USA > Indiana > Newton County > Newton County a collection of historical facts and personal recollections concerning Newton County, Indiana, from 1853 to 1911 > Part 8
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The town of Goodland had the misfortune to lose its public school building by fire a few years ago, but the new building is a fine struc- ture and a credit to the community.
TOWNS
M
OROCCO, the oldest town in Newton county, was laid out by John Murphy, January 28, 1851, since which time the follow- ing additions have been made to the original plat :
ADDITION DATE
Veatch's addition Feb. 9, 1872
Ash's addition. June 28, 1873
Ash's second addition Apr. 15, 1876
Kessler's addition. May 30, 1888
Hope's first addition June 1, 1888
Doty's addition.
June 6, 1888
Kennedy's addition
June 22, 1888
Edmondson's addition Jan. 22, 1889
Kessler's second addition Mar. 29, 1889
Hope's second addition May 29, 1890
Fair Ground addition May 5, 1893
Hope's third addition Dec. 11, 1895
Peck's addition. Mar. 2, 1896
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NEWTON COUNTY
ADDITION DATE
Peck's second addition Apr. 15, 1896
Nichols' addition. May 8, 1896
Corbin's addition. Mar. 31, 1897
Corbin's second addition Apr. 21, 1898
Camblin's addition. May 17, 1898
Nichols' second addition.
May 28, 1898
Kennedy's second addition.
. July 6, 1900
Chizum & Camblin's addition. . Aug. 17, 1900 Kessler & McConnahey's add'n. Oct. 7, 1902
Carpenter's addition.
July 23, 1906
Hammond's addition
Jan. 8, 1907
Kentland was laid out by Alexander J. Kent, April 23, 1860 :
ADDITION DATE
Mccullough's addition. Jan. 2, 1866
Mccullough's second addition. June 13, 1866 Kent's northern addition. Jan. 9, 1866
Ade & McCray's addition. Feb. 18, 1870
McCray, Ade & Cones addition. Mar. 28, 1870 Kent's block 22 addition. Oct. 1, 1872
Graves' addition. Mar. 10, 1894
Cummings' addition Oct. 28, 1895
Fair Ground addition May 7, 1902
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Goodland was laid out by Timothy Foster, May 23, 1866 :
ADDITION DATE
Harris' addition. Sept. 1, 1869
Currens' addition . Oct. 15, 1869
Teay & Woods' addition Dec. 6, 1869
Foster's west addition Apr. 8, 1872
Crider's addition . Apr. 13, 1872
Port Wilson addition May 27, 1872
John Wilson addition Aug. 26, 1872
Perry's addition Mar. 21, 1888
Sapp's addition.
Apr. 2, 1889
Griggs & Babcock addition. May 5, 1892
Brook was laid out by Samuel H. Benjamin, June 26, 1866 :
ADDITION DATE
Wilson's addition. Oct. 9, 1888
Brook Imp. Ass'n addition Dec. 6, 1890
Esson's addition . Feb. 7, 1891
B. Warr's addition. Aug. 28, 1889
Wilson's second addition July 29, 1889
Wilson's third addition. Apr. 14, 1891
Ed Sells' addition. Feb. 25, 1892
Ed Sells' second addition Sept. 12, 1893
Daniel Sells' addition Mar. 15, 1895
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NEWTON COUNTY
ADDITION DATE
Ed Sells' third addition. Mar. 15, 1895
Esson's second addition. Mar. 28, 1895
Esson's third addition. Mar. 28, 1895
Esson's addition of out lots Mar. 28, 1895
J. D. Rich addition. Mar. 11, 1897
Lyons' addition. Jan. 5, 1906
Lyons' second addition May 1, 1909
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Thayer was laid out by Atherton & Stratton, September 21, 1882:
ADDITION DATE
Vander Syd's addition June 26, 1901
Meeters' addition. Aug. 9, 190I
Spitler's addition. Oct. 17, 1902
Mount Ayr was laid out by Lewis Marion, October 18, 1882 :
ADDITION DATE
Marion's addition . July 25, 1884
Foresman was laid out by John B. Fores- man, December 1, 1882.
Julian was laid out by Jacob Julian, Oc- tober 21, 1882.
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Rose Lawn was laid out by Craig & Rose, January 19, 1882 :
ADDITION DATE
Long's addition. July 23, 1883
Guilford's addition July 19, 1883
Goodwin's addition July 28, 1883
Keller, Craig & Co. addition. . . Dec. 16, 1899
Lake Village was laid out by Richard Ma- lone, January 1, 1876:
ADDITION DATE
Charles Hess' addition Nov. 25, 1905
Bryant's addition. Nov. 22, 1905
Williams' addition Mar. 14, 1906
John and Chas. Hess addition. . Mar. 4, 1908
Ade was laid out by Warren T. McCray, May 21, 1906.
Enos was laid out by R. & L. Bartlet, June 22, 1907.
Conrad was laid out by Jennie M. Conrad, December 28, 1908.
KENTLAND NEWSPAPERS
T HE first newspaper in Jasper county was called the Jasper Banner. This was es- tablished at Rensselaer in 1853. It was neutral in politics, with John McCarthy as editor. However, in the campaign of 1856 it came out strongly as a democratic paper. Because of this change in policy of the Banner, the Rensselaer Gazette came into existence and brought out its first issue on April 29, 1857, with the statement: "The Gazette will be re- publican in politics now and forever." Mr. D. F. Davies was the first editor of the latter paper, and in 1859 he sold out to I. N. S. Alter and Thomas Burroughs.
The first newspaper established after the or- ganization of Newton county was at Kentland, and the issue came out on the 26th day of Sep- tember, 1861. It was called the Newton
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KENTLAND NEWSPAPERS 197
County Chronotype, with V. B. Cowen as its editor. For a short time this paper, under the management of Bissell, Ade & Ross, with its name changed to Newton County Union, was published as a republican paper. On De- cember 16, 1863, H. Wyatt became editor and continued to act as such until March 24, 1864, when the paper suspended.
On February 2, 1865, Streight & Watson bought the office and changed the name of the paper to the Newton County Gazette. On May 26, 1865, the office was sold to J. H. Hor- rell and Company, who changed the name to the Citizen.
On February 15, 1866, H. O. Bowden pur- chased the office and changed the name back to the Newton County Gazette.
On July 21, 1866, McKernan & Horrell purchased the paper. On October 27, 1866, McKernan bought out his partner and re- mained proprietor until February 16, 1867, when O. P. Hervey became owner and editor. D. S. McKernan again became the owner, on May 25, 1867.
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NEWTON COUNTY
Up to this time the paper had been repub- lican, but it adopted a neutral policy until August 3, 1867, when John B. Conner became the editor and proprietor and made it a repub- lican paper again.
On July 23, 1874, the Gazette was purchased by J. M. Arnout and S. P. Conner. On May 24, 1877, John French bought out the interest of J. M. Arnout.
On April 17, 1879, Edwin Graham pur- chased the interest of S. P. Conner and the firm became French & Graham, and was finally changed to French & Conner, by R. A. Conner purchasing the interest of Edwin Gra- ham.
On December 13, 1870, the office was de- stroyed by fire, and again in 1883 it suffered a like calamity. Notwithstanding these severe losses, in each instance the paper almost im- mediately resumed publication and made weekly visits to its numerous patrons.
The paper continued under the manage- ment of French & Conner until March 12, 1885, when R. A. Conner sold his interest in
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KENTLAND NEWSPAPERS
the Gazette to Samuel Bramble, and the paper was controlled by French & Bramble until April 30, 1891.
John G. Davis and John W. Randall pur- chased the Gazette from French & Bramble on April 30, 1891, changing the name of the paper to the Newton County Enterprise. About one year later John W. Randall sold his interest in the paper to Harry Strohm, and for a few months the firm name was Davis & Strohm. Shortly after this John G. Davis sold his interest to Dodson Brothers, and the paper was published by Strohm & Dodson until Jan- uary 1, 1908, when Charles M. Davis became one of the proprietors. On that date the firm incorporated under the title of the Enterprise Printing Company, under which name it is still conducted to this date (March, 1911).
The Newton County Democrat was estab- lished August 6, 1862, with W. C. Rose as editor. In the spring of 1863 the office passed into other hands and John McCarthy became editor. He continued to run the paper until the fall of 1865. The paper then suspended
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NEWTON COUNTY
for a time, but was reëstablished on August 24, 1867, with W. C. Rose as editor.
On November 19, 1867, John B. Spots- wood became editor. E. M. Howard was made joint editor with John B. Spots- wood in May, 1868, remaining until Au- gust 12, 1869, when Mr. Howard re- tired. On March 13, 1873, C. Root and Ed- win Graham became the publishers. On June 13, 1873, Mr. Root retired and Mr. Spotswood again became editor.
The Democrat suspended on July 10, 1873. On August 28, 1874, the paper came forth un- der the name of the People's Press, with John B. Spotswood and W. L. Dempster as editors and publishers.
In November, 1874, Mr. Spotswood be- came sole editor and publisher. The fire of 1883 destroyed the office, and no effort was made to restore it.
Prior to this time, the Newton County News was started as a democratic paper by D. J. Eastburn. This was in December, 1881. In March, 1883, it was leased by Abram
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KENTLAND NEWSPAPERS
Yager, but its career was summarily ended in the great fire of April, 1883.
The Democrat again came into existence on September 12, 1884, with A. J. Kitt as pub- lisher and editor. On February 13, 1885, John B. Spotswood became editor of the Kentland Democrat and retained control of the paper until his death, which occurred October II, 1893.
From that date until June 4, 1894, the paper was run by the administrator of the Spotswood estate, with Edward Steinbach as editor. On June 4, 1904, the paper was sold to Charles F. Wigmore, who edited the same until Novem- ber 17, 1894. On November 17, 1894, Ed- ward Steinbach purchased the paper and has controlled it as publisher and editor to the present date (March, 1911).
RAILROADS
T HE first railroad project affecting New- ton county was a proposal to build a line from Fort Wayne to Rock Island, Illinois, passing through Rensselaer and Newton county at a point about three miles north of Morocco. This was in 1854. There was consid- erable grading done through Jackson and Beaver townships, but that was as far as the undertaking progressed at that time.
In 1871 this scheme was again revived, un- der the name of the Continental Railway Company. Considerable grading was done east from Rensselaer but none in Newton county. The financial troubles of 1873 doomed the enterprise to failure and the people to an- other disappointment.
The Logansport & Peoria railroad, now known as the Pennsylvania, running through
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RAILROADS
the southern part of the county, was built in 1859, the first train passing over the route in December, 1859; but the road was not open for business until March, 1860. When this road was built there was scarcely any one liv- ing on the line from Reynolds to the state line, it being at that time an unsettled waste. This was afterward very largely settled by a flow- back from Illinois.
What is known as the Big Four railroad was built in 1871. It cuts off a portion of Newton county in the extreme southwest portion of the same. There is about a mile and a quarter of the road in this county.
The Monon railroad runs through the northern part of the county. The town of Rose Lawn is on the Monon. This road, built in 1878, was at first narrow gauge, but a few years after was changed to standard. There was a great celebration in Rensselaer on Feb- ruary 14, 1875, on account of the completion of this road. Alfred McCoy made a barbe- cue, roasted an ox, etc.
In 1882 the Chicago & Eastern Illinois rail-
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NEWTON COUNTY
road, running through Goodland, Foresman, Julian and Mount Ayr, was completed and opened up for business. In 1888 a branch of the same road, through Brook and Morocco, was built.
What is generally known as the I. I. I. road, a part of the New York Central system, was completed in 1883. There is about one and three-quarters miles in this county, in the ex- treme northeast corner.
In 1905 the Chicago, Indiana & Southern railroad, from Danville, Illinois, to Indiana Harbor, was built and the first trains were run over the road in December of that year. This, being a part of the New York Central system, is a great road and runs through the towns of Kentland, Ade, Morocco, Enos, Conrad and Lake Village, crossing near the center of the old bed of Beaver Lake.
NEWTON COUNTY SOLDIERS
A NY record of the part taken by Newton county in the effort to suppress the re- bellion of 1861-1865 must necessarily be very brief and meager. Volumes might be written regarding the Civil War and then the subject would not be exhausted, as every movement of troops, every battle fought, every effort made to bring peace again to our nation, concerned not only those directly engaged in such efforts, but affected every loyal citizen of our country, wherever he might reside. The one and only object of all effort in the North was to sup- press the rebellion and preserve from dissolu- tion the union of the states. So, what was done by Newton county to accomplish this result was relatively a small part of the whole, yet the great final achievement was one which the whole world now applauds and gratefully ac-
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NEWTON COUNTY
knowledges to have been for the very best in- terests of all factions concerned. In speaking of the Civil War I shall deal only with the part taken by Newton county in this great contest.
Unless one lived during that period and took some part in those stirring events, he must fall far short of comprehending the intensity of feeling marking that period of our history, during four years of desperate struggle for a nation's existence.
It was the first time this part of the country had been involved in real warfare. A few years earlier there had been a war with Mex- ico, but Newton county was too sparsely set- tled to take any organized part.
Threats had been made and there were dark forebodings in the minds of many of our peo- ple, yet we were little prepared to receive the news which fell like a thunderbolt in our midst on that Sunday morning, April 14, 1861.
"Fort Sumter has been fired upon and com- pelled to surrender !"
It is utterly impossible to describe the con- dition of the public mind on that Sunday.
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NEWTON COUNTY SOLDIERS
When the people fully realized that a state of war really existed, every one was wrought up to the highest pitch of excitement. No other subject was talked about or thought about and steps were immediately taken to meet the im- pending crisis.
On Monday, April 15, Governor Morton telegraphed the president his tender of 10,000 men on behalf of the state of Indiana. On the same day President Lincoln issued his proclamation calling for 75,000 men.
The quota of Indiana was fixed at six regi- ments of infantry, comprising about 5,000 men.
On April 16, Governor Morton issued his proclamation calling upon the loyal men of the state to organize into companies and report forthwith to the adjutant-general. The response from every part of the state was prompt and generous. The day after the call 500 men were in camp. On the 19th there were 2,400, and in less than seven days 12,000 had been tendered.
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NEWTON COUNTY
NINTH INDIANA VOLUNTEERS
The first body of troops accepted from this part of the state consisted of a company from Jasper and Newton counties. They formed a part of the 9th Regiment of Infantry and were mustered into service on April 25, 1861, for three months. This company was officered by Robert H. Milroy, captain; Gideon C. Moody, first lieutenant, and Edwin P. Ham- mond, second lieutenant. At the expiration of the three months' service they reorganized and went into the three years' service, with twenty- five men from Newton county. This was Company G.
It is a remarkable fact, and shows the kind of material composing this company, that be- fore the war closed one was a major-general, three were colonels, while a number were cap- tains and lieutenants.
Before the regiment went to the front, Rob- ert H. Milroy was appointed colonel, and so remained until his promotion to take charge of a brigade.
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NEWTON COUNTY SOLDIERS 209
Those enlisting in the 9th Regiment from Newton county were :
Thomas M. Clark-Died in service John Dearduff John D. Goddard Joseph Shafer-Died in service
Adonijah Smart-Killed at Chickamauga Isaac Smart These were all in Company D.
In Company G were the following : William H. Peck-Killed Jacob H. Sager Fred Bartholomew
John M. Bloomer-Died in service
Edmund Catt-Died in service Thomas J. Cashaw
William H. Earl-Died in service
Christian Enfield George C. Hawkins
Charles W. Lynch
Milton J. Moorman
Theodore F. Maxwell Anthony Odell Jefferson T. Redding-Killed George W. Smith William M. Stretch-Killed
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NEWTON COUNTY
John H. Thornton Ezra S. Treadway-Died in service
The 9th Regiment participated in the fol- lowing battles: Greenbriar, Shiloh, Corinth, Perryville, Wildcat Mountain, Stone River, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Mission- ary Ridge, all the battles of the Sherman cam- paign to Atlanta, also the battles of Franklin and Nashville.
After this it was transferred to Texas, where it remained as a part of Sheridan's army of occupation, until September, 1865, when it was mustered out and returned to Indiana, with honors second to no regiment in the serv- ice.
FIFTEENTH INDIANA VOLUNTEERS
When the six regiments, under the first call of the governor, were organized, he was un- able to stay the tide of volunteers, and tendered to the secretary of war six additional regi- ments, promising in case they were accepted to organize them within six days.
NEWTON COUNTY SOLDIERS 2II
Communication with Washington by tele- graph being cut off, no response to this offer was received. Governor Morton then deter- mined to' anticipate the further calls of the government, and to this end proceeded to or- ganize on his own responsibility, as the com- mander-in-chief of the militia, five regiments of twelve-month volunteers for the defense of the state. There were at this time twenty-nine companies at Camp Morton, the general ren- dezvous, besides sixty-eight other companies that had been raised and tendered to the gov- ernor.
On the 7th of May, 1861, orders were issued for the organization of these companies into six regiments, the legislature having endorsed the action of the governor and added one more regiment to the number. On the 11th of May, 1861, five regiments were reported as having the full complement of men, with a surplus of six companies in camp.
In the meanwhile, the second call, of May 3, 1861, had been received, and the question of entering the United States' service for three
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NEWTON COUNTY
years was at once submitted to the state regi- ments. The 13th, 14th, 15th and 17th promptly accepted the proposition, except for a few who declined to volunteer for three years and were at once discharged.
The 15th Regiment was mustered into the United States' service at Camp Tippecanoe, Lafayette, June 14, 1861, with George D. Wagner as colonel. Soon after, it moved to Indianapolis, whence it proceeded by rail on the Ist of July for western Virginia.
Company H of this regiment was comprised of nearly an equal number of men from each of the counties of Newton and Jasper, the fol- lowing having enlisted from Newton county :
Horace K. Warren, Warren T. Hawkins (commissioned cap- John Blue (died) tain April 25, 1861) Henry C. Jones Luther K. Bartholo- David F. Sager mew
Joseph T. Hardesty William Kennedy William V. Rutledge Ira J. Baker
Charles Mershon Jacob C. Nottingham John Mulligan (killed) Jackson Plummer Aaron Reed (killed)
NEWTON COUNTY SOLDIERS 213
A. J. Bartholomew (died) Jared S. Benjamin
William T. Burton
John M. Butler
George Welch
William L. Graves
Henry Wishon (died)
John H. Grant George D. Hardesty
James Burton
Christian Hundershell Thomas Kenney
John A. Isaacson
Francis Marshall
Moses A. Jones
Madison C. Scott
Samuel Williams
John Jungling (killed)
William F. Risley
Samuel Kelley
Peter Lansing
Daniel K. Lafoon (died) John R. Lake
Patrick Madenon
William F. Powers
Isaac Pugh
John R. Linton
The 15th Regiment was in the battles of Greenbrier, Rich Mountain, Shiloh, Corinth, Perryville, Stone River and Missionary Ridge. In the latter battle this regiment took a con- spicuous part, suffering heavily. Its loss was 202 men out of 334 engaged, being over sixty per cent. The day after this battle it marched
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Thomas Smith Charles G. Spear Ira Steel
John Stout
Josiah Burton
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NEWTON COUNTY
to the relief of General Burnside at Knox- ville, traveling 100 miles in six days. Many were without shoes and on short rations. The regiment remained near Knoxville until Feb- ruary, 1864, when it returned to Chattanooga, and on the 14th of June, 1864, it left there for Indianapolis, where it was mustered out of the service.
FIFTY-FIRST INDIANA VOLUNTEERS
The 5Ist Regiment was organized at In- dianapolis on the IIth of October, 1861, and mustered in on the 14th of December, 1861, with A. D. Streight as colonel, Benjamin J. Spooner, lieutenant-colonel; William H. Colescott, major, and Erasmus B. Collins, sur- geon.
Company B of this regiment was made up entirely in Newton county, and composed al- most exclusively of citizens from this county :
David A. McHolland, captain. Albert Light, first lieutenant. Adolphus H. Wonder, second lieutenant.
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NEWTON COUNTY SOLDIERS
William A. Lewis
J. F. Shaffer
Edwin R. Arnold
G. E. Tiffeny
Jeremiah Sailor
William Deweese
Aaron Kenoyer J. S. Hurst
D. Doty
John Bramble
Alvin Arnold
Isaac N. Bush
Samuel Yeoman
William Collins
Robert Barr
Thomas Crawn
Samuel Clark
Alexander Ekey
John Coshow
George Haney
Reese Denny
Walter Hawkins
Patrick Griffin
Jacob Hosier Ezra G. Handley
George W. Heshner
Henry Howery
Ephraim T. Ham
James Kenoyer
James Kerhan Abel Lyons
Cyrus Louthain
Dennis Morris Alexander A. Myers
Stark Olmstead
George W. Smith Jonathan Pruett David G. Smith Edward Sherman Harry Troup
J. H. Harrington James Helms John T. Harris Lemuel Johnson Leroy Kelly Samuel Lyons Jira Skinner John D. Morgan Charles Mallatt Jonathan Staton John Sherman Barton B. West Henry Bishopp
William Haney
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NEWTON COUNTY
J. S. Christopher
Ira Yeoman
Isaac C. Denny
James Corn
John J. Horn
Charles W. Clifton
Charles B. Davis
Jesse Dodson
Levi Haney
John A. Gwinn
Hiram H. McClain
Ephraim Haney
Albert Myers
Charles W. Lynch
W. W. Thoroughman Warren Maist
John Lowe W. E. Roney
Henry Meredith John Bridgeman
James Nottingham
Albert Light died at Lebanon, Kentucky, February 24, 1862, and Adolphus Wonder was promoted to first lieutenant March 15, 1862; promoted to captain June 30, 1863 ; died in prison at Charleston, South Carolina, Sep- tember, 1864. He was recognized as an able officer and had the respect of all the company.
Jeremiah Sailor was promoted to second lieutenant March 15, 1862.
William R. Lewis was promoted to second lieutenant June 30, 1863 ; to captain Novem- ber 23, 1864 ; resigned June 11, 1865.
John D. Morgan was promoted to first
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NEWTON COUNTY SOLDIERS
lieutenant February 6, 1865; to captain June 12, 1865; mustered out December 13, 1865.
The Fifty-first left Indianapolis for the front December 16, 1861, passing through Louisville on the 18th of the same month; through Bardstown and Lebanon, Kentucky, and in the latter part of January, 1862, took part in the battle of Hall's Gap, near Somer- set. At this point, the confederate general, Zollicoffer, was killed, the enemy routed, and a large amount of guns and cannon captured.
On February 12, 1862, they returned to Lebanon, Kentucky, and there they left a large number of sick. It was at this point Lieuten- ant Albert Light died, also William Board. John Lowe and several others were left here. Many of them were sick with measles and be- cause of exposure took severe colds which proved fatal in many cases.
In this early stage of the war the govern- ment was unable to provide proper care for the sick and wounded men. In Lebanon, the latter part of February, 1862, at which time I was there, there were fifteen hundred sick sol-
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NEWTON COUNTY
diers. Stores, churches and all public build- ings were filled with the sick, all lying on the floors. A few had blankets but a large major- ity had not, and lay in rows on the floor as closely together as they could be placed. In fact, it was about as sad a sight as I met at any time during the war. The object of my trip to Lebanon was to bring back the body of Lieu- tenant Albert Light, and at the same time I as- sisted John Lowe in procuring a furlough to come back home.
The 5Ist took part in the battle of Stone River on the 3Ist of December, 1862, and Jan- uary Ist and 2d, 1863, losing forty-nine men in killed and wounded. After this engagement the regiment remained in the vicinity of Mur- freesboro until the month of April, 1863, when the 5Ist and the 73d Indiana, 3d Ohio and 80th Illinois, all under the command of Colonel Streight, headed for Rome, Georgia, for the purpose of making a raid in the rear of Bragg's army. On the 29th and 30th of April, 1863, they were overtaken by the rebel cavalry under General Forrest. What is known as the
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NEWTON COUNTY SOLDIERS
Battle of Day's Gap ensued, resulting in the defeat of Forrest and his forces. The 5Ist lost thirty-one killed and wounded, among the number being Lieutenant-Colonel Sheets.
On the Ist of May another battle took place, and the enemy was again defeated. On the fol- lowing day another engagement was fought near Gadsden, Alabama. In this fight Colonel Hathaway, of the 73d Indiana, was killed.
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