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On March 13, 1922, Doris Bottom Shewmaker was born in Mackville, Kentucky and was the daughter of Hansford “Buddy” Shoemaker who was born on February 2, 1899 and Frances Louise Campbell. Her grandfather was Walter Shewmaker and grandmother was Mammie Lee Bottom Shewmaker. Her great grandfather was Fidellar Sharp Bottom. Fidellar was born on February 8, 1836 in Washington County, Mackville, Kentucky and was the son of Samuel and Mariah Bottom. On November 4, 1861, Fidellar enlisted in the 10th Kentucky Union Volunteer Infantry, Company F, in Boyle County, Kentucky. He was twenty-four years old, 5’10” and listed his profession as a farmer. His brother Bradford Evan Bottom also joined the 10th Kentucky Union Volunteer Infantry as a private in Company D. Bradford was born on November 19, 1826.
On October 4, 1861, John Marshall Harlan, a lawyer living in Louisville, with strong political connections, was given permission from the Federal government to organize a regiment of infantry which came became the 10th Kentucky Union Volunteer Infantry. The men who made up the regiment were recruited from Louisville to Danville. John Harlan was a native of Boyle County, Kentucky and his family was slave owners. He was pro-slavery, but believed that the Union must be preserved. He established his camp in Lebanon, Kentucky called Camp Crittenden. On November 21, 1861, Harlan was able to muster into service 870 men in the 10th Kentucky Infantry. The regiment was present at the Battle of Mill Springs on January 19-20, the siege of Corinth, Mississippi from April 29 through May 30, participated in Union General Don Carlos Buell’s campaign in Northern Alabama and middle Tennessee from June to August. On August 20, 1862 through September 26, the regiment was in pursuit of Confederate General Braxton Bragg’s Army of Mississippi. When the regiment reached Louisville in September, they were assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, III Corps, Army of the Ohio. On October 1, 1862, the regiment moved out with the Army of the Ohio out of Louisville and in pursuit of Bragg’s army. The regiment was present at the battle of Perryville, but did not participate in the battle. In 1863, the regiment participated in the Tullahoma Campaign from June 23 through July 7, fought in the battle of Hoover’s Gap from June 24 through June 26. They fought in the battle of Chickamauga, Georgia from September 19 through 21, the siege of Chattanooga from September 26 through November 23, the Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign from November 23 through 27, and Missionary Ridge on November 25, 1863. In 1864, the regiment participated in the Atlanta Campaign from May 1 through September 8, battles of Marietta, Kennesaw Mountain, and Peachtree Creek, the siege of Atlanta from July 22 through August 25, the battle of Jonesboro, from August 31 through September 1, 1864 and November 24, 1864, they were ordered back to Louisville to muster out of the army. During the Civil War, the regiment lost 221 men.
After the Civil War, John Harlan became an associate Supreme Court justice for thirty-three years. As for Fidellar Bottom while serving in the 10th Kentucky, he was plagued with ill health. In February of 1862, he was absent and sick at his home in Washington County. He was absent due to illness while on the march from Mill Springs on February 11 to Nashville, Tennessee on March 4. In April of 1862, he was still absent due to sickness and was in a United States Hospital. During the month of October, he was sick at home. In November 1862, he continued to be on the sick rooster. From May through June 1864, he was a patient in a United States General Hospital in Nashville. From June to August 1864, he was absent due to sickness and continued to be in the Cumberland General Hospital in Nashville. In September 1864 he again appeared on the sick rolls. In October 1864, he was absent due to sickness. After the Civil War, on September 28, 1867, Fidellar married Rachel Ann Bowling. After the Civil War, Fidellar returned to Mackville and took up farming. Fidellar and Rachel had several children: Lillie F. Bottom (1868-1947), John K. Bottom (1871-1957), Mammie Lee Bottom Shewmaker (1876-1968), Charles Edmund Bottom (1879-1960), and William Dell Bottom (1881-1963). According to Doris Hamilton, he had three girls and two boys. They lived in the white house across from road from the present day community center on Main Street, second house from the corner. Fidellar and his wife Rachel later moved back to Mackville. The family still has his quilt that he used as saddle blanket and blanket at night. He died on August 8, 1923 and was buried in the Peter cemetery, Washington County, Kentucky.
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