MILITARY HISTORY.
Many of the citizens of Hamilton County have
enlisted in the armies of their country. Following are the names of most
of <pg. 263>
those who were soldiers in the Black Hawk war: In 1832 there were two
companies raised, Capt. James Hall commanded one,
and Capt. Arden Biggerstaff the other. Names
of private soldiers were as follows: Lewis Lane, Sneed
White, Levin Lane, A.
D. Grimes, Frederick Mayberry, William
Gross, James M. Wilson, Elisha
Everett, Elijah Everett, James
Byrant, William Bryant, John
Wheeler, Washington Wheeler, Jesse
Moore, Samuel A. Martin, Harvey
Sexton, Adam Crouch, Samuel
Mundy, Nicholas Trammell, Joseph
Thomasson, Wilce Williams, Joseph
Shelton (who served as major part of the time), John
Lowry, Jesse Johnson, Milton
Carpenter, Charles H. Heard, John
H. Heard, Alfred Moore, Moses
Shirley, Charles Hungate, Reuben
Oglesby, William Fuller, James
Schoolcraft and John Burnett.
A large number went to the Mexican war also in
1846. One full company was raised in this county, commanded by Capt.
J. P. Hardy; the first lieutenant was Charles Coker,
second lieutenant, John J. Richey, and third
lieutenant Warden Kountz. Following are the
names of most of the members of the company, which united with the Third
Regiment under Col. Foreman: John
Wright, B. F. Adams, Allen
Lasater, William Gross, James
Hughes, James Hardister, James
Gibson, Daniel Gibson, Harrison
Mayberry and two of his brothers, John K. Shasteen,
G. W. Burnett, Green Burnett,
Wallace, Ewing and David
Flannegan, Wesley W. Hall, Joseph
H. Denny, William L. Stephens, James
Lane, William Clark, John
Frazier, John Mann, John
McDaniel, Jacob Mayberry, Charles
Atchinson, John C. Cross, James
Epperson, James Maulding, John
Maulding, John B. Smith, S.
H. T. Procter, Edward Trammell, Elijah
Trammell, Elias Mundy, Calvin
Shell, John Webb, John
McBrowne, Dempsey Hood, Hiram
Morris, Philip Trammell, James
Lane, Jr., Joshua Biggerstaff, John
Durham, Jesse Johnson, Thomas
Braden, and others whose names can not now be recalled.
In the war of the Rebellion Hamilton County performed
her <pg. 264>
full share of duty. Besides the numbers credited to her on her quotas
considerable numbers of her citizens enlisted from other counties, which were
offering large bounties, and thus those other counties received credit for
soldiers who but for their preference in enlisting from bounty-paying counties
would have swelled their own county's credit. However there was no draft
in Hamilton County, and although there was much bitter feeling, much opposition
to the war, and numerous lodges of Knights of the Golden Circle organized within
the county, having for their object resistance to the prosecution of an
"unconstitutional war upon the South," yet at the present time numbers
of those who participated in or sympathized with such movements, perceiving the
incalculable benefits resulting to the whole country from the suppression of the
Rebellion, now deny that such movements and organizations meant anything but
loyalty to the Government of the United States.
The quota of Hamilton County for 1861 was 276; for
1862, 189; under the call for 700,000 men, 276; under that for 500,000,
206. The total quota prior to December 31, 1864 was 947, and the total
credits, 1,216; the total quota prior to December 31, 1865, was 1,293 and the
total credits 1,226. In 1863 the first and second class enrollment was 1,226,
and in 1864, 1,323. In 1865 the number of persons subject to military duty
wae 1,431. It will be observed that Hamilton County fell behind her quota
only 67.
The men who entered the Union Army from Hamilton County
were distributed among various regiments of infantry and cavalry. The
history, in brief, of the Fortieth Regiment is here introduced: It was
enlisted in the counties of Hamilton, Franklin, Wayne, White, Wabash, Marion,
Fayette and Clay. On the 10th of August, 1861, the regiment, with ten
companies, reported at Springfield, Ill., and was mustered into the service of
the United States for three years. The officers of the regiment <pg.
265> were then, Stephen G. Hicks,
of Salem, Marion County, colonel; James W. Boothe,
of Kinmundy, lieutenant-colonel; John B. Smith, of
Hamilton County, major; Rigdon S. Barnhill, of
Fairfield, adjutant; Albion F. Taylor, of Mt.
Vernon, quartermaster; Richard Mussey, of Mt. Erie,
chaplain. Rigdon S. Barnhill was promoted to
be lieutenant-colonel January 13, 1863, and was killed in battle June 27,
1864. Of the non-commissioned staff officers, Samuel
J. Winans, of Salem, was killed at Missionary Ridge, November 25,
1863. The regiment moved to Jefferson Barracks, Mo., August 13, 1861,
remaining there until August 30, when it went to Bird's Point, and thence to
Paducah, Ky., September 8. Eight companies remained here doing guard duty
during the winter, the other two, A and F, being detached on similar duty at
Smithland, Ky. During the same winter Gen. E. A. Payne's brigade was
formed out of the Twelfth, Fortieth and Forty-first Regiments, and in March of
1862, Col. Hicks was placed in command of a brigade
composed the Fortieth Illinois and Forty-sixth Ohio Regiments, and Morton's
Battery, Lieut. Col. Boothe taking command of the
Fortieth. On the 10th of March these troops went up the Tennessee to
Eastport, Ala., and not being able to effect a landing in consequence of high
water and rebel batteries, dropped down to Pittsburg Landing on the 17th.
In the battle of Shiloh, in which the regiment was engaged, Col.
Hicks was severely wounded, and the loss of the regiment was one
commissioned officer killed and three wounded, and 42 men killed and 148
wounded. After the battle of Shiloh the regiment was moved to Corinth, and
participated in the siege until the fall of the place, and then went into camp
at Memphis, November 26, 1862. After some desultory marching, it went into
winter quarters at Davis' Mills, northern Mississippi, and in the spring of
1863, after doing some scouting duty in the northern part of the State, stopped
at Sneider's Bluff, in the rear of Vicksburg, where it remained until June 23,
and <pg. 266>
then was with Sherman's army confronting Johnston's until Vicksburg fell.
It was engaged in the battle of Jackson, Miss., July 16, and was complimented in
public orders for gallant conduct and bravery during the battle. After
destroying railroads and bridges in and around Jackson th regiment went into
camp on Black River, in the rear of Vicksburg, and remained until September
25. On this day the division to which the regiment belonged became the
Fourth Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, marched into Vicksburg and embarked for
Memphis, whence it marched across the country to Chattanooga, reaching Brown's
Ferry, two miles below Chatanooga, November 22, 1863. Five companies had
been detached and mounted for scouting duty, while Companies A, C, E, I and G,
under command of Maj. H. W. Hall, of Knights'
Prairie, reached Brown's Ferry, and were placed in charge of a wagon
train. Here at 10 P. M., November 23, Maj. Hall
was informed that the grand attack would begin in the morning. By means of
a small boat the regiment crossed the Tennessee, and reached the main command at
1 o'clock A. M. of the 24th; at daylight crossed the Tennessee at the mouth of
Chickamauga Creek, captured a high hill, and drove back the rebels in
possession, placed a battery on its top and supported it through the
night. At daylight on the morning of the 25th this regiment was deployed
and under fire led the assaulting column on the rebel position on Missionary
Ridge, drove in the enemy's pickets, scaled his works and lost several men
inside. Then enemy being strongly reinforced, and the Fortieth not being
supported, was compelled to fall back under cover of the hill. A charge
was then made upon the Fortieth, which was checked by a battery pouring a deadly
fire into the advancing columns, and again the Fortieth was deployed and made an
assault upon the rebel position, supported by the balance of the brigade.
The support failing, the regiment was again at length compelled to
withdraw. Of the five companies thus engaged, consisting of 130 men, <pg.
267> seven were killed and forty-four wounded, many of
them mortally. After the winning of the great victory on Missionary Ridge,
the Fortieth Regiment on the 26th pursued the retreating rebels and assisted in
the capture of many prisoners, and on the 29th moved northward under Gen.
Granger, to the relief of Burnside, at Knoxville. Returning from this
expedition the regiment went into winter quarters at Scottsboro, Ala., where the
scouting companies and the others were reunited.
Here the Fortieth Regiment took the initiative in
re-enlisting, spreading such enthusiasm in Gen. Ewing's division that not more
than fifty men fitted for the veteran service failed to re-enlist, and on
January 1, 1864, the Fortieth was mustered as a veteran regiment, with an
aggregate strength of 443. Up to this time the losses in the regiment had
been: deaths, 261; other casualities, 196; discharged, 17; transferred, 6;
missing and deserted, 17 total, 497. The Veteran Regiment took a
furlough of thirty days, and then started with Sherman's army on the great
Atlanta campaign, with Lieut.-Col. Barnhill in
command, but who was killed on Kenesaw, June 27, 1864. Maj.
H. W. Hall, promoted lieutenant-colonel, then retained command until the
close of the war. The regiment participated in all the battles resulting
in the capture of Atlanta. It was engaged in a severe battle on the Ball's Ferry
road, July 28, 1864, and in another August 31. After hard marching in
following Hood's army toward Chattanooga and into northern Alabama, the regiment
returned to Atlanta and was engaged for a time in destroying railroads in and
around the city. On the 16th of November, 1864, it started on the famous
march through Georgia, and on the 22d with Walcott's brigade met the Georgia
militia at Griswoldville, repulsed them twice and drove them back toward
Macon. It reached Savannah, Ga., about December 10, into which it marched
December 21. From Savannah the regiment marched to Thunderbolt, whence it
went by water to Beaufort, S. C., and marched through South Carolina <pg.
268> by way of Pocotaligo and Barnwell to
Columbus. On the l3th of February, 1865, the regiment marched out of
Columbus on the Waynesboro road, and crossed the Watersee River at Dixon's Ferry
on a ponton [sic] bridge, and entered Cheraw, in March,
crossing the Great Pedee, March 5, and was in the battle of Bentonville, N. C.,
entering that city March 22. It marched into Goldsboro, March 24,
remaining until April 10. On the 13th of April, when near Raleigh, the
regiment heard of Lee's surrender, and on the next day entered Raleigh and went
into camp on Beaver Dam Creek, remaining there until Gen. Johnston's army
surrendered to Sherman April 29, 1865. After participating in the grand
review, the regiment was mustered out at Louisville, Ky., July 24, 1865, and
then went to Springfield, Ill., where it was paid off and discharged.
Company A, of the Fortieth Regiment, was raised mostly
in Hamilton County. Its first captain was Hiram W.
Hall of Knight's Prairie, who was promoted major and then
lieutenant-colonel, and who commanded the regiment in all of its battles after
Shiloh. Its other captains were Benjamin W.
Herrelson and Charles A. Johnson, both of
Knight's Prairie. Its first lieutenants were Flavius
J. Carpenter, who enlisted July 25, 1861, was mustered August 27, and
resigned November 15, 1861. The others were Benjamin
W. Herrelson, William B. Heard, Charles
A. Johnson and William C. Moore. Its
second lieutenants were Benjamin W. Herrelson, John
McLean, William B. Heard, Charles
A. Johnson and Wilburn Anderson. Of
the noncommissioned officers and private soldiers who were killed in the battle
or who died in the service were the following: Corporal
John Miller, died of wounds at Chattanooga, November 25, 1863; Robert
J. Atwood, killed at Missionary Ridge, November 25, 1863; Alfred
N. Banes, died at Memphis, February 4, 1864; William
M. Cook, killed at Missionary Ridge, November 25, 1863; M.
L. Hall, also killed in the same battle; William T.
Banes, killed at Kenesaw Mountain, <pg.
269> June 27, 1864; Aaron B.
Johnson, killed near Atlanta, August 4, 1864; Marcus
Johnson, died at Helena, Ark., October 8, 1863.
Company C, of the Fifty-sixth Regiment, was recruited
largely in Hamilton County. Its first captain, Pinkney
J. Welsh, of Shawneetown, was promoted major, August 25, 1863, and then John
E. Barker, of Hamilton County, until April 4, 1865. Its first
lieutenants were James W. Flannigan, of Lane's
Cross Roads; John E. Barker and John
C. Lewis, both of Hamilton County, and Ausbraugh H.
Rodgers, of Roland, White County. Its second lieutenants were George
O. Griggs, of Shawneetown; Ausbraugh H. Rodgers,
of Roland; John C. Lewis and William
J. Hinton, of these, John C. Lewis was lost
on the steamer "General Lyon," March 31, 1865. The
noncommissioned officers and privates who were killed or died in the service of
their country were the following: Serg. John Winemiller,
died in Andersonville prison, August 7, 1864, grave number 4941. Corporals
G. W. Peeples, lost on steamer "General
Lyon," March 31, 1865; William M. Reed, died
at St. Louis, December 2, 1862; John B. Mezo, Goison
Patterson and Perry Ashton, lost on the
"General Lyon." Privates Isaac C. Boyd,
died at Shawneetown, March 19, 1862; Aaron Hall,
died at Jefferson Barracks, August 15, 1862; Richard Heard
and John Heard, lost on the "General
Lyon;" John Hatley, died near Corinth, Miss.,
July 12, 1862; James M. Hamilton, died at
Farmington, Miss., June 24, 1862, Isaac Johnson,
lost on the "General Lyon," as also Albert E.
Johnson, Thomas G. Mezo, Constant
Mezo, James Murphy and Chester
B. Shasteen.
Company G, of the Fifty-sixth Regiment, was partially
recruited in Hamilton County. Its captains were William
Reavis, of McLeansboro, who resigned October 29, 1862; Edward
Keffer, of Toulon, who was killed by a falling tree December 31, 1863,
and Thomas S. Campbell, of Lovilla, who resigned
June, 10, 1864. Its first lieutenants were Thomas H.
Edwards, of Mc- <pg.
270> Leansboro; Edward Keffer,
Thomas S. Campbell, Cyrus L.
Goudy, of Sacramento, and George R. Frymire,
of Enfield. Its second lieutenants were Edward
Keffer, Thomas S. Campbell, Osmond
C. Griswold and Samuel Larrels. Of
these commissioned officers Cyrus L. Goudy was lost
on the steamer "General Lyon." The noncommissioned officers and
private soldiers belonging in Hamilton County who were killed or who died in the
service, were the following: Sergt. Benjamin F. Steele,
of McLeansboro, lost on the "General Lyon;" corporals, George
W. Dougan and Wagoner, William
Galligher, lost on the "General Lyon;" privates, George
W. Arterberry, of Logansport; Orrin Belvin
of McLeansboro; William D. Hood, of McLeansboro; Samuel
A. Huff, of Logansport; John Harrawood, of
McLeansboro; William F. Huff, of Logansport, James
R. McCulley, of McLeansboro; Elisha Miller,
of Logansport; James L. Nations, of Logansport; Joseph
Pierce, of Logansport; Robert H. Winder, of
McLeansboro; William York, Leander
Ray and Williams [sic]
Ray, of Logansport; all lost on the steamer "General
Lyon." Thomas Cook, died in Mississippi,
September 6, 1862; Charles F. Huffstaller, died at
Vicksburg, August 12, 1863; George T. Hensley, died
at St. Louis, November 10, 1864; Austin R. McDaniel,
died at Paducah, Ky., August 13, 1862; William C. Matheny,
died at Young's Point, La., May 4 1863.
Company A, of the Eighty-seventh Regiment, was
recruited almost wholly in Hamilton County. Its captains were John
Anderson and Warner P. Anderson, both of
Hamilton County. Its first lieutenants were Robert
L. Meador, Warner P. Anderson and Samuel
B. Bond, and its second lieutenants, John W.
Richardson and Warner P. Anderson. The
noncommissioned officers and private soldiers who were killed or who died in the
service were the following: First sergeant, William B.
Carey, died August 7, 1863; corporals, Edward D.
Duncan, died at Shawneetown, December 28. 1862; Spencer
Green, died at Young's Point, La., May 27, <pg.
271> 1863. Privates: John
Brumley, died at Memphis, May 13, 1863; Henry
Beachum, died at Vicksburg. July 1, 1863; Robert H.
Carey, killed at Wilson's Hill, La., April 7, 1864; Arabia
M. Dailey, died at Vicksburg, July 31, 1863; William
R. Echals, died of wounds at Helena, Ark., February 12, 1865; John
J. Falkner, died at Vicksburg, July 16, 1863; Archalus
J. Gossage, died at New Orleans, September 5, 1863; Ebenezer
Gage, died July 9, 1863; Winkfield Husley,
died at St. Louis, August 6, 1863; John C. Judd,
died at Helena, Ark., May, 24, 1863; William L. Jones,
died at Memphis, February 16, 1863; Work S. Jones,
died at Memphis, March 16, 1863; John Pritchett,
died of wounds at New Orleans, April 30, 1864; Robert W.
Phelps, died at Helena, Ark., April 20, 1865; Charles
Swover, killed in Coahoma County, Miss., February 10, 1865; John
W. Carr, died at Helena, Ark., May 29, 1865, and Joseph
Henry Wadkins, drowned in the Ohio River, August 30, 1862.
Company E, of the Eighty-seventh Regiment, was also
largely recruited in Hamilton County. Its captains were Milton
Carpenter, who was mustered in September 22, 1862, and who resigned June
3, 1863; James H. Wright, who resigned February 8,
1865, and Hiram Angle, who was mustered out June
16, 1865. Its first lieutenants were James H. Wright,
Theophilus L. Jones, and Hiram
Angle and William Hungate, and second
lieutenants: Theophilus L. Jones and Hiram
Angle. The private soldiers, belonging to Hamilton County who were
killed or who died in the service, were William Belvin,
died at Shawneetown, February 14, 1861; James H. Crabtree,
died at Memphis, May 8, 1863; John Crisel, died at
Memphis, February 14, 1863; James K. P. Dempsey,
died while a prisoner, March 22, 1865, at Camp Tyler, Tex.; William
C. Forrister, died at Memphis, February 8, 1863; Benjamin
Harper, died at Memphis, March 1, 1863; Benjamin
Lowder, died at Shawneetown, February 5, 1863; Thomas
H. Linn, died at home, April 3, 1865; John E.
Richardson, died at <pg.
272> St. Louis, October 7, 1863; Caleb
C. Richardson, died at St. Louis, October 8, 1863; Alexander
Underwood, died at Mound City, February 16, 1863; William
J. Williamson, died at St. Louis, July 18, 1863; Thomas
Wakefield, died at Mound City, February 20, 1863; William
Wright, died at Mound City, February 16, 1863; John
C. Sefad, died at Memphis, March 28, 1863.
Company K, of the One Hundred and Tenth Regiment, was
recruited in Hamilton County. Its captains were Mark
Harper, of Hamilton County, and afterward Robert A.
Cameron, of Ashley. Its first lieutenants were James
S. Wycough, of Franklin County, and then William R.
Hester, of Hamilton County. Its second lieutenants were John
T. Barnett, of Franklin County, and William R.
Hester. This company was consolidated with Company B May 7,
1863. Privates Charles A. Anderson, of
Hamilton County, died at Nashville, January 10, 1863, and Thomas
H. Raulston died December 12, 1862.
Company I, of the One Hundred and Thirty-first
Regiment, was raised mainly in this county. Its captain was David
H. Lasater; first lieutenant, Lewis L. Moore;
second lieutenants: James C. Lasater, who died
February 16, 1863, and then Andrew W. Ray.
Private John Huff of this company died December 5,
1862; David L. Martin died December 6, 1862, and Moses
Morris died November 16, 1862. When on October 30, 1863, the One
Hundred and Thirty-first and the Twenty-ninth Regiments were consolidated this
company became part of Company B in the consolidated regiment.
A part of Company K, of the One Hundred and
Thirty-first Regiment, was also raised in Hamilton County.
Company D, of the Sixth Cavalry, was raised largely in
Hamilton County. Its captains were Hosea Vise
and Joseph Coker, both of McLeansboro. Its
first lieutenants were William L. Stephens, Joseph
Coker, James H. Dailey, Louis
V. Allen and <pg.
273> John M. Boyd, all of
McLeansboro, except Louis V. Allen, who was of Mt.
Vernon. Its second lieutenants were the same as the last four of the first
lieutenants. The non-commissioned officers and private soldiers, who died
or who were killed in the service, were Sergt. Sidney A.
Boster, killed August 9, 1862; Corporal John S.
Coker, died of wounds, September 12, 1862; privates: William
Jones, died February 10, 1863; William Denny,
died June 6, 1862; George Brinkley, died June 12,
1863; Jesse Cravens, died October 6, 1863; Mudridge
Hunt, died in prison at Richmond, Va., February, 19, 1865; William
Hendrix, killed in battle, December 4, 1863; John
W. Johnson, died in April, 1862; Thomas Nation,
died December 3, 1863; Jesse Oglesby, died October
4, 1864; James A. Putnam, died August 16, 1863; David
Richardson, died at Springfield; David L. Redparen,
died February 11, 1862; Larkin Smith, died February
25, 1863; Benjamin F. Boyd, died in Andersonville
prison, September 20, 1864, grave number 9323; John L.
Dial, killed at Hanover Creek, Miss., August 13, 1864; William
Flint, died at Eastport, Miss., July 3, 1865; James
Phillips, deceased; Thomas Putnam, died
September 20, 1865; Charles Steele, died at
Gravelly Springs, Ala., February 26, 1865.
Company H, of this regiment, was also largely raised in
this county. Its captains were John J. Ritchey,
who resigned January 21, 1863; Samuel L. Marshall,
who died June 14, 1863; Daniel M. Maulding, who was
mustered out January 9, 1865, and Samuel P. Maxey,
of Olney, mustered out November 5, 1865. The first three were of
McLeansboro. The first lieutenants were James M.
Blades, Samuel L. Marshall, Daniel
M. Maulding, John N. Wilson and Walter
B. Maulding, all of McLeansboro; and the second lieutenants were Samuel
L. Marshall, Daniel M. Maulding, John
N. Wilson, Samuel P. Maxey, and John
T. Wright, all of McLeansboro, except Samuel P.
Maxey. Those who died or were killed in the service belonging in
Hamilton County <pg.
274> were John Stubbs, died
May 20, 1863; Abner Dailey, died March 17, 1862; Peter
C. Durham, died February 12, 1864; Thomas Digby,
died November 19, 1862; Francis M. Dugin, died
March 27, 1862; Elisha Goins, died February 9,
1864, Jonathan Manning, killed March 29, 1863; Arthur
Nelson, died January 5, 1864; Thomas Oliver,
died February 28, 1863; Henry C. Echols, died at
Memphis, July 25, 1864; John H. Mansley, died at
Murfreesboro, of wounds, December 22, 1864; Michael
McCarty, killed at Nashville, December 15, 1864; John
M. Asberry, November 14, 1864.
Company K, of this regiment, was raised in Hamilton,
Gallatin and Saline Counties. Its captains were Edward
Dawes, of Rectorville; Dorastus L. Grimes,
of Saline County, and James M. Banes, of Hamilton
County. Its first lieutenants were Jesse B. Wilson,
of Harrisburg; James M. Banes and Thomas
W. H. Miller, of Cairo, and its second lieutenants, Cornelius
Baker, of Harrisburg; Dorastus L. Grimes, Thomas
W. H. Miller and Richard E. Oliver, of
Saline County. Those who enlisted from Hamilton County who were killed or
who died in the service were Allen D. Grimes, died
January 4, 1862; William L. Campbell, died in 1864;
James M. Miner, January 17, 1862; John
Schoolcraft, died January 12, 1862; James W.
Mitchell, killed at Memphis, August 21, 1864.
With reference to those not lost at the time of the
burning and sinking of the "General Lyon," it may be stated that most
of them were picked up by the steamer "General Sedgwick;" Henson
G. Raines and Lieut. Butler, however,
instead of being picked up in this way, drifted on a cabin door four days
without food or drink, and were at last picked up by a schooner by which they
were left on an island where Lieut. Butler
died. On this island Raines remained ten
years, escaping in March, 1875, on the British man-of-war
"Vengance." He was taken to London, England, and placed in Guy
Hospital.
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