USA > Michigan > American Biographical History of Eminent and Self-made Men.: Michigan Volume > Part 36
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volleys upon the unsheltered masses of the attacking columns. The enemy's forces were broken into a dis- organized mob. They repeated the attacks, but every time with great loss and signal failure. This engage- ment is known as the battle of Culp's Farm. July 3, the enemy suddenly fell back rapidly through Marietta, to previously prepared entrenchments, near Smyrna camp grounds, six miles distant. General Williams pur- sued closely with his division, driving the enemy to his days afterwards. But General Johnston had taken up |last stand, north of the Chattahoochee. For two weeks a strong position directly across Sherman's line of ad- | the hostile armies confronted one another across the nar- vance,- his center ( Hood's corps) being at New Hope row channel of the river. On the 18th of July, Williams' Church. Geary's and Williams' divisions had crossed, division, with the rest of the Twentieth Corps, broke in the morning, Pumpkin-vine Creek, taking diverging camp and crossed the Chattahoochee, at Price's Ferry, routes. Williams had nearly reached Dallas, when he above the railroad bridge. The indications of an attack
were slight, but the enemy's outpost kept up a rattling fire. Taking a section of artillery and a strong reinforcement to his skirmish line, General William, was in the act of mov-
was recalled, with information that Geary had been seriously attacked. A hurried march of six or seven miles brought him to Geary's position, in thick woods, two or three miles in front of New Hope Church. [ing up to destroy the outpost, when he heard, to the Williams was ordered to lead the assault on the enemy's far left, the peculiar sound of infantry volleys. As it intrenched line along the ridge. The urgency of order- [ rapidly approached, it swelled in volume and intensity, hardly gave time for the exhausted men to recover like the gathering of a tornado. There was no mistak- breath. The division was formed in three lines of ing the cause. General Hood, who, it had just been brigade front, and, taking the quick-step, drove in the announced, had superseded General Joe Johnston, was enemy's outposts without halt ; but, in ascending the 'putting in practice his new tactics, by a general assault open slope of the ridge, the whole division came under along our exposed front. Without going into a detail a tremendous fire of musketry and artillery. The lead. "of the movements of this battle, it is sufficient to say ing brigade was terribly cut up, and the cross-fire of that the attacks, which were kept up with fresh troops canister swept through the entire column. Nearly until twilight, were repulsed at all points. The enemy eight hundred officers and men were killed or wounded, left several hundred dead and many wounded on the among them seven field-officers. A terrific storm of . field. Williams' division captured prisoners from two lightning, thunder, and rain, coming ou almost at the different corps of the enemy, but its loss was severe, -five
instant of the attack, caused a temporary lull in the hundred and eighty officers and men killed and wounded, among them eight field-officers, two of the division staff. July 28, General Hooker was relieved, at his own re- quest, of command of the Twentieth Corps, and General Williams was placed in command by order of General Thomas. On the 28th of August, General Williams was relieved by Major-General H. W. Slocum, who had been appointed, by the President, permanent commander battle, and somewhat sheltered the division, which ob- stinately held its ground near the enemy's intrenchments until relieved by other troops about midnight. Follow- ing this assault was nearly a month of daily skirmishes and severe combats, attended with much loss of life and limb. July 22, Williams, in lead of the right wing, while pressing the enemy's left towards Marietta, en- countered a strongly intrenched line of pickets occupy -! of the corps. General Williams returned to his division. ing the edge of thick woods, with broad, open grounds: Before daylight of September 2, the whole corps was in front. Placing his two batteries on an irregular ridge, aroused by what seemed the noise of a great battle near from which he had dislodged the enemy, and which Atlanta. Williams' division, which lay on the Atlanta overlooked this open ground, he massed his three brig- side of the Chattahoochee, was soon under arms, and ades, under cover, just in the rear of his guns, -- throw- ' hurried forward in the direction of these sounds. They ing forward a strong line of skirmishers. Hood's corps, ' soon found that Atlanta had been abandoned : the work- which had moved out of the intrenched lines to observe shops, magazines, and ordnance-trains blown up, and the movements of the Union army, came in sight of that Hood's army was in rapid retreat. The Twentieth these seemingly unsupported guns. The bait was too Corps at once took possession of Atlanta, and occupied tempting for Ilood's resistance, and he ordered Ste- it for more than two months. Early in November, venson's and Findman's divisions to capture the guns. General Sherman returned to Atlanta, from his pursuit
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REPRESENTATIVE MEN OF MICHIGAN.
of Hood, and quickly organized his forces for the | corduroyed to the causeway roa .l. General Williams trans- "March to the Sea." General Slocum was put in com- ferred his head-quarters to the north shore, but an extra- mand of the left wing, composed of the Fourteenth and , ordinary and sudden freshet covered all the low ground, Twentieth corps; Williams being in command of the even to the top of the dykes, cutting off the transit of latter. The corps entered Milledgeville on the after- the Third ( then Geary's ) Division, and the main trains. noon of the 22d, having marched, without opposition, Williams moved forward with his two divisions, over, for through Social Circle and Madison, tearing up the tail
the most part, an overflowed road, to Hardeeville, Perrys- roads, and burning bridges on the Oconee. On the 24th, . burg and Robertsville, when he met the first opposition. the whole army moved again, Williams' corps taking , After some delay, Williams received an order to move the direct road to Sander ville. From Sanderwille, two up and join the right wing; and, after floundering divisions marched to Tennille Station, on the Georgia, through a quagmire for an hour or more, foand General Central Railroad, to destroy that road eastward; the Sherman's camp about midnight. General Williams, third division took the direct road to Davisboro and | with the whole army, marched. the next morning, tear- Louisville. They re-united at the latter place, after ; ing up the Charleston and Augusta Railroad, from Gra- the total destruction of the railroad, and the bridge : ham Station west for fifty miles; and burning immense
over the Ogeechee. This campaign was a sort of
piles of Confederate Government cotton. On the 16th,
military picnic. Supplies of all kind-, especially of the several corps, marching on different routes, reached beef, fowl-, sweet-potatoes, honey, and peanuts, were the south side of the Saluda, opposite Columbia, almost found in large quantities. The average daily marches : simultaneously. Williams' corps, crossing the Saluda were about fifteen miles; the roads, for the most part, ! and Broad rivers, above Columbia, did not enter that were good, and the weather generally delightful. The city, but marched directly to Winnsboro. The campaign, enemy's cavalry kept just near enough to give the from this on to Goldsboro, was in strong contrast to the foraging parties an occasional brush, and kept up a ; " march to the sea ;" rain fell so continuously that every kind of fox-chase excitement in the main column. "creek became a broad river, and was so bottomless that, On the 9th of December, Williams' corps reached the for days, every foot of the way was corduroyed for the pas- vicinity of the outer works of Savannah, having struck | sage of the trains and artillery. The first infantry oppo- the river road some miles above, and encountered sition with which Williams' corps met was at Chester- some small earth-works and barricaded approaches. ! field in advance of the Pedee River. The Confederates Reconnoissance showed that along the whole front of the had prepared the bridges over Thompson's Creek with corps a broad lake had been formed by overflowing old combustibles for rapid burning, and occupied the town. rice plantations. This artificial pond was crossed by two | Without halt, the vanguard of two regiments was de- narrow causeways commanded by many earth-works with ployed as skirmishers, and they drove the enemy so heavy guns. The two weeks around Savannah were quickly out of the town that the bridges were saved but busily occupied by Williams' corps, in preparing ga- [slightly injured. All the army concentrated at Fayette- bions, fascines, and portable bridges for an intended ville, North Carolina, March 11; and, after blowing up assault on the defenses of the city. On the night of | the arsenal and other Confederate buildings, crossed the December 20, our posts on Argyle Island and the main- ! Cape Fear River ; each corps then taking a different route land heard sounds which indicated the withdrawal of for Goldsboro. Williams' corps moved up the Cape Fear River, and soon encountered the enemy, who sullenly the enemy from the city; and, near morning, General H. A. Barnum, one of Geary's brigade commanders, re- I gave back to an intrenched line extending from the Cape ported that the nearest intrenched post was abandoned. Fear to Black Creek, near Averysboro. The first line was Orders were issued that Geary's division move imme- | assaulted on the morning of March 16, by two divisions diately in reconnois ance. It entered the city with-, of Williams' corps, and put to sudden flight. Their out opposition, finding all the large guns in position, guns and a large part of Rhetts' brigade, fresh from the defense of Charleston, were captured; one hundred and and much other material of war abandoned by the enemy in his sudden flight across the river. Williams' | seventy-eight dead and many wounded were left on the corps, being the first to enter, was placed in possession field; and a large number of prisoners taken, among whom was Rhett himself. " The glory of South Carolina's proud corps was badly shorn." General Williams lost,
of the city ; Geary's division was made the provost guard, and the commander was appointed Military Gov- ernor. Early in January, one ( Ward's) division of Will- ; in this fight, about cighty killed and nearly five hundred iams' corps crossed the river by ferrying, - the first wounded. The enemy, abandoning his second line, fell movement of the campaign of the Carolinas. About back on the road towards Smithfield, leaving, it was the middle of the month, the first ( Jackson's) division | supposed, an uninterrupted course to Goldsboro. About crossed on a pontoon bridge to Hutchinson's Island and ! noon of March 18, General Williams halted the head of the main shore ; and then by the rice-field dykes, carefully | his column at a cross-road, under orders to send his
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REPRESENTATIVE MEN OF MICIIIGAN.
division trains and ambulances down that road and | while at home on leave, he received his honorable dis- cover the rear with his whole command. The Four- charge from military service. In the summer of 1866, teenth Corps was leading, and had proceeded towards Bentonville. Artillery firing, occasionally heard in the morning, increased so much in rapidity and volume as to excite General Williams' suspicion that something more than cavalry was opposing the Fourteenth Corps. He moved up the road towards the sounds, and met a staff officer coming in hot haste for reinforcements. His division was urged forward over the very muddy road, and reached some open fields just in time to meet the enemy emerging from the woods in which they had fallen, in greatly superior force, upon Carlin's division of the Fourteenth Corps, and put it to rout. With the fire of artillery opportunely posted upon an elevation in
he was apppointed, by President Johnson, one of the Commissioners to examine the military claims of Mis- souri. In the autumn of that year, he was appointed Minister resident to Salvador, Central America. Hle went to that Republic in December, and resided there, traveling much through the other States of Central America, until December, 1869. Returning home, upon being relieved by his successor, General Torbert, he became interested in the mines of Colorado and Utah, where, at different times, he spent some months. Gen- eral Williams was elected to Congress from the First District of Michigan, in 1874, by a majority of more than seventeen hundred over Hon. Moses W. Field ;
the center, and a converging infantry fire, the Confed- and, again, in 1876, by a majority of above two thou-
erates were quickly repulsed; though several new
sand over Colonel Henry M. Duffield. In the present attempts were made, they grew weaker and weaker Congress he is Chairman of the Committee on the Dis- until about twilight, when the fight was given up. It trict of Columbia. He has been twice married, -first, was subsequently ascertained that the old opponent, in January, 1838, to Jane Larned, daughter of General General Joe Johnston, had been placed in command of Charles Larned, of Detroit. By this marriage, there are an army, made up of the remnants of Hood's army, the surviving two daughters and one son. He married a garrisons of Augusta, Savannah, Charleston, and Wil- second time, in September, 1873, Martha C. Tillman, mington, and all the scattered detachments of the nee Conant, widow of James W. Tillman, of Detroit.
South,-numbering between forty and fifty thousand men. This attempt to crush the left wing of Sherman's army, when isolated and reduced to four divisions, was a signal failure. General Johnston acknowledge, a loss ! of. two .thousand three hundred and forty-three men. This was the last battle of the Twentieth Corps. ABADIE, GREGOIRE, Farmer and Landed Pro- prietor, of Kalamazoo, was born in Sandwich, Ontario, Canada, in the year 1813. His father, Louis Labadie, was born in Sandwich, Ontario, Canada, September 17, 1788. His mother, Victoire Bertheaume, was born in the year 1795 in the same place, and is still living. His grandfather, Antoine Descompt Labadie, was born in France, and emigrated to Canada about the year 1750, with his family, including his father and mother, brother and sisters. They decided to make the neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan, their future home; and, settling there permanently, lived and died in the immediate neighborhood of the beautiful Detroit River. At the time of his settlement, Antoine Labadie com- menced farming in the vicinity of Detroit, and pursued that vocation with his father until he married Miss Angelique Compeau, daughter of Nicholas Compeau, in 1759. He then moved across the river, and estab- lished himself in the parish of I.'Assumption, Essex County, Ontario, still carrying on farming and milling, on the property now occupied and owned by Mr. Hiram Walker, distiller. At the same time, he conducted a horse grist-mill in the old wind-mill, which was a well-known landmark of the Labadie estate up to the year 1874. He was also largely engaged in trading with On the 24th of March, they reached Goldsboro. Here the left wing was reorganized into the ". Army of Georgia," and General Slocum was made commander. This left a vacancy in the permanent commandership of the Twentieth Corps, which was filled by the appoint- ment, by the President, of Major-General I. A. Mower, a very gallant officer, who, notwithstanding his superior rank, had hitherto commanded only a division. Gen- eral Williams was merely a brevet Major-General, made so at Savannah. The brigade officers of his old division waited upon General Williams, in person, soliciting him to resume his former command, which he cheerfully did. March northward was resumed April 10; and, on the 12th, the first tidings were received of the surrender of Lee's army. On the 11th of May the corps marched through Richmond ; on the 19th, went into camp, near Alexandria; and, on the morning of the 24th, passed, with all of Sherman's army, in grand review before the President. General Williams, subsequently, was sent in command of a division of Western troop-, to Louisville, Kentucky. By the middle of July the troops were all mustered out, and General William, was sent home. lle there received orders to report to General Sherman at St. Louis, Missouri, and was by him sent to command a military district in Arkansas. In January, 1866, ; the Indians, dealing extensively in furs and other com-
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REPRESENTATIVE MEN OF MICHIGAN.
modities. About this period, his first wife died, leaving | He was greatly beloved by all who had the happiness seven children. Having been successful in trading with | of his acquaintance. Lewis Labadie, the oldest son of the Indians, and particularly kind in his treatment of Charlotte Barthe and Antoine D. Labadie, remained in the old homestead with his mother, and married Victoire Bertheaume. They had eleven children. Three of their sons were the earliest settlers in Yuba County, California, and are, at the present time, very successful in farming and milling. The eldest son, the subject of this sketch, emigrated to Kalamazoo, Michigan, with his uncle, Thomas C. Sheldon, of Detroit, in 1837. They were among the earliest settlers of the town, and cleared a considerable portion of the present site of the city. They continue to this day identified with its growth. C. F. Labadie remained in the homestead, and still owns a portion of the old estate. In 1844 he was appointed, by William G. Hall, Deputy Inspector and Collector of Inland Revenues, and retained the posi- tion until 1846, filling it with great satisfaction to the Canadian Government. In 1845 he married Miss Susan Janisse, daughter of Cyrille Janisse, one of the earliest settlers on the Detroit River. Since the age of fifteen, he has been occupied in mercantile pursuits and farm- ing. He is the father of . C. L. Labadie, of the well- known firm of Labadie & Parent, in the clothing busi- ness in Windsor; and still resides in the immediate neighborhood of the old settlers, on the Detroit River. In 1837-38 C. F. Labadie took an active part in the defense of this frontier against the rebels, as private in Colonel Prince's battalion, and was promoted, for valor- ous conduct, to the rank of Captain; he holds that commission at the present day. He also occupied, for a period of four years, a very prominent office under the Government as Collector of Inland Revenue for Essex and Kent, Windsor District, and on his retirement was handsomely rewarded. He is now following his old occupation of farming. Gregoire Labadie, the subject of this sketch, was educated in Essex County, Ontario, Canada, and resides in Kalamazoo, where he is engaged in farming. In 1836 he married Miss Bennette, of Montreal, Lower Canada. They have had twelve chil- dren. In his religious belief, he has always been a Catholic, as are all the members of the Labadie family. In business, he has always been a man of the strictest integrity, having a high sense of honor. He is of a generous nature, kind, benevolent, and ever willing to them, he married a daughter of the chief of the Sioux tribe. The issue of this marriage was seventeen chil- dren, who followed their father's occupation, and located in the same place. In the year -, he married Miss Charlotte Barthe, daughter of Doctor Barthe, formerly surgeon in the French army; they had nine children. He lived happily on his farm up to the time of his death, which occurred in the year 1806. His widow outlived him fifty years, continuing the business with the exception of the old wind-mill, which was sold to Mr. Lapaline, according to the terms of the will. After the death of Antoine Descompt Labadie, the greater portion of his family settled in Michigan, many of them in Detroit, where they have since resided, pursuing the same callings in life, and being identified with the growth of that beautiful city. Miss Cecile Labadie, the oldest daughter of Antoine Descompt Labadie, was married to Augustin Lagrave in 1803; and, about that time, built a very substantial hotel, which is still a prominent landmark in the village of Walkerville, Essex, Ontario. During the War of 1812, Mrs. Lagrave displayed great courage. Being left alone with her young children, the English army having compelled all the male inhabitants to join the service and follow them in their retreat to Chatham, and seeing the American forces approach from Detroit and land opposite her house, she met them on the bank of the river with a flag of truce, and demanded protection of the General in command, which he very willingly granted. Mrs. La- grave's children, at an early age, emigrated to Michigan; some of them resided in Detroit for a number of years, and many of her grandchildren became identified with that State. Her oldest son, Anthony Lagrave, stands among the leading men of St. Louis, Missouri, and the other members of her family are settled in California and different parts of the United States. Dr. Nicholas D. Labadie, the youngest and latest survivor of the thirty-three children of Antoine Labadie, emigrated to Texas, joined the American army as Surgeon in the Mexican War, and died in Galveston in 1866. He be- came widely known for his extended charities among the poor. In periods of epidemics, his services and medicine were given to those in want without charge. I lend a helping hand to a friend.
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