USA > Illinois > Mercer County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 82
USA > Illinois > Henderson County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 82
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135
Thirtieth Reg., Company A .- Henry Arnett, Benjamin Bell. James E. Brown, Robert R. Crist, H. J. Peters, John Gilmore, Phil. R. Alexander, Isaac M. Home, J. P. Paxton, N. R. Kirkpatrick, William Gardener, John P. Mitchell, John Smith, Samuel Whitham, Perry Paxton, William Lowe, T. B. Moore, William Adams, Henry Bistline, Samuel Cook, Robert H. Davis, Phineas S. Synder, George W. Hill, John Cannum, S. McIntire, Charles N. Shull, John P. Instead, William P. Kimel, Charles C. Dennis, Abner G. Titus, Thomas Home,
849
THE SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.
David A. Felton, William G. MeGaw, M. Quinlan. Company G .- Joseph R. Humbert, Levi Jackson, Van C. Ogle, Albert A. Holland, J. Wesley Mann, James Ogle, G. W. . Rice, John Garrett, James Burnett, James W. Ditto, J. Cook Brisbine, Stephen F. Moler, Sam. D. Boden, William C. Kelley, William C. Bickett, James W. Purdum, Alvah Shumway, William W. Humbert, John Ogle. Company K .- Samuel Ebner.
Thirty-sixth Rey., Company C .- Jackson Caldwell, Rich. Godfrey, Samuel N. Wilson, Nathan Mccutcheon, Thomas R. Pollock, William Shearer, II. Buchanan, Hugh Shearer, F. Ingles. Company B .- Bruce Brownlee. Company A .- Thomas Moore.
Thirty-seventh. Reg., Company A .- Francis Gannon, Andrew Wil- son, Oran Cochran, I. K. Williams, John Dorrity, James Valentine, Sylvester Mizner, William T. Little, Robert Armstrong, John C. Whitsel, Henry H. B. Clarke, J. W. Catheart.
Forty-fifth Reg., Company I .- Robert Day, Levi Lunn, Benjamin Burleigh, William H. Sheriff, George W. Debord, William L. Green, I. F. Bridgford, Ira G. Smith, Benjamin Bryant, James Ebner, H. Wages, Thomas J. Miller, Samnel Gorman.
Fifty-fifth. Reg., Company F .- W. Carus, W. Cozell. Com- pany I .- E. M. Bruner.
Fifty-eighth. Reg., Company G .-- Daniel Knapp, William H. Mercer.
Sixty-fifth Reg., Company B .- George Fortner, John Hale, Lor- enzo Wood, John M. Jones, H. J. Hanck, Robert Hampson. John McCaughey, James Hiers, George W. Shaunce, Henry Iliers.
Eighty-third Reg., Company D .- A. O. McCreight, George N. Marquis, John C. Woodham, James S. Stewart, James S. Eveland, D. M. Nevins, Erastus Kenney, Samuel G. McCreight, Francis M. Shearer, George Mitchell, James M. Veach, Amos Kenney.
Eighty-fourth Reg., Company H .- Luther T. Ball, Andrew J. Hellings, James J. Kidwell, Frederick Kemp, William Lipton, Peter Rotehrock, Edgar L. Spicer, Daniel Williams, Francis Whan, Francis Brown, W. W. McCandless, Joseph Ballien, Alonzo Guest, O. R. Per- sonius, Andrew Jackson, John W. Sterling, F. M. Brown, HI. E. Aber- crombie, John M. Wiedner, John Diech, Bigalow Kile, L. McManus, George McPherren, Mack Tirney, H. Welliver, Robert Whan, John A. Preston, Almon Wilber, Michael Conway, John H. Gillespie, Marvin Sullivan, J. R. Eekley, George M. Haney. Company C .- William Whiting.
One Hundred and Second Reg., Company A .- John K. Holmes, Albert P. Cooper, Robert F. Carl, Eli Judd, William Miller, Oliver
850
HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.
N. Tyler. H. Butterfield, William H. Augustine, Alfred Boyd. John Edwards, Orlando Kenney. Arthur F. Sabin, Jacob A. Walton, J. Morann. Company B .- John Rich, Harvey Rogers. Company C .- Francis Freeman, George Huffman, Henry Herr, G. Bressmer, Edmund Kinsey, Charles Anderson, George Bahringer, M. McMullen. Com- pany E .- Peter F. Cook, John R. Carmichael, John McCutcheon, Chauncey M. Royce, William Sevits, Albert C. Bridger, Seth Grayatt, Michael Oswalt, James C. Simpson, Rich. Brown, T. Simpson. Company G .- I. McManus, John C. Reynolds, W. W. Hibbs, John McHard, John S. Burnett, John Gibson, William P. Irwin, Richard M. Hoy, R. B. Seaton, D. W. King, R. H. Cabeen, Jared Y. Harris, Isaac T. Bridgford, L. H. Casebolt, Samuel Harvey, William T. Todd, A. T. Dopp. Samuel Parks, A. G. Henry. Company K .- Allen Wilson, Abram Fuller, S. D. Hutchinson, J. T. Collier. T. H. Hand, Peter O. Pierce, I. N. Stevenson. Moses White, Jr., Marvin R. Wright, William Volk, George W. Bartlett, James P. Hampton, Michael Bryant, M. Dagger, Albert Kiddoo, Noah Spicher. Jacob Shields, P. Waters Willett, William H. Hampton, E. Pierce.
One Hundred and Twelfth Reg., Company C .- John F. Barney, Ed. R. Petrie.
One Hundred and Twenty-Fourth Reg., Company G .- Lee James, Oliver G. Swafford, Amos C. Goddard, John Fitzgerald, George Mid- dleton, Charles Shafer. Joseph S. Dungan, B. F. Noble, Levi Lan- dreth, John T. Bates. John D. Linn, John Shaw, Henry Sloan, George Słoan.
One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Reg .. Company B .- Henry Debaun, Isaac A. Linn, Andrew Landreth, J. Martindale, David Van Meter, James M. Rodgers, Jacob Fender, George Lavery, G. Lan- dreth. James Swartwout, George Volkal.
One Hundred and Fortieth Reg .. Company F .- Edward B. Har- ris, Jonathan Mounts, Joseph W. Shawyer, John W. Maury, Alfred F. Noble, Z. P. Warren.
Elerenth Cavalry Reg., Company C .- F. T. Crane, William H. Gilliam, B. F. Mahaney, Stephen Bartan. C. E. McIntyre, William J. Simpson.
Miscellaneous .- E. R. Cooper, 9th Ill. Cav., Co. A; D. A. Moler, 10th Ill. Cav., Co. C; Robert Morgan, 12th Ill. Cav., Co. G ; George Edgerly, Sth Ill. Cav., Co. C; Silas Valentine, 14th Ill. Cav., Co. L; W. D. Swift, 9th Iowa Cav., Co. A; John Stevenson, 9th Iowa, Co. D; Samuel Boice, 9th Iowa, Co. D; G. L. Moore, 2d Iowa Cav., Co. A; H. M. Boone, 1st Col. Inf., Co. C; Eli C. Crosley, 1st Miss. Marine Brig. ; Cyrus W. Trego. 8th Kan .. Co. H : John A. Robinson,
THE SOLDIERS' MONUMENT. 851
8th Kan., Co. I; J. D. Ashenhurst, Sth Kan., Co. H; F. M. Carroll, Sth Kan., Co. H; John L. Arnold, 14th U. S. Inf., Co. I; J. W. War- wiek, 155th Ill. Inf., Co. Il; Edward Bruner, 55th Ill. Inf., Co. I; W. Kennedy, J. Alberson, M. Moroe, 7th Iowa Inf., Co. A; E. C. Crosley, 1st Miss. Marine Brigade; G. W. Nevius, Iowa Cav .; J. Reed, 93d Ill. Inf. ; H. Billings, W. C. Cathcart, M. Hutchinson, C. M. Clarke, T. Campbell, A. D. Streeter, D. A. Felton, J. P. Insted, 7th Mo. Cav .; William Swarts, 29th III. Inf., Co. I; Luther Water- man, 2d Iowa Cav .; D. C. Bartlett, 9th Ill. Cav., Co. C; A. Cook, 51st Ill. Inf., Co. K.
Gen. Logan continned : "What a glorious roster to transmit to posterity! Well might there have been engraved npon the stone as representing the united sentiment of Mercer county, the memorable words of the Roman mother: 'These are my jewels.' Three hun- dred and fifty-seven men who deliberately walked up to the rebel can- non's mouth, and swore upon their lives that the union of our fathers should be preserved ! That oath was registered on high, and it has been graven upon the works of men. It is here as the indorsement of our generation. May it stand for more than a thousand years, to re-echo it through the future centuries. Three hundred and fifty-seven heroes about represent in number the Spartan band under Leonidas who defended the pass of Thermopyla, and gave up their lives for their country. Let this monument speak to the coming ages, as did that of the Spartan heroes, in words which shall bid the traveler go tell their countrymen that they lie upon the field of battle in obedience to their country's welfare. Such a tribute as is conveyed by this beau- tiful work is an expression of the patriotism of the living in applaud- ing the patriotism of the dead. It is a shaft to commemorate the virtue of the departed, but also signalizes the appreciation of virtue by the living. To the dead it is a token of remembrance, to the living a testimony of character. Valuable as is this work of art, its worth is far greater to the living than to the dead. No panegyrie which we may make can reach the body in its narrow house, nor the spirit in that land where the clash of arms and sound of strife mar not the un- broken peace. But to the living it stands as the representative of a sentiment ; it is a declaration of principle, it ratifies a past aet, it pro- claims a future policy, it enunciates in words which cannot be mistaken the patriotism of Americans and their determination to perpetuate their free institutions, and to uphold their motto of "Many in One." It is a token of grief for the departed, but it is also a warning to those who remain ! It is a tear of sorrow for the slain, but the promise of pun- ishment to the future slaver. The men whose names we are here
.
852
HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.
to-day to honor are forever hidden from our view beneath their mother earth, but from their sacrificed bodies this column rises as a tree from the root, and gives another illustration of the truth of the aphorism sanctioned by all the ages of the past, that 'the blood of the martyr is the seed of the church.' Here we understand the purport of this monument and the motive which prompted its creation. As fellow- citizens of our great commonwealth, as friends, we are here to drop a tear of sorrow over our loss, and to extend the word of comfort to the weeping relatives, whose loss is greater than our own.
"Does this mass of people come here to-day in obedience to a meaningless formality, or is their presence the representative of a senti- ment? Shall these names upon this monument stand as the simple enumeration of 357 unfortunates who rashly rushed to their death? Or shall they receive the homage of that tribute so beautifully rendered in the lines of the poet Collins :
"'How sleep the brave who sink to rest, By all their country's wishes blest ; By fairy hand their knell is rung, By forms unseen their dirge is sung ; Their honor comes, a pilgrim gray, To bless the turf that wraps their clay, And freedom shall awhile repair, To dwell a weeping hermit there.'
" Fellow-citizens of Mercer county, you have done a noble act ; you have proven that you worthily belong to that great bulwark of our nation's safety, its citizen soldiery. At the sound of danger you left the pursuits of peace and threw yourselves into the breach of war, and when you conquered a principle, you erected an enduring shaft of honor to those who have lost their lives in maintaining it. As one who stood upon the field with those brave fellows, I am here to re-echo your declaration, that their deaths have not been in vain. I am here to mingle my sorrow with yours, and to say, come weal, come woe, I am with you to the end in placing the flag of our country so high as to be beyond the reach of its despoilers, which, in proudly floating on the breeze, shall say to all the world : . Here dwells the undivided nation of peace.'"
853
SIXTY-FIFTH REGIMENT.
SIXTY-FIFTH REGIMENT, COMPANY B.
This was called the "Scotch Regiment," from the number of that nationality who marched in its ranks. It was organized at Camp Douglas, Chicago, by Col. Daniel Cameron, Jr., and mustered for service May 1, 1862. In company B were thirty-eight soldiers from Mercer county, belonging to the townships of Greene, Mercer, Millers- burg, Preemption, and New Boston. The regiment was ordered to Martinsburg, Virginia; and when Col. Miles surrendered at Harper's Ferry, September 15, it was among the prisoners taken. Being next day paroled, it returned to Chicago and remained there till April, 1863, when, having been exchanged, it was ordered to the Eastern Kentucky army, and, returning to Camp Nelson via Cincinnati, joined Burnside's expedition into East Tennessee for the purpose of co-operation with Gen. Rosecrans, who was at that time moving on Chattanooga. It fought at Knoxville November 25th and 29th, in the defense of that stronghold against Gen. Longstreet, and repulsed him with slaughter. The following winter was one of severe campaigning to this regiment. It "veteraned," and went home on furlough in March, 1864. On its return it overtook Sherman's army at Kingston, Georgia, and took its place in the second brigade, commanded by Col. Cameron, and the third division, Gen. J. D. Cox commanding, of Gen. Schofield's twenty-third corps. The 65th had a sharp encounter with the enemy between Lost and Kenesaw mountains, June 15, and skirmished briskly every day until the 20th, when fifty volunteers from the regiment charged across a bridge and drove the enemy's infantry and artillery in handsome fashion, and effected a permanent lodgment on the other side. It continued to fight with spirit until the close of the campaign, taking part in the flank movement around Atlanta and the battle of Jonesboro. It returned north in pursuit of Hood, and was transferred from Dalton to Nashville by rail. It then advanced as far south as Pulaski, and November 25th and 26th was engaged at Columbia, losing three officers and fifty men. On the 30th it received the attack of Hood's army at Franklin, and when the battle ended 200 of the rebel dead and wounded lay stretched in its front. It carried to Nashville that night the colors of the 15th Mississippi rebel regiment as a trophy of the conflict. An equal share with other troops was borne Decem- ber 15th and 16th, in the battle of Nashville, and it went in pursuit of Hood's broken columns, pausing only when it had reached Clifton. From thence, January 15, 1865, it was transferred by boat and rail to Wilmington, North Carolina, assisting in the capture of that place.
854
HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.
At Sandtown creek it captured three cannon and 350 rebels. March 6 it went to Kingston. From there the first five companies, except vet- erans, were ordered to Chicago, to be mustered out. On the 21st it entered Goldsboro, where Sherman's columns from the south made connection with Schofield on the 23d. From Raleigh the non-veterans were sent home for muster-out, and the remainder of the regiment went to Greensboro. May 1 four companies of recruits were added ; and, in June, four officers and 250 men of the 92d Illinois, two officers and 120 men of the 112th Illinois, and twenty-five men from the 107th Illinois were assigned to the 65th, and Lieut .- Col. Stewart was mustered as colonel. The regiment was mustered out, and started, July 13, for Chicago, where it arrived July 22, and from whence, after final pay- ment. the discharged men returned to their homes.
EIGHTY-THIRD REGIMENT, COMPANY D.
Company D was enlisted in Mercer county, one-fourth of the mem- bers being from the southwest corner of Henry county. It was officered with Joshua M. Snyder, of Viola, as captain ; Hugh M. Robb, of Mercer township, as first lieutenant ; and Francis M. Sykes, of Oxford, second lieutenant. The regiment was organized at Monmouth, in August, 1862, by Col. Abner C. Harding, and was sworn into the service on the 21st. On the 25th it proceeded by Burlington and St. Louis to Cairo, and on September 3d moved to Fort Henry. On the 5th one-half of the regiment marched to Fort Donelson. three com- panies remaining at Fort Henry, and two at Fort Heiman. These subsequently moved to Donelson, and the 83d was stationed at that post until September 20, 1863, when the right wing was transferred to Clarksville. Roving bands of guerillas filled the country and lurked particularly on the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, and skirmishes were of frequent occurrence; some of these were especially severe, as the one at Waverly. In October, 1862, accompanied by other troops in pursuit of Gen. John H. Morgan, it had a sharp fight at Garrets- burg, Kentucky, and drove and punished the enemy severely. But it was on February 3, 1863, that it achieved its fame as a fighting regi- ment. Forrest was threatening the river communication at Palmyra, on the 2d, and Colonel Harding telegraphed to Paducah for re-inforce- ments, his garrison consisting of the meager force of nine companies of the 83d, a battalion of the 5th Iowa cavalry, Flood's battery, and a
.
855
EIGHTY-THIRD REGIMENT.
few wounded men. Four rifled guns and a 32-pounder pivot siege gun, mounted on the northeast corner of the fort, comprised the battery.
At two o'clock on the afternoon of the 3d the enemy, coming down the river, confronted the fort on the east and began the attack in force. being 8,000 strong. The fort contained but a small supply of ammu- nition, and the men, instructed by their cool and calculating com- mander, husbanded what they had with effective care. They were directed to fire steadily and deliberately, so that every shot should count ; while the battery was handled with skill and precision, single pieces being moved about as circumstances required. Col. Harding displayed the finest spirit and best judgment, and was at all points overseeing the defense (a defense sure to be historic), animating and encouraging his followers. The cavalry was dismounted and fighting on foot. The battle had raged with fury for several hours; in the meantime the rebels had made a number of ineffectual charges, sup- ported by their artillery, which was skillfully nsed. At length a shout went up in the rebel lines, which told that they had completed the investment on the three sides undefended by the river. And now came a flag of truce from Gen. Wheeler demanding a surrender. This was promptly refused. Then followed a confident and furious onset of the enemy ; in charge after charge the rebels rolled up against Harding's blazing line, but each time they staggered back with bleed- ing ranks. The artillery rained destruction upon the thick-set columns, and especially the 32-pounder was galling the foe with severity, when he decided upon its capture. Before the attempt was made a second flag was sent renewing the demand for a surrender, which was met with a firmer refusal, if that were possible, than before. A storming force advanced rapidly upon the saucy gun. The gunners double- shotted the piece and waited. When the assailants were close upon the works they swung it round, trained it full in their faces and let go the savage charge, which made a ghastly, gory lane through the solid formation of the terrified foc. They fled in complete rout. No further attempt was directed against the big gun.
At eight in the evening help came at the moment of extremity, when the rebels were massing for a final assault. When Col. Lowe at Paducah received Harding's appeal for succor his forces were away on a scout, but knowing that Capt. Fitch was going up the river with his fleet, he sent him word to cooperate with Col. Harding, and instructed the latter to hold the fort till dark, when assistance would reach him. Fitch divided his gunboats, and stationing a part above and the rest below the fort, while Harding ensconced his men in safe places ont of
856
HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.
reach of the naval missiles, poured grape and shrapnel in enfilading and pitiless torrents into the writhing lines of rebels. They could not stand it. In twenty minutes not one, except slain and wounded, was left on the field. Of the former there were 250, of the latter 600. The besieged had taken 105 prisoners. The 83d had 13 killed, 51 wounded, 20 captured. Not long after, as a recognition of this gallant defense, Colonel Harding was wearing the single star of a brigadier. Lieutenant-Colonel A. A. Smith was immediately promoted to the vacant colonelcy. The former soon resigned to accept a seat in congress. For nearly two years subsequent to the second battle of Fort Donelson the S3d was patroling and guarding communications, of which it had not less than two hundred miles to protect, and at the . same time was doing a heavy scouting service, which was prolific of much small fighting. In 1864, when Forrest and Wheeler were mak- ing daring efforts to sever Sherman's communications, the 83d formed a part of the efficient force so energetically employed by General Rous- seau in driving those rebel leaders, with their commands, from Ten- nessee. In the winter of 1864-5 the regiment went to Nashville on provost duty, and on the 26th of June it was mustered out in that city, and on the 30th arrived in Chicago where it was finally paid and dis- banded. Of 1,050 men who went to the field, 640 returned. The only change in the line officers of Company D was when second lieutenant Sykes resigned in August, 1864. Hugh B. Frazier, who had been pro- moted from the ranks to sergeant and then to first sergeant, was at once commissioned to fill the vacancy.
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOURTH REGIMENT, COMPANY G.
This was sworn into the United States service at Camp Butler, September 10, 1862, with Col. Thomas J. Sloan in command. Com- pany G was raised at New Boston by Lyman H. Scudder and Ezra S. Benedict, of that place, in the last half of July and the first part of August. The members were principally from New Boston township; some were residents of Eliza and Millersburg, and a very few of adjoining townships. The organization took place August 15, and the company was officered as follows: L. H. Scudder, captain ; E. S. Benedict, first lieutenant ; and Benton Pratt, second lieutenant. On thie 28th, taking wagons, the company drove to Oquawka Junction,
857
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOURTH REGIMENT.
then the nearest railroad station, and proceeded from there by way of Galesburg and Camp Point to Springfield. There each man received forty dollars in cash, this being one-fourth of the $100 bounty, two dollars premium, and one month's pay of thirteen dollars, all tendered by the government. Uniforms and arms were drawn, the latter Aus- trian muskets, barely fit for practice in the manual of arms. On Octo- ber 6, the regiment started for Cincinnati ; but on arriving at Decatur the order was countermanded, and its destination was changed to Cairo, from whence it went to Jackson, Tennessee, arriving on the 9th. It advanced to La Grange November 4, and on the 28th, as a part of Gen. Grant's expedition to the Yocona river, drove the rebels across the Tallahatchie. The regiment had been assigned to the first brigade, Col. John E. Smith ; third division, Gen. Logan ; seventeenth corps, Gen. McPherson. Returning from the Yocona, it reached the Talla- hatchie December 24, and La Grange January 7, 1863. The same month it marched to Memphis; from there it went, February 22, to Lake Providence; and April 18, moved to Milliken's Bend. It was reviewed on the 22d by Gov. Yates and staff, and on the 25th started on the Vicksburg campaign. It was in the engagement at Port Gib- son (Thompson's Hill), May 1; Raymond, May 12; Jackson, May 14; Champion Hill, May 16; and the siege of Vicksburg, including the fearful assault of May 22, and the still more terrible one of June 26, when the mine at Fort Hill was sprung. The regiment went on the brief campaign to Monroe, Louisiana, under Gen. Stephenson, which left Vicksburg August 21, and returned September 2. From October 14 to the 20th, it was with Gen. MePherson on the Brownville cam- paign, and participated in the battles at that place on the 16th and 17th.
In January, 1864, the 124th competed for a prize banner offered by Gen. Leggett to the regiment in his division which should excel in drill, and present the most cleanly appearance and soldierly bearing. It bore the legend, "Excelsior Regiment, Third Division, Seventeenth Army Corps," and the 124th received it from the hands of Gen. McPherson. In February the regiment accompanied Gen. Sherman on his famous raid to Meridian, and at Chunky Station, on the 14th, had a severe fight with the rebels. It returned to Vicksburg, and on May 4, moved with the expedition under Gen. McArthur to Yazoo city, returning the 21st, having fought on the 7th and 10th at Benton. Between July 1st and 9th it was operating on the Jackson campaign under Gen. Slocum, and was in brisk engagements at Jackson Cross Roads on the 5th and 7th. In October it went on the White river campaign, under Gen. Dennis, and was absent from Vicksburg from
858
HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.
the 14th to the 26th. It did provost duty until February 25, 1865, and then was ordered to New Orleans and was assigned to the third brigade, Col. Geddes : third division, Gen. E. A. Carr; sixteenth corps, Gen. A. J. Smith. It embarked, March 12th, for Mobile, and on the 29th began the siege of Spanish Fort, occupying the left of the investing line and driving the enemy within his works. On April 8 the third brigade and one other of Carr's division, stormed the fort, mounted the ramparts, secured a lodgment three hundred yards in ex- tent, and, darkness having come on, waited for the morning light to continue their progress, but at one o'clock the rebels offered to capitu- late. Away off in Virginia Lee followed snit a few hours after. The regiment marched the 13th with the expedition to Montgomery. There it remained till July 17, when it started for Chicago, where it was mustered out August 15, 1865. The 124thi fought ten battles and four- teen skirmishes ; it went through two sieges of forty-seven days and nights and thirteen days and nights, respectively, and traveled by land and water 7,000 miles. It was drolly called by "the boys" in the army, "The Bully One Hundred and Two Dozen."
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIXTH REGIMENT, COMPANY B.
Company B had thirty-four enlisted men, and one commissioned officer from Mercer county, all except one private belonging to Duncan and Perryton townships. The original officers were Henry D. Cline, captain ; John B. Mitchell, first lieutenant, and James H. Coffman, of Perryton, second lieutenant. The regiment was organized at Alton by Col. Jonathan Richmond, and was mustered into service September 4, 1862. It moved November 20 to Columbus, Kentucky, and from there to Bolivar, Tennessee, reporting at the latter place to Gen. Bray- man. On December 19 six companies were dispatched to Jackson, Tennessee, as a reinforcement, and afterward advanced to Humboldt, skirmishing some, being joined there by the other four companies early in 1863. On March 25 the regiment returned to Jackson, and was assigned to the second brigade, second division, Sixteenth Army Corps. It was transported by rail to Memphis, where it embarked down the river to assist in the siege of Vicksburg, and landed at Haines' Bluff June 2. It did honorable service to the end of the campaign, and on July 24 embarked for Helena, Arkansas. From thence it
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.