Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : Containing portraits of all the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each : a condensed history of the state of Indiana : portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Adams and Wells counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the counties and their cities and villages, pt. 1, Part 23

Author:
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 982

USA > Indiana > Adams County > Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : Containing portraits of all the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each : a condensed history of the state of Indiana : portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Adams and Wells counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the counties and their cities and villages, pt. 1 > Part 23
USA > Indiana > Wells County > Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : Containing portraits of all the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each : a condensed history of the state of Indiana : portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Adams and Wells counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the counties and their cities and villages, pt. 1 > Part 23

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).

After a furlough to their homes the officers and men of the regiment reassembled at Indianapolis on the 27th of October. The order for their exchange being received the regiment, on the 5th of December, proceeded to Memphis, arriving there on the 8th of December. It was at once assigned to the brigade of General Burbridge in the division of General A. J. Smith, and on the 21st of December was placed on duty at Fort Pieker- ing, near Memphis, where it remained, doing guard and fatigue duty until the 18th of October, 1863. It was then transferred to the city of Memphis, where it was engaged on pieket duty until the 26th of January, 1864. During this time, however, the regi- ment marched on an expedition to Hernando,

Mississippi, leaving on the 16th of August, 1863, and returning on the 20th. A detach- ment of 200 inen, under command of Major IIenry, also left Memphis on the 24th of December, 1863, skirmished with the rear of General Forrest's command at Lafayette on the 25th, marched in pursuit to Coldwater, and returned on the 31st of December.

On the 26th of January, 1864, the Eighty- ninth left Memphis on transports with the First Brigade, Third Division, Sixteenth Corps, of Sherman's command, for Vicksburg, reaching there on the 31st of January. From this point it moved on the Meridian Raid, marching through Jackson, Hillsboro and other towns, and arriving at Meridian on the 14th of February, after having skirmished with the enemy at Quan's Hill and in the vicinity of Meridian withont casualty to the regiment. After tearing up the Mobile & Ohio Railroad track in that vieinity, it pro- ceeded to Marion, where it went into camp and remained until the 20th, waiting the expected arrival of the cavalry foree under General W. S. Smith, by land, from Memphis. It then broke camp and marehed by way of Canton for Vieksburg, reaching there on the 4th of March. The regiment lost, during the expedition, one killed, one wounded and captured and three missing.

The Eighty-ninth left Vieksburg on the 10th of March, with General A. J. Smith's command, on steamers, for the month of Red River, reaching Semmesport on Atehafalaya Bayou on the 12th, and on the next day started for Fort De Russey. Here it joined in the assault on that fort, which was cap- tured on the 14th, the regiment sustaining a loss of one killed and nine wounded. Resting at the fort during the next day, and embark- ing on that night, it moved up the river and arrived at Alexandria on the 16th. On the 21st the regiment moved with -General

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Mower's command to Henderson's Hill, and there participated in the capture of 270 rebels and four pieces of artillery. Returning to Alexandria it remained there until Banks' army came up, when it moved with the united armies to Grand Ecore, which place was reached on the 3d of April. Remaining there in camp until the 7th, it again moved with the balance of General A. J. Smith's command. On the 9th it rested in line of battle awaiting the approach of the rebel army under General Richard Taylor, then in pursuit of the Thirteenth and Nineteenth Army Corps, which he had, the day before, met and defeated at Sabine Cross Roads. In the battle of Pleasant ITill, which was fought by A. J. Smith's command on the 9th, the Eighty-ninth bore a conspicuous part, losing seven killed and forty-seven wounded, making a total loss of fifty-four.

On the 10th of April the regiment fell baek toward Grand Ecore, arriving there on the 14th, where it remained until the 20th awaiting the return of the gunboats and transports. It then marched to Nachitoches, and there lay in the line of battle until the Army of the Gulf marched by, and then, from day to day, engaged in covering the retreat of that army to Alexandria, which place was reached on the 26th of April. From thenee, on the 1st of May, it marehed to Bayou Roberts, Governor Moore's planta- tion and Bayou La Moore, all within a few miles of Alexandria. On the 7th of May the regiment met the enemy at Bayou La Moore, and after a sharp engagement charged and repulsed him, with a loss to the Eighty- ninth of four killed and eleven wounded; total, fifteen.

The dam to raise Red River at the falls at Alexandria having been completed so as to allow the transports to pass below, the com- mand of General A. J. Smith resumed its

march toward the Mississippi, the Eighty- ninth leaving Moore's plantation on the 14th of May, and reaching Yellow Bayou, three miles from Semmesport, on the Atchafalaya, on the 17th. During this mareh it engaged the enemy on the prairie, near Marksville, on the 16th, with but little loss on either side, the enemy retreating at the opening of the engagement. On the 18th the regiment reerossed the Yellow Bayou, and with other troops marched up Bayou De Glaise to Smith & Norwood's plantation, and there had a severe contest with the enemy under com- mand of General Poligniae, who was repulsed with great slaughter. The regiment lost eight killed and forty-five wounded; total, fifty-three. On the 19th of May the regi- ment reached Red River Landing on the Mississippi, and embarked the same evening for Vieksburg, which place was reached on the 24th of May. During the Red River expedition the regiment was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Hervey Craven.

The Eighty-ninth remained in the vicinity of Vicksburg until the 4th of June, when it embarked for Memphis, arriving there on the 9th, and leaving there on the 23d for Collierville. From there it marched as escort to a wagon train to Moseow, and then moved to Lagrange, Tennessee. Ifere it remained until the 5th of July, and then marched to Pontotoe, Mississippi, reaching there on the 11th. From thence it moved to Harrisburg, near Tupelo, where, on the 14th of July, it participated in the battle with the rebel troops under Generals S. D. Lee and Forrest, ealled the battle of Tupelo. The regiment in this engagement lost one killed and twelve wounded.

Returning from this expedition the Eighty- ninth reached Memphis on the 23d of July, where it rested until the 8th of August. It then marehed with General A. J. Smith's

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command to look after General Forrest in Northern Mississippi, passing through Holly Springs to Oxford, where news was received that Forrest had entered Memphis. The command was at onee marched back to Mein- phis, arriving there on the 30th of August, where it lay in eamp until the 8th of Sep- tember. At that date the regiment proceeded on steamers up the Mississippi, landing at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, on the 19th of September. From there it made a brief expedition to De Soto, returning on the 1st of October. On the following day the regiment started with General A. J. Smith's command in pursuit of the rebel General Priee, then invading Missouri. It marehed into the interior of the State, passing through the towns bordering the Missouri River to Inde- pendenee, and from thence to Oxford, Kansas. From there it moved to Harrisonville, Mis- souri, where the pursuit was abandoned, after which the regiment marehed to St. Louis, going by way of Lone Jaek, Lexington, Glasgow, Columbia, Warrenton and St. Charles. During the expedition it marched 720 miles, nearly all of which was on foot. The regi- ment was not in any engagement during the march, but had the misfortune to lose Major Henry, Assistant Surgeon Porter and Quar- termaster Ashley, who were murdered by guerrillas on the 1st of November at Green- ton, ten miles south of Lexington.

The Eighty-ninth remained with General Smith's command at St. Louis until the 25th of November, when it proceeded by steamer to Nashville, Tennessee, reaching there on the 30th. Ilere it went into eamp, and on the 15th and 16th of December participated in the battle near that place. On the first day of the engagement the regiment suffered no loss, but on the second, when it was con- spicuously engaged, it lost two killed and fifteen wounded. On the 17th it started in

pursuit of Hood's army, and arrived at Clif- ton, on the Tennessee River, on the 1st of January, 1865, from whenee it proceeded on transports to Eastport, Mississippi. Here it remained until the 9th of February, when it proceeded by steamer to Vicksburg, and thence to New Orleans, arriving there on the 21st of February.

From New Orleans the regiment moved on transports to Dauphin Island, near Mobile, reaching there on the Sth of March. On the 19th it moved up Mobile Bay by steamer to the mouth of Fish River, and thenec np Fish River to Don's Mills, where it disembarked and remained till the 25th of March. It then marehed to a point between Spanish Fort and Blakely, where it lay, participating in the siege until the rebel fortifieations were taken. The regiment lost during the siege two killed and eight wounded. On the 13th of April the Sixteenth Army Corps, under command of General A. J. Smith, marched for Montgomery, Alabama, arriving there on the 27th of April. Here the regi- ment lay in eamp, doing some picket duty, until the 1st of June, when it marched to Providence, on the Alabama River, and there took transports to Mobile, where it did patrol and guard duty until the 19th of July, 1865, when it was mnstered out of service. Pro- ceeding homeward, it reached Indianapolis on the 4th of August, where, after being publiely received by Governor Morton in the State House grove, it was finally discharged.

The remaining reernits of the Eighty-ninth were transferred to the Fifty-second Indiana, and continued to serve with that organization until the 10th of September, 1865, when they were mustered out with the regiment.

During its term of service the Eighty- ninth suffered losses as follows: 31 killed, 167 wounded and 4 missing, making a total loss of 202. It marehed 2,363 miles on foot,

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traveled by steamer 7,112 miles, and by rail 1,232 miles, making the total distance trav- eled 10,707 miles.

ELEVENTH CAVALRY (ONE HUNDRED AND TWEN- TY-SIXTH REGIMENT).

In the autumn of 1863 a number of men were raised in Adams County for the Eleventh Cavalry, and beeame part of Company C. James C. Wilson, from this county, was Second Lieutenant. Ile soon afterward be- came a Captain in the Thirteenth Cavalry. Norval Blackburn, the present postmaster at Decatur, and editor of the Democrat, was Second Lieutenant from March 1, 1864, First Lientenant from August 1, 1864, and Captain from Inne 1, 1865.

The Eleventh Cavalry -- One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Regiment of Indiana Volun- teers-was reernited under the call of Septem- ber 14, 1863, the several companies being raised and organized during the fall and winter of 1863. On the 1st of March, 1864, the regimental organization was perfected at Indianapolis, and the command given to Robert R. Stewart, who was taken from the Second Cavalry, in which organization he held the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, and pro- moted Colonel of the Eleventh Cavalry. On the 1st of May the regiment left the general camp of rendezvous at Indianapolis, and mnoved thenee, by rail, to Nashville, Tennes- see, but a small portion of the regiment being mounted. Arriving there on the 7th of May, it went into eamp of instruction, and remained therein until the 1st of June. It then marched into Northern Alabama, and was placed on duty along the line of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, with headquarters at Larkinsville, Alabama. The regiment was kept on this duty until the 16th of October, when it marched back to Nashville, where it was mounted and sent to the front.

In the campaign in front of Nashville, in November and December, the Eleventh Cavalry was actively engaged, and, after the defeat of Hood's forces, joined in the pursuit, going as far as Gravelly Springs, Alabama, arriving there on the 7th of January, 1865. It was then dismounted and placed on duty in that vieinity until the 7th of February, when it crossed the Tennessee River to East- port, Mississippi, and there remained until the 12th of May.

In obedience to orders to report to Major- General Dodge at St. Louis, the regiment then embarked on steamers and proceeded to that city, arriving there on the 17th. After being re-mounted it marched to Rolla, Mis- souri, arriving there on the 26th of June and reporting to Colonel Morell, commanding that distriet. From Rolla the regiment moved to Fort Riley, Kansas, arriving there on the Sth of July. From there it moved to Conneil Grove, Kansas, and was stationed along the Santa Fe route across the plans, with headquarters at Cottonwood Crossing. The Eleventh Cavalry was continued on this duty until the 1st of September, when it was ordered to march to Fort Leavenworth, where it arrived on the 11th. On the 19th of Sep- tember, 1865, the regiment was mustered out at that place in compliance with telegram orders received from the General command- ing the Department of Missouri.

On the 26th of September the regiment reached Indianapolis with thirty officers and 579 men, under command of Colonel Abram Sharra, for final discharge and payment. On the 28th of September, after partaking of a sumptuous dinner at the Soldier's Home, the Eleventh Cavalry marehed to the State House, where it was publicly welcomed by speeches from General Mansfield, Colonel Stewart and Surgeon Read, to which responses were made by Colonel Sharra, Majors Crowder and

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Showalter, and Chaplain Barnhart. After the reception the regiment was marehed out to Camp Carrington, where the men and officers were paid and discharged from the service of the United States.

THIRTEENTHI CAVALRY (ONE HUNDRED AND

THIRTY-FIRST REGIMENT).

A large part of Company G, in this regi- ment, was composed of men enlisted in Adams County in the winter of 1864. James C. Wilson, previously Second Lieutenant of the Adams County company in the Eleventh Cavalry, was Captain of this company during 1864. William Battenberg, Andrew J. Simeoke and Robert T. Peterson were given Lientenants' commissions during 1865, but mustered out before taking the rank thus earned.

The Thirteenth Cavalry, One Hundred and Thirty-first Regiment, was the last cavalry organization raised in the State. Recruiting for the companies composing the regiment was commeneed in September, 1863, and continued during the fall and winter of that year. On the 29th of April, 1864, the organi- zation of the regiment was completed by its mnster into service, with Gilbert M. L. John- son as Colonel. On the 30th of the same month it left Indianapolis, dismounted and with infantry arms and aceontrements, for Nashville, Tennessee. The regiment remained in eamp of instruction at that place until the 31st of May, when it was ordered to Hunts- ville, Alabama, for the purpose of garrison- ing that post. During the stay of the command at that place it was engaged in several skirmishes with prowling bands of rebel cavalry, and on the 1st of October held the place against the entire command of the rebel General Buford.

On the 16th of October, companies A, C,

D, F, II and 1, under command of Colonel Johnson, proceeded to Louisville, Kentucky, for the purpose of drawing horses and equip- ments for the entire command. Upon their arrival there the companies were ordered to Paducah, under command of Major Moore, to assist in repelling an attack of General Forrest. Leaving Paducah on the 1st of November, they returned to Louisville, where the object of their mission was completed, and the line of march was taken up for Nash- ville, at which point the remaining companies from Huntsville reported to regimental head- quarters. On the 30th of November, com- panies A, C, D, F, HI and I, fully mounted and equipped, under command of Colonel Johnson, proceeded to Lavergne, under orders from General Thomas, to watch the move- ments of Hood's army, then advancing on Nashville. These companies being cut off from the line of retreat, retired, in obedience to orders from General Wilson, upon Mur- freesboro, reporting to General Rousseau, under whose direction they participated in the battles of Overall's Creek, Wilkinson's Pike, and twelve different skirmishes with the enemy, with a loss of sixty-five men killed and wounded, and two men missing, from an aggregate present for duty of three hundred and twenty-five. During the same period companies B, E, G, K, L and M, left at Nashville, under command of Lieutenant- Colonel Pepper, participated, dismounted, in the battle of Nashville on the 15th and 16th of December, immediately after which they were joined by the other six companies from Murfreesboro. After effecting an exchange of arms and proenring an entire re-mount, the regiment was assigned to the Second Brigade, Seventhi Division of the Cavalry Corps of the Military Division of the Mis- sissippi, Colonel Johnson commanding the brigade.

THE CIVIL WAR.

241

On the 11th of February, 1863, the Thir- teenth Cavalry embarked on transports for New Orleans, but disembarked at Vicksburg, under orders of General Canby, to prepare for a raid on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad. These orders being countermanded, the regi- ment left Vicksburg on transports, on the 6th of March, for its original destination, and on arriving at New Orleans, re-embarked for Navy Cove, Mobile Bay, where it reported to General Canby, and assisted in the opera- tions against the forts and defenses of Mo- bile. It was also engaged in running a courier line to Florida, connecting with Gen- eral Asboth. After the fall of Mobile, under command of General Grierson, the regiment was placed in condition for a long mareli, and on the 17th of April started on a raid of

some 800 miles through the States of Ala- bama, Georgia and Mississippi, arriving at Columbus, in the latter State, on the 22d of May. Thenee it proceeded to Maeon, Mis- sissippi, garrisoning that point and the line of railroad, sixty miles in extent, and taking possession of immense quantities of eap- tured commissary, quartermaster and ord- nance stores and ordnanee. On the 6th of June the regiment returned to Columbus, Mississippi, and remained there until orders were received for muster out, when it pro- eeeded to Vicksburg, where it was mustered out of service on the 18th of November, 1865. Proceeding homeward, it reached In- dianapolis on the 25th of November, with twenty-three officers and 633 men for final discharge.

KGW

HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY.

.. ,

THE PRESS.

olo

N the development of modern civilization there is no more po- tent factor than the newspaper, and, at the same time, there has been no greater progress in anything for fifty years past than in American journalism. Fifty years ago the country had few newspapers that conld be considered paying prop- erty. The metropolitan journals devoted abont as much space to foreign as to domestie news, while country weeklies seemed to consid- er that which happened at home as of no im- portance whatever, and imitated the larger papers in style and contents. The telegraph and railroads, assisted by that enterprising spirit which is inseparably connected with successful journalistie management, have wrought most gratifying results. Local news has become the main feature of weekly eoun- try newspapers, and all journals of the better elass are foremost in advaneing the best in- !

terests of the localities from which their sup- port eomes.

In Adams County journalism has kept pace in the march of improvement with other professions and industries. The wide eireulation of these papers at present pub- lished, and the large number of ontside papers that are taken here, afford the best possible evidence that the people are intelli- gent, enterprising and progressive. In De- catur alone 150 copies of outside daily papers are distributed every day by the newsdealer, and many come by mail direct to subscribers.

Although many able writers have been employed upon the county press in former years, without disparagement to any of them it ean be safely asserted, that the journals of the county, taken as a whole, were never better condneted than at present. The ed- itors are gentlemen who understand their business thoroughly, and do their utmost to give their patrons good, clean, reliable news- papers.

DECATUR GAZETTE.

The Gazette was the first newspaper in Adams County, and was started in 1848 or

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243

1849, with Joshua Randall as proprietor and James 11. Smith as editor. It was in polities a Whig sheet, and lived a little over two years, when it suspended, shortly after some of Smith's personal enemies gave him a coat of tar. The next paper was the

ADAMS COUNTY DEMOCRAT.

It appeared first in 1851 or 1852, and was edited and published by James B. Simcoke until its suspension after the campaign of 1860, in which year it was devoted to the interests of John C. Breekinridge as a presi- dential candidate. It was a Democratie paper, but its friends had left it soon after the establishment of the Eagle, in 1857, so that the Democrat was forced to give up a losing game and suspend.

DECATUR EAGLE.

The Eagle was founded in February, 1857, by II. L. Phillips, who afterward received William G. Spencer into partnership. In 1839 they sold the concern to A. J. Hill, who published the paper for fifteen years. Joseph MeGonagle bought it in November, 1874, and changed the name to the

DECATUR DEMOCRAT,

under which title it has since been published. Mr. MeGonagle ceased to be proprietor in 1879, selling to S. Ray Williams. In An- gust, 1851, A. J. Hill again bought the paper and conducted it two years. Messrs. Roth & Cummings then published the Dem- ocrat under their names for a few months. In November, 1883, Norval Blackburn pur- chased Mr. Cummings' interest, and in February following that of Mr. Roth. Origin- ally a six-column folio, the Democrat has GENEVA HERALD. undergone several changes in size and is now The Geneva Herald was established in a nine-column folio. It is published on | 1851, the first issne being dated September

Fridays, at $1.50 a year, and enjoys a very fine patronage from AAdams and surrounding counties.

YOUNG AMERICA.

A paper by this brisk title was started at Decatur in 1858, and discontinued the year following. T. J. Tolan was proprietor and James Smith, editor. The paper was Repub- liean in politics.

DECATUR HERALD.

This was a Democratic paper, established in 1873 by James R. Bobo and Seymour Worden, and suspended the following year.

DECATUR JOURNAL.

The first number of the Decatur Journal, the exponent of Republican principles in Adams County, was issued September 27, 1879, with D. G. M. Trout as editor and George S. Staunton, publisher. Mr. Staunton remained with the Journal about one year disposing of his interest to E. A. Phillips. In February, 1881, B. W. Sholty purchased Mr. Trout's interest, and for two years Sholty & Phillips conducted the publication, they disposing of the paper to Shaffer Peterson and E. B. Moffit. In 1885 Mr. Sholty re- purchased Mr. Peterson's interest and the publication continued under the management of Sholty & Moffit until March, 1887, when E. A. Hoffinan became editor and proprietor by purchase from Messrs. Sholty & Moffit. The Journal was originally a seven-column folio, and during Mr. Sholty's management was enlarged to eight columns. It appears every Friday, at 81.50 a year, and has a eir- culation of about 800.

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244

20, under the name of Geneva News, by John ardent supporter of prohibition. Its circula- tion is abont 400. E. Culley. In politics it was independent. In the latter part of October, 1883, Mr. Cul- ley sold to II. S. Thomas, who gave the paper GENEVA ENTERPRISE. its present name, its first issue being No- Ed. Phillips started the Enterprise in 1885, and suspended the same in the latter vember 8, 1883. The Herald is still inde- pendent in political sentiment. It is an | part of 1886. It was a five-column quarto.

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PROFESSIONAL. K

THE LEGAL PROFESSION.

APROFESSION which ever attracts a certain pereen- tage of our brightest minds into its ranks is that of the law. It is now rather more crowded than the other avocations, but this is in itself a proof of the advantages it offers. Of late years it has become en- riously common for people to disparage lawyers, applying every sort of epithet, and making thein the excuses for hundreds of jokes and stories; yet these same citizens who pro- fess to have a contempt for lawyers will, when in any kind of difficulty, run promptly to one of the profession, place themselves and their property entirely in his guidance, and eagerly follow his suggestions in the weightiest affairs.

Adams, having always been a small county, has never possessed a large body of attorneys, and those who have practiced here have fur- nished from their number few who would be considered brilliant in a large eity; yet they have been as a rule able, well-read, conseien- tious and painstaking men, and at the pres- 17

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Author: Publication date: 1887 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 982

Author:
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 982