.jpg)
What was the name of the Confederate soldier from Newton known as the One Armed Fiddler?By Jonnie Miller
What was the name of the Confederate soldier from Newton known as the One Armed Fiddler?
That would be Henderson F. Brack.
Henderson's moved to Texas with his father Maston Brack and his brother Adeline in 1840 from Nashville, Tennessee after his mother Karin passed away. Mr. Brack purchased land on the A. S. Droddy Leagree Track east of Burkeville, near Burr's Ferry a.k.a. - the Sycamore Community. He married widow, Sarah Damrel.
Henderson F. was a private in Company H, 13th (Burnett's) Texas Cavalry. He was wounded in battle at Mansfield, Louisiana and lost one arm due to that wound. He was known as "the one armed fiddler." Henderson was an accomplished fiddler. He devised a means of playing the fiddle in spite of his handicap. He became famous far and wide throughout East Texas and Louisiana for his musical feat. When asked on his Application of Indigent Soldier Pension if "… your physical condition is such that you are unable by your own labor to earn a support…", Henderson's answer was: "My arm was shot off during the Civil War". His pension was approved September 18, 1901 and signed by County Judge C. A Woods; Commissioners Davison, J. P. McMahon, J.W. Weaver, G. Gee and witness W. S. Hines.
Henderson Brack was married twice - the first was to a Sutton and the second was Louisa Stephenson. Henderson died in Memphis, Tennessee in 1924 while attending an Old Soldier Reunion. He was buried in a military cemetery in Austin, TX.