Thomas D. Beasley John J. Calkins Enos, James and Volney Clark Benjamin Cole Warren Russell Corey Truman Covert Ervin Crane John S. Cray Henry P. Cummings John S. Curtiss William Delamater Abel Dunton Asa Estabrook Abraham Evans Merrill J. Fuller Hiram J. Furguson Jeremiah Gardner Gideon W. Gifford William W. Hall Chandler Hamlin Chauncey Haviland Martin Van Buren Heath John Herr Seymour H. Hogle Jason A. Hunt Alexander M. Hunter Charles L. Huntley John L. Huntley William W. Hyzer Burroughs Ingham William R. Jameson Brazil Jerry Michael Kelly James Kennedy William Kirchen Carl A. Lamberg Lorenzo Leffingwell Enols Loyd Henry D. Lynes Ellis D. Main Nathaniel Marston Adelbert Andrew Mudge
We are always seeking information, photographs, letters, etc. about any of the men who served Battery C. Please contact us at Robinsonsbattery@aol.com. Thank you.
Thomas D. Beasley
Thomas D. Beasley was born in Canada. He was listed as single and living in Bay City, MI
after the war. He died at the
Soldier's Home in Dayton, OH on March 6, 1881. He is buried there in
section B-15, Grave 29.
John J. Calkins
John J. Calkins was born in Millville, NY on June 30, 1841, the son of Cornelius Calkins. He entered the service in the Navy serving on the steamer Michigan (left) as a landsman at Erie, PA. National Archive records list additional service: pay clerk
US Navy Exchange on the ships "Clara Dolsen" and "Forest Rose."
He was discharged December 17, 1862 and was appointed
Clerk to the Fleet Paymaster. He resigned that position on November 4,
1863 and on January 26, 1864 was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in
Battery C, 1st Michigan Light Artillery.
Pulaski,
Tennessee - April 19, 2nd Lt. John J.
Calkins of Battery C was ordered by General
Dodge to report to Capt. Arndt (Battery B Michigan Light Artillery) and
remained on duty there until July 15. During this time, with the detachment of
that battery, he was
in command of works at Prospect, TN and at Decatur, AL.
He was a valuable soldier to Capt. Arndt.
He was commissioned 1st lieutenant on February 6, 1864.
A stanza from the poem, Hohenlinden, by Thomas Campbell written in 1803...
"Then shook the hills with thunder riven, Then
rush'd the steeds to battle driven, And louder than the bolts of
heaven, Far flash'd the red artillery. "
...and the following paragraph from an unknown letter writer remain as clues to his activities:
It is ___ Lt. Calkins, to mention him, that
while in command at these two important points, the Lieut proved himself a very
efficient and able officer. At Decatur, Ala. built the Fort Calkins later
known as Fort Doolittle which was the only Fort at that place, when Hood's Army
was unable to capture, although they tried their very best to do
so.
While in the Navy, he served on the receiving ship Clara Dolson and the gunboats Rattler, Covington and Exchange. He participated in the Siege of Vicksburg, battles of Arkansas Post and Helena and was in the overland expedition to Sunflower River.
He fought in the battles leading up to, and participated in, the Atlanta Campaign and the March to the Sea, the Carolinas campaign and the battle of Bentonville. He married Ida Chapman on September 5, 1871 but she died October 4 1872 at the age of 24 years.
(They had one child who died before her death.)
He remarried the following year. His second wife was Addie E. White; they were married in Buffalo, NY on May 28, 1873. He became a lawyer after
the war.
He was a member of the GAR, Dewey Post No. 60. Calkins died in 1916 and is buried in Leslie, MI.
At left is a photograph of him as an older man taken from The Calkins Memorial Military Roster by William Calkins published in 1903.
In 1921, his widow donated his uniform to the Michigan Historical Museum.
Enos, James and Volney Clark
When Enos and Sophronia Clark
both died in Calhoun
County in 1842, they left
behind eleven orphaned children ranging in age from two to twenty. Three of those children were the brothers James
(then age 14), Enos (age 10), and Volney
(then age eight). Indications are that
the children were originally scattered and raised by a number of families. However, when the Civil War broke out, all
three of those brothers enlisted at Allegan
County in Robinson’s Battery
within a two week period in the fall of 1861.
James enlisted as a saddler and
was promoted to full artificer. Enos and
Volney signed on as privates. James and
Enos served in the Battery until the close of
the war, while Volney mustered out on disability in August of 1862
After the war ended, James, Enos,
and Volney all appear together in the 1870 census as bachelors in the household
of their oldest brother Charles in Heath
Township, Allegan County. James is a harness maker, Enos a mason, and
Volney a farmer. None of the three ever
married.
By the 1880 census, all three
had been lured north by the promise of free land. Volney homesteaded in Corwith Twp, Otsego County. James and Enos are found (in separate
households) in Hudson Twp, Charlevoix
County.
Volney next appears in the 1890 veteran’s census in
Cadillac, MI. with indication that he had hearing damage in one ear. In the 1894 Michigan
veteran’s census for Allegan County, Volney appears in Pine Plains
Township. This is the last known location for
Volney.
There is a James in Leighton
who might be the subject James. None of
the brothers can be located in the 1900 census.
James died in the Veteran’s Home in Grand Rapids on 9/30/1907. Enos reappears in the 1910 and 1920 census
records in Valley Township, Allegan
County. He died in Allegan County
on January 23, 1923 at the ripe old age of 91.
Benjamin Cole
Corporal Benjamin Cole, a
native of New York,
was a 21 year old Coldwater resident when he enlisted on December 12,
1861. Younger brother, George W. Cole, also
joined the Battery. On July 16, 1862, Benjamin died of disease at
Corinth, Mississippi
and was buried at the Corinth
National Cemetery.
Warren Russell Corey
Warren Russell Corey was born
during January 1845 in Michigan. He was married on May 1, 1870 to Eunice E. Crouch and
died on April 5, 1911, in Michigan
City, Indiana.
The
first record of Warren Corey appears in the 1850 census of Algansee, Branch,
Michigan.
He is listed as living with his father, Samuel, who had been born in 1814 in
New York, and his mother, Olive (nee
Jordan), who had been born in 1811 in Maine
and died on November 13, 1893, in Lima Township, LaGrange,
Indiana.
Warren enlisted in Company B, Michigan Chandler Cavalry Company on September 19, 1861 at Quincy, Michigan.
He mustered out two months later on November 22, 1861 at Coldwater, Michigan.
Then in Quincy
he again enlisted, this time in Battery C, 1st Michigan Light Artillery on February 28, 1862. He mustered
out of the Battery at war’s end on June 22, 1865 at Detroit, Michigan.
By
1880 he had relocated to Cass in La
Porte, Indiana.
Warren
held jobs as a wallpaper hanger, night watchman, and electrician. He and his family remained in La
Porte County
until his death. He was buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Michigan
City, Indiana.
Truman Covert
Published in the Campaign County History pp. 558-9
Truman Covert, a
well-to-do resident of East
Bend Township, owns a farm of eighty acres
on section 30. He is a native of the Empire
state, born in the town of Greece, Monroe County,
Aug. 8, 1838. His father, Mathias, and his
grandfather, Bunn Covert, were natives of New
Jersey. It is supposed that the family originated in Holland. Its first representative in America located first on Manhattan Island and became posessor of a large tract of land which is now included
in New York City. The grandfather of
our subject, who was a farmer by
occupation, removed from New Jersey to
Seneca County, N. Y., when a young
man, and there spent his last days.
His son, Mathias, remained on the farm until eighteen years old and then learned the carpenter's trade. When ready to establish a home for himself he purchased a small tract of land near the town of Greece, but devoted the greater part of his time to his trade.
In 1842 he traded his land for a farm
in Wilson, Niagara County, which he
occupied until 1870. He then sold out
and came to this county, locating in
Rantoul, where he lived retired from active business, until departing this life on the 6th of October, 1886, having reached the advanced age of eighty- five years. He had married in early manhood Miss Jemima Duckworth, a native of his own State. This lady died in Niagara County, N. Y., in 1857.
Of
this marriage there were born eleven children, of whom nine grew to mature years and are still living. The record is as follows: Elvira, now Mrs.
Cushing, lives in Wilson, Niagara
Co., N. Y.; Loving Tabor is a
resident of Stevensville, Wis.; Alvin, of Rantoul, this county; Albert lives in
Ingham County, Mich.; Melissa, Mrs.
Stone, died in Wilson, N. Y. ;
Truman, of our sketch, was the sixth
child; May J. McKee lives in Rantoul, this county, and William in East Bend Township, which is also the residence of Bertha, Hillman and Frederick. Mathias Covert, for his second wife, married
Mrs. Martha Jenny, in April, 1859. She
departed this life July 5, 1886.
Truman
Covert, of our sketch, was reared on the
home farm in Niagara County, N. Y., received his education in the district school, and remained a resident of his native county until 1860. He then located on a farm of his cousin in Ingham County, Mich., until enlisting in the army in December 1863. He served as a soldier in the 1st Michigan Light Artillery until after the close of the war, being under command of Gen. Sherman, at Chattanooga,
marching from Atlanta to the sea, and participating
in many of the important battles of
that campaign. He was taken
seriously ill at
Goldsboro, N. C., whence he was sent to Beaufort and from there to New York City, and was mustered
out at Ft. Schuyler in June following.
Himself and twenty-six of his comrades enlisted at
Leslie, Mich,, and of these thirteen died in the service.
Our subject after leaving the army
was unable to do manual labor, and
returning to his native town served as Constable and Collector until 1870, when the family came to this State and located on the farm which he now owns. The land at the time they took possession of it, was uncultivated
prairie, and the nearest market was
Rantoul, ten miles distant. The
face of the country has been greatly changed
since that time. The prairie has been transformed
into cultivated fields, enclosed with neat
hedges and substantial fences, and a good residence affords a pleasant house for our subject and his household. Adjacent to it are all the necessary out-buildings
required for the proper shelter of stock
and the other products of the farm.
Mr. Covert was married in Niagara County, N. Y.,
Nov. 24, 1859, to Miss Jane Robbins, and they had five interesting children—Maude, Ida and Charles, living, and two
Ticey and Jennie, deceased. Mrs. Covert was born in
Lockport, N. Y., May 11, 1842. Her
father, Cephas Robbins, of Vermont,
became a resident of the Empire State when a young man, and was there married to Miss Drusella Finch. Mr. Covert is a member of the G. A. R., and is a staunch Republican in politics.
The thrift and industry which have characterized the life of Mr. Covert are perhaps illustrated in the most forcible manner by the homestead which he has built up from the wild prairie, and a view of which has been faithfully lithographed on an adjacent page. It forms a picture which his children will be proud to cherish in
future years.
Ervin Crane
Ervin (also Ervine) Crane was born in 1842 in New York to Elijah and Julia
Crane both who were born in New York. By 1860, Elijah had died and Julia and children were in Brooklyn,
Jackson
County, Michigan. On October 10, 1861 at Brooklyn, Michigan Ervin enlisted in Company H, Michigan
1st
Engineer Regiment on 29 October 1861. He mustered out on July 18,1862
at
Detroit, Michigan. Then, on December 22, 1863, again at Brooklyn, Michigan,
Ervin enlisted in Battery C, Michigan 1st Light Artillery Battery.
As a 22 year old private from Brooklyn, MI, he suffered
permanent eye damage as a result of combat action near Savannah, GA on December
11th, 1864. "We had very heavy
cannonading at the time. Crane's
eyesight up to this cannonading was good, but after this it failed. He stood near the guns and was very much
affected by the concussion." He
mustered out on June 22, 1865 at Detroit, Michigan.
Ervin married about 1868 and in 1870 he is shown in
Woodstock, Lenawee County, Michigan. His wife, Phoebe, and mother, Julia, were living with him as well as a son born April of 1870. About
1878, the family moved to Trego, Kansas. They had apparently moved back to
Michigan by the time he applied for his pension in 1882, and his son, Clerk, was born in Michigan in February of 1884.
On November 29, 1882, Ervin applied for a pension. On March 21, 1887,
his wife,Phoebe, applied for a widow's pension. She died in 1888 and is
buried with him in Highland Cemetery at Brooklyn, Michigan.
John S. Cray
Many men lied about their ages to join units in the Civil War. Interestingly it was not just boys claiming to be older but also men claiming to be younger. We had thought that Phillip Vahue [see biography below] was the oldest man to join the Battery.
However, John S. Cray appears to have been the biggest liar about his age.
He claimed to be 44 but was actually about 56 or 57 when he
joined! He shows up in Allegan in the 1860
census as age 56. We know from the headstone request that he was buried in
Palmyra, NY. So sure enough, there he was in the 1850 census there and called out
as 46.
He had a wife and several children in the 1850 census but
his wife must have died and who knows where the younger kids went. In the 1860
census, he is living with a woman who may be his daughter. His adult son,
Charles, is with another family in Pine Plains Township, Allegan County. Sadly, son
Charles was killed in action (Co K , 8th Cavalry) just about 2 months
before the war ended.
Henry P. Cummings
While Henry P. Cummings is listed in the official roster as having deserted at St. Louis, MO, the records at the National Archives show that he drew a pension and the card shows that he also
served in Company B of the 3rd MI Cavalry and Company H of the 7th US Cavalry. His good name has been unfairly besmirched.
John S. Curtiss
John S. Curtiss, son of John and Mary (Pierce) Curtiss was
19 years old when he joined the Battery. John had been born and raised in
Trowbridge Township, Allegan County and had hired himself out as a farm laborer
at the age of 14.
In 1862, John married Miss Amanda Lynes, daughter of
Samuel and Cynthia Lynes. Amanda was the sister of Henry Lynes, who also joined
the Battery and perished of disease during the war. (There have been a number of
such connections found between other members of the Battery).
John joined the Battery on February 1, 1864. Like so
many other soldiers, John fought a good part of the war not on the battlefield
but in a sick bed. Upon first enlisting, John caught the measles at Coldwater
and was sick for six months. He stayed in the Battery until the end of the war,
mustering out in June of 1865.
After the war, John returned to farming and also engaged in
his father's profession of blacksmithing. He also raised Percheron and
Hambletonian horses and Holstein, Durham and Jersey cattle. One prize winning
Hambletonian horse named "Booby" apparently set local records.
John and his wife Amanda had one child, Mary, who
married Herbert Marble. Mary had no children but raised a young man named Ernest
Marble, belived to be her husband's nephew.
John was a wealthy landowner, holding not only 80 acres
in Trowbridge Township, but also 40 acres in Hopkins Township, Van Buren Co. He
eventually moved into the village of Allegan where he lived on Seminary Hill. He
was a Republican, an Oddfellow and a member of the GAR.
John died December 31, 1919 and was laid to rest in
Oakwood Cemetery in Allegan on January 3, 1920. This cemetery is
also the final resting place for several other Battery members including Asa
Estabrook, Herbert Howe and others.
William Delamater
William Henry Delamater was born on April 26, 1835 in
Oxford, New York. He married Ellen Backus and later Loana
Collins. His known children are daughter, Maude, and son, Claude Eugene, both born in
Charlotte, Michigan. William was living in Baldwin, Michigan at the time of the 1880 census but had
moved to Knoxville, Tennessee by the 1900 census where he was living with
daughter Maude Schenk. He is also found in the 1910 census in Knoxville
and passed away there on April 16, 1913.
Abel Dunton
Abel and Samantha Dunton about 1860
Photo courtesy of Carol Whaley
Abel
Dunton was born on March 31, 1820 in Fitzwilliam, Cheshire, New
Hampshire. He died on June 2, 1897 at
Heath, Allegan County, Michigan. He
was married on April 7, 1844 in Lake, Ohio
to Samantha Fowler who had been born on April 29, 1823 in
Shalersville, Portage, Ohio and died on May 09, 1893 in
Heath, Allegan, Michigan.
In 1856 he purchased 80 acres of land in Michigan
and moved there before 1860.
While Abel and his family are shown in census records in 1850 to be at Winchendon, Worcester, Massachusetts, by 1860 the family is in Monterey, Allegan, Michigan.
Later the family lived in Heath Township, Allegan
County, Michigan.
On October
14, 1861, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Abel enlisted in Michigan Battery C, 1st Light Artillery
Regiment. He received a disability discharge from the Battery
on December 4, 1862.
His son, Oscar, also served during the Civil War (Abel was 44 at the
time he joined the Battery and had a son old enough to serve as well) when he enlisted
in Company 2nd SS, Michigan 27th Infantry Regiment on February
29, 1864 at Grand Rapids,
Michigan. He was
taken POW August 21, 1864 on the Weldon Railroad in Virginia.
Oscar died as a POW and was buried in the Salisbury National Cemetery in Salisbury, North Carolina. His widow, Harriett Green, whom he had married
on July 19, 1863 in Allegan County,
received a pension after his death. In 1868 she married Julius
Davis and moved to Clare County, Michigan.
Asa Estabrook
Asa Estabrook enlisted on November 28, 1861, aged 24, as a private in
the Battery, and served on all its campaigns
from muster-in to Grand Review. He was promoted to corporal at Camp Clear Creek
in July of 1862, and was reputed to be one of the best gunners in the western
armies. In January, 1864, when the veterans returned from furlough, he was
promoted to Sergeant. On December 18th, he accepted a commission as junior
Second Lieutenant, where he remained until mustered out with the Battery on June 22, 1865.
Asa returned to Allegan County
in western Michigan
after the War, where he farmed for the rest of his life.
Photo provided by John Hughes
Abraham Evans
Private Abraham Evans served as a teamster in the Battery
from December 1861 to February 1863, when he was mustered out on a
surgeon's
certificate. His wife, Mary Tennant Evans, accompanied him to the
theatre of
war in northern Mississippi, and worked as a
nurse in the hospital at Corinth. He and his wife are buried together in the Elbridge Township Cemetery in Oceana County, Michigan.
Image of painting made from photograph supplied by great great grandson, Chuck TenBrink.
Abraham and Mary later in life. Notice her stylish leg of mutton sleeves dating this to the mid 1890s.
Merrill G. Fuller
Merrill Fuller was born January of 1848 in Kinderhook Township,
Branch County, Michigan, son of Gad Miller and Phoebe (Haight)
Fuller. Merrill enlisted on February
12, 1864 and served until the close of the war.
In the 1870 census, Merrill was
boarding as a farm laborer with the Henry Eggleston family in Bronson. On January 25, 1872, he married the farmer’s
daughter, Leora Elizabeth Eggleston. The
couple had at least two children, daughters Addie and May. The family was still in Bronson in the 1880
census.
By the 1900 census, Merrill and
his family were living in Madison County, Arkansas. By the 1910 census, they were living in Valley Township,
Kingman County, Kansas where they stayed through the 1920
census.
Merrill died on October 29,1920 at National Home in Kansas and was buried at the Leavenworth
National Cemetery
in Leavenworth, Kansas.
Hiram J. Furguson
Hiram Furguson was listed as 20
years old when he enlisted in Battery C in Coldwater, Michigan on February 4,
1864. However, census records indicate that he was actually born in 1844 in New
York and therefore was only 19 when he joined.
There are several spellings of
Hiram’s last name including Ferguson, Furgason, and Ferguson, but he is listed on the Roster as Furguson.
Hiram was wounded in action on
August 21, 1864. He served until the end of the war and mustered out in Detroit
on June 22, 1865.
Hiram’s wounds must have been
fairly severe as he filed for an invalid pension shortly after the end of the
war on November 20, 1865. His wife is
listed as Emma L. Furgason. Hiram died on
September 12, 1884 in Wexford County, Michigan but Emma did not file for a widow’s
pension until December 8, 1885.
Hiram is buried in the Antioch
Cemetery in Mesick, Michigan.
Hiram appears in the 1850
census of Algansee Township, Branch County, Michigan with parents John and Laura
Ferguson, and siblings Hannah, Albert, Emeline and Fanny. In the 1860 census, only mother Laura is in
the household with Hiram in Quincy.
Sister Hannah had married Hart Wilbur in 1854, sister Fanny had married
William Joseph in 1855, and sister Emeline had married Emery W. Fillmore in
1857.
In the 1880 census, Hiram and wife
Emma Malone, whom he married in 1879, were living in Antioch Township, Wexford
County, Michigan. Emma is shown as born in Ohio.
It does not appear that Hiram
left any descendants.
Jeremiah Gardner
Jeremiah was a 39 year old farmer from Litchfield, Michigan when he enlisted in the Battery
on February 13, 1864. He had hazel eyes, dark hair, a ruddy
complexion and stood 5’9” tall. At enlistment, he received a bounty of $60
which was credited to the 1rst Congressional District in Hillsdale County.
Jeremiah’s records have no
remarks until the January/ February Roll which states: Died of wounds
received in action at South Edisto River (SC) Feb'y 9/65. See also Battery Mysteries.
Gideon W. Gifford
Gideon W. Gifford has been added to the original roster as of March 2009. Genealogist Deb Gosselin has found the official records of his service through the National Archives. He had previously been a "Battery Mystery" as John Hughes had received the following information and cdv from Bill Morris:
I have been researching the
history of the 14th Michigan Infantry; while so engaged I came
across repeated reference to the regiment having a section of artillery assigned
to it while posted as mounted infantry at Columbia and Franklin, Tennessee.
Indications are, while the two guns, a six pounder and a twelve pounder Wiard
were manned by men of the regiment, the section was commanded by Lt. Gideon
Gifford who was also somehow associated with Battery C, 1st Michigan
Light Artillery. I send attached a copy of an image of Lt. Gifford, the
original of which is held at the Archives of Michigan.
It appears that Gifford did
enlist in the Battery according to his entry in the 14th MI book of the
rosters (Vol. 14) and was mustered in with the Battery
on Nov. 28, 1861. I am unclear as to how long he was with the Battery
before being detailed as a Hospital Steward. The entry states that he accepted
a commission in the 14th Inf. May of '63.
As near as I can tell that period was the only time that
Gifford was associated with Battery C during the war.
The Battery was at the
Battle of Farmington and Siege of Corinth
with the 14th, but separated when the 14th went to Buell's Army. The 14th and
the Battery were reunited in a sense during the Atlanta
Campaign and the rest of the war under Sherman's
Army in '64.
Very possibly it was his prior training in the
artillery qualified him for command of the cannon used by the 14th.
The
first online listing I found says he was a sergeant at induction into Battery C and a private when he was discharged!
Sounds like Gideon was a bad boy. I find him in the 1860 census (at least
I think it is he) in Detroit
as a 17-year-old living with a Rev. Scott. He is shown as born in New York. Oddly,
at quick check, I can't find him again until the 1910 census and he is then in
Davidson (Co) Tennessee
with wife Sarah and daughter Etta. Etta is 42 and single and listed
as their only child so no hope of descendants to answer questions! I find a Gideon Webster Gifford
(his middle initial is W on the photo) marrying a Sarah Mosely Hughes on January 16, 1866 in Maury, Tennessee. May not be right but possible.
The
14th roster says he was inducted as Hospital Steward and discharged as
Captain. A more detailed listing on Gideon says he enlisted on October 1, 1861, and then mustered in our battery on November 28, 1861 and
then into Co K
of the 14th on January 7, 1862.
"Michigan in the Civil
War" says that he was inducted in to our battery as a sergeant on the
October 1, 1861 date so I don't know what the significance of the
November 28, 1861 date
is. So it sounds like he was with the
battery from October 1, 1861 until January 7, 1862.
I
think I also just found him (age 7) in 1850, living in Cambridge, Washington
County, NY with sisters Martha (13) and Sarah (11). They are in the
household of a carpenter and a merchant so
were apparently orphaned young. This explains him being with the Rev.
Scott in 1860 and there was also a sister, Sarah, with him then (with both
born NY). There are also a Sarah and Gideon Gifford still in
Cambridge, NY in the 1860 census so he may have gotten double counted (happens)
or else this is just someone else (but too coincidental!).
Bill Morris responded with
the following:
Comparing the service of the 14th Regiment and Battery C,
I can see how he could have somehow become known to the 14th’s staff
but I have found nothing that would explain how or when that may have happened.
Readings about the 14th tend to reflect that the regiment suffered
from the impact of state politics; perhaps young Gideon got himself in trouble
in Battery C and someone arranged a transfer for him? Obviously, when it comes
to Gifford, at this point there are more questions than answers.
Gifford could have had a few opportunities to become known to
the
14th Infantry. The 14th was the first of two Michigan Infantry
Regiments that were intended to be
composed of Irishmen or sons of Irishmen drawn from several counties
across Lower Michigan. More than a few of these were from Wayne
County.
The regiment was sent to St. Louis to join General Pope’s command and
immediately after arriving boarded a riverboat and was sent to Hamburg
Landing,
TN. There they joined the gathering forces under General Halleck and
participated in his slow move towards Corinth, MS. They were employed
in
skirmishing with the Confederates, helping to build corduroy roads for
the
artillery and were engaged at Farmington, MS. After the Corinth
occupation, the 14th was sent across MS to Tuscumbia, AL
and the two organizations began to follow different paths.
The 14th’s men were used for labor in the construction
of Fort Negley
near Nashville
however there is no indication any battery was assigned there at the time.
After taking post at Columbia,
TN, it did run several scouts
intended to combat Confederate irregulars, cavalry and recruiting activity. It
was after a string of several successful actions the regiment was mounted,
received repeating arms and the mentioned section of artillery. A letter dated
September 1863 indicates the men at Columbia had been given two rifled cannon
and were then expecting two mountain howitzers however a survey, which was began
in late December 1863 that appears in the OR, indicates the regiment had only a
six pounder gun and a twelve pounder Wiard which was commanded by Gifford.
Also, during the same period, two companies of the 14th under
command of Lt. Col.
George W. Grummond were posted at nearby Franklin
(likely Fort Granger) where several guns were mounted
but I have no idea if they were manned by artillerymen or the infantrymen of
the 14th.
In early 1865 the veterans of the 14th, along with a few
new enlistees and drafted men, joined General Sherman’s campaigns.
With respect to what your member came up with, Davidson,
Tennessee may well refer to Davidson
County, Tennessee (the Nashville area). Maurt,
Tennessee could be Maury County, Tennessee
(area around Columbia).
Both areas were traditionally and relatively very prosperous and were sites of
extended postings for the 14th.
I
am thinking that
Gifford knew a number of the members of the 14th from before the war,
if the
bulk of the men came from around the Detroit area, then he might
naturally want
to get assigned to the 14th to be with his friends. Obviously he was a
capable man, so I doubt that he was inept
as a Sergeant in the Battery, but he could have been a high-spirited
lad and perhaps incurred the displeasure of the Captain (Dees) somehow.
This is the first
soldier that I have been aware of that had served in the Battery
but wasn’t listed in the artillery volume of the Rosters - makes one wonder how
many others may be unknown to us. [Ed. - As it turns
out, quite a few. Our researcher, Deb Gosselin, had found at least a
half dozen with records at the National Archived who were not on the
original roster. We have updated our roster to reflect these men's
service.]
William W. Hall
William Hall was among four soldiers from Branch County who died while in the service of 1st Michigan Light Artillery, Battery C.
(The other three are Benjamin Cole, William R. Jameson and Elliott Norton.) First to succumb was William
W. Hall, a 19 year oldColdwater resident who had enlisted on
December 12, 1861 at Grand Rapids. Like so many soldiers in the Civil War,
William died not of wounds but of disease.
Private Hall passed away just a little over a month after enlistment on
January 18, 1862, while the Battery was stationed at St Louis, Missouri.
He is buried in the Jefferson
Barracks National
Cemetery.
Chandler Hamlin
While strictly speaking, this is not a biographical entry, it is a wonderful story from A History of Van Buren
County,Michigan a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and
its principle interests by Oran W. Rowland, published in Chicago by Lewis
Publishing Co. 1912, page 279 & 280.
"The several batteries of this regiment were engaged in many different
battles and skirmishes in all parts of the Southern Confederacy and
some of the gunners developed a degree of marksmanship that would be
creditable, even in these days, of such greatly improved guns and
gunnery. The writer [Oran Rowland] once was an eyewitness to an
example of this on the field of battle in the state of Mississippi. A running
cavalry fight between the Federal and Confederate cavalry forces had been in
progress for several days, the Federals gradually their opponents to retreat
southward, although their progress was stubbornly contested.
Coming to a valley
something like a half mile wide, as the Union soldiers were descending the
northern slope, the Confederates suddenly and most unexpectedly uncovered a
field gun and opened up with a rapid and vigorous fire of grape and canister.
Battery C, of the First Light Artillery, was with the Union cavalry, but had not
been called into action. However, one of its guns was speedily unlimbered and
gunner Chandler Hamlin, a Van Buren county soldier, told to send a solid shot
across the valley, which he speedily did, his first shot striking the enemy's
gun full in its muzzle and putting it entirely out of commission, resulting in a
considerable degree of demoralization in the ranks of the retreating foe. And
this was but a fair example of the skill with which the guns of this regiment
were handled."
The writer, Oran Rowland, certainly was a creditable witness as he had enlisted as a Sergeant on
September 17, 1861 at the age of 22 and was in Company C, 3rd Cavalry Regiment Michigan on October 3. 1861. He was promoted to Full
2nd Lieutenant (as of Co. E) on April 29, 1863 and promoted to Full 1st
Lieutenant (as of Co. I) on October 24 1864 and again, promoted to Full Captain (as
of Co. C) on November 17, 1864. He was discharged from Company C, 3rd Cavalry Regiment Michigan on June 6,
1865.
Alas,
poor Chandler died in 1864 just two months after his disability discharge.
Chauncey Haviland
Chauncey Haviland is not listed on the official roster but research through the National Archives has proven that he served with the Battery. The official record lists the following:
Name: Chauncey Haviland Residence: Augusta, Michigan Enlistment Date: 9 August 1862 Enlistment Place: Detroit, Michigan Side Served: Union State Served: Michigan Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 9 August 1862 at the age of 21 Enlisted in Company A, 4th Cavalry Regiment Michigan on 28 August 1862 Discharged from 4th Cavalry Regiment Michigan on 20 January 1863 at Murfreesboro, TN Enlisted in Company Battery C, 1st Light Artillery Regiment Michigan on 9 February 1864 Mustered out Company Battery C, 1st Light Artillery Regiment Michigan on 22 June 1865 at Detroit, MI
Chauncey Haviland died on January 14, 1929 at Sedro Wooley, WA.
Martin Van Buren Heath
Martin Van Buren Heath was born in Cayuga County, New York in
approximately 1834, one of thirteen children of James and Susannah Heath. By 1850, the family had moved to Allegan County, MI. On May 28, 1857, Martin married Elizabeth
LaBar; they had two daughters, Della (about 1862) and Alice (about 1864), prior to Elizabeth’s untimely death around 1867.
Martin enlisted in the Battery
on December 18, 1861. He received a
disability discharge on April 14th,1862 at Saint Louis, Missouri. Martin appears to have been an active businessman. In the 1866 US Tax Assessment Rolls, he
appears in Allegan as a retail merchant.
In census and other records he appears as a carpenter, a lumberman, a
retired merchant, a real estate agent and as a “capitalist” near the end of his
life in the 1900 census.
In 1872, Martin married his sister-in-law Louisa LaBar and
the couple remained married the rest of their lives. They had moved to
Cadillac, Wexford County, Michigan by the 1880 census. The 1900 census indicates that Louisa had one
child but it is unclear if this is a child they had together or if she simply
viewed her sister’s children as her own.
His daughter, Della G. Heath, married Charles E. Northrup who was also in the lumber
business. Della and Charles moved to Gallatin, Tennessee. Alice
married Henry Sill and the couple settled in Cadillac.
It is uncertain at present whether Martin returned to Allegan County
prior to his death or whether he simply opted to be buried with his family at
the Millgrove Cemetery in Valley Township, Allegan County
around 1904.
John Herr
John's father was born in
Prussia and his name was Fidel Herr. John's
mother Joanne (born in New York), claimed a mother's pension in 1890. He enlisted in Nankin Twp, Wayne County on February 11, 1864. He died of disease on August 3, 1864 only 6 months later. Where he is buried remains a mystery.
Seymour H. Hogle
Seymour Hogle was listed as 18
years old when he enlisted in Company M, 5th Cavalry Regiment Michigan on 30 Aug 1862. His residence was
listed as Gilead, MI. He was discharged from Company M on 16
Jun 1863. He then enlisted in Coldwater, MI as a
private on 27 January 1864 and was assigned to Battery C of the 1st MI Light
Artillery where he served until the end of the war, mustering out in Detroit on June 22, 1865.
Seymour filed for an invalid pension on July
16, 1890.
He died in 1929 and is buried
in the Burr Oak
Township Cemetery
in St Joseph County, MI.
His second wife, Mary A Atwell, filed for a widow’s pension in 1930 from Wisconsin.
Seymour
appears in the Bronson Township, Branch
County, MI census in
1870 with wife Isabelle Lilly. In the 1880 census he is in Burr Oak Township, St
Joseph County, MI
with his wife and son Clifford and is listed as a dry goods merchant.
He
remained in Burr Oak Twp the rest of his life.
His first wife Isabel died in 1887.
They had daughters Marjorie, Marion and Dorothy.
Around 1899, Seymour
married his second wife, Mary Atwell. The following is from an old history of St.
Joseph County:
SEYMOUR H.
HOGLE, cashier of the Burr Oak State Bank, was born at Dale,
New York, January 19,
1845. He is a son of Hugh R. and Minerva (Fuller) Hogle, natives of the state of New York. Hugh was born in 1810, and died in Pekin, Illinois, in 1853;
his wife was born
in 1826 and died in 1891, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
When nine years of age Mr. Hogle came with his mother and stepfather, David Green, of New York, to Auburn,
Indiana, where they spent a year and then went to Wisconsin, where
they spent another year,
and in 1856 came to Coldwater, Michigan.
Mr. Green died in Coldwater and his widow removed to Grand Rapids to live with a son. To Hugh R. Hogle and his
wife were born children as
follows: Seymour H. and Alma, born in New York, in 1850,
died in Denver, Colorado. The latter was the wife of Henry Kale, formerly of Branch county, Michigan, who removed
to Denver; he
was a farmer, and they
had two sons. Mr. Green and his wife had two children, William H. and Elmer E.
William H. Green, born about 1857-8, lives in Chicago,
where he is employed as foreman in a shop; he is married and has
one daughter. Elmer E. Green, born in 1862, lives in Grand
Rapids, Michigan, is
married and has a daughter.
Seymour H. Hogle
began working on a farm by the month when twelve years of age,
going to school in the winters, until he
was seventeen years old, and then he
enlisted in Battery C, First Michigan
Light Artillery; he was with Sherman's Army all the time. He took part in the Atlanta
campaign in the march to the sea, up
through the Carolinas, and took
part in twenty-two important
engagements, the battle of Atlanta being
one of them. Mr. Hogle
served under Captain William W. Hyzer; and was mustered out
in June, 1865, at Detroit.
During the entire war he was wounded
only slightly.
In 1866 Mr. Hogle
returned to Branch county, Michigan,
and married Belle, daughter
of Jacob Lilly, of Noble township,
Branch county; she was
born in 1849 and
died in Burr Oak in 1897. Her parents who were farmers are now deceased. After his marriage, Mr. Hogle removed to Burr Oak and worked for
years as clerk in a general store; he then went into partnership with Ed Smith
in the line of dry goods and groceries, the firm doing business about a year
and a half. He was with D. F.
Parsons seven or eight years and then purchased the business of Mr.
Parsons carrying it on until 1898. He sold out his mercantile interests and took
care of a farm of 160 acres which he continued until taking his present
position in the bank.
Mr. Hogle enlisted while attending school at Coldwater, Michigan;
he holds a scholarship in Bryant and Stratton’s Commercial College, from which
he graduated in 1866, immediately after he was mustered out. He is a member of the Grand Army of the
Republic, being the first post commander in St. Joseph County. The Post, B.G. Bennett Post, has lost nearly
all the older members. Mr. Hogle is
affiliated with the Masonic Order, and is a Knight Templer; he held the office
of Worthy Master of the Eagle Lodge No. 124 and has held an office ever since becoming a member. He belongs to the Presbyterian Church of Burr
Oak, in which he is an elder, and he was elected a delegate to the National Assembly at Philadelphia,
in 1901. He is a prominent and
influential citizen, and well known in the community, where he has won
universal respect and esteem.
Mr. Hogle, and his wife had children as follows: Clifford, born in 1871, died November 1, 1909. He lived in Cheyenne, Wyoming, married Cora
Fuller of Bronson, and they had one daughter, Fayette, born in 1880, of Roodhouse Illinois, married Luey Doren of Chicago and has no children; Marjorie,
born in 1890, unmarried lives at home.
Marjorie graduated from Burr Oak High School and for the past year has
been in college in Ontario, Canada; she is
specializing in music and domestic art.
Mr. Hogle married (second) in 1898, Mary Bennett of Sturgis, Michigan; she is
the daughter of Atwell Bennett, who lived at Lawton Michigan. They have no children.
Jason A. Hunt
Jason Abner Hunt was a 36 year old father of four children
when he joined the Battery on January 5,
1864. Born on November 6,1828 in New York, he married
the former Chloe Scovel sometime before 1855.
The photograph at left shows him before he left to serve in the Civil War. Sons James Henry and Lucius and daughters Eurilla and Eurana were born
before Mr. Hunt’s enlistment, with daughters Noma and Marion born during or
after the war.
Jason and his family were in Fairfield
Township, Lenawee
County in the 1860 census, but by 1870
were in Vevay Township,
Ingham County.
By 1880, the family had settled in Fremont
Township, Isabella County
where Mr. Hunt passed away on February 16, 1898. He is laid to rest in the Taylor Cemetery
in that county. His occupation was
listed as carpenter and joiner in the 1870 census and as a farmer in the 1880
census. (All of these sites are in Michigan.)
The photograph at left shows Jason and Chloe Hunt later in life.
Another image of Chloe is at left.
Jason's name frequently appears in records as “James” rather than Jason. The 1890 Veteran census lists his disabilities as
scurvy and rheumatism.
Also of interest is that he comes from a family with a military tradition. Jason's
father, Abner Hunt, fought in the War of 1812 in New York, and his
grandfather, Elijah Hunt, fought in the Revolutionary War on "the
Pennsylvania Line."
All photos and additional biographical data kindly supplied by descendant, Mary Hunt.
Alexander M. Hunter
Alexander M. Hunter immigrated from Scotland just a year before the war
broke out. He enlisted in
Capt. Dees's Battery on October 1, 1861 as a Sergeant and continued in that rank
until November 16, 1863 when he accepted a Commission as Lieutenant in the First
Tennessee Artillery which then became Battery D, 2nd US Colored Light
Artillery.
Lt. Hunter was last observed
by Carl Lamberg in the Tennessee River with others who were being shot at by the rebels during
the Confederate attackat Fort Pillow on April 12,
1864.
It was assumed by Captain Lamberg that Lt. Hunter was either killed or
drowned in his attempt to escape the murder that was being committed. Please also read the entry under Carl Lamberg below.
Fortunately, our genealogist Deb Gosselin found records that confirmed that Hunter survived and was taken as a prisoner of war. After the war, about
1871, he married a woman named Delia (no last name known). In
1880, they were in Craig Township, Holt County, MO where he was a telegraph
operator; they had no children. In the 1900 census, they were in Union Township
(still Holt County) and he was listed as a railroad agent. In 1910, they were in
the village of Craig where he died of a cerebral hemorrhage on October 4 of that year.
John L. and Charles Lay Huntley
Photo courtesy of Donald Simon
At left is a tintype of John
L. Huntley,18years old, and his brother Charles Lay Huntley, 24
years old, from Leslie, MI. The image was taken
shortly after they mustered into Battery C, First Michigan Light Artillery on
January 4, 1864. at Camp Blair in Jackson,
MI.
John L. Huntley died of disease on February
28, 1865 while the Battery was
just outside Cheraw, S. C. preparing to attack the Confederate forces
protecting that important arms depot. It was at Cheraw, that the Battery
captured the Blakely cannon which is on display at Galena, IL.
This image shows what the recruits who were being mustered into
the Battery, during January/February of 1864,
were issued: infantry style greatcoats, bummer style hats without insignia, warm looking gloves-possibly rubberized and very likely
boots. Note that the trouser legs are rolled up. Although the artillery troops were supposed to
be issued the mounted style greatcoat, many agree it was likely that the infantry coats would have been issued
regardless of branch affiliation, if they were “on hand.”
Charles Lay Huntley returned to Michigan after the war,
married and moved to Brant, MI. In the fall of 1917, Charles
and his wife Eunice, both being in poor health, moved into the home of their
son, Frank.
On the morning of July
17, 1918, Charles (left) died after a lingering illness of catarrh of the stomach. He is buried in the Brant Cemetery with his wife, Eunice (below), who died
July 1, 1923.
Eunice Huntley
William W. Hyzer
Information compiled from military records and History of Guthrie and Adair Counties - 1884
William W. Hyzer, a native of Dutchess County, New York, born on September 3, 1836. His parents, Jacob and Elizabeth (Velie) Hyzer,
were natives of that state. In 1841, the family moved to Cayuga County,
New York where William was reared. In 1859, he moved to Washenaw County, Michigan where he resided nine months. He then returned to
his native state, and after remaining there six months, returned to Michigan
until October 1861 when he enlisted as a private in Captain Dees' Company Horse Artillery, 3rd Regt.
Michigan Cavalry at the age of 23. He was promoted to Corporal
at muster-in at Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 28, 1861.
William was appointed Sergeant on July 1, 1862 and on July 19, 1863, he was commissioned as Second Lieutenant
while at Memphis, Tennesse. He was promoted to First Lieutenant while in the field
near Kingston, Georgia on May 22, 1864. He took over command of the Battery on December 20,
1864 after George Robinson was discharged. He received his commission as Captain on
March 26, 1865 and served until the Battery mustered out June 22,
1865.
He returned to New York after his
discharge, and resided in that state until the fall of 1866 when he moved to
Scott County, Iowa until the spring of 1867; he then moved to Geneseo, Illinois, and later Erie, Illinois, where he
bought grain for two years. In 1871 he moved to Menlo, Iowa, and after one year's
residence there he moved to Atlantic, Iowa and in 1873, to Casey, Iowa where
he was in the drug business until elected sheriff of Guthrie County in 1879.
William married Almeda H. Cook at Casey, Guthrie County, Iowa on
January 23, 1879 and had three children: Mable E. (Hyzer) Trent, Addie B.
(Hyzer) Colbert and Ruby M. (Hyzer) Kellogg.
He
served two terms as sheriff and in February 1882, the firm of
Hyzer & Phillips was formed. Mr. Hyzer was
a member of the Blue Lodge and Chapter, A. F. and A. M., and also of the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Encampment Degree, as well as a member of
the Ancient Order of United
Workingmen.
William died June 17, 1917 at Guthrie Center, Guthrie Co.
Iowa.
Article from The History of Guthrie County, page 334
From page 335
Burroughs Ingham
Burroughs Ingham, taken after the war
William R. Jameson
William
R Jameson was 28 years old when he enlisted in the Battery at Quincy, Michigan on February 11,
1864. He died on July 1, 1864 and was laid to rest in the Nashville National Cemetery. William’s widow, Sophia, claimed a pension and
a minor daughter, also named Sophia, was mentioned in those papers.
Brazil Jerry
Brazil Jerry, son of Francis Morton Jerry, was born in 1840 near Galena, in Joe Davies County, Illinois.
The “Record of Service of MichiganVolunteers in the Civil War”
lists him incorrectly as Barzill, Jerry; Jerry is actually his surname. The name is a horror show but most often appears as
Barzill Jerry. One descendant stated he was Basil, his death certificate lists him as Brazil Jerry, but be aware, if searching for more information on this man, the name is listed variously and the first and surnames get confused.
Brazil Jerry enlisted in
the Battery, on December 28, 1863 at Prospect,
Tennessee, when he was 23 years old. He mustered out at Detroit, Michigan on June 22, 1865. He may also have previously served in two Minnesota units (Co K
of the 5th and J of the 1st).
He is thought to have resided in Missouri
at the time of his father’s death in 1867.
Brazil is standing on the right and his twin brother, Francis, is on the
left. Both Brazil and his twin as well as another brother, Joseph, served in the Civil War. Turns out he lived a good long life and even married late
in life for the second or third time to a younger woman. A
daughter, Thelma, was born in 1909!
His death date is listed on his death certificate and in the Missouri death database as December 14,1914 in St. James Township, Phelps County, Missouri. He was in the Soldier's Home
there in the 1910 census (but is also enumerated separately with his family so must
have just moved in).
Michael Kelly
Michael Kelly, born January 6, 1847 in Toronto, Canada,
enlisted January 26, 1864 in Battery C, 1st Michigan Light Artillery
at Detroit, Michigan. He was 5’6” tall, had a light complexion, brown eyes and black hair. His occupation was a laborer.
He was discharged from Harper General Hospital in
Detroit, Michigan on August 12, 1865 having spent about nine months recovering
from a bullet wound to the left side of his nose and upper lip, plus a wound caused
by a piece of shell and gangrene to the right arm received during the Battle of
Savannah, Georgia on December 11, 1864.
In
an Officer’s Certificate, dated June 1865 written by Capt. William Hyzer of the
Battery, Hyzer recounts the circumstances of
Kelley’s wounding:
“In Action with the enemy at Savannah, Ga.
He was wounded by a Shell from the enemy’s guns which disabled his right arm
causing him to lose the use of it.”
Michael received a disability pension of $6.00 per month
beginning in August of 1865.
Michael’s 1868 Surgeon’s Certificate describes the wound:
“By a Shell wound of right arm which shattered the bone
causing several pieces to be detached & cut the large muscles.”
In 1899 a pension examiner noted: “scar 5-3/4 x 1-3/4
inch on outer and anterior surface of right arm. Depressed and dragging.
Adherent to bone. There has been some loss of substance in biceps muscle. No
injury of the large nerves or Vessels. No numbness or loss of power in hand or
arm. The shoulder is limited 10 percent. The elbow and wrist joints are not
affected.”
Michael married Mary Ellen Parent of Detroit
during January of 1872 in a Catholic church, Thereafter the Kellys moved to Chicago
where they lived on West Huron St.
They had the following children: Frank E. born July 9, 1877, Irene M. born December 4, 1880, Elias M. born September 4, 1883 and Richard E. born May 4, 1885.
James Kennedy
Data from the National Archives shows that James Kennedy had a long Navy history. He is listed as Navy ord. sea. USS Michigan, Clara Dolsen,
Champion, and Black Hawk. The Clara Dolsen is the
same ship John J. Calkins served on and they may have known each other from that contact.
William Kirchen
William Kirchen was born in June of 1834 probably in Norfolk, England - he is shown in 1851
Methwold, Norfolk, England. In 1854 he came to the United States and by 1860
he was living in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He married
Susan McGregor, who had been born in 1848 in Canada, on July 16, 1867 in Ypsilanti.
On November 28, 1861 at Grand Rapids, Michigan, he enlisted as a bugler
in Battery C, Michigan 1st Light Artillery
Battery. He was later promoted to Full Farrier on July 25, 1862, and
then promoted to Full Corporal on September 1,1862. He mustered out on December 27, 1864 at Detroit, Michigan.
After his service he returned to Michigan and
is shown in Jackson, Michigan in 1870. His wife,Susan, died in Chicago on March 5,
1899; they had moved to Chicago before
1900. He was in and out of the Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin for several years before
his death but is reported to have died back in
Chicago on June 22, 1909.
Carl A. Lamberg
Full-length portrait photograph of Carl Adolf Lamberg in
dress uniform, from the Civil War 3rd Michigan Cavalry picture album.
Handwritten on back: "Respectfully yours truly, Carl Adolf Lamberg, 1st
Lieut. 1st Mich. Artillery. Camp Benton, Mo. 28th Jan., 1862."
Burton's Photograph Collection
Excerpt from “The Massacre at Fort Pillow”
by Richard L. Fuchs. 1991, Stackpole
Books, pp.69-70.
“Captain Carl A. Lamberg who had
enlisted in Robinson’s Battery at Grand
Rapids, Michigan at the organization of the Battery in 1861 as a Senior Lt., was
also an Officer in the Swedish Army on extended leave of duty. He served with
the Battery for over a year before he returned to Sweden. The Battery was under his
command at the battle of Farmington,
MS where his conduct was such that he was arrested and tried in a military
court.
He was later returned to duty with the Battery.
He resigned his commission March 23, 1863
and returned to Sweden to resign his rank.
Upon
Lamberg’s return from Sweden
to the United States, he
accepted a commission as Captain of the Memphis
Light Artillery (African Decent) which was later converted to Battery
D, 2nd US Colored Light Artillery.
Lamberg who was not present
during the engagement, reported on the fate of a section of Battery D, 2nd US Colored Light Artillery, which was sent to Fort Pillow on
special assignment. Out of a complement of one commissioned officer [Ed. - Lt.
Alexander M. Hunter, who had enlisted in Robinson’s Battery on Oct. 1, 1861 as
a Sergeant, and continued in that rank until Nov. 16th, 1863 when he
accepted a Commission as Lt. in the First Tennessee Artillery which also became
Battery D, 2nd US Colored Light Artillery.] and 34 enlisted men,
Captain Lamberg reported 6 enlisted men killed, 4 wounded, 1 man escaped, 5
known prisoners, and 1 officer and 18 enlisted men missing with no information
about their fate.
Relying on the information provided by one of his men who
returned wounded to Memphis
two days after the engagement, the Captain wrote that Private Kennedy saw 5 wounded
members of the battery who were lying in their tents after the surrender,
killed by the rebels. A wounded black woman was also seen as she was shot
through the head and killed. The company commander of the battery (Lt. Hunter)
was last observed in the river with others who were being shot at by the
rebels. Private Kennedy did not know the fate of Lieutenant Hunter because he
was himself shot and dragged away at that moment.
Ed. -- It was assumed
that Lt Hunter was either killed or drowned in his attempt to escape the
murder that was being committed in Ft.
Pillow. Fortunately, our genealogist, Deb Gosselin, tracked down his prisoner of war records, some of his activities after the war and his death certificate. We are delighted to report he did not die until 1910!
--A note about the selection of Officers for the Colored
regiments. “Officer positions
were reserved for whites and candidates were required to pass a fairly rigorous
review designed to weed out those who did not possess the dedication,
seriousness of purpose, and the military experience and knowledge required.
There were nine thousand applicants for commands, and of the four thousand who
took the examination only 60 percent were granted commissions...The overall
impact of this selective process was to create an officer core which for the
most part had been in combat - seen the “elephant”- and could accept the fatal
consequences under Confederate Law for leading blacks under arms.
It is worthy of
notice that out of the 100 or so men in Robinson’s Battery, TWO of them were
examined and were selected to receive commissions in a Colored Battery. There is a
remote chance that Lt. Hunter survived and was taken prisoner, and that he may
have been sent to the infamous Andersonville
Prison.
While in the Third Michigan Battery, Carl Lamberg served as an
Aide-de-Camp on Brig. General Isham N. Haynie’s staff from January 1863 to March
of that same year. Captain Lamberg was later transferred to the command of Battery F,
2nd U.S. Colored Light Artillery, until he was mustered out of the
service January 15, 1866.
Carl Lamberg died of consumption on July 1, 1868 and is buried in
Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, TN. He left a wife and
two children.
Lorenzo Leffingwell
Lorenzo was born in New York. At the time of the1860 census, Lorenzo was in Allen, Michigan
with his parents Freeman and Anna and four siblings, Edwin and Cynthia and two others. He married Caroline E
Strang in Branch County on August 15, 1860.
He later married Nancy Emily
(DeFrees) Perkins in Bond County, IL on May 17, 1891. He filed for an invalid pension in 1879. He was still alive, at age 72, in the 1910 census and
was living with his wife Nancy, age 55, and
their daughter Blanche, age 16. Lorenzo was listed as a carpenter doing building repair.
Nancy eventually filed
for a widow's pension on December 15, 191? (illegible).
Their daughter, Blanche, married Wyman Chadwick and had a son (Edgar about 1915) , a daughter (Ada
Lucille about 1917) and another son (Eldon about 1922). They were in Pentwater in the 1920
and 1930 census records. Both Lorenzo and Nancy Leffingwell are buried in the Pentwater Township Cemetery.
Enols Loyd
National Veteran's Home
records show that Enols Loyd was at both the home in Marion, Indiana
and in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Those show service only in Battery G
but other records list him to both C and G. On these records, his complexion
is listed as black. When Enols was admitted to the National Home in
Marion, Indiana on December 23, 1890, it says he enlisted June 1, 1863 at
Ashwood Landing, Louisiana into Co. G of the 1st Michigan Light Artillery
and was discharged December 1864 at Jackson, Michigan at expiration of term.
Disabilites are listed as loss of right eye and injury to right wrist plus
diarrhea and asthma. He says the injuries were sustained June 1863 at
Champion Hill, Mississippi.
At that time, he is listed as born in Maryland, age 64,
complexion black, eyes black, hair gray. He was listed as
a laborer in Crawfordsville, Indiana subsequent to discharge, widowed and with no next
of kin noted. On July 22, 1895 he was transferred to the National Home in
Milwaukee. Information there is very similar except that it
now lists Ashwood Landing as being in Mississippi rather than
LA (and that looks to be correct). He died at the home on March 10, 1899 and cause
of death is listed as melancolia and inanition (weakness and weight loss usually caused from a chronic disease such as cancer).
Battery G did fight at Champion's Hill and Vicksburg.
Our battery was at Memphis, Tennessee in June of 1863. While there our
artillery was part of the guard detail that watched 5000 Confederate prisoners
captured at Vicksburg.
It is possible that Enols Loyd joined Battery G at Ashwood
Landing, Mississippi as a freed slave, was wounded in the fight and was either sent to
Memphis to be treated at the hospital or was part of the guard detail
that took the prisoners to Memphis. Once there, after healing, he might have been
assigned to our Battery as Battery G had transferred to Texas by
November.
There are two separate pension cards for Enols Loyd:
Name: Enols Loyd Side: Union Regiment
State/Origin: Michigan Regiment Name: 1 Michigan Light Art'y.
Regiment Name Expanded: 1st Regiment, Michigan Light Artillery
Rank In: Wagoner Rank In Expanded: Wagoner Film Number:
M545 roll 25
Name: Enols Loyd Service Info.: WAGONER CO C 1 MICH US Army
Death Date: 10 Mar 1899 Interment Date: 13 Mar 1899 Cemetery: Wood
National Cemetery Cemetery Address: 5000 West National Ave. Bldg. 1301
Milwaukee , WI 53295 Buried At: Section 9 Site 109 NOTE:
Home record has different information.
Henry D. Lynes
Henry was born
in 1843 and was 19 years old when he enlisted in Capt. Gilbert Moyer’s Company of the Kellogg Guard.
His name, along with Harmon Cooley’s, appear on a list published in The Allegan
Journal on September 30, 1861, "having been sworn into the service of the
United States last week.”
Henry then transferred into
Capt. Alexander Dees' Co. of Flying Artillery at Grand Rapids on October 10, 1861 and was mustered in to
service November 28, 1861. He died of disease Jan. 18, 1862 at Jefferson Barracks,
St. Louis, MO and was buried there.
He was the son of Samuel and
Cynthia E. Lynes.
In the Allegan Gazette, dated
March 9, 1889 Henry’s mother’s obituary states:
Mrs. Cynthia Lynes, whose
illness was noticed last week, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John
Curtis, in Trowbridge [Township] last Monday [February 25, 1889].
Mrs. Lynes was one of the
pioneers of Allegan County, and in her life a very eccentric woman.
She was born in DeKalb, N.Y. in 1812 and
emigrated to Michigan in 1836, coming direct to Allegan County, where she resided until her demise.
She was twice married and had 2 sons and 1
daughter.
Both her sons were in the Union
service and both died there, one at St. Louis, MO and the other (Leander Gough) at the Libby Prison in Richmond, VA.
The funeral services were
conducted by Rev. E.A. Gay, at the house of John Curtis, nearly all the old
settlers attending. The procession was full a half mile in length.
Thanks to Carolyn A. Kasischke
and Viola Jane Ammerman Wilson who researched this soldier.
Ellis (Ella) D. Main
The following was taken from a certificate
presented to Ellis D. Main by the E.B. Cole G.A. R. post No. 372, Department of
Michigan at Benzonia, Michigan, to his daughter, Minnie A., and his
granddaughter, Amelia, in September of 1917.
Ellis D. Main passed away on April 13, 1921 at the age of
77 and was buried at Highland Cemetery in Brooklyn, MI with full military honors.
Ellis D. Main
Enlisted December 24, 1863 from Jackson, Mich. was Mustered
into the service on January 4, 1864 at Camp Blair in Jackson, Mi. as a private,
for 3 years in Battery C, First Michigan Light Artillery.
The Battery was assigned to the Artillery of the 1rst
Division, 17th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee. Comrade Main participated in
the Battles of Sugar Valley and near Resaca on May 9th-13th, 1864; Resaca, May
14-15th;Battles about Dallas, New Hope Church, and Allatoona Hills May 25 to
June 5th, 1864. Battles about Marietta and Kennesaw Mountain, June 10 to July 2;
Battles about Pine Hill, June 11 to 14th, Lost Mountain June 15 to 17th;
Golgatha Church, June 15th; Muddy Creek, June 17th; Voyes Creek, June 19th;
Cassville, June 20, Kolbs Farm, Ga. June 22; Assault on Kennesaw, June 27th;
Nickajak creek, July 2 to 5th; Ruff Mills, July 3 & 4th; Chattohoochie River
line from July 5th to 17th; Sandtown Ferry, July 6&7th; Battle of Atlanta
July 22; Siege of Atlanta, July 22 to September 2, 1864. Pursuit of (Gen.) Hood
into Alabama, October 3rd to 26th; March to the Sea, November 15 to December 10.
Salkahatchie River, Siege of Savannah, GA. December 10 to 21,
1864.
Orangeberg, S.C. February 16 & 17, 1865; Cheraw, S. C.
Feburary 28; Fayetteville March 11; Bentonville, N.C. March 21; Raleigh, N.C.
and surrender of the Confederate Army under Gen. Joseph Johnston April 26th,
1865.
Moved to Washington D.C. and marched in the Grand Review May
24, 1865. Discharged at Detroit, Michigan June 18, 1865.
Member of the E.B. Cole G.A. R. post No. 372, Department of
Michigan at Benzonia, Michigan.
Photo and information courtesy of Jim Neely, great grandson of Ella
Main
Nathaniel Marston
Nathaniel Marston was
the son of Daniel D. Marston and Maria Reynolds, He was born in
Parma, Ohio
and his family were one of the first families to settled in Leslie Township,
Michigan in
the early 1840s. He enlisted as a
Private on January 4,1864 at the age of 26 in Company Battery C, 1st
Light Artillery Regiment Michigan.
He mustered out of
Company Battery C, 1st Light Artillery Regiment Michigan on June 22, 1865 in Detroit, Michigan. Nathaniel
returned to Leslie and married Elizebath Lumbard. She died before
1880. Nathaniel was a farmer and died on November 11, 1907 when he fell and was strangulated as a result of
his fall.
Nathaniel felt
strongly about his participation in the war.
Courtesy of Tim Howery
Adelbert Andrew Mudge
Mr. Mudge
was born in Michigan, moved to Niagara County, New York then moved back to Michigan, and
finally back to New York where he lived in Wilson from about 1880 until
his death. He died on January
16, 1934, and is buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Wilson, New York.
John J. Calkins was born in Millville, NY on June 30, 1841, the son of Cornelius Calkins. He entered the service in the Navy serving on the steamer Michigan (left) as a landsman at Erie, PA. National Archive records list additional service: pay clerk
US Navy Exchange on the ships "Clara Dolsen" and "Forest Rose."
He fought in the battles leading up to, and participated in, the Atlanta Campaign and the March to the Sea, the Carolinas campaign and the battle of Bentonville. He married Ida Chapman on September 5, 1871 but she died October 4 1872 at the age of 24 years.
(They had one child who died before her death.)
He remarried the following year. His second wife was Addie E. White; they were married in Buffalo, NY on May 28, 1873. He became a lawyer after
the war.
Abel and Samantha Dunton about 1860
Asa Estabrook enlisted on November 28, 1861, aged 24, as a private in
the Battery, and served on all its campaigns
from muster-in to Grand Review. He was promoted to corporal at Camp Clear Creek
in July of 1862, and was reputed to be one of the best gunners in the western
armies. In January, 1864, when the veterans returned from furlough, he was
promoted to Sergeant. On December 18th, he accepted a commission as junior
Second Lieutenant, where he remained until mustered out with the Battery on June 22, 1865. 
Private Abraham Evans served as a teamster in the Battery
from December 1861 to February 1863, when he was mustered out on a
surgeon's
certificate. His wife, Mary Tennant Evans, accompanied him to the
theatre of
war in northern Mississippi, and worked as a
nurse in the hospital at Corinth. He and his wife are buried together in the Elbridge Township Cemetery in Oceana County, Michigan.
Abraham and Mary later in life. Notice her stylish leg of mutton sleeves dating this to the mid 1890s.
Gideon W. Gifford has been added to the original roster as of March 2009. Genealogist Deb Gosselin has found the official records of his service through the National Archives. He had previously been a "Battery Mystery" as John Hughes had received the following information and cdv from Bill Morris:
Jason Abner Hunt was a 36 year old father of four children
when he joined the Battery on January 5,
1864. Born on November 6,1828 in New York, he married
the former Chloe Scovel sometime before 1855.
Jason and his family were in Fairfield
Township, Lenawee
County in the 1860 census, but by 1870
were in Vevay Township,
Ingham County.
By 1880, the family had settled in Fremont
Township, Isabella County
where Mr. Hunt passed away on February 16, 1898. He is laid to 
Another image of Chloe is at left.
Photo courtesy of Donald Simon
Charles Lay Huntley returned to Michigan after the war,
married and moved to Brant, MI. In the fall of 1917, Charles
and his wife Eunice, both being in poor health, moved into the home of their
son, Frank. 
Eunice Huntley
Article from The History of Guthrie County, page 334
From page 335
Burroughs Ingham, taken after the war
Brazil Jerry, son of Francis Morton Jerry, was born in 1840 near Galena, in Joe Davies County, Illinois.
The “Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War”
lists him incorrectly as Barzill, Jerry; Jerry is actually his surname. The name is a horror show but most often appears as
Barzill Jerry. One descendant stated he was Basil, his 
Full-length portrait photograph of Carl Adolf Lamberg in
dress uniform, from the Civil War 3rd Michigan Cavalry picture album.
Handwritten on back: "Respectfully yours truly, Carl Adolf Lamberg, 1st
Lieut. 1st Mich. Artillery. Camp Benton, Mo. 28th Jan., 1862."
Ellis D. Main
Enlisted December 24, 1863 from Jackson, Mich. was Mustered
into the service on January 4, 1864 at Camp Blair in Jackson, Mi. as a private,
for 3 years in Battery C, First Michigan Light Artillery.
The Battery was assigned to the Artillery of the 1rst
Division, 17th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee.