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Gilson O. Collins is a Carter county man, and remained steadfast to the Union cause through many dangers and difficulties. Being a man of decided opinions and with courage to assert and maintain them, he early lost favor with the Confederate authorities. After assisting to burn the bridge at Union, or Zollicoffer, as detailed elsewhere, and engaging in the Carter county rebellion he fled to Kentucky and joined the 2d Tennessee Mounted Infantry and served with that regiment until its capture, Nov. 6, 1863. Collins, at that time a private soldier absented himself from his command on account of striking a Federal officer for making disparaging remarks about Tennesseeans, and though his absence was known and approved by Col. Carter he was marked on his company rolls as a deserter. Since the war the facts were made known and he received an honorable discharge from the 2d Tennessee Infantry as well as from tlie Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry.
Captain Collins was commissioned as Captain March 22d, 1865, and assigned to duty with Company M. He was in command of his company in the last Stoneman raid in pursuit of President Davis.
Captain Collins is still living near Valley Forge, Carter county, Tenn.
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