USA > Illinois > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson County, Illinois > Part 30
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CHAPTER XII.
WAR HISTORY-THE REVOLUTION AND THE WAR OF 1812-WHAT WE GAINED BY THEM-THE MEXICAN WAR-JEFFERSON COUNTY'S PART IN IT-HIER OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS- THE LATE CIVIL WAR-SKETCHES OF THE REGIMENTS IN WHICH THE COUNTY WAS REPRESENTED-GEN. ANDERSON, COL. HICKS AND OTHER VETERANS-INCIDENTS, ETC., ETC.
" Rash fruitless war, from wanton glory waged, Is only splendid murder."-Thomson.
A S a nation, we have had but few wars aside from our troubles with the Indians. While still colonies we took part in the old French and Indian war, which, for a time,
settled the question as to the ownership of the vast Northwest Territory. The war of the Revolution transferred this magnificent domain to us, and the war of 1812 settled its owuer- ship perhaps for ages to come. The result of these several wars was the securing to the puny Republic of the thirteen American Colo-
*By W. H. Perrin.
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
nies, an empire greater than that over which the Roman eagles soared in gilded triumph. A grand result truly, and one that has made the American Republic, or contributed very largely to making it, the foremost nation on the globe.
It is not known that any of the early settlers of Jefferson County participated in the Revolutionary war, but it is altogether probable that they did. Many of the early settlers in Southern Illinois were Revolutionary soldiers, and hence, some of the pioneers of Jefferson County may have been ; but if so, we have not learned their names. Quite a number of them, however, took part in the war of 1812. But as both of these wars occurred before there were any settlements made in the county, they are of no special interest to this work, except as a kind of introduction to the general war history of the county, and to show the ad- vantages we as a people received from them.
The Mexican War .- The Black Hawk war- a war which personally effected the people here-has been noticed in a preceding chapter. Next in order comes the Mexican war. Early in 1846. war was declared against Mexico, and Illinois was required to furnish three regiments. Later she was allowed to furnish another regi- ment, making four altogether. Jefferson. County contributed two companies, one under the first call and one under the second call for troops. The first was enrolled in June, 1846, as Company H, of the Third Regiment, Col. Ferris Foreman, of Vandalia, commanding. The roster of Company H is as follows : Stephen G. Hicks, Captain ; Lewis F. Casey, First Lieutenant (resigned November 1, 1846, at Matamoras, Mexico) ; William A. Thomas, promoted from Second to First Lieutenant November 1, 1846 ; Thomas S. Livingston, Second Lieutenant. Sergeants-John Bag- well, Gazaway Elkins, Jacob Casey and Marcus D. Bruce. Corporals - Joseph F. Thomasson, John Q. A. Bay, William Summers
and John McConnell. Privates-Thomas J. Atchison, Peter Bean, James R. Brown, Thomas H. Ballard, Eli Blalock, John Brady, Samuel Bullock, John Butler, James C. Bate- man, Benjamin Buekout, Loring R. Beal, James F. Caldwell, James A. Donohoo, Will- iam H. Dorris, Jesse J. Fly, Abraham W. Fields, Nicholas Gray, J. J. Garrison, James M. Galbraith, James Hull, Thomas Harlow, John Hawkins, Jesse Hawkins, Marcus Hailes, William Hicks, Albert Hailes, Johnson Hatfield, George Knox, James Kelley, John B. Lynch, John T. Lisenby, James W. Lewty, James Murphy, John Nielburn, Alexander Moore, James McCarver, Pleasant MeFarland, Andrew MeGivin, Edward McAtee, James C. Overbay, Benjamin Patterson, John M. Poston, James Seott, II. H. Wilkerson, Quiney A. Wilbanks, James Westcott and David H. Warren. Discharged - Sergt. William B. Braden, aud Privates Joseph T. Atchison, Samuel W. Avant, William Foster, Alexander M. Hill, E. B. Harvey, Benj. Ivey, William J. Crisel, L. C. Moss, William R. McClenden, S. R. Owens, John E. Newby, Robert B. Rankin, Charles W. Stearns, James E. Summers, Will- iam J. Stephenson, Daniel Smith, P. T. Thur- man, James Teeters, Benjamin Veasy, J. A. Wallace, V. P. Williamson, Harrison Wilkey, John Yearwood, John Williams, all on surgeons certificate of disability. Died-Corporals James Bruce, January 16, 1847, en route to Tampico, Mexico, and James Wimberly (killed) April 30, 1847, near Jalapa, Mexico. Privates Jonathan H. Breeze, died December 6, 1846, in general hospital at Matamoras ; Moses Harlow, died October 26, 1846, in hospital at Matamoras ; Joseph Harvey, May 13, 1847, fell overboard on the way to New Orleans ; James C. Newhy, died August 13, 1846, at Brazos Santiago,"Texas.
The company left Mount Vernon on the 18th of June, and marched to Alton, the place of rendezvous, where the regiments, after they
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
were organized and equipped, embarked for Mexico. They saw hard service during their term, and were at Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo, and in other battles and skirmishes. At Matamo- ras, the company was divided, a part of it under Lieut. Casey going to Comargo in charge of a wagon train, the main part, under Capt. Ilicks, remaining on guard duty at Matamoras. Lieut. Casey's squad, after remaining a month at Comargo, was ordered back to Matamoras to report to Gen. Taylor. Lieut. Casey, from failing health resigned here and returned home. In January, Gen. Taylor marched for Buena Vista, but Gen. Shield's command, to which the Mount Vernon troops belonged, was ordered to report to Gen. Scott at Vera Cruz. After the surrender of Vera Cruz, the next move was on Cerro Gordo. In the operations here, they were actively engaged, and acquitted them- selves with honor and distinction. Their cour- age at Cerro Gordo elicited from Gen. Twiggs the well-merited compliment : " Well, I never saw such fellows as you Illinois men are in my life ! Here the regulars are broke down and the horses are all given out, and you darned ragged raseals pitching around like squirrels, or something that never get tired and hungry."
After the capture of Jalapa, they remained in camp on the Puebla road until their term of service had expired, when they returned home and were discharged.
The second company was enrolled at Mount Vernon June 3, 1847, under the President's second call for troops. The rank and file were as follows : James Bowman, Captain ; he died at Jalapa December 28, 1847, and L. II. Powell became Captain ; Eli D. Anderson was First Lieutenant ; he died at Vera Cruz Sep- tember 11, 1847, of yellow fever, and Willis B. Holder was promoted to First Lieutenant ; he died at Jalapa January 2, 1848, and James B. Hinde became First Lieutenant ; H. B. Newby, Jr., Second Lieutenant ; he died at National Bridge September 16, 1847, of yellow fever,
and J. J. Anderson became Second Lieutenant. A. Il. Cox and Jacob Keller were also pro- moted to Second Lieutenants. Sergeants- Jonathan Wells, Gilford D. Connolly, John P. Newell and Jonathan S. Cook. Corporals- Edward Bond, Robert R. Ingram, Elias M. Holmes and William Bullock. Privates-John Ames, R. C. Anderson, Calvin M. Brown, Will- iam Cassidy, James Cummins, Richard Chil- ders, Martin Clark, Thomas D. Crey, Julian Elee, John B. Green, Caleb Godfrey, Newton A. Gastin, R. S. Hillhouse, Lewis Johnson Henderson Kimball, Peter Kaltenbach, A. J. Kinman, Damon C. Kennedy, Josiah MeCor- miek, Preston McCulloch, William McCassilin, Thomas Mullen, Aaron Messecher, Martin MeRorgh, James McDonald, Job A. Orton, James L. Osborne, Welcome Root, John Rose, Andrew Stephens, Alonzo Soule, Oliver Safford, Laurence Stull, Jacob Sanders, William A Thornton, Thomas J. Vance, Isaac Wilson John D. Watts, Thomas Weymon, Bennett M. Weldon, Sherman D. Wood and Henry Went- worth. Died-Sergeant James Mathewson, in hospital at Vera Cruz October 28, 1847 ; Ser- geant Benjamin F. Bogan, in hospital at Jalapa, Mexico, January 11, 1848 ; Corporal William C. Cook, in hospital at Jalapa December 2, 1847 ; Corporal Jonathan Reilly, in General Hospital at New Orleans September 14, 1847. Privates, died-Jofin Bodine, November 13, 1847, General Hospital at New Orleans ; Mat- thew Ballard, November 22, 1847, General Hospital at Vera Cruz ; Hiram Bruce, May 17, 1847, at Puebla ; William Cummins, December 18, 1847, in Regimental Hospital, Jalapa ; John Crooms, February 1, 1848, at Jalapa ; Dillard B. Caster, January 15, 1848, at Jalapa ; Will- iam Clark, December 14, 1847, at Jalapa ; Isaac Dawson, January 2, 1848, at Jalapa ; Joseph Dorrell, September 10, 1847, in General Hospital at Vera Cruz ; George W. Dornell, August 17, 1847, at Jalapa ; James F. Griffith, December 16, 1847, at Jalapa ; Robert Good-
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
rich, August 28, 1847, in General Hospital at New Orleans ; John Gilbert, May 4, 1848, in General Hospital at Puebla ; John A. Jenkins, September 17, 1847, in General Hospital at Vera Cruz ; William Knox, April 21, 1848, at Puebla ; John Keller, January 11, 1848, at Jalapa ; John Mylett, December 16, 1847, at Jalapa ; Hiram Leonard, December 2, 1947, at Jalapa ; Thomas A. Long, November 24, 1847, at Vera Cruz ; Henry Lawson, December 1, 1847, at New Orleans ; Reuben Light, Decem- ber 2, 1847, at Jalapa ; Zedick Marlow, De- cember 1, 1847, at Jalapa ; William R. Maynor, June 30, 1847, at Carrolton, La., James Mc- Connell, September 12, 1847, at Camp Bergara, Mexico ; William N. Moss, August 16, 1847, at Alton, Ill. ; John MeLaughlin, April 2, 1848, at Puebla ; Henry Piper, December 5, 1847, at Jalapa ; William Pierce, October 12, 1847, at Vera Cruz ; John Redmon, December 29. 1847, at Jalapa ; William Reynolds, March 5, 1848, at Jalapa ; William G. Stewart, January 23, 1848, at Jalapa ; John H. Stull, December 20, 1847, at Camp Bergara ; Wright Taylor, May 6, 1848, at New Orleans ; William G. Worley, September 10, 1847, at Vera Cruz ; Charles Weston, September 2, 1847, at Camp Bergara ; Thomas A. White, February 1, 1848, at Jalapa, and Daniel Wallace, February 15, 1848, at Jalapa. Discharged-Sergeant Jeremiah Mor- gan, disability ; Privates William Baker, Will- iam C. Brooks, Clinton Brown, Robert Ballard, Oliver Forward, George W. Green, S. A. Honey, Arthur Leach, Robert Osborne and John Vickey for disability. The company was A of the Second Regiment, commanded by James Collins, Colonel, Stephen G. Hicks, of Mount Vernon, Lieutenant Colonel, and Thomas S. Livingston, Major.
The company proceeded to Alton, and there on the 26th of June, 1847, was mustered into the United States service. Maj. Noah John- ston, of Mount Vernon, was Paymaster of the army during the last years of the war, and a
more faithful officer in that important line of duty never wore the livery of Uncle Sam. The troops did not leave Alton until the 13th of August, and on the last day of the month they arrived at Vera Cruz. They were on active duty until after the close of the war, though they were engaged in no hard fighting. On the 2d of June, they were ordered home, and arrived at Alton July 7, where they were in due time paid off and discharged.
The Rebellion .- After the close of the Mexi- can war, for a little more than a decade, we remained in peace and tranquillity, save an oc- casional skirmish with the Indians. But war clouds were gathering, and our political atmos- phere forehoded the coming storm. No outside foe or foreign enemy, however, now opposed us. Internal dissensions were shaking the country from center to circumference, and it bade fair to become a " house divided against itself." In 1860, the storm grew dark and angry. and at the election of Abraham Lincoln to the Presidency, and his inauguration in 1861, it burst in all its fury. It involved us in a civil war, the magnitude of which the world had never before seen. When the stars and stripes were hauled down from the battlements of Sumter, and the palmetto of the so-called Confederacy raised in its stead, it set the coun- try in a blaze of excitement. Old soldiers who had fought in the Black Hawk and Mexican wars came to the front, and scarcely had the President made his first call for troops ere the quota was filled, and many left ont who were clamoring to enlist. Jefferson County was no laggard in the path of duty, and her patriotism was equal to any of her sister counties. She was not into the fray quite as soon as many other connties, but when once in she stuck to it until the old flag waved in triumph again over every State and Territory.
The Fortieth Infantry is the first regiment in which we find the county represented, and only in this by a very few men and officers.
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY
The regiment was made up principally in Mar- ion, Wayue, Hamilton and Franklin Counties, with a few representatives, as we have said, from this county. It was commanded by that brave old warrior-hero of the Black Hawk and Mexican wars-Stephen G. Hicks. John W. Baugh was Adjutant, and Albion F. Taylor, Quartermaster, both honorable citizens of Mount Vernon, and perhaps others, of whom sketches will be found in the biographical department of this volume.
Stephen G. Hieks, a Sergeant in the Black Hawk war, a Captain, and afterward Lieutenant Colonel in the Mexican war, and Colonel of this (the Fortieth) regiment, was born for a sol- dier. Hle was the son of a soldier, possessed all the elements for a good soldier, and was one than whom none braver ever wore the uniform, nor followed the flag of the Union. He was born February 22 (the anniversary of Washington's birthday), 1809, in Jackson County, Ga., and was the son of John Hicks, one of the seven men killed in the battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1815. Hence, he was left an orphan at the age of six years, with few advantages for education or mental culture. But he was an energetie lad, had a vigorous body and an active mind, that could not be content in idleness. After his father's death, his mother married Jacob Weldon, by whom young Stephen considered he was cruelly treated, and long before arriving at manhood he left the parental roof, and hired to a man living near Springfield .. He worked during the summer, and went to school in winter, thus picking up a moderate education, and finally he found his way to the lead mines at Galena. Returning a few years later, he worked at the carpenter's trade with his uncle, Carter Wilkey. When the Black Hawk war broke out in 1832 he was among the first to enlist, and was ap- pointed First Sergeant of Capt. Bowman's Company, in which position he faithfully served during the war. He was married, in October,
1829, to Miss Eliza R. Maxey, a daughter of Burchett Maxey, who still survives him, and is a resident of Mount Vernon. Mr. Hicks rep- resented Jefferson County in the Lower House of the State Legislature from 1842 to 1848, and as a legislator proved himself worthy and efficient, receiving the highest commendations of his constituents. He studied law, was ad- mitted to the bar, and practiced law for a number of years.
At the breaking-out of the Mexican war, Col. Hicks recruited Company H, of the Third Regiment (Col. Foremau), and when his term of service had expired, he re-enlisted as a pri- vate, but was promoted Lieutenant Colonel of the Second Regiment as re-organized, before it left Alton, the place of rendezvous. His rec- . ord throughout the Mexican war was that of an excellent and efficient oflieer, and a brave soldier. The following incident is illustrative of the man, and of his courage and bravery : A bad feeling was engendered during the first year of the war between Maj. Marshall and himself, and in their difference Col. Hicks pro- posed to go down on the river bank and fight it out. Maj. Marshall accepted the proposition, and, armed with pistols, they were about to test each other's courage, when the Lieutenant Colonel of their regiment found it out, and put a stop to it. He and Licut. Bagwell had a lit- tle " spat " also during the first year in Mexico, in which Bagwell questioned Hieks' bravery. In the battle of Cerro Gordo, when bullets were flying as thick as hail, Hicks held his hand aloft, and cried out, "Lieut. Bagwell, show your hand, and we will see who is the bravest." Both men were brave even to rashness. Bag- well was at one time Sheriff of Jefferson Coun- ty. He recruited a company during the late war, and joined the confederate army, and was killed in the battle of Shiloh, gallantly fighting at the head of his men. Hicks became Colonel, as we have seen, of the Fortieth Infantry, in the late rebellion, and served his Gov-
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
ernment faithfully to the close of the war. He was severely wounded in the bat- tle of Shiloh, while leading his regiment in the thickest of the fight. Waving his sword in the direction of the enemy, and turning in his saddle to cheer his men, a ball struck him in the back or shoulder, and he fell from his horse. His men swept on to avenge his fall, and Col. Hicks crawled a half a mile to water, and washed the blood from the wound with his own hand. During his service in the late war, he had four horses shot under him. After he recovered from his wounds, Gen Sherman, struck with the bravery of Col. Hicks, and in consideration of the wounds he had received, offered him the command of any post between Cairo and New Orleans. Col. Hicks had been stationed for awhile at Paducah in the early part of the war, and, liking the place, told Gen. Sherman he would accept the command of Pa- ducah, which Sherman readily granted. Hicks also asked that Capt. Taylor, his Regimental Quartermaster, and who was his son-in-law, might be detached, and go with him as Post Adjutant. This Gen. Sherman also granted. Col. Hicks remained in command of Paducah from October, 1863, for about one and one-half years, and then went to Columbus, where he remained in command until after the close of the war. While in command at Paducah, the płace was attacked by the confederate Gen. Forrest, who sent in a demand to Col. Hicks for its unconditional surrender, otherwise no quarter would be shown if it was captured by force. Hicks sent him word that his Govern- ment had placed him there to protect its prop- erty, and he would prove a traitor if he surren- dered it, and wound up by telling Forrest he would have to come and take it. Gen. Thomp- son, of Mayfield, Ky., who commanded a bri- gade, had asked the favor of Forrest to let him take the fort where Hicks commanded in person, and was granted the request. He attacked it with great fury, but was struck by a
cannon ball and literally torn in pieces, his bowels being scattered over the ground, and a portion of his spinal column being thrown sev- erał rods from where he fell. The battle was terrible white it lasted, the rebels losing 1.200 men in killed and wounded. The Union forces, who were protected by a fort, lost but seventeen killed and a number wounded.
Col. Hicks remained in the service until the establishment of peace. His defense of Padu- cah was one of the most brilliant achievements of the war, and won for him unqualified praise, but did not bring the promotion he merited. After his return from the war, he made his home in Salem, Marion County, where he had some time lived. He died there December 14, 1869, and his widow now lives in Mount Ver- non, a highly respected elderly lady.
The Forty-fourth Infantry was a regiment in which Jefferson County was well represented. Company F contained some fifteen or twenty men from this county, together with its first and Second Lieutenants, William Hicks and George W. Allen. Hicks resigned April 5, 1862, and Allen was promoted from Second to First Lieutenant, and resigned January 1. 1865. The other commissioned officers of the company were from Ashley and Richview.
Company I was almost wholly from this county, and was enrolled with the following commissioned officers : Jasper Partridge, Cap- tain ; Russell Brown, First Lieutenant ; and Jesse C. Bliss, Second Lieutenant. Capt. Part- ridge and First Lieut. Brown were mustered out at the end of three years, and Lieut. Charles M. Lyon was promoted to Captain of the vet- eran company, and T. J. Abbott became First Lieutenant. Second Lieut. Bliss was mustered out at the end of his term, and Andrew J. Young appointed Second Lieuteuant under re- organization. The non-commissioned officers were Cyrus A. Barrett, John A. Wall and Mor- ris H. Taylor, Sergeants ; and Learner B. Allen, Franklin S. Parker, Henry P. Daniel, Isaac
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
Price, Edwin R. Bliss, Andrew J. Watson, Will- iam H. Pavey and John C. Crawford, Corpo- rals. Wall was discharged April 8, 1862, on account of wounds ; Taylor re-enlisted as a veteran ; Daniel was discharged April 8, 1862, from disability ; Price was killed at Stone River, December 31, 1862; Watson was discharged from disability May 29, 1862, and Pavey died at home, February 1, 1862. The others were mustered ont with the regiment.
The Forty-fourth Infantry was organized in August, 1861, at Camp Ellsworth, Chicago. It was mustered into the United States service on the 13th of September, and the next day pro- ceeded under orders to St. Louis, Mo., and took np its quarters in Benton Barracks. It was supplied with arms from the St. Louis arsenal, and on the 22d embarked on a steamer for Jef- ferson City, which was threatened at that time by the rebel Gen. Price, jubilant over his re- cent victory at Lexington. It remained here until the 29th, when it was ordered to Sedalia, where it was assigned to Gen. Sigel's division. Here it was engaged in drilling, camp duty, scouting, foraging, etc., until the 13th of Octo- ber, when the army took np its line of march toward Springfield, Mo., arriving at that place a little too late to participate in the bloody charge led by Maj. Zagonia (of Gen. Fremont's body guard) against the rebel cavalry stationed there. With much marching and counter- marching, and in daily expectation of meeting the enemy, the fall and winter wore away, and on the 2d of February, 1862, Gen. Curtis hav- ing assumed command of the army, it marched from Rolla, where it had been for some time, back toward Springfield, where Gen. Price was concentrating his forces, with the intention of offering fight should he be attacked. But he " retired in good order." and the Union forces took possession of the town on the 13th with- out serious opposition. Then began an excit- ing chase, which many of Company I doubtless still remember, as the Forty-fourth was contin-
ally in advance until the army reached Camp Halleck, Benton County, Ark. The pursuit was abandoned on the 20th of February, and the troops were allowed a few days' rest after their arduous service. They had marched four consecutive days, during the most inclement weather (there being six inches of snow a part of the time on the ground) and skirmishing almost continually during the last week's march. The troops remained here until the 5th of March, when news was received that the com- bined forces of Van Dorn, Price and McCul- lough were advancing to attack them, when they moved toward Sugar Creek Valley, and in the afternoon of the sixth the rear guard was attacked by the enemy and repulsed. This was the opening of the terrible battle of Pea Ridge, which resulted so disastrously to the rebels. The Forty-fourth took a prominent part in it, and after the enemy had been routed was one of the regiments selected to follow up the retreat. For three days they pursned the fleeing rebels, capturing one stand of colors, and taking many hundred prisoners, and several pieces of artillery. They remained in this vicinity until the 5th of May, when they moved toward Forsythe, Mo., but was ordered back to Batesville, Ark. Here the army was re-organ- ized, and the Forty-fourth hecame a part of the brigade commanded by Gen. Osterhaus. On the 8th, the army was put in motion, and started for Little Rock, but orders were received ordering it to Cape Girardeau, Mo., where, npon its arrival, it embarked for Pittsburg Landing, to re-enforce the troops then besieging Corinth. Miss. The troops arrived at Pittsburg Land- ing on the 26th, and the next day marched up within supporting distance of the main hody of the army, arriving two days before the evacu- ation of Corinth. After the evacuation, the brigade to which the forty-fourth belonged was attached to Gen. Pope's army, and sent in pur- suit of the retreating rebels, but owing to bad roads the pursuit was soon abandoned. The
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troops returned to Rienzi, Miss., and went into camp, where they remained until the 26th of August, when they were ordered to Covington, Ky., to protect that place and Cincinnati, Ohio, against threatened attacks of the enemy. They arrived there about the 1st of September, and were on duty there until the 17th, when they crossed to Cincinnati and proceeded to Louis- ville, then threatened by Gen. Bragg.
The command remained in Louisville until the Ist of October, and during the time, it was again re-organized, the Forty-fourth being assigned to the Thirty-fifth Brigade, Eleventh Division, Army of the Ohio. October 1, the command (ineluding the Forty-fourth) started on the memorable campaign through Kentucky in pursuit of Gen. Bragg, and participated in the battle of Perryville on the 8th, being at the time in the division commanded by Gen. Phil Sheridan. They followed in pursuit of the enemy to Crab Orchard, and on the 20th of October marched toward Bowling Green, arriving there on the 1st of November. Here Gen. Rosecrans assumed command, and on the 4th the army took np the line of march toward Nashville, where it arrived on the 7th, reliev- ing the garrison at that place and re-opening communication with Louisville. On the 26th of December, the army moved against the enemy at Murfreesboro. The Forty-fourth was now attached to the Second Brigade, Third Division, Twentieth Army Corps, Col. Schaffer command- ing the brigade, Gen. Sheridan the division, and Gen. McCook the corps. The Forty- fourth took an active part in the bloody battle of Stone River, losing more than half its members, killed and wounded, Capt. Hosmer of Ashley, being among the killed. It re- mained with the army at Murfreesboro, until the 26th of June 1863, when it again marched to the front and crossed swords with the enemy at Hoover's Gap, Shelbyville and Tullahoma. In the early part of July, it proceeded to Stephenson, Ala., where it remained until the
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