USA > Indiana > Warrick County > Warrick and its prominent people : a history of Warrick County, Indiana from the time of its organization and settlement, with biographical sketches of some of its prominent people of the past and present > Part 5
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the joy of a widowed mother's home, the favorite of a large cir- che of young people, truly one of nature's noblemen, was mortally wounded, and when the order was given to retreat, he implored one of the boys in passing to shoot him and end his terrible suf- fering at once. He died on the spot where he fell. His re- mains were subsequently brought back to Indiana by his cousin, John T. White, who succeeded him as commander of the com- pany. Thomas Vincent, Robert Wilkinson, Conrad Mann, Wil- liam H. Raisch, Jno. S. Knight, Drummond Carse and Duncan Neeves, were killed; William Gerhart, Henry Lang, Nicholas Keith, James M. Ikard and Lieutenant Charles H. Dillingham were wounded. Boon Laslie, James Lee and Ben Whittinghill were captured. Lee and Laslie both died in prison and Whit- tinghill was so emaciated by ill-treatment and starvation that he could scarcely walk when he got out of prison. This day's work left us with but eighteen men and no commissioned officer. Sergeant John T. White now assumed command of the company. From this point we went to the extreme right of the line on what is called the Sand Town road. On the 5th of July we formed a line of battle in the morning and advanced five miles in line over the roughest, bushiest, hilliest country in Georgia. We started up Joe Brown and his Georgia militia two or three times dur- ing the day. About an hour before sunset we came on the en- emy in pretty strong force. A general charge was ordered, but a deep, impassable creek, called Nick-a-Jack, just in front of a heavy line of works, put an end to the charge. We fell back a few rods and threw up fortifications. On the evening of the roth, just at sun-set, the whole of the rebel artillery was turned loose on us at once, and here we got the most furious shelling we had during the war; but little damage to life was done, however. From here we went to the extreme left of the army and crossed the Chatahoochee river at a little town called Roswell. On the
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20th and 21st of July we were engaged in heavy skirmishing. On the 21st Phillip Nonweiler was wounded in the hip, from which he died. Arnold Westfall was also wounded. On the following day, July 22d, was fought the severest battle of the cam- paign. In this day's battle Company I lost James A. Keith, Thomas Leech and James K. Crowder, killed ; Moses Shanl, Romey Perigo, and Nicholas Taylor, wounded. Nicholas Taylor was captured and died in prison. Samuel Crow and Na- than Matthews were also captured and taken to Andersonville prison. Crow died in prison. Col. Wm. Jones was killed by a cannon ball (which struck him in the head, leaving not a spoon- full of brain in the cavity of the skull. The ball struck just above the eyes, leaving the face recognizable, but tearing away the en- tire skull) after being wounded in the leg by a musket ball. This was the day McPherson, the " beloved of the army," fell. John A. Logan succeeded to his command, winning the gratitude of the army for his conduct during the remainder of the day. From this position we were again transferred to the extreme right of the line, where we laid in one position for thirty days. July 20th Geo. Shepard and Amos Hart were wounded. At this camp Captain Langford resigned at the request of the company. August 28th Peter Korb was wounded in the arm. Our company moved with the army that passed to the rear of Hood and fol- lowed him to Lovejoy station. After the evacuation of Atlanta we followed Hood in his march North to Galesville, Alabama, where we retraced our steps to Merietta, where we were paid off, and on the 13th of November we started on Sherman's famous march to the sea. Sam Mclaughlin, who had been detailed with the 7th Ohio battery, was captured by bushwackers, just as we were ready to start, and taken to Anderson prison, where he was kept until March following, when he made his escape and joined the company near Cheraw, South Carolina. Nothing
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of special interest occurred during the march of thirty days through an enemy's country with no communication with the outside world. We fared well on the march-no sickness, but little fighting and plenty to eat. Arrived at Savannah December 13; it was evacuated December 20. We staid but a short time at Savannah until we were transferred to Beaufort. South Carolina, which place we left January 27, 1865, and on the 30th we came on to the Confederates at Pocotaligo station, on the Savannah and Charleston R. R. We drove them away. Our march was continued on to Columbia, at which place we arrived on the morning of February 27th. The bridge over the Congoree river was burned and Wade Hampton occupied the city. Company I was detailed as skirmishers to go down imme- diately to the river bank and ascertain if it was possible to wade the river, which we soon found to be an im- possibility. Pontoon bridges were built during the day and by night all had crossed over. During the night the city was burned, and in the morning our march was resumed through South Carolina to Fayetteville, N. C., where we met a gun- boat from Wilmington, which brought us our mail-the first since January 30th, this being March 13th. Our march was resumed in the direction of Goldsboro. At Bentonville, on the 19th, we met Joe Johnson, and a part of the army became warmly engaged, but our company failed to get into the en- gagement. At night the Confederates retreated in the direction of Raleigh. Our column was headed for Goldsboro, where we met the army of Scofield from Wilmington. At this camp, those who did not re-enlist were discharged and started for home. After a short stay we started in pursuit of Johnson, who had stopped at Raliegh; but when we reached the city Johnson had retreated to Greensboro. At this point we received the news of President Lincoln's assassination. We recived the news of
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the surrender of Gen. Lee, on the march from Goldsboro to Raleigh. After the surrender of Johnson we started overland, by way of Petersburgh, Richmond, Fredericksburgh and Alex- andria, for Washington, where we camped but a short time until we were ordered to Louisville, Kentucky, by way of the Bal- timore & Ohio railroad, to Parkersburgh, Virginia, thence by boat to Louisville, where we staid until July 21st. At this camp, John T. White was commissioned captain ; John S. Lowe, first lieutenant; Norman Taylor, second lieutenant, although they had been filling the respective positions for some time. Charles Dillingham was appointed first and Nathan Matthews, second lieutenants, but owing to disability from wounds received by both, and imprisonment of Matthews, neither of them were mustered in and qualified for their respec- tive appointments. From Louisville we went to Camp Carring- ton, near Indianapolis, where we were paid off August 5th, 1865. After four years association, as members of Company "I," we separated.
In this hastily written sketch there are doubtless errors, and some matters that would be of interest omitted, but considering the fact that it is nineteen years ago since the beginning of this narrative, the survivors will pardon errors and omissions. To those members of the company who are living it will be a mat- ter of interest to them as being almost a personal history, and perhaps a fuller one than will ever be written of their almost four years' service in the army. To the relatives of those who died of disease while in the service and since their return home, and especially to the relatives of those who were killed
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Warrick and its Prominent People.
on the field of battle, or died in the prison pen; to the rela- tives of
JAMES MOORE, THOMAS LEECH,
DAVID WHITE,
DUNCAN NEEVES,
SOLOMON SEVERS,
DRUMMOND CARSE,
ROMEY PERIGO, THOMAS VINCENT,
PHILLIP NONWEILER, WILLIAM H RAISCH,
ROBERT WILKINSON, CONRAD MANN.
JAMES A. KEITH, JAMES K. CROWDER,
who were killed in action or died shortly after being wounded; to the relatives of Boon Laslie, James Lee and Nicholas Taylor, who died in prison, this sketch will be of especial interest.
Respectfully,
W. WILSON,
Late a member of Company I, Fifty-third Indiana.
COMPALY K, 42D INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
Was organized on the 20th of September, 1861, and mus- tered into service on the 11th of October, 1861, with the follow- ing officers :
DANIEL G. THOMPSON, Capt JAMES H. MASTERS, 1st. Lieut.
THOS. L. DENNY, 2nd Lieut. ED. M. KNOWLES, Ist. Serg't.
NOYCE WHITE, 2nd Serg't. LEM'L W. FRENCH, 3rd Serg't. EMORY JOHNSON, 4th Serg't. J. E. CARNAHAN, 5th Serg't Whole company, ninety-eight men.
Routes, first year-Camp Vanderburgh to Henderson, Ken- tucky; thence to Calhoun; thence to South Carrolton, and re- turned to Calhoun ; thence to Owensboro, and from there to Nashville, Tennessee, on transports, where Lieutenant Denny resigned and Edmud M. Knowles was promoted Second Lieu- tenant. Thence the regiment followed in the wake of Gen. Mitchell's division, to Huntsville, Alabama. On this route, at Wartrace, Tennessee, a part of the company were in a fight
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Warrick in the War.
when Sergeants White and Carnahan, and Christopher Bra- shears, George W. Floyd and others were wounded-the last three mentioned, so as to be discharged and disabled for the balance of the war.
After lying at Huntsville until the 23d of August, 1862, came the long notorious retreat of Buell to Louisville, Kentucky, ar- riving there on the 20th of September, 1862. Then they com- menced the pursuit of the rebel army under Bragg, and on the 8th of October, 1862, the battle of Perryville was fought, and there was killed of company K, on the field, Oliver Buzzing- ham-some died of wounds. Three of the wounded, James Humphrey, George L. Masters, and Young Reed are yet living.
Second Year's Routes and Changes-On the 8th of Novem- ber, 1862, James H. Masters was promoted Captain, vice Daniel G. Thompson, resigned ; Edmund M. Knowles was promoted First Lieutenant, vice Masters, promoted; Emory Johnson was promoted Second Lieutenant, vice Knowles, promoted, and Tilotson M. Neves was made First Sergeant.
Then came the march via Nashville to Stone river, where, on the 31st of December, 1862, commenced that sanguinary conflict known as the battle of Stone river. Company K, lost -killed-on that day, almost at the same instant, Rinaldo Ed- wards and Warrick Clifford. Among the seventy wounded on that day were Alvis Ashley, John Coleman, John Ross and - - Martin. After this battle we remained with the main army until we moved forward under Gen. Rosencrans through Northern Alabama and Georgia to the great battle of Chicka- mauga, where Miles Matthews and First Lieutenant Edmund M. Knowles were made prisoners of war. Miles Matthews, one of the best of soldiers, died in Andersonville prison, and Lieutenant Edmund M. Knowles was killed outright while a prisoner of war. 8
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Warrick and its Prominent People.
Third Year's Changes-Next came the sweeping victory of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, of which our com- pany, as a part of the First Brigade, First Division, Fourteenth Army Corps, took part. Among the wounded were Thomas W. Lacer, dangerously, and Ephriam Y. Perigo, slightly.
On the last of January, 1864, our company re-enlisted, and there were still able for service twenty-seven men out of the ninety-eight who were first enrolled-all of whom veteranized, when we had a short furlough home, and then went back to the front at Chattanooga, Tennessee.
In Apri!, 1864, our company and regiment commenced ad- vancing with Gen. Sherman on that almost unceasing battle from Goldsboro to Atlanta, Georgia. Among the veterans of company K, on the 11th of April, 1864, Ephraim Brashears was wounded in the leg and made a cripple for life. On the 14th of May, George L. Masters was seriously wounded in the right lung and through the right shoulder, and made a cripple for life. On the 22d of July, 1864, Captain James H. Masters, was crippled for life by a gun-shot wound in the right shoulder, and Lieutenant Emory Johnson was killed almost instantly by a ball passing through his lungs. In a few days afterwards, per- haps on the 7th of August, Sergeant Win. Stuckey and Pleas- ant Shepherd were also killed. So rapidly fell the veterans of of our company that the late history of the company is not sc exactly known. The company, however, was recruited and started in on its fourth year, when Tilotson M. Neves was promoted Captain, vice Masters discharged; Ephraim Y. Perigo was promoted First Lieutenant, vice Knowles, killed; John D. Linxwiller, promoted Second Lieutenant, vice Johnson killed. The company was discharged at an early period by the dis- bandment of the army after the surrender of Lee.
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Warrick in the War.
Among those that died of disease contracted in the army, were Wesley Spillman, Reason Barrett, - Lewis, C. M. Williams, Absalom B. Hendson, and Joseph D. Lemasters. -[Edwin Adams' History of Warrick County.
COMPANY E, 65THI INDIANA VOLUNTEERS
Was mustered into the United States service on the 18th of August, 1862. The original company organization was as fol- lows:
EDWARD A. BAKER, Capt. JOHN W. HAMMOND, Ist Lient. THOS. N. MASTERS, 2d Lient. ROBERT BRODIE, Orderly Serg't. JACOB V. ADMIRE, Ist Serg't. JAMES B. CARTER, 24 Serg't. SALVIN COLLINS, 3d Sorg't. REES YOUNG, 4th Serg't.
Corporals-First, William Selby; Second, Thomas A. Low- rance; Third, Jessie Willis; Fourth, George W. Jones; Fifth, Wm. R. Stephens; Sixth, Charles E. Jarrett; Seventh, Daniel A. Bohanan ; Eighth, Adolphus W. Walden.
Musicians-Martin S. Harmon and Alexander Jordon.
Wagoner-Robert R. Baker.
Company E served one year in Kentucky, with headquarters at Henderson, during which time the company guarded 1, 000 prisoners to Camp Chase and Johnson's Island. In April, 1863, the company were mounted by order of Gen. Boyle, and received marching orders for East Tennessee, and were among the first troops to enter Knoxville on the Ist of September, 1863. J. W. Hammond was promoted to Captain of Company K; Ser- geant J. V. Admire was promoted to Second Lieutenant in April, 1863, and March Ist, 1864, to First Lieutenant; Sergeant J. B. Carter was promoted to Second Lieutenant. September 2 Ist, 1864, Lieutenant J. B. Carter was discharged on surgeon's certificate of disability, and Martin S. Harmon was promoted from Sergeant to First Lieutenant. First Sergeant Bailey Hick- man was promoted to Second Lieutenant.
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Warrick and its Prominent People.
Company E participated in the pursuit of Colonel John Morgan and followed him as far as Louisville, Kentucky. *The first engagement in which the company participated was the battle of Blountville, Tennessee, in October, 1863, in which Geo. W. White was killed. The company was engaged at Been's Station, in November, 1863, in which engagement James Nickolson was killed. At the close of the East Tennes- see campaign, the company was dismounted and placed in the Third Division of the Twenty-third Army Corps, and fought through the Georgia campaign under Gen. Sherman. On the 28th of August, 1865, Captain J. V. Admire took command of the company, Captain Baker having been assigned to the com- mand of the regiment. On the 28th day of September, 1864, the company, with a small detail from the regiment, one hun- dred and twenty-five men, all told, under the command of Major Baker, fought five hundred rebel cavalry, near Decatur, Geor- gia, and repulsed them with heavy loss-the company bringing off their dead and wounded-among whom was Lieutenant Martin S. Harmon. For their gallant services on this occa- sion they received a complimentary order from General I. D. Cox. During the Georgia campaign the company participated in the following named battles: Resacca, Pumpkin Vine Ridge, Snake Creek Gap, Kenesaw Mountain, Ringold and Burnt Hickory.
After the fall of Atlanta, the 65th Indiana was transferred to General Thomas' army, and made the campaign against Hood, in Tennessee, participating in the battles of Columbia, Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville, and followed Hood's retreating army to Clifton, Tennessee, where the company took a boat for Cincinnati, Ohio, thence to Washington City by rail. After re-
*The first engagement of Company E was really with a band of guer- illas at Madisonville, Kentucky, on August 25th, 1862.
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Warrick in the War.
ceiving an outfit at Washington City the company was sent to Federal Point, North Carolina, and there led the advance at the storming of Fort Fisher, and participated in all the battles in North Carolina, under General Schofield, and was present at the surrender of Jo. Johnson's army.
After the fighting was all over, the company lay in camp at Greensboro, North Carolina, until mustered out in July. From Greensboro, the company traveled by rail to Indianapolis, In- diana, where the men were paid and received their discharges, having been in the service two years and eleven months.
The following is a list of the killed in battle: George W. White, James Nickolson, James Hale, James W. Clark, and Perry T. Moore.
The following named members of the Company, died while in the service: George W. Biers, Isom Blankenship, Solomon Cox, James Donaldson, Abraham Eby, James Fields, Samuel Goodwin, Alexander H. Jordan, Joseph Lowrence, Jas F. Tur- pin, Nicholas Taylor, William Wallace and Joseph C. Wood .- [Edwin Adams' History of Warrick County.
COMPANY H, 25TH INDIANA VOLUNTEERS
Was principally enlisted at Newburgh, in the county of War- rick, and organized on the first day of August, 1861, by Col. Wood. The original company organization was as follows : JOHN H. DARBY, Capt. DORUS FELLOWS, 1st Lieut.
CHARLES LUCAS, 2d Lieut SPENCER WEBSTER. 1st Serg't.
WM J KEITH, 2d Serg't JOSHUA P. DAVIS, 3d Serg't.
V. L. CHAPMAN, 4th Serg't. E. L. WILLIAMS, 5th Serg't.
Corporals-First, Henry W. Knowles ; Second, Samuel Alex- ander ; Third, Wm. L. Haynie; Fourth, Albert Cox; Fifth, Daniel W. Merrit; Sixth, George L. Robertson ; Seventh, John Hawley ; Eighth, Jesse Hickman.
Musicians-Isaac D. Hall and James A. McGill.
Wagoner-Horace Walters.
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Warrick and its Prominent People.
Captain Darby resigned, August 20th, 1861, and Lieutenant Dorus Fellows was appointed to fill the vacancy, and the other promotions, in their usual order, were made. The company did its share of fighting, and underwent all the trials, and suffered all the injuries usual to a warm and active campaign. It veteran- ized and remained in the service until July 6th, 1865, when it was mustered out .- [Edwin Adams' History of Warrick County.
BIOGRAPHICAL PART.
RATLIFF BOON.
Hon. Ratliff Boon, ex-Governor of the State of Indiana, and for sixteen years Representative from the First Congressional District in the National House of Representatives, was born in Georgia, about the year 1780. He was a cousin of the great pioneer, Daniel Boone, and was also a son-in-law to Bailey An- derson, one of the earliest settlers of this county. His parents moved to Warren county, Kentucky, while he was very young, and at Danville, in that State, he learned the gunsmith's trade. In 1809 he came to Indiana Territory, through the influence of his kinsman, Bailey Anderson, and was probably the first to set- tle in what is now Boon township, this county, which was named in honor of him. The land upon which he settled and lived during his residence in Warrick county is situated about two miles west of Boonville.
Colonel Boon was one of the most prominent men in Indiana during its early days, and held some of the highest offices with- in the gift of the people. His education was limited, but he was a man of extraordinary tact and sagacity. He possessed great force of character and had a manner of making loyal friends and bitter enemies. For several years he was Colonel of State mali- tia. Upon the organization of Warrick, as a territorial county, in 1813, as the law at that time required, he was appointed Treasurer, which office he held until 1820. In 1816, when In- diana was admitted into the Union, Boon was elected to repre- sent Warrick county in the first State Legislature. This was the beginning of his career as a politician, and he afterwards held various offices, covering a period of twenty-five years. He was
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Warrick and its Prominent People.
twice elected Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, and during his last term in this office he filled an unexpired term as Chief Ex- ecutive of the State. He was elected to Congress eight different times, serving, in all, sixteen consecutive years.
In 1839 he removed to Pike county, Missouri, and while a resident of that State he was defeated by Thomas H. Benton in caucus, as a candidate for United States Senator, after which he virtually retired from public life. However, he desired to live to see Polk elected President of the United States, and a few hours after he received the news of hiselection, in 1846, he died.
Colonel Boon was married to Miss Deliah Anderson, of Ken- tucky, daughter of Bailey Anderson. The fruits of this mar- riage were ten children, five boys and five girls, all of whom are now dead, except a daughter, living in Pike county, Missouri.
The marked characteristics of Ratliff Boon's public life forci- bly reminds one of the back-woods statesman, Davy Crockett. It was his custom always to return home in the spring and "lay out" the corn rows for his sons, and he would then go back to Congress. In the annals of Warrick county history no man fig- ures more prominently than Ratliff Boon, and his career is one of which we may well be proud.
GENERAL JOSEPH LANE.
Few there are who have not heard of General Joe Lane, of Oregon, who, from an obscure flat-boatman, on the Ohio river, has risen to some of the most prominent positions in the land. To-day he lives on the Pacific slope, far away from the scenes of his early struggles. He was born in North Carolina, in 1801, and was only six years of age when his father, John Lane, re- moved to Henderson county, Kentucky. What education he received was obtained, at intervals, in some log house, where a man, who knew his letters, acted as teacher. He was a sharp,
* die notes on the margins of page 78
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General Joseph Lane.
quick-witted boy, more fond of hunting than books, and, withal, was very popular with the pioneers, on account of his accommo- dating disposition. In 1818 his father removed to Vanderburgh county, Indiana,* and purchased a tract of land about nine miles above Evansville. Here Joseph was invited by Judge Grass, who kept a store near Rockport, to proceed there and act as a clerk in his establishment. He was at once regarded with favor by all who had business at the store, as he was well posted in stories of frontier life, and was kind and obliging. He next, in company with his brother Simon, bought a flat-boat, sold wood to the steamboats, as they passed ; made many trips to New Orleans, carried on a farm; dealt in stock, etc., until the breaking out of the Mexican war, when he began to secure re- cruits in Evansville and vicinity. Soon a large number of the hardy yeomanry were mustered into the second regiment, and with our subject as their Colonel was off for the scene of the war. His regiment was placed in the division commanded by General Taylor, and his exploits immediately attracted the at- tention of "Old Rough and Ready," who showed his confidence in the Indiana pioneer by making Colonel Lane a Brigadier General. General Lane was not only a brave man, but he was possessed of a knowledge of the Mexican style of fighting, and was an invaluable officer in that vigorous campaign, so success- fully managed by General Taylor.
After the close of hostilities the President appointed him Gov-
*The land upon which Mr. Lane settled was really in Warrick county at that time, but Hon. Ratliff Boon, fearing that Joe Lane, who was a very popular youth at nineteen years of age, would seriously interfere with his political aspirations in this county, caused a strip of land to be transferred from the southeastern part of Warrick to the territory of Vanderburgh county, which included the farm that Mr. Lane had settled upon, thereby making Joe Lane ineligible to office in this county. By reference to the map, the reader will observe this apparent encroachment upon Warrick county territory by Vanderburgh. However, General Lane afterwards represented Warrick and Vanderburgh counties in the State Senate several terms in succession -ED. W. AND ITS P. P.
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Warrick and its Prominent People.
ernor of the Territory of Oregon, and upon the admission of Oregon into the Union, he was elected a Senator. General Lane was a delegate from Oregon to the Democratic Conven- tion which nominated Franklin Pierce for President in 1852. In 1860, General Lane was nominated for Vice President on the Breckenridge-Democratic ticket and his career in that memorable campaign is a part of the records of the country. General Lane was married, while living in Vanderburgh county, to Miss Mary Hart, daughter of Matthew Hart. Ten children were the result of this union, of whom only one has died. Taking him as a rep- resentative pioneer, we have presented this brief sketch of his life. His public services are a permanent part of our national history. - Evansville and its Men of Mark.
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