Preston Parker Moore was born 21 January, 1821 in Stokes County, North Carolina the son of William F. and Rebecca Louisa Moore (information on parents is not documented). [Stokes County was formed in 1789 from Surry County, which itself was formed from Rowan County in 1771. It was named for Captain John Stokes (1756-1790), a Revolutionary War officer and member of the House of Commons]. At the age of 19, Preston married Permelia (Pamelia) F. Cooper (she was born in Tennessee in 1826). They were the parents of 11 children: William F. Moore (1842), Sarah Dupina [Moore] Mitchell (1844), John Newton Moore (1846-1909), Rebecca Elizabeth [Moore] McKelroy (1848-1935) Armiza Jane [Moore] Taylor (1850-1932), Tennessee [Moore] Blair(1852-1893), Jehu M. Moore (1853-1892), Mary Eliza [Moore] McKelroy (1854-1930), Lucy [Moore] Edwards (1855), Alfred Lee Moore (1858-1931) and Robert Moore (1859-1870). Permelia died in Mississippi, shortly after giving birth to Robert. The 1850 Census Record shows Preston P Moore, age 29 years residing in Chickasaw County, Chickasaw, Mississippi. He later married Jane Gertrude Blair about 1860 or 1861 in Mississippi. The 1860 Census Record shows his residence as Calhoun County, Mississippi. During the United States Civil War, Preston enlisted as a Private, in Major Duff's Regiment, Company B, 8th Mississippi Cavalry, CSA on 8 Aug 1863 at Pittsboro, Mississippi. He was 42 years old. The Battle of Ellis Bridge took place on 20 February 1864 from about 5 miles north of West Point, Mississippi to the Ellis Bridge. Preston's brigade under Colonel Jeffrey Forrest engaged the Union Army on and off throughout the day and night. After that battle, Preston was listed as having deserted. *(An account of and some insight into the events of that day are listed below). The family moved from Mississippi to Arkansas between 1870 and 1872. The 1880 Census Record shows the family residence at Tomlinson, Scott, Arkansas. Preston & Jane were the parents of 5 children: Lydia A. [Moore] Cox (1861-1895), James Preston Moore (1863-1920), George C. Moore (1866-?), Andrew J Moore (1869-1873) and Benjamin Allen Moore (1872-1940). P.P. Moore was one of the signers of a petition dated 13 January 1890 and filed 7 April 1890 in Scott County Courthouse, against issuance of liquor license within 3 miles of School District 34, known as Pine Log School House in Tomlinson Township, Echo, Arkansas, near the West line and middle of the NE 1/4 of Sec. 8-T5-R29. In the declining years of their lives, Preston and Jane moved in with their youngest son Benjamin Allen Moore as evidenced by the 1900 Census Record. Residence was in Barber Township, Scott, Arkansas.
Preston passed away in Barber, Scott County, Arkansas on 20 March, 1904 and is buried in the Pine Log Cemetery.

(The following information was obtained from N. F. Carlson)
*"In what was called "The Meridian Campaign," General William T. Sherman ordered Union General William "Sooy" Smith's 7000 cavalry into the heart of Mississippi to see if they could subsist "live off the land" behind enemy lines and eventually meet up with Sherman in Meridian. Leaving Okolona, General Smith entered the prairie land of Mississippi. The land between Okolona and West Point had been dubbed in the 19th Century as "The Land of Egypt" due to its abundance of granaries, corncribs, gin houses and cotton in the prairie. These commodities were supporting the Confederate Army. They were considered a target for demolition and destruction by the Union Army. As the Federals pushed farther south down the M & O Railroad, they burned everything. With houses and barns burning so intense, smoke could be seen for miles all the way down to West Point. General Nathan Bedford Forrest ordered his troups to various spots to engage and stop the Federals.

(Preston was assigned to Colonel Jeffrey Forrest's brigade and they were ordered to Aberdeen "to meet and ascertain the movements of the enemy" on February 19th.) Union General Smith had concentrated all his forces around Prairie Station, approximately 15 miles north of West Point and on the 20th they proceeded toward West Point. Jeffrey Forrest's bridgade stood between West Point and Smith's cavalry in the Prairie region north of the town. About five miles south of the Prairie Station, Jeffrey Forrest's bridgade formed a line of battle in plain view of the Federals. In a few skirmishes with the Federals, Jeffrey Forrest was buying time for General Forrest to strategically place the rest of his forces around West Point. A mile and a half north of West Point the Second Iowa engaged the Confederates once again between 1 - 2 PM on February 20th. By 3 PM the Confederates had pulled back through West Point to the protection of the Sakatonchee and Oktibbeha Creeks. General Forrest's troops were everywhere. During the night of February 20th Jeffrey Forrest had his men throw up temporary breastworks of rails and logs to protect them and to strengthen their position should a fight occur the next day. This line of defense was thrown up out in front of Ellis Bridge.

Early on Sunday morning, February 21st, Federals of the Second Iowa cavalry advanced on Colonel Forrest's brigade. Federals attacked the Rebel positions with four dismounted companies and two twelve-pound mountain howitzers. The firing between the two forces was brisk for nearly three hours. Around 10 AM, the Federals broke off their assault, retreating toward West Point. This fighting was only buying Union General Smith time to execute a systematic retreat. Ultimately General Smith was driven back to Tennessee and the Meridian Campaign was a failure, but it served two purposes to Sherman. It proved that an inferior force in a defensive position (the Confederates) could hold out against a far superior force (the Federals) with a well extended supply line and it proved that a force of men could subsist deep into enemy territory. This was a precursor to Sherman's March to the Sea".

These are the facts as to what happened on and around 20 February 1864. We will never know for sure the exact circumstances of Preston Parker Moore's actions. But one thing is sure, many cavalry soldiers were often separated during battles from their units and they eventually got back to them or joined up with another unit. If Preston had deserted in his home territory, living not far from all the action, they could have easily found him. In fact, General Nathan Bedford Forrest was reknown for being ruthless. His brother Colonel Jeffrey Forrest (Preston's commander) was killed in action on February 22nd and died in the General arms. He would have hunted down any deserters from his brother's brigade and shot them dead. All deserters were shot on sight, by both the Federals and the Confederates, and they sent hunting parties out after them. In my heart, I believe that Preston Parker Moore finished out the war and returned to his family to eventually move them to Arkansas later on. This doesn't mean that he didn't "desert" once in a while to check on them and make sure they had food and were safe. He had a large family left on their own while he was off fighting..