History of Jackson County, Michigan, Part 75

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago [Ill.] : Inter-state Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1166

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In January, 1862, Col. Shoemaker received his commission as Col. of the 13th Regiment Mich. Volunteer Infantry, which the same month was mustered into the service of the United States. The regiment was raised by Hon. Charles E. Stuart, who, like Col. Shoemaker, was a thorough-going war Democrat, having no sym- pathy for sentiments of disunion, and the raising of the regiment was the ontgrowth of that sentiment. Col. Stuart's health was not such as to admit of his taking the field, and he had accom- plished the end he had in view in raising the regiment; the active command was offered to and accepted by Col. Shoemaker. On the

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12th of February, 1862, Col. Shoemaker left Kalamazoo with his reg- iment with orders to report to Gen. Don Carlos Buell at Louisville, Kentucky. The trip to Jeffersonville was made by rail, arriving on the evening of the 13th. On reporting to Gen. Buell on the 14th, the regiment was ordered to march to New Albany, there cross the Ohio river to the mouth of the Salt river, where it would be supplied with transportation and march by Mumfords- ville to join and report to Gen. Thos. J. Wood, who was marching toward Nashville. The regiment encamped at New Albany on the afternoon of Feb. 14, on ground covered with three inches of snow, and as the night was very cold, the experience of the men the first night in their tents was anything but pleasant. On Sun- day, the 16th, Col. Shoemaker left with his regiment and was con- veyed by steamboat to West Point, at the mouth of Salt river. In the evening, when the boat arrived at West Point, there was a heavy storm of sleet and rain. Gen. Nelson was then there with troops to embark for Nashville by way of the Cumberland river. Col. Shoemaker obtained an interview with him, and requested permission to keep his command on the steamer until the next morning, as it would entail great suffering upon his men if they were obliged to land and encamp in the mud in the night, and his request was granted. The rain continued to fall on the 17th, but the regiment landed and eucamped on Kentucky soil, with the mud at least a foot deep. On the 18th the regiment received its trans- portation, 13 army wagons, each drawn by four mules, and one ambulance, and on the 20th started on its march in Dixie. On the 20th Col. Shoemaker reached Elizabethtown, and as the rain fell very heavily all of Saturday, he did not resume his march until Sunday morning. The 9th Regiment Mich. V. I. was at this time stationed at Elizabethtown, and Quartermaster Kidder, of the 13th, thonght he would avail himself of the experience of the Quarter- master of the 9th in making himself familiar with his duties, but the Quartermaster was absent, and he applied to his Quartermaster Sergeant, a German, who said to Mr. Kidder, " You takes receipts for everything, you gives receipts for nothing, you gets along first- rate. " The regiment reached Mumfordsville on the 26th, Cave City the 28th, and joined the main force at Bowling Green on the 3d of March. Ou the 4th of March the regiment was attached to the 15th Brigade of the Army of the Cumberland, commanded by Col. Milo S. Hascall, of Indiana, a graduate of West Point, and with that brigade marched to Camp Andy Johnson, within nine miles of Nashville, Tenn., which was reached on the 9th. On the 10th orders were issued for Officers drill from 7 to 8:30 A. M .; Guard mounting, 7:30 A. M .; Company drill, 9 to 11 A. M .; Battal- ion drill, 1:30 to 4 P. M., and Dress Parade, 5:30 P. M .; and this was the routine for the year, when not on the march or on fatigue duty. On the 13th the brigade struck tents; and, marching through Nashville, encamped two and one-half miles ont on the Nolansville Pike, on the farm of Judge McConnicle. On the 25th of

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March the regiment was transferred to the 20th Brigade, com- manded by Col. Chas. G. Harker, of the 64th Ohio, a young West Point graduate aged 26 years, and the -th Kentucky, commanded by Col. Bramlette, from the 20th to the 15th. This was done to give Col. Harker command of the brigade, as Col. Bramlette, hav- ing the oldest commission, would, if not transferred, have been entitled to the command. Col. Bramlette was a gentleman of mid- dle age and of high character. He was subsequently Governor of Kentucky. and member of the Senate of the United States.

On the 29th of March, 1862, the regiment, brigade, division and army of the Cumberland left Nashville and commenced to march toward the Tennessee river, there to form a junction with the army of Gen. Grant. On the first of April the army crossed Duck river on a pontoon bridge. On the 5th, Brig. Gen. James A. Garfield joined the division of Gen. Wood and took command of the 20th Brigade, superseding Col. Harker. On the morning of the 6th, the sound of heavy guns was heard and word passed that Johnson had attacked Grant and that a severe battle was being fought to the great disadvantage of the Union forces. After marching from early morning until in the afternoon, orders were issued for the entire division, after resting an hour and eating rations, to again resume its march, which was continued all night in the most intense darkness, and a steady down-pour of rain all night. The booming of artillery was continuous all through the night. Col. Shoemaker's regiment being the last in the brigade, had more obstacles to overcome than any other, and it underwent no severer trial, nor ever suffered greater hardship during the entire war than this all-day and all-night forced march to the field of Shiloh. The 20th Brigade reached Savannah on the morning of the 7th, and immediately embarked on a steamboat for Pitts- burgh Landing, and from thence marched immediately to the front; and although for some time under the fire of Confederate bat- teries, was not on the field in time to participate in the battle of Shiloh. From this time until the 31st of May, when he entered Corinth, in Mississippi, with his regiment, it was constantly in the front and almost every day under fire, as the Union army was constantly pressing forward and the Confederates slowly giving way. The fighting was altogether of a skirmishing character, but often quite lively, resulting in the loss of more or less lives, of which the 13th had its proportion.

On the 2d of June Col. Shoemaker left Corinth with his regi- ment, moving with the army of the Cumberland up the Tennessee river, where it was engaged in repairing railroads and building bridges, to be immediately afterward abandoned for the benefit of the confederates, and in guarding the cotton and other property of the confederate planters, all of whom were bitterly hostile, and among whom it was certain death for a straggler from the ranks of the Union army to be caught. Several men of the 13th were lost, whose fate was never known, and Gen. MeCook was shot and killed

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while traveling, sick, in an ambulance. About the middle of July, while at Moorsville, in Alabama, Gen. Garfield was detailed to act on the court-martial for the trial of Col. Turchin, and Col. Harker, as senior colonel resumed command of the brigade. On the 19th the brigade moved to Stevenson, where the 13th Regiment, Captain Simonson's battery, and other troops were placed under command of Col. Shoemaker, when Col. Harker left with the balance of the brigade. The fort at Stevenson and other fortifications were built under the direction of Col. Shoemaker, and here, on the 31st of August, he was attacked by a largely superior force of confederates, consisting of infantry, cavalry and artillery, which was successfully resisted. Gen. Buell was now retreating toward Nashville, and in obedience to orders Col. Shoemaker evacuated Stevenson, and after a forced and most fatiguing march, crossing the Cumberland mountains from T'antallan to Cowan, over a road that had not been traversed in eight years, he joined the Union forces under Gen. Soey Smith, at Tullahoma, at 12 P. M. on the 2d of September, and on the night of the 6th found his brigade at Nashville. Col. Shoe- maker had not had his clothes off since Ang. 28, and had received injuries which precluded his riding on horseback. He left Nash- ville on the evening of the 7th in a stage for Franklin, in Ken- tucky, and that night was captured near Tyree Springs by a large force of guerrillas commanded by Major Scott, Capt. Kirkpatrick, and Capt. Griffin. He was taken to the headquarters of Gen. Bragg, then marching into Kentucky, on the Cumberland river, near Car- thage, there paroled and sent across the Cumberland mountains to Knoxville, and from there to Richmond, Virginia, where, on the 18th of September, 1862, he was confined in Libby prison. He was soon after exchanged and joined his regiment at Glasgow, in Kentucky, on the first day of November. He went from there with his regiment and the army to Nashville, where they remained in camp foraging and drilling until the 26th of December, when with the army of the Cumberland, now under command of Gen. W. S. Rosecrans, it moved toward Murfreesboro, where the confed- rate army under Gen. Bragg was then lying in full force. The enemy's pickets were encountered the afternoon of the first day, and there was constant fighting with their outposts until the army arrived before Murfreesboro, on the evening of the 29th of December, 1862. The battle of Murfreesboro was one of the most warinly contested and important fought during the civil war, as on it depended the military supremacy of Tennessee, Kentucky, and probably of the Mississippi valley. The forces were about equal in number and mostly composed of veterans, hardened by many a weary march, and accustomed to being under fire. The battle commenced about sundown on Monday, Dec. 29, 1862, when the brigade to which Col. Shoemaker was attached crossed Stone river, continned with more or less severity until Saturday night, when the confederates left the field, evacuated Murfreesboro, and retreated south to Ten- nessee river. The hardest fighting was on Wednesday and Friday.

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

On Wednesday at break of day the confederates surprised the right wing, commanded by Gen. McCook, taking a large number of pris. oners, capturing several batteries, and forcing the remainder, greatly disorganized, back upon the center. Col. Harker's brigade was detached from the left wing and sent to the extreme right to endeavor to stem the advancing confederates, who were steadily forcing our troops from their positions, and unless they were checked disaster and defeat for the whole army must follow. Col. Harker led his brigade to the attack, placing Col. Shoemaker in reserve with his regiment, and as a support to the 6th Ohio Battery, com- manded by Captain Cullen Bradley. Col. Harker, with the 64th and 65th Ohio and, the 51st and 73d Indiana Regiments of Infantry, after obstinate battle, was defeated and driven from the field. The bat- tery was attacked and obliged to retreat with a loss of two guns. Col. Shoemaker and his regiment now encountered the enemy, and by hard fighting and good strategy succeeded in repulsing them and recapturing the two pieces of artillery lost by Captain Bradley; but this was done at a fearful sacrifice, for in this action in the space of one hour Col. Shoemaker had one-third of his entire regi- ment either killed or wounded. Although on horseback, and the only mounted officer on the field, Col. Shoemaker was not wounded. The importance of this success of the 13th Regiment of Michigan Volunteer Infantry cannot be overestimated. Had the confederates not met with this repulse they would have swept across the pike and the railroad and have been directly in rear of the Union army, and between it and its supplies, transportation and hospitals. It would then have been difficult, if not impossible, for Gen. Rose- crans to have saved his army from utter destruction.

There is probably bnt little doubt but to the gallant 13th is due the credit of turning the tide of battle and deciding the victory in favor of the Federal army, for whereas up to this time the tide of battle had been all against it, yet from the time of this repulse there was a steady improvement in its comparative condition which finally resulted in complete victory.

The official reports justify this claim for the 13th Regiment. Capt. Cullen Bradley, in his official report of the battle of Dec. 31, says: " I retired my battery and took up a position 500 yards in the rear and again opened on the enemy with case and canister, who were advancing in force. After an engagement of five min- utes I was compelled to retire my battery and to abandon two pieces of the battery, one of which I had spiked (since removed), sustaining a loss of one man killed, two wounded, and one man missing; also eight horses killed, and three wounded. About this time Col. Shoemaker charged the enemy with the 13th Michi- gan, driving them off the field and recovering the guns, and for which Colonel Shoemaker should receive full credit.

"(Signed.) Cullen Bradley, Commanding 6th Ohio Light Inf."

The casualties of the 13th, and the fact that Capt. Bradley with a battery of six guns loading and firing as rapidly as possible was

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only able to maintain his position for five minutes, then obliged to retreat and abandon two guns, sufficiently attest the strength and fury of the attack, which was successfully resisted and repulsed by Col. Shoemaker and his regiment.

Col. Harker, commanding the brigade in his official report, says: "The 13th Regiment re-took the two pieces of artillery and cap- tured 68 prisoners. For this act of gallantry Col. Shoemaker and his gallant regiment are deserving much praise. The enemy thus driven from our right did not again attempt to annoy us from that quarter."

On Friday, the 2d of January, Col. Harker's brigade was placed in support of three batteries, 18 guns, which were engaged for two hours with an equal number of confederate batteries. Col. Shoe- maker and his regiment were immediately in rear of Capt. Bradley's battery and here underwent the severest test of discipline and courage which troops can undergo, for they were obliged to remain perfectly passive and keep their ranks amid a perfect shower of shot and shell, seeing their comrades stricken down at their sides, and yet obliged to remain inactive in their ranks. The regiment here again sustained severe losses in both killed and wounded. The determination with which the battle was contested and the tenacity with which each of the combatants held the ground is shown not only by the fact that the battle-field was contested from Monday until Saturday night, but more decidedly by the large percentage of killed and wounded. The official report of Gen. Rosecrans states that he had in his command 43,400 men; of these 8,778, or over 20 per cent. of his entire force, were killed or wounded. In the left wing, to which the 13th Regiment belonged, the casual- ties were 242 per cent., while in the 13th regiment the killed and wounded amounted to 392 per cent. of the whole number. The action of the 13th regiment on the 31st was highly commended. The Nashville Union, Tenn., published an account of the battle, of which the following is an extract: "Col. Harker was ordered with his brigade from the left wing to support the right, and arrived in time to render efficient aid in checking the rebel horde that had so suddenly been precipitated against McCook. The overwhelming force of the enemy brought against the advance line drove them steadily back, when two guns belonging to the 6th Ohio Battery were captured by the enemy. But they did not hold them long, as the 13th, which occupied a little cedar grove, was speedily formed and rushed upon the enemy, yelling like hyenas, charged them, drove them from their position, re-took the lost pieces of artillery, and over 60 prisoners. In this gallant charge the regi- ment lost about one-third their active number engaged. Great praise is due to this regiment for its unparalleled gallantry, both officers and men, who fought like heroes during the day, and when night came and the roll was called every man was 'accounted for.' They were either dead. wounded, or in the ranks; there were no stragglers from this regiment. The commander of the regiment,

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Col. Shoemaker, is highly spoken of, not only for his bravery in leading his men to this gallant charge, but for the judgment and ability he displayed in the management of his men during the battle.

"Truly the State of Michigan has reason to be proud of the troops she has sent to defend the Government and the Union."

The risk of life in battle was but a small share of what the Fed- eral soldier was called upon to suffer while struggling to maintain the Union, and it may be here stated, though not as an unusual case of suffering, that all the tents, baggage and transportation of the brigade were left at Stewart's Creek on the 28th of December, and did not join it until January 17. All the officers and men were all of this time, in the depth of winter, with rain full one- fourth of the time, without shelter or regular supplies of rations.

In the summer of 1863, Col. Shoemaker felt compelled to resign because of sickness in his family. One of his children died while he was in the army, and his wife at the time of his resignation was so feeble that her life was considered to be in danger.

Col. Shoemaker joined the Odd Fellows soon after he came to Michigan, and at an early day presided in both lodge and encamp- ment. In 1840 he joined the Masonic fraternity, and immediately made himself one of the most efficient workers in the degrees in the lodge and chapter. He has always since taken an active in- terest in everything connected with the fraternity. In 1850 he was elected High Priest of Jackson Chapter and again in 1851-'2. In 1853 he was elected Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter R. A. M. of the State of Michigan and presided four consecutive years. In 1852, he was elected W. M. of Michigan Lodge, No. 50, and again in 1853-'4-'5-'9 and '60, and was acting when he went into the army. He is also a member of the order of high priest- hood, of the council, and of Jackson Commandery.

The taste of Col. Shoemaker has always inclined him to agricultn- ral pursuits, and, though never living on his farms, has been quite extensively interested for over 35 years in farming. He has been a member of the Executive Committee of the State Agricult- ural Society for 31 years, since the first year of its formation; he has very generally attended its meetings, and was President of the society in 1857. He has also been a member of the Jackson County Agricultural Society since its organization; was for many years a member of its Executive Committee, and its President in 1856-'7. He has been the correspondent of the Department of Agriculture since its formation, making monthly reports of the condition of the crops in the county. In this work he has been assisted by Hon. Jas. De Pny, Hon. John F. Drew, Hon. Mark L. Ray, and the late Hon. L. D. Watkins.

In July, 1850, Col. Shoemaker married Juliet E. Piatt, daughter of Wykoff Piatt, of Cincinnati, and took up his residence in Jack- son, in the house in which he has since lived. Mrs. Shoemaker died in September, 1854. He was married again in July, 1857, to

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Sarah, daughter of Henry P. Wisner, of Yates county, New York. Col. Shoemaker has been blessed with a numerous progeny. If his children were all living he would have 7 sons and 3 daughters, but he has been sorely afflicted in his family relations. The only son and child of his first wife died in infancy, and he has but 1 son arid 2 daughters living. One of his sons died while he was in the arny, and one of them was born when he was with his regiment at Tuscumbia, in Alabama.

Col. Shoemaker was in 1868 elected President of the Young Men's Society of the city of Jackson, and it was during his admin- istration and at his suggestion that the funds on hand, which for some years had been drawing interest, were invested in books, and the library established which has given the society so firm a hold upon public favor. He was again elected in 1873, and found the society incumbered with a debt of between $500 and $600, which was not only paid off during his administration, but money was in the treasury.

Col. Shoemaker has been President of the Eaton Society of the 13th Regiment of Michigan Volunteer Infantry, which held its meetings at Kalamazoo. From 1875 to 1880 he was President of the Jackson County Pioneer Society, when he positively declined a re-election. In 1879 he was elected President of the Michigan State Pioneer Society, having for several years been Vice-Presi- dent, and is now one of the committee of historians.

In 1873 Col. Shoemaker was elected member of the Board of Public Works of the city of Jackson and served five years, the last as President of the Board, and in March, 1881, was again ap- pointed for a term of five years.

Col. Shoemaker is in the enjoyment of fair health. He is quite domestic in his habits, and is fond of his home, garden, horses, his dog, but above all, of his books, and of these he has a goodly num- ber, having the largest private library in Jackson county, com- posed mainly of standard works. A steel portrait of Col. Shoemaker appears in this volume on page 131.

Lewis H. Short, engineer Michigan Central railroad, Jackson, Mich., is a son of Conrad Short, and of German descent; his mother, Mary (Hewett) Short, a native of Connecticut, was born in Steuben county, N. Y., Sept. 24, 1822; he was reared on a farm, worked summers and attended school winters. When 19 years of age he learned the carpenter's trade and followed the same five years. Previous to entering the railroad machine shops at Syracuse, N. Y., he had picked up some knowledge of machin- ery and engaged as engineer on Skaneateles lake, and remained there five years. While engaged on the lake he married Miss Nancy Martin, who was born in Onondaga county, N. Y., Nov. 9, 1829. In 1851 he went to Canada, took charge of a large flouring and saw mill, remaining two years, then returned to Onondaga county and remained two years.

In 1855 he came to Tecumseh, Mich., and remained a short time; thence to Bryan, Ohio, where he repaired engines, and af-

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

ter a short time went on the road, working on the Air Line of the Michigan Southern two years; thence to Toledo, where he had charge of the engine house of the Southern Michigan railroad and remained two years; afterward running between Toledo and De- troit, remaining two years; thence to Wabash, a short time to Lima, Ohio, taking charge of the railroad shops two years; thence to Toledo and ran between there and Detroit; afterward was em- ployed on a propeller as engineer for two years.

In 1869 he came to Jackson and was employed on the Saginaw division, where he has since remained. Mr. Short has been very lucky in regard to accidents. While running between Toledo and Detroit one dark, foggy night, at a rate of 25 miles an hour, he ran into a fallen tree, and threw the engine, bottom side up, down a bank, and he was quite severely hurt.

Edwin Smead, farmer, was born in Windsor county, Vt., May 4, 1820. When 12 years old his parents, Benjamin and Lucretia Smead, emigrated to Steuben Co., N. Y., and Edwin remained at home until he was 15 years old; he then went to Livingston county, where he worked on a farm by the month for four years. In 1836 be came to this county with Simon Simmons, his future father-in-law. In 1867 he married Miss Cornelia Z. Simmons, born in Chenango county, N. Y., in 1826. There are 3 children-Amaphus C., Schuyler F. and Mary. After coming to this county he engaged in farming and dealing in stock; in 1862 bought the mill property at Hanover, known as the Baldwin Mill, and ran that three years; went to Spring Arbor for three years, came to Jackson, where he engaged in the ice company and followed the same until 1879, when he sold out. Mr. Smead came to this county when it was in its infancy and has been identified with its interests over 40 years; came here in limited circumstances, but by good judgment and close attention to business has made a fine property and home. In early life he was a Whig, but for many years has been a supporter of the Democratic party; is a member of the Masonic fraternity and Knights Templar.

Edwin R. Smith, general manager and joint proprietor of the Jackson Foundry, was born in Marengo, Wayne Co., N. Y., July 16, 1833, son of Hiram and Hannah (Parkinson) Smith; parents moved to Calhoun county, Michigan, in 1837, and his father em- barked in the mercantile business in Homer; was elected a member of the the first Legislature that convened in Lansing; followed merchandising and milling the rest of his life. Edwin was edu- cated in the Homer Academy and Albion Wesleyan Seminary; also took a course in a commercial college in Detroit; clerked a year in his father's store, and at the age of 20 started a general store in Homer, as a partner with his brother, Byron Smith; they continued in the mercantile and milling business until November, 1872; came to Jackson and took the position of Secretary of the Jackson Roll- ing Mills. for some time; traveled and sold the products of the Homer Mills for a time; superintended the erection of buildings,

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History of Jackson County, Michigan, Part 75

Author: Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago [Ill.] : Inter-state Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1166

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago [Ill.] : Inter-state Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1166