The soldier behind the legend of the "Lady in Grey:

Private Benjamin F. ALLEN – Inscription on tombstone #233 reads “Benj. F. Allen Co. D 50 TENN. REG. C.S.A.” Taken prisoner during the Chattanooga Campaign (September 21 – November 25, 1863) He is the soldier behind the legend “The Lady in Gray” The United States 1850 census listed “Ben. Allen” as living in the household of Sane Stacker age 60; Mary Allen age 35 and listed her birth place as Pennsylvania and George Allen age 18; Ben. Allen age 16 (Born about 1834) and Edward Allen age 4. The household was living in Stewart County, Tennessee. The 1860 United State census listed “Benjn Allen” living in the household of John and Betsy Glassco and listed Benjamin Allen as age 27 (Born about 1833) and listed his occupation as a day laborer and it was noted on the census that he could not read or write and the household was living in district 7 in Stewart County, Tennessee. No other Allen’s were living in the household.

Confederate Compiled Military Service Records reported Benjamin F. Allen enlisting in Company D of the 50th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry on September 20, 1861 at Fort Donelson, Tennessee located in Stewart County for one year at age 26. Many soldiers of Company D 50th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry were from Stewart County, Tennessee. Federal POW records reported him "captured at Fort Donelson, Tennessee on February 16, 1862 and was transferred to Camp Douglas, Illinois." Federal POW records reported him "paroled and sent to Vicksburg, Mississippi" per the Dix-Hill Cartel prisoner agreement. He "arrived at Vicksburg aboard the steamer “Jno. H. Done” on September 20, 1862 and exchanged on November 10, 1862." Confederate Compiled Military Service Records reported him "sick at the hospital at Terry, Mississippi" located in Hinds County near the city of Jackson on his "company muster rolls for February 1863."

Confederate Compiled Military Service Records reported him "wounded and left on the battlefield at Missionary Ridge, Tennessee on November 25, 1863 and taken prisoner." The battle of Missionary Ridge was part of the Chattanooga Campaign. Federal POW records reported him "admitted to the Federal hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee on December 22, 1863 for a gun-shot wound which had fractured his left fibula and was transferred to the United States Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee on February 15, 1864." After his release from the hospital he was "returned to the Provost Marshal at Nashville on March 9, 1864." Federal POW records reported him "transferred to Louisville, Kentucky on March 13, 1864 and arrived in Louisville, Kentucky on March 15, 1864 and forwarded to Camp Chase on March 24, 1864 and arrived at the Camp Chase prison on March 26, 1864." Camp Chase records reported his "death on September 8, 1864 due to pneumonia." According to the "1850 and 1860 United State slave schedules" Benjamin F. Allen or Benjamin Allen of Steward County, Tennessee owned no slaves.