History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 45

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.); Henderson County Historical Society (Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1424


USA > Illinois > Mercer County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 45
USA > Illinois > Henderson County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 45


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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HAMMOND WEBSTER (deceased) was born, raised and married in Massachusetts. Both he and his wife, Louisa Richardson, also a native of Massachusetts, were engaged in the famous Girard factories of Massachusetts. They moved to New York state. In 1843 they emigrated to Ohio Grove township, Mercer county, Illinois, and pur- chased the S. E. { Sec. 28, and afterward added N. E. ¿ See. 28. Mr. Webster died in 1845 and is buried in the Candor graveyard. His wife, at present writing (1882), survives him. He was justice of the peace several years. He was an old line whig. The children were : Albert, Theodore L., William, and Mariah (now Mrs. Robert Parkison). William Webster was born in New York, Alleghany county, June 1,


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1831, and came west with his people. His father dying, left William to work and do for himself at fourteen years of age. He spent till twenty-five years of age working round and renting a farm. He was married in 1858 to Julia A. Wing, daughter of Oliver and Julina (Harrington) Wing, both natives of Massachusetts but who died in Ohio. Mrs. Webster was born in Springfield, Pennsylvania, Novem- ber 29, 1821. When twelve years old moved to Ohio, then came west to Mercer county. After marriage Mr. Webster purchased his present farm, S. E. } Sec. 30, which he has earned with toil and so well im- proved. He has two children : Edith and Harriet L. In politics he is democratic. He has been ten years a school director.


JAMES GRAHAM (deceased), was born in Washington county, Penn- sylvania, June 26, 1809, and was a son of John and Martha (Hutchi- son) Graham, both natives of Chester county, Pennsylvania. The Grahams were Pennsylvania frontier pioneers. James Graham was married Merch 4, 1835, to Mary Stewart, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Welsh) Stewart. She was born in Washington county, Penn- sylvania, May 10, 1814. Her father was born in county Armagh, Ireland, and emigrated when nine years old. He died in Virginia and is buried in Elizabethtown. He was an elder in the Presbyterian church. His wife died in Mercer county, and lies in Norwood ceme- tery. James Graham moved to Illinois in 1842, spending two years in Warren county. In 1845 he settled in Ohio Grove township, Mer- cer county, where he bought the N. W. } of Sec. 35. This he improved. He died November 25, 1879. He was an elder in the United Presby- terian church. In politics he had been free-soiler, whig and republi- can. He at one time cast the only free-soil vote cast in Ohio Grove township. He was foremost in temperance work. His education was good, having taught in Pennsylvania and in Mercer county. He left a wife and six children to mourn his loss. Mrs. Graham resides at Alexis. Her children are: Calvin W., of Kansas; Lenora J., now Mrs. A. L. Brownlee, of Iowa; Mary M. E., now Mrs. J. C. Graham, of Monmouth ; R. M., of Nebraska ; Emmet S., at home ; and Eva A., with her mother. Emmet S. was married October 19, 1876, to Miss Ella C. Boggs ; she was born in Warren county, Illinois, April 25, 1856.


JOHN SEATON (deceased) was born in Perthshire, Scotland, March 15, 1795, and was a son of Duncan and Margaret (Cameron) Seaton. His birthplace is the country village of Killiekrankie, famous as a field of battle in times gone by, and made immortal by the lines of Walter Scott. Mr. Seaton's grandfather and his wife's grandfather fought in the battle of Culloden. Mr. Seaton spent about forty-five years in


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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.


Scotland. He was educated in the common schools of his country. He learned the trade of carpentry and masonry, which he followed somewhat, as well as farming. He became anxious to try a new country ; hence in 1843 he left the land of Scott and Burns for Amer- ica. He sailed from Liverpool May 21 and landed in New York July 14. IIe settled first in Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, where he farmed two years. In 1845 he determined to emigrate still westward ; accord- ingly he started for Galena, Illinois, via the river, but being taken sick he concluded to land at Oquawka, which he did in November of 1845. He spent the first winter in Mercer county ; then two years he farmed in Warren county. In 1848 he " squatted " on the N. W. ¿ of Sec. 19, T. 13 N., R. 3 W., Mercer county, which he bought when it came into market. This he improved, and here he lived till his death, July 21, 1881. Mr. Seaton was a quiet, honest, plodding farmer, friendly to all and esteemed by all. IIe was a Presbyterian in reli- gious faith. In politics he cast his first vote for Henry Clay, and later was a strong republican. The country needs more such men. Mr. Seaton was first married in 1821 to Isabell McDonald, who died in 1824, leaving two children: Margaret, born June 22, 1822; and Duncan, born October 27, 1823. Mr. Seaton next married (1826) Miss Christian Seaton, probably a very distant relative. She was born January 10, 1800. She shared the toils of emigration and life in the new country, dying in Mercer county, Illinois, December 20, 1878. She was a consistent Christian, and a queen in her own house. She was the mother of six children : Eliza, born October 4, 1828, died July, 1847; John, born February 6, 1831; Robert, born March 25, 1834, enlisted in company G, 102d reg. Ill. Vol. Inf., was second lieutenant, and died at Nashville, October 10, 1864, from a wound received July 22, 1864, at Atlanta ; he was a brave boy ; Daniel, born February 3, 1836, died May 14, 1866 ; George ; Susan, died in infancy. George Seaton, son of John Seaton, was born February 14, 1839, on the same farm as his father. He grew to be his father's constant help, as he took charge of his father's business for about twenty years. He was married February 26, 1874, to Miss Mary J. Brown, daughter of James Brown, of Warren county. She was born in Ireland, county Antrim, July 26, 1851, and is lineally descended from the Campbells, of Argyleshire, Scotland. They have four children. Mr. Seaton owns the old homestead and other land to the amount of about 500 acres. The new town of Seaton is laid out on his land, and he has built the first store.


SAMUEL M. CREIGHTON, farmer, was born January 18, 1831, in Ohio county, West Virginia. His father, John Creighton, was born in


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1767, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. While yet a boy he was a teamster in the revolution, and was drilled for a soldier. He was present at the battle of the Brandywine. He died in 1849, having buried his wife (Samuel's mother) in 1836 .- Both are buried at the church at the Forks of Wheeling. She was born about 1780. In the family were eleven children, of whom Samuel is the youngest. He, in company with his sister Elizabeth, emigrated to Brown county, Ohio; then to Warren county, Illinois ; and in the fall of 1853 settled on section 35, Ohio Grove township, Mercer county, Illinois, on the James Graham place, one year; then in 1854 he bought the N. W. } of Sec. 33. This he has improved. In 1875 he built his present house at an expense of $2,100. Mr. Creighton is a radical republican ; he cast his first vote for John P. Hale. He is a member of the United Presbyterian church.


WILLIAM C. BROWNLEE, farmer, is the namesake of his father, the Rev. W. C. Brownlee, D.D., of New York city. Dr. W. C. Brownlee was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was educated at the university of Glasgow, and was licensed to preach in Scotland in the faith of the covenanters. He was married in Scotland to Mariah MeDougall, a native of Glasgow. IIe emigrated to America about 1804, and became a minister to a Seceder congregation in Washington county, Pennsyl- vania. He soon received a call to a Philadelphia Scotch-Presbyterian congregation, which he accepted about 1812. He afterward became Professor of Languages and Mathematics in Rutgers College, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Later he became collegiate pastor of the Dutch Reformed church, at the corner of Nassau and Liberty streets, New York city. He died in 1860, in his eighty-second year, having suffered many years from a stroke of the palsy. His wife died about 1850. In the family were nine children : Dr. J. J. Brownlee (dead) was surgeon in the late war; John A. (dead) was of the firm of Brownlee, Homer & Co., St. Louis; David, a merchant of St. Louis ; the girls, Mariah, Margaret, Jane, and Catharine, married prominent merchants in the east. William C. was born in Lancaster, Pennsyl- vania, September 3, 1815, and is the third child in the family. He was educated in the common schools of Pennsylvania and high school of New York city. In the spring of 1838 he left home and stayed with his relatives in Ohio a time, emigrating with them still westward. He came to Mercer county, Illinois, and settled near Viola, taking a claim of 160 acres. In 1840 he bought 240 acres in Ohio Grove town- ship, which he has improved. In that year he was married to Mary A. Brownlee. She was born in Richland county, Ohio. She died April 3, 1876, and is buried at Norwood. She was the mother of six chil-


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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.


dren : William C., Jr., Francis, Mariah, Samuel, Alexander, and Harriet N. Mr. Brownlee was a whig, voted awhile for the democ- racy, but the war made him a republican.


JAMES CALHOUN (deceased) was a native of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania. He made a trip to Muskingum county about 1814, pur- chasing, and in part clearing, a farm. About 1816 he settled with his wife, Elizabeth (Carnahan) on his Ohio farm. His father having been in the revolutionary war, he was not afraid of the frontier. There nine chidren were born to them : David, William, John K., James II., Joseph C., Samuel C., Elizabeth, Franklin, and Alexander T. Mr. Calhoun, besides farming in Ohio, was proprietor of a store and a steam mill. In 1843 the family emigrated via the Muskingum, Ohio and Mississippi rivers to Oquawka and thence to Mercer county, where he farmed a short time in Suez township, then removed to New Boston, where he kept hotel for a number of years. He died July 15, 1847. His wife lived till November 22, 1878. Both were mem- bers of the United Presbyterian church. Mr. Calhoun is a distant relative of the great John C. Calhoun. The children are scattered. David and William moved to Kansas ; the latter is dead. Joseph and Alexander live in Taylor county, Iowa ; James K., is of Aledo ; Sam- uel and James H., in Ohio Grove township. Samuel and Alexander served three years in company H., 84th Ill. Vol., in the civil war. James H. was born August 5, 1826 ; has spent a life on the farm, owning 80 acres in Ohio Grove township. The family are, and have been, warm republicans. John K. was born February 24, 1824; was raised on the farm and educated in the common schools of his day. He came to Mercer county in 1843, with the family. In 1846 he returned to Ohio, where he lived till the fall of 1854, when he was married to Miss - McClelland, native of Ohio ; and on the fol- lowing day started for his home in Mercer county, Illinois. He set- tled in section 5, Suez township, where he lived, raised his family and buried his wife, her death occurring in 1872. In spring of 1882 he retired from active labor and moved to Aledo, Illinois. He is owner of 500 acres of good land. His children are : Elizabeth J., Martha A. (now Mrs. Robert Hudleston), Mary B., William, (deceased).


BARNET UNANGST (deceased) was born in Warren county, New Jersey, March 28, 1810. His father, Jacob Unangst, was a native of Northampton county, Pennsylvania, and his mother, Elizabeth (Wil- son), was born in New Jersey. The family is of German descent. June 15, 1833, Barnet Unganst was married to Charity Smith, daugh- ter of Isaac and Jemima (Wheaton) Smith. She was born in Hunt- ington county, New Jersey, August 30, 1815. An extract from a


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New Jersey paper is as follows : "The annual re-union of the great Smith family of New Jersey, held on Wednesday, in a beautiful grove of appletrees on the site of the old homestead of Zachariah Smith, of Peapack, was, perhaps, the biggest family gathering that has ever yet taken place. There were fully 3,000 persons present, all supposed to be lineally descended from, or connected with, the original John Schmidt, of Holland, who settled in Stanton, Huntington county, New Jersey, over 125 years ago, and changed his name to Smith, after he understood the ways of the country. He was a genial Dutch- man ; slow plodding, industrious, honest ; and the impress of his character is left on a good portion of his vast progeny to this day." After marriage Barnet and Charity Unangst lived in New Jersey till 1851, having eight children born to them : Pheby, born May 12, 1834, died April 19, 1836 ; John S., born September 12, 1836, died August · 20, 1838 ; Godfrey H., born January 12, 1839 ; Ann E., born Novem- ber 21, 1840 ; Mary J., born November 30, 1842; Margaret, born July 13, 1845; Christiana, born September 3, 1847; Sarah C., born March 26, 1850. Two were born in Illinois : Jacob, born February 16, 1852, died December 14, 1854 ; and William H., born July 27, 1854. In 1851 the family sought a home in Illinois, and bought land in Ohio Grove township, Mercer county, coming overland 1,200 or 1,300 miles, occupying about seven weeks in the journey. Here the Unangsts made their farm. Mr. Unangst was a quiet, congenial citi- zen. He died November 23, 1876, leaving his wife to survive him till August 12, 1881. Both were members of the Presbyterian church, and are buried at Norwood. Godfrey H., the third child, enlisted in company E, 102d Ill., Vol., August 18, 1862. He was detached at Gallatin, Tennessee, for pioneer service, December 1, 1862, and trans- ferred to company K, 1st Reg. U. S. Vet. Eng. Vol., about Septem- ber 1, 1864. He was through the campaign from Nashville to Mur- freesboro, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and in front of Nashville. He was discharged June 30, 1865, and returned to his home, where he resumed farm labor. He became manager of the farm on his father's disability, and now owns the old homestead in section 13.


EBENEZER GRAHAM, farmer, was born May 12, 1816, in Washing- ton county, Pennsylvania. His parents, John and Martha (Hutchi- son) Graham, were natives of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, but died in Washington county. John Graham emigrated from Ireland when a young man. He lived on the frontier of Pennsylvania, at night resting in a fort. He was in the Indian wars. Ebenezer, the tenth and youngest child, lived in Pennsylvania till 1857. He was raised on a farm. His schooling is limited, yet such as was common to his


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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.


day. He was married to Sarah A. McDowell, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, December 21, 1837. In 1857 Mr. Graham sold his farm and moved west, settling in Ohio Grove town- ship, Mercer county, where he has improved a good farm. He and wife have been members of the United Presbyterian church over forty-five years. He is a strong republican. In the family are two children : J. L., born in Pennsylvania; and Martha J. S., now Mrs. Dr. J. T. McCutchan, of Norwood.


M. M. CROSS, farmer, was born in Adams county, Ohio, November 16, 1820, and is a son of William and Ann (Morrow) Cross. William Morrow was a native of Pennsylvania. He became a soldier in the war of 1812. In 1811 he moved to Adams county, Ohio. He was a farmer and miller and had learned the tanning business in his young days. He died in Ohio in 1848. His wife was a native of county Down, Ireland, and came when young to America ; she died in Ohio . in 1856. In the family were three girls and three boys. M. M. Cross was reared on the farm. He was married to Dorcas Finley, daughter of William Finley, in 1856. In that same year Mr. Cross came to Mercer county, Illinois, and settled in Ohio Grove township. He bought eighty acres of land; to this he added more, then sold, but now owns 160 acres of fine land, with good improvements. Mr. Cross was raised a democrat but has long been a good republican. He was assessor some time and was road commissioner about fifteen years. His wife died March 2, 1856, leaving a family of five children: Lewis A., McDill I., Emma A., Craton R., and Stewart E. Mr. Cross was next married to Paulina J. Walker, a native of Adams county, Ohio, and who came with her parents to Peoria county, Illinois, in an early day. Mr. and Mrs. Cross are connected with the United Presbyterian church. McDill R., son of M. M. Cross, was born in Adams county, Ohio, February 25, 1856. He lived with his parents till marriage ; he was married March 8, 1882, to Miss Abbie M. Kimel, daughter of J. W. and Mary (Burnet) Kimel. She was born in Mercer county, Ohio Grove township, March 12, 1863.


HORACE NYE CHANDLER is a son of Zachariah and Fannie (Bingham) Chandler. The Chandlers have been prominent figures in America for several generations. Benjamin Chandler was killed in the battle of Bennington in the revolution, as a "Green Mountain boy," and his sons, John, Joseph, Jesse, Benjamin, and Seth were in the same battte. Joseph was in the regular army under Gates, and afterward settled in Morgan county, Ohio. Dr. Jesse Chandler settled in Putnam county, Ohio, and his son, Dr. Ero Chandler, is now of Hancock county, Illinois. Benjamin died in Philadelphia. Jolin raised six sons ; he died and is


John Cooper


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OIIIO GROVE TOWNSIIIP.


buried at Chandlersville, Ohio. His sons were: Zachariah, Martin, John, Samuel, Guy, and Stephen. Zachariah was born in Rutland county, Vermont ; he died in Muskingum county, Ohio, and is buried by his father. His wife, Fannie Bingham, was a native of New Hamp- shire; she rests near her husband in Ohio. She was related to con- gressman Bingham, so long an Ohio statesman. She was a descendant of Miles Standish of the May Flower fame. She was a very intel- ligent woman, not only understanding, but able to teach. Her children received the larger part of their education from her wonderful fund of knowledge. Her children are: Seth, who died in California; Horace N., of Mercer county ; Mary (dead), Harriott (dead), Abigail (dead), Abigail (living), Fannie (dead), Eliza, and Nira. Horace N. Chandler was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, November 8, 1817. He was was raised to the toil of the farm. He attended the common schools, but received the larger part of his knowledge of government and public men from his mother. Being the only son at home, the duties of the house fell somewhat upon him, so that he lived with his parents and they with him till they died. He became the proprietor of the Ohio homestead. Mr. Chandler was married June 1, 1843, to Miss Anne E. Bevan, daughter of John and Mary (Blackburn) Bevan. Her father was a native of Monroe county, Ohio, and her mother of Maryland. Mrs. Chandler was born in Monroe county, Ohio, October 8, 1822. After marriage Mr. Chandler resided in Ohio till 1865, when he came west, arriving at Monmouth on the day on which the news of Lincoln's assassination stung the heart of every true American. He bought, June 12, 1865, the James Kellogg farm, the S. W. ¿ of Sec. 27 and W. { of S. E. { Sec. 27, Ohio Grove township, Mercer county, Illinois, where he has since lived. He has improved the farm very materially. He has been supervisor for many terms. In politics he has been whig and republican, being a charter member of the latter party. The children of this union are : Darwin, Mary, Seth, John B., Harriott, and Homer. Darwin enlisted in the naval service under Com. Leroy Fisk, serving one year, till the war closed. Mary is now Mrs. J. K. Porter.


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DR. C. C. SMITH, son of Andrew and Jane (Craig) Smith, was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, April 1, 1825. Jane Craig was born in county Monohon, Ireland, in 1790, and emigrated with her parents in 1794 to Pennsylvania. She died in Ohio, July 12, 1864. Andrew Smith was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and died in Ohio, August 31, 1875. His grandfather Smith was from Germany. Andrew Smith and wife were many years in the Associate Presbyterian church. In their family were six children: Anne, Lydia, C. C., Sarah J. (dead),


27


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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.


John, and Walter. The life of Dr. C. C. Smith has been one of unusual activity, from the fact that he has been obliged to fight his own battles in life. His education, liberal as it is, he acquired by his . own efforts. His early years were spent in country air and his hands were inured to farm labor. He desired a professional life, and to fit him for this he was resolved first to be well read in general knowledge. He accordingly attended the common schools. He began teaching, which he followed at different times for a number of years. He attended Madison College at Antrim, Ohio, where he completed the course in mathematics, except surveying. He also pursued the Latin language to some extent. In 1848 he began to read medicine with a Dr. Davis. His preceptor dying he then read with Dr. R. G. Stephen- son. After reading more or less for four years he attended medical lectures at Cleveland, Ohio, in 1852. He began the practice of medi- cine in Antrim, his home, first in partnership with his preceptor, but Dr. Stephenson dying Dr. Smith continued his profession alone. In 1856 he located at Viola, Mercer county, Illinois, remaining two years or little more. He then practiced as long in Preemption. In the fall of 1861 lie bought out Dr. Gilmore, of Sunbeam, and has since prac- ticed here. That he has been a successful practitioner is evident from the fact that he now owns seventy-two acres, with good house, etc., as his home place, eighty acres in section 10, and 160 acres in Iowa, all the reward of his practice. During the war the doctor was busy, doing much for the families of soldiers. The wounds he dressed without charge, and thus he did his duty at home. Late years he has circum- scribed his practice, on account of overwork. He has been an active worker in temperance work, also a member and an officer in the United Presbyterian church. He is a very strong republican. His first vote was for John P. Hale. Dr. Smith was married February 22, 1855, to Cordelia, daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Work) Downerd. She was born in Guernsey county, Ohio. Her father was a German, her mother from county Donegal, Ireland. Dr. Smith has a family of six children living and two dead.


CHRISTIAN SHARER (deceased) was born on New Year. day about 1800, in Herkimer county, New York. His people were of Dutch descent. His father was killed in the revolutionary war. Mr. Sharer was raised on a farm, but became interested in dairying, merchandis- ing, distilling and banking business, becoming quite wealthy. The panic of 1837 crippled him financially. He was married in New York to Catharine Rasbach, by whom he had three children : John, George, and Edward M. In 1844 they moved to Licking county, Ohio. In 1854 they located in Moultrie county, Illinois, and a year afterward in


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Stark county. In 1858 they moved to Mercer county, Illinois, where Mr. Sharer bought land in Suez township, and lived till his death, in June, 1861. His wife lives on the homestead. Edward M., the third child, was born May 3, 1841, remained with his parents, and moved with them. He enlisted August 26, 1862, in company E, 102d III. Vol., and served in service of his country nearly three years, enduring all the hardships and enjoying the few pleasures incident to the career of his regiment. In the fall of 1868 he purchased 100 acres of land in the northeast part of section 24, Ohio Grove township. In 1876 or 1877 he built his present commodious house. He now has 180 acres in his farm, well improved. He was married February 23, 1869, to Martha Simpson, daughter of James and Anna (Goodman) Simpson, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Sharer was born in Pennsylvania .. Three of her brothers were in the . civil war, David R. being in company E, 102d Illinois, the others in Pennsylvania regiments. Mr. and Mrs. Sharer have five children : Alva, Willie, Edward, Charlie, and the babe.


GEORGE W. WERTS, blacksmith, was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, April 4, 1841, and is a son of George and Margaret (Maple) Werts. His father was a native of Loudoun county, Virginia, and his mother of Ohio. Mr. Werts was raised on a farm, and when sixteen years old learned the blacksmith's trade, so that when Sumpter's cry of distress belched from mouths of cannon and called for America's yeomanry to relieve her he was used to toil and prepared to do his country's service. He enlisted August 22, 1862, in company I, 122d Ohio Vol., under Capt. Gary. He was mustered in at Zanesville, Ohio, as a private. For two years, more or less constantly, he bugled for his company. He became engaged in battle at Winchester ; Millroy, where his company became surrounded by the enemy; Harper's Ferry; went into line at Williamsport, near Gettysburg, where he assisted in taking 1,500 prisoners. He was then in the effort to cut through Manassas gap to intercept Lee ; was then sent to New York to aid in quelling the riot. He fought at Locust Grove, then started with Grant for Richmond. May 4, 1864, he went into the battle of the Wilderness, where his company lost heavily; took part at Spottsyl- vania Court-house, Cold Harbor, where his division received a compli- mentary order for taking the works of the enemy. He was then sent to the south side of Richmond to Butler's department, and was drawn in line to make a charge, but word came countermanding the order. He then united with the main army at Petersburg, and fought on the south side of the river. He accompanied Sheridan in the Shenandoah valley to protect Washington ; went through that campaign, and was




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