USA > Indiana > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, together with historic notes on the Wabash Valley; gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic sources > Part 93
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With its present railroad facilities, and those which it will have when the Chicago and Block Coal railway and the Attica, Covington
75
MILITARY RECORD.
and Southern railway, each reaching from the northern to the southern extremity of the county, are completed, and the proposed extension of the Lake Erie and Western railway to St. Louis is made, and the Frankfort and State Line narrow-gauge railway is built, Fountain county will be as favorably situated as any county in the state, and will have as many inducements to offer to enterprise and capital as can be found anywhere.
MILITARY RECORD.
The people of Fountain county have always proved themselves true to the obligations which their citizenship imposed upon them, and when their country has had need of men to do battle in its be- half, they have always responded to the call. When soldiers were wanted for the Mexican war, the following names were enrolled from Fountain county :
1. R. M. Evans, captain.
2. Bob Lyons, 1st lieutenant.
3. James McMargny, 2d lieu- tenant.
4. Phin. Mattox, lieutenant.
5. J. Lyons.
6. George Warren.
7. Wm. Donaldson, orderly ser- geant, afterward major.
8. James Rodipher.
9. James Stanton.
10. Napoleon Lyons.
11. William Knowles.
12. John Ottar.
13. Pleas. Williams.
14. Amos Gustin.
15. Jacob Banckman.
16. John Westly McBroom.
17. John Bodine.
18. William Brewer.
19. Elis Theurnidt.
20. Elijah Thurman.
21. Daniel Davis.
22. George P. O. Rnnells.
23. Christy Rofferty.
24. John Wilson.
25. James Reagan.
26. James Ryan.
27. Jolin Gillaspie.
28. William Mattson.
29. Clark Pot:er.
30. Rufus Prebble.
31. John Galbreath.
32. Charles Hansicker.
33. William Keep.
34. William K. Miller, drummer.
35. Dudley Lemon.
36. Zachariah Lemon.
37. Samuel Ward.
38. Nick Holstein.
39. Miller Mosses Crane.
40. Mart Phebus.
41. Ed. Mallory.
42. Lyfort Miller.
43. Caleb V. Jones, drummer.
44. James T. Sharon.
45. John H. Sharon.
46. Jake Murray.
47. Ike Harbart.
48. Thoms S. Thompson.
49. William Vandorn.
50. Mike Snyder.
51. Caleb Hoops.
52. Robert Jones.
53. Henry Elliott.
54. Henry Updyker.
76
HISTORY OF FOUNTAIN COUNTY.
55. Adam Soop.
68. Wesley Lopp.
56. Reuben R. Peg.
69. Jos. Longmier.
57. Abram Williams.
70. Samuel Downey.
58. William Davidson.
71. Jas. Jones.
59. Abner Hetfield.
72. Chas. Gallagor.
60. Thomas McGraw.
73. Isaac McCollaster.
61. Isaac Hale.
74. John Hall.
62. Jas. Phillips.
75. Trimble Wilson.
63. Jno. Morgan.
76. Obidiah Merlatt.
64. Jno. Sanger.
77. Wm. Cox.
65. Nat Henderson.
78. Jos. Evans.
66. Isaac Smith.
79. Daniel Bohaun.
67. David Penny.
80. Frank MeKinney.
Many of these sleep their last sleep upon Mexican battle-fields ; others returned to die at home, among friends and kindred, and a few remain with us yet. When the great struggle began which threatened the existence of the republic, Fountain county responded promptly to her duty. and upon nearly every battle-field of the great war of the rebellion her sons were to be found fighting for their country. The people of the county contributed $387,000 to the pay- ment of bounties to those who volunteered or were drafted to fill the various quotas of the county under the calls of the President.
It is almost impossible to give the exact number of men that went into the service from Fountain county, and it is impracticable to give an account of the regiments, and their service, in which Foun- tain county men were enlisted. To do this would require a pretty full history of the war of the rebellion. The 63d reg. probably con- tained a greater number of Fountain county men than any other, and the brief mention of its service and operations found in the re- port of Adjutant General Terrell will be inserted here :
" The 63d reg. was authorized to be raised on December 31, 1861, and its place of rendezvous fixed at Covington, with James McManomy as commandant of the camp, and John S. Williams as adjutant. A detachment of rebel prisoners having been quartered at La Fayette, the enlisted men at Covington were ordered there to guard them, and on February 21, 1862, companies A, B, C and D were organized as a battalion, with John S. Williams as lieutenant-colonel. Soon after, this battalion was transferred to Indianapolis and placed on duty at camp Morton, guarding prisoners. On May 27 the battalion was ordered east, and on August 30 was engaged in the battle of Manassas Plains (or second Bull Run). Returning to Indianapolis on October
77
MILITARY RECORD.
3, the regimental organization was completed by the addition of com- panies E, F, G, H, I and K, raised under the call of July 1862, and Lieut .- Col. Williams promoted to the colonelcy of the regiment.
"The regiment remained at Indianapolis, on duty, until December 25, and during that time companies E. F, G and I were detached for duty as provost guards. On December 25, 1863, the other six companies left Indianapolis, under the command of Lient .- Col. James McManomy, and proceeded to Shepherdsville, Kentucky, arriving there on the 28th. From that time until January, 1864, these companies were engaged in guarding the line of the Louisville and Nashville railroad, and the Lebanon branch thereof. While engaged in this duty, detachments of the command had several skirmishes with the enemy. About the middle of January, 1864, the several companies were concentrated at Camp Nelson, Kentucky, under command of Col. Israel N. Stiles, and on February 25 marched toward Knoxville, Tennessee. That place was reached on March 15, after a march of one hundred and eighty-five miles, over almost impassable roads. After a day of rest the regiment moved on to Mossy creek, from whence, on April 1, it marched to Bull's Gap, and was assigned to the 2d brigade, 3d division of the 23d Army Corps. On April 23 it moved in the direction of Jonesboro, marching one hundred miles in four days, and burning the bridges and destroying the tracks of the Tennessee and Virginia railroad for many miles. Returning to Bull's Gap on the morning of April 28, the regiment, on the same afternoon, commenced its march toward Georgia to join the army of Gen. Sherman, then about to enter upon the Atlantic campaign.
" The 23d corps effected a junction with that army at Red Clay, Georgia, on May 4, and on the 9th and 10th the 63d occupied a position on the left of the line during the action of Rocky Face Ridge, losing two killed and four wounded. After this battle it moved through Snake Creek Gap to Resaca, and in the engagement at that place on the 14th the brigade to which the regiment was attached, with the 63d in the front line, charged across an open field more than half a mile, under a terrific fire from the enemy, taking a portion of the rebel works. Its loss was eighteen killed and ninety-four wounded ; total, one hundred and twelve. On the 16th the regiment moved from Resaca, wading the Ostanaula river and crossing the Coosawattee, overtaking the enemy at Cassville on the 18th. It drove the enemy during all the next day, and on the 20th reached Carters- ville, remaining there until the 23d. Crossing the Etowah river and Pumkin Vine creek, it moved forward and went into an intrenched position on the Dallas line on the 26th, behind which the 63d lay,
78
HISTORY OF FOUNTAIN COUNTY.
under fire of three batteries (the skirmish line being constantly and hotly engaged), until relieved on June 1. Its loss at this place was sixteen wounded.
" After this it lay in line of battle from June 3 to June 6, behind works of its own construction, losing one killed and one wounded. It was then held in reserve until the 15th, when it was placed in the front line near Lost Mountain, losing six killed and eight wounded. On the 17th it moved forward to the Kenesaw line, under a brisk fire, but without loss. It crossed Noses creek on the 20th, under a heavy fire, losing two in missing. On the 27th it made a flank movement on the left of the enemy's line at Kenesaw, losing two killed and one captured. The regiment then remained in its intrenchments until July 1, losing two wounded, and on the 3d made a reconnaissance, dis- covering a long line of rebel works along Nickajack creek. On the 6th it crossed this creek, passed through the abandoned rebel line, and crossed the railroad below Marietta. On July 8 it forded the Chatta- hoochee river, wading the stream neck deep, with a rapid current, without losing a man, and being the first troops across. Moving for- ward toward Atlanta on the 17th, it came in sight of that city on the 20th, and on the 22d, in the engagement in which the lamented Mc- Pherson fell, the division to which it was attached moved to the left in support of the army of the Tennessee. On the 23d it went into position on the right of the 17th corps, in the front line, and fell back on the contraction of our lines on July 26. On the 28th it made a reconnaissance, losing one killed and one wounded, and on the night of August 1 moved to Utoy creek. On the 6th it supported Reilley's brigade of the 3d division of the 23d corps, losing three wounded. On the 9th the regiment was transferred to the 3d brigade, 3d division of the same army corps, Col. Stiles taking command of the brigade, and from that time until August 18 was in various positions along the Sandtown road. From the 18th till the 28th it was on duty along the Campbelltown road, making daily reconnaissances to the Newnan road.
" Ou the 28th of August it moved out toward the Atlanta and Macon railroad, striking the West Point road on the 30th and the Atlanta and Macon railroad on the 31st at Rough and Ready station. The next morning the regiment engaged it, destroying the railroad, and in the afternoon marched toward Jonesboro. On the 2d of September it marched to Lovejoy's, and was held in reserve on the 3d and 4th. On the night of the 5th the regiment started back to Decatur, reaching that place on the 8th, where it made an intrenchment and well-forti- fied camp, in which it rested from the labors of the Atlanta campaign.
79
MILITARY RECORD.
" The 63d remained in this camp until the 4th of October, when its corps moved with the other forces under Sherman to meet Hood's attempt upon or communications, and from that time until the 7th of November it marched rapidly and constantly almost every day. It then left Dalton for Nashville by rail, and on reaching that place moved to Pulaski, arriving there on the 15th. On the 22d it fell back before Hood's advancing army, reaching Franklin on the morning of November 30, skirmishing with the enemy on the march, and losing at Columbia three killed and three wounded. On the 30th it participated in the battle of Franklin, its position being on the left of the line, behind well constructed intrenchments. The regiment, though repeatedly assaulted, lost but one killed and one wounded. At midnight it crossed the Harpeth river, and reached Nashville the next morning, where it remained in position until the 15th of December. On that and the following day it participated in the operations on the right of our lines without loss, the forces on its left and right having compelled the enemy to retire before its brigade was ordered to ad- vance. On the 17th the regiment joined in the pursuit of Hood, going as far as Clifton, on the Tennessee river, from whence it started for Alexandria, Virginia, on the 16th of January, 1865. Sailing from Alexandria on the 3d of February, it arrived near Fort Fisher, North Carolina, on the 7th, and landed on the 9th. On the 12th and 14th of February it participated in the difficult but unsuccessful attempt to turn Hoke's position, and on the 16th crossed to Smithfield. The next day it moved up to Fort Anderson, and engaged the enemy on the 18th, losing one man wounded. On the 19th it pursued the retreating army, having one man wounded on the march, and overtook it at sun- set at Town creek. On the 20th it fought the rebels, losing one man killed and one wounded, and on the 21st advanced to within sight of Wilmington. Marching into Wilmington on the 23d, it remained in camp until March 6, when it moved toward Kingston, reaching that place on the 12th, after a severe march of one hundred miles through swamps and mud, the men wading Trent river before daylight on the morning of the 11th.
"On March 20 the regiment started for Goldsboro, reaching there the next day. Here the regiment remained until April 10, when it moved to Raleigh, where it remained until May 5, when it mnoved by rail to Greensboro. At the latter place the regiment remained until June 21, 1865, when the companies still in service were mustered out ; the battalion of four companies, A, B, C and D, having been mustered out on May 20, 1865, at Indianapolis. On returning to Indiana, the regiment was present at a public reception given it in the capitol
80
HISTORY OF FOUNTAIN COUNTY.
grounds at Indianapolis, and soon after was finally discharged from service."
It is a matter of regret that the names of those men who proved their devotion to their country by service upon the battle-field cannot be preserved in this record ; but to obtain even an approximately cor- rect list would require a vast deal more time than is at the writer's command. It is not right that the name or service of the humblest should be forgotten, and means of collecting and preserving their names ought to be adopted at once. It is a duty to see that
" Each soldier's name Shall shine untarnished in the rolls of fame, And stand the example of each distant age, And add new lustre to the historic page,"
for " ours are no hirelings trained to the fight," but men who volun- tarily went forth from all the walks of life at the call of their country, and who gave up their lives in its service, or returned again to their peaceful occupations when the war was over.
EARLY SETTLERS.
Imperfect as it is, this sketch of Fountain county must now be brought to a close. It has been written under the most serious disad- vantages and with a haste that has not admitted of corrections, much less of revision. There are many things omitted that ought to have been noticed, and that under other circumstances would have been noticed. Prominent among these are the pulpit and the press. At some other time it is hoped that opportunity may come to take up this work again and to complete it in a manner worthy of the subject. Appended are some matters connected with the personal history of a few of the early settlers, for which the writer is in the main indebted to Mr. Cyrus Rush, of Van Buren township.
It was not the intention originally to embrace matter of personal mention like the following in this part of the history of the county, but the fear that it would not appear elsewhere in any form has induced its production here. The writer has secured a pretty full list of the names of the settlers of 1823 and 1824, but has been unable to procure any of their personal history except that furnished by Mr. Rush, and that which appears elsewhere under the head of biography.
William Cade was one of the earliest settlers in the county. He came to the county in 1823. His wife was a sister of Joseph and Samuel Campbell, both for a long period prominent and valuable citi- zens of the county. Mr. Cade settled in Van Buren township, and died in 1846, leaving two children, Samuel and Jane, the latter the
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OCT 17 1935
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