wolf received an honorable discharge at Marshall in May 1865.
From 1865 to 1869, Wolf resided in Arkansas and farmed. In 1866 he married Agnes Adams of Marion County, Ark. They moved to Milam County in 1869, where Wolf farmed and operated a mercantile business in Davilla and Rockdale.
He was elected sheriff/tax collector in 1878, and held the dual office for two years. When the offices of sheriff and tax collector were separated, Wolf was elected Milam County's first tax collector in 1880 and served until 1904.
Accounts provided by the Milam County Historical Museum described Wolf as "one of the most efficient officers the county has ever had. No man could have held as important an office as that of collector as long as he has without giving satisfaction in an eminent degree."
He was the son of Michael Wolf and Elizabeth Adams. He had a storied Civil War military record.
He enlisted in the army July 1861 at Yellville Ark with his many area friends ( the minimhjm age for enlistment may be 21). It is not clear exactly what George Washington Wolf served in Company I, ?Fourteenth Arksnsas Infanthyr REgiment (Powers) which was commmanded by Captain Wythe Adams, a cousin. But this George Washington Wolf had a brother in this unit so it is thought it might be this person serving in the same unit as his brother. They fought the same battles on both sides of the Mississippi River. Unlike his brother, though, when John was captured he was able to escape and was decorated by the Confederate Government for this meritorious act of a large body of Confederate prisoners escaping. (See account under John B. Wolf). George Washington Wolf appears to have been captured twice; paroled and or exchanged twice in one year - OR it could be that it was two different George Washington Wolf as it is known that George Washington Wolf son of William M. Wolf was also serving CSA and his family thinks he is the one who was Drummajor of this company. More research needs to be done here.
A George Wolf was captured; made a Prisoner of War and appears on the POW list after the balltes of Iuka, Miss, 19 Sep 1862: Corinth, Miss, 3 & 4 Oct. 1862: Hatchie, Miss, 5 & 6 Oct, 1862: The lists are dated at Corinth, Federal Hedaquarters, October 14, 1862,
A receipt for /george, the prisoner, was given by Major Watts, the agent for "exchange for POW" heretofore paroled on board the steamer DACOTAH near Vicksburg, Miss. Oct 18, 1862.
Confederate hero was Milam history maker
By Jeanne Williams
Temple Daily Telegram - 2011-01-31
CAMERON — John B. Wolf made Milam County history as the last person to officiate in the combined offices of sheriff and tax collector, and the first to become the county's designated tax collector.
But American history remembers Wolf for his involvement in a famous Civil War episode chronicled by newspapers as The Maple Leaf Incident — a victory for the Confederates, and an embarrassing defeat to the Union Army.
Wolf mustered into the Confederate Army as a private, and was commissioned captain of Company I, 14th Arkansas Infantry in 1862. Though never wounded, Wolf's capture and escape made head lines.
On the capture of Port Hudson, La., in June 1863, federal authorities paroled privates, but retained commissioned officers, including Wolf, with the intention of imprisoning them.
One of Wolf's fellow escapees was Capt. Joseph H. Long, a former Milam County deputy sheriff who enlisted in Capt. Charles Buckholts' 4th Regiment Texas Mounted Volunteers, and who served in Sibley's Brigade in the Battle of Glorieta in New Mexico. Long, captured in the Battle of Port Hudson, "was one of the prisoners of war, who on June 10, 1863, while being transported ...rose on the guard, overpowered it and made their escape."
Long survived the war and returned to Milam County.
"We were put aboard a gunboat at Port Hudson and sent down to New Orleans, where we were transferred to the steamer Catawba guarded by Billy Wilson's New York Zouaves and taken to Fortress Monroe," Wolf stated in a narrative for the book "History of Texas."
At that point the prisoners were transferred to another steamer called The Maple Leaf manned by a captain and crew of 15 sailors, plus federal soldiers commanded by a lieutenant. The intention was to transport the Confederate officers to Johnson's Island near New York City, Wolf said.
"We had no desire to go to prison and we were not long in making up our minds to affect an escape if such a thing were possible," Wolf said. The 75 Confederate officers began plotting an escape, though they recognized the advantage of armed federals guarding them.
"But the Confederates, being officers and, as you might say in a certain sense picked men, were not lacking in brains, resource and courage," Wolf said.
The Confederates waited quietly for the opportunity to take over. Once the ship was out to sea, the federals relaxed their vigilance "trusting, I reckon to the waters and to our supposed submission to fate."
At 10 a.m., the Confederate prisoners rushed the guards and crew, took over the ship, and headed for the shore. About sundown, the ship secured a safe landing off Cape Henry in Princess Ann County, Va. The escapees paroled federal guards and crew and left behind about 10 of their sick or wounded on board. The rest set out on foot for Richmond.
"We were then, although we did not know it, in Union lines, but we soon began to encounter obstacles and these multiplied as we proceeded until it became expedient for us to seek safety in the swamps of North Carolina," Wolf said. "We were concealed in those swamps some 10 to 12 days, being fed and protected by the families of Confederate soldiers who were then at the front and kept informed by them the movements of the enemy. "
An old guerrilla captain named W. B. Sandlin and a company of boys secured small boats and transported the escaped prisoners into Confederate territory, where they set out toward Richmond. Enroute, they were met by a detachment of Gen. D.H. Hill's Cavalry, which had been sent by Confederate President Jefferson Davis to assist the escapees. The Maple Leaf incident reported in northern newspapers had been channeled to authorities at Richmond.
"We received a royal welcome at the seat of the Confederate government, and what we needed and appreciated fully as much, rest and food. For my part I remained there only a few days when I started west to rejoin my command," Wolf said.
Wolf received an honorable discharge at Marshall in May 1865.
From 1865 to 1869, Wolf resided in Arkansas and farmed. In 1866 he married Agnes Adams of Marion County, Ark. They moved to Milam County in 1869, where Wolf farmed and operated a mercantile business in Davilla and Rockdale.
He was elected sheriff/tax collector in 1878, and held the dual office for two years. When the offices of sheriff and tax collector were separated, Wolf was elected Milam County's first tax collector in 1880 and served until 1904.
Accounts provided by the Milam County Historical Museum described Wolf as "one of the most efficient officers the county has ever had. No man could have held as important an office as that of collector as long as he has without giving satisfaction in an eminent degree."
He enlisted in the army July 1861 at Yellville Ark with his many area friends ( the minimhjm age for enlistment may be 21). It is not clear exactly what George Washington Wolf served in Company I, ?Fourteenth Arksnsas Infanthyr REgiment (Powers) which was commmanded by Captain Wythe Adams, a cousin. But this George Washington Wolf had a brother in this unit so it is thought it might be this person serving in the same unit as his brother. They fought the same battles on both sides of the Mississippi River. Unlike his brother, though, when John was captured he was able to escape and was decorated by the Confederate Government for this meritorious act of a large body of Confederate prisoners escaping. (See account under John B. Wolf). George Washington Wolf appears to have been captured twice; paroled and or exchanged twice in one year - OR it could be that it was two different George Washington Wolf as it is known that George Washington Wolf son of William M. Wolf was also serving CSA and his family thinks he is the one who was Drummajor of this company. More research needs to be done here.
A George Wolf was captured; made a Prisoner of War and appears on the POW list after the balltes of Iuka, Miss, 19 Sep 1862: Corinth, Miss, 3 & 4 Oct. 1862: Hatchie, Miss, 5 & 6 Oct, 1862: The lists are dated at Corinth, Federal Hedaquarters, October 14, 1862,
A receipt for /george, the prisoner, was given by Major Watts, the agent for "exchange for POW" heretofore paroled on board the steamer DACOTAH near Vicksburg, Miss. Oct 18, 1862.
Confederate hero was Milam history maker
By Jeanne Williams
Temple Daily Telegram - 2011-01-31
CAMERON — John B. Wolf made Milam County history as the last person to officiate in the combined offices of sheriff and tax collector, and the first to become the county's designated tax collector.
But American history remembers Wolf for his involvement in a famous Civil War episode chronicled by newspapers as The Maple Leaf Incident — a victory for the Confederates, and an embarrassing defeat to the Union Army.
Wolf mustered into the Confederate Army as a private, and was commissioned captain of Company I, 14th Arkansas Infantry in 1862. Though never wounded, Wolf's capture and escape made head lines.
On the capture of Port Hudson, La., in June 1863, federal authorities paroled privates, but retained commissioned officers, including Wolf, with the intention of imprisoning them.
One of Wolf's fellow escapees was Capt. Joseph H. Long, a former Milam County deputy sheriff who enlisted in Capt. Charles Buckholts' 4th Regiment Texas Mounted Volunteers, and who served in Sibley's Brigade in the Battle of Glorieta in New Mexico. Long, captured in the Battle of Port Hudson, "was one of the prisoners of war, who on June 10, 1863, while being transported ...rose on the guard, overpowered it and made their escape."
Long survived the war and returned to Milam County.
"We were put aboard a gunboat at Port Hudson and sent down to New Orleans, where we were transferred to the steamer Catawba guarded by Billy Wilson's New York Zouaves and taken to Fortress Monroe," Wolf stated in a narrative for the book "History of Texas."
At that point the prisoners were transferred to another steamer called The Maple Leaf manned by a captain and crew of 15 sailors, plus federal soldiers commanded by a lieutenant. The intention was to transport the Confederate officers to Johnson's Island near New York City, Wolf said.
"We had no desire to go to prison and we were not long in making up our minds to affect an escape if such a thing were possible," Wolf said. The 75 Confederate officers began plotting an escape, though they recognized the advantage of armed federals guarding them.
"But the Confederates, being officers and, as you might say in a certain sense picked men, were not lacking in brains, resource and courage," Wolf said.
The Confederates waited quietly for the opportunity to take over. Once the ship was out to sea, the federals relaxed their vigilance "trusting, I reckon to the waters and to our supposed submission to fate."
At 10 a.m., the Confederate prisoners rushed the guards and crew, took over the ship, and headed for the shore. About sundown, the ship secured a safe landing off Cape Henry in Princess Ann County, Va. The escapees paroled federal guards and crew and left behind about 10 of their sick or wounded on board. The rest set out on foot for Richmond.
"We were then, although we did not know it, in Union lines, but we soon began to encounter obstacles and these multiplied as we proceeded until it became expedient for us to seek safety in the swamps of North Carolina," Wolf said. "We were concealed in those swamps some 10 to 12 days, being fed and protected by the families of Confederate soldiers who were then at the front and kept informed by them the movements of the enemy. "
An old guerrilla captain named W. B. Sandlin and a company of boys secured small boats and transported the escaped prisoners into Confederate territory, where they set out toward Richmond. Enroute, they were met by a detachment of Gen. D.H. Hill's Cavalry, which had been sent by Confederate President Jefferson Davis to assist the escapees. The Maple Leaf incident reported in northern newspapers had been channeled to authorities at Richmond.
"We received a royal welcome at the seat of the Confederate government, and what we needed and appreciated fully as much, rest and food. For my part I remained there only a few days when I started west to rejoin my command," Wolf said.
Wolf received an honorable discharge at Marshall in May 1865.
From 1865 to 1869, Wolf resided in Arkansas and farmed. In 1866 he married Agnes Adams of Marion County, Ark. They moved to Milam County in 1869, where Wolf farmed and operated a mercantile business in Davilla and Rockdale.
He was elected sheriff/tax collector in 1878, and held the dual office for two years. When the offices of sheriff and tax collector were separated, Wolf was elected Milam County's first tax collector in 1880 and served until 1904.
Accounts provided by the Milam County Historical Museum described Wolf as "one of the most efficient officers the county has ever had. No man could have held as important an office as that of collector as long as he has without giving satisfaction in an eminent degree."
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