A Tale of Two Soldiers

My Two Civil War Soldiers

INTRODUCTION

Inspired by the History Channel’s series “Grant” on the life of Ulysses S. Grant I looked up my two Civil War ancestors. My second great grandfathers: James Lewis “Louie” PADEN, fought for the Union, and William Marsh FRANKLIN, for the Confederates. My two other second great grandfathers were Johan Solomon LUNDBERG who did not immigrate to the United States until well after the War (1880). And John W.W. MOSIER was 36 as war broke out, and did not enlist. John’s seven years younger brother, Madison Columbus “Lumley” MOSIER, did serve with the 29th Illinois Infantry, Company I and is buried at the Veteran’s Home in Yountville, CA. Of my two Civil War Ancestors William Marsh FRANKLIN was the first to enlist so I’ll introduce you to him first.

William Marsh FRANKLIN

William Marsh FRANKLIN was born 23 February 1834 in Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. He moved with his family to Chickasaw, Mississippi when he was ten, and where his father died four years later in 1848. He was the 6th son of fifteen children. He came to Red River county Texas in 1856 with his mother and siblings. The population doubled in Red River County from 3,906 in 1850 to 8,535 in 1860. In 1860 3,044 (36 percent) of the residents were Black. Almost all of these (3,039) were enslaved people. In the 1860 census at age 26, he is living on 160 acres on Little Pine Creek near Addielou (Post Office Clarksville). His oldest brother George Washington FRANKLIN died in 1858 and his mother Harriet (PARK) FRANKLIN died in 1860 for whom he was the executor of her estate proved 28 May 1860.

From his mother he inherited her 160 acres to be shared with his brother Josiah Collier FRANKLIN. William is found on the 1860 Agricultural census owning 6 horses and 5 milk cows and another 30 head of cattle. Value of his livestock was $650. Only 50 of the 160 acres was considered improved. Noteworthy that William Marsh FRANKLIN, his father, Josiah, and his grandfather Thomas FRANKLIN never enslaved their fellow man, nor did any of their brothers.

William’s older Brother Charles Pickney FRANKLIN enlisted in Co A of the 23rd Texas Cavalry. His brother Solomon Andrew (Jackson) FRANKLIN served with Wilson’s Second Battalion Texas Cavalry. I venture to guess that these brothers were experienced horseman. Also noteworthy that Charles Pickney FRANKLIN married October 8 1862 to Elizabeth Kathryn KIRK and William Marsh FRANKLIN married her sister Eliza Jane KIRK. In the History of Jasper County Missouri a bio for William Marsh FRANKLIN states “he was a participant in the Battles of Elkhorn Tavern (aka Pea Ridge), the scout through the Indian Nation, Shiloh, Luka, Spanish Hill, Granada, Jackson, Rome, Franklin and Nashville and hosts of skirmishes that took place under the Confederate banner.”

James Lewis “Louie” PADEN

James Lewis PADEN was born 28 February 1840 in Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio. He was the 3rd son although his older brother Alexander had died young. No other brothers enlisted but his younger brother Asa was said to have accompanied him during his service but there is no official record of that. Bureau County Illinois was growing even faster than Red River county Texas going from 8,841 in 1850 to 26,426 in 1860. Unlike Red River County, Texas the total number of Blacks in Bureau county was only 9. Although both William Marsh FRANKLIN and James Lewis PADEN were farmers the value of their farms was quite different. James lived with his father and family on 515 acres of land of which 500 acres was considered improved with a total value of $10,000. James’ father Alexander owned 7 horses, 6 milk cows 10 cattle and 4 swine. The value of his livestock was $500, thus less than FRANKLIN’s but the value of his father’s land was TEN times that of William Marsh FRANKLIN. PADEN lived in a county with less than 1% black people and FRANKLIN 36% black and nearly all of them enslaved. So very different worlds these two second great-grandfather’s grew up in. While they were both born in February only five days apart, FRANKLIN was 6 years older. He enlisted at the age of 25 in October of 1861 whereas PADEN enlisted at the age of 22, in August of 1862, nearly a year later.

James enlisted at Princeton, Bureau County, Illinois in Company “I” of the 12th Regiment of Illinois Volunteers commanded by Captain James H Ferris. The 12th Regiment was known as the “First Scotch Regiment.” It heavily recruited from Scottish immigrants to the Chicago, IL area. James Lewis PADEN, although not a recent immigrant his grandfather John PADEN came to Maryland in the 1790’s from Ireland, of Scot’s descent. At the time of James’ enlistment He was 22 years old, 5’8″ tall, Blue eyes, Auburn hair and Sandy complexion. James Lewis was referred to as “Louie.” In 1934 Irene H. Scott wrote a Dear Old Timer article published in the North Bend Times: “did you wonder where the Louie came from? I did and here is the story. When he was a youth, gay, strong and full of adventurous spirit which marks a scion of the Paden house, he served in the Civil War under a colonel of French descent. That French officer was drawn by some kindredness of spirit to young Paden and when he learned his middle name was Lewis he forgot the first name, changed the spelling from Lewis to Louis, gave it a French accent and, hey presto chango : James Lewis Paden became Louie Paden and he remained Louie Paden the rest of his life.” (1)

In trying to figure out who this “French officer” might be, I have a good candidate. The 12th Illinois Regiment was under the command of Augustus Louis Chetlain who was born December 26, 1824 in St. Louis, Missouri. His parents were from Switzerland but of French Huguenot descent. They came to the United States via Canada. Since they shared a middle name Lewis/Louis I believe this makes the case even more compelling for Col. Chetlain being the source of the nickname “Louie.” Augustus Chetlain was alleged to be the first man in Illinois to volunteer for the Civil War. On April 16, he took part in a meeting held in Galena to raise a volunteer company with Ulysses S. Grant. When Grant declined the post (12th IL) , he suggested Chetlain as the company’s captain and later became it’s Lt. Colonel.

Regarding the uniforms of the Illinois Twelfth: “In Chicago, Illinois, the Highland Guard commanded by Captain John McArthur wore ‘the regular old style, with red frock coats, tartans, huge overhanging caps, bare continuations, and other paraphernalia’ when first organized in 1856. With the outbreak of Civil War in April 1861, this company formed the nucleus of the 12th Illinois Infantry, or ‘First Scotch Regiment’, with McArthur as colonel. Although the 12th Illinois received state-issue uniforms of gray at the beginning of its war service and later wore blue, its headgear until at least 1862 consisted of a Scottish tam-o’-shanter with tartan, or plaid, band.” (2)

“The role of Illinois in the Civil War was a proud and impressive one. The most famous representatives of the State of Illinois in the Great Conflict were President Abraham Lincoln, General Ulysses S. Grant, and United States Senator Stephen A.Douglas.” (3) The Twelfth Infantry Illinois Volunteers was first mustered into the United States service for three months and then 3 years. Bureau County, Illinois gave 3,626 men to the cause. Companies H and I of the Twelfth Regiment came from Bureau County, Illinois.(4)

Uniforms for the Texas Cavalry were another thing altogether. Although the Confederate government was supposed to be responsible for oufitting it’s soldiers, the truth was then men supplied their own clothing, horses and weapons. (5) So from the start things were clearly unequal between my two Civil War ancestors. Please note in what follows that I have given less coverage to battle plans and strategies and more to the experience of a soldier at war.

October 14th 1861

On this day William Marsh FRANKLIN enlisted in the 9th Confederate Cavalry at Camp Reeves near Sherman, Texas (about 90 miles west of where he lived). Colonel William C. Young arrived to muster Sim’s Regiment into Confederate Service for a period of 12 months. (6) The 9th Cavalry commander was Col. W. B Sims and he was in charge of about 1000 men. The field officers were Lieutenant Colonel Nathan W. Townes, and Major William Quayle. Company E was made up of men from Red River County, Texas and included about 96 soldiers including officers. Their brigade, the First Texas Legion, included the Third, the Sixth, and the Ninth Texas Cavalry, and was the only Texas cavalry brigade to serve east of the Mississippi. On the muster Roll William Marsh FRANKLIN ‘s horse is listed at a value of $100 and his equipment as $18. Like all Confederate Cavalry they furnished their own horse, equipment, arms and clothing. The average value of the horses was between $100-125 where an old nag would be valued at $60. “The initial cost of equipping a cavalryman made that service unavailable to the poor of their sons.” (7)

From the War Between the states by A. W. Sparks (8) we get a glimpse of the Ninth Texas Cavalry’s beginnings.

“Our time was occupied in drilling and training of our horses in single companies until all the companies were in camp and the field officers elected. W. B. Sims was elected Colonel. He was a large man and of fine appearance and had a voice equal to the modern fog horn. Quail was elected Lieutenant-Colonel. He was not so large ad Col. Sims, but what he lacked in stature was more than made up in grace. He was the finest appearing horseman I had then ever beheld; he was the military man of the regiment, and best in drill. Major N. B. Towne was also a fine looking officer and commanded greatest respect among the soldiers. He rode a pided [spotted] horse, about the best horse in the regiment… D. W. Jones, of company “I”, was appointed Adjutant, after which the Captains met and drew lots for their position in regimental line with the following result: J. C. Hart, “Company E. Red River “

“After the election of officers and the formation of the regiment which, I think, was on October 14, 1860 (we had been previously sworn into the State service, date not remembered, but I think we served the State about three months before we were mustered into the confederate service), we were reviewed by Colonel Sims, who made us a speech in which he told us “we were soldiers enlisted for the war, and from that day we were to regard war, civil war, as our profession, and in life it is the duty of every man to study, to understand his profession, and that his purpose would be to make us effective soldiers;” a purpose he evidently carried out to the letter, for I do not believe Col. Sims ever thought of anything else but war. While he commanded the regiment his commands were positive, his discipline form, yet his nature was noble, lovable and brave. He was a born commander among men and, no doubt, would have scored his name high in rank but for his early disabilities.“

November 18th 1861

Soon they were on the move and in great discomfort. “All day and long after dark they rode across the burned prairies. The men had eaten their six day’s rations, and there was nothing for the horses. Hunger gnawed at the bellies of both men and animal next morning.” (9)

November 19th 1861

The Ninth Texas Cavalry saw their first action at the Battle of Round Mountain which was also the first battle in the campaign for the control of Indian Territory. Its purpose was to prevent Union supporters of the Creek Nation from fleeing to the protection of the Union in Kansas. At the end of the battle the fight was called off and the enemy withdrew. The regiment’s leader young Col Dudley Jones was credited with its success. The men and horses were hungry and thirsty. They found water but nothing to eat. And things did not get much better. Weather, lack of food and an outbreak of measles as well as malaria reduced the Ninth Cavalry to just 260 horseman by the first week of December.

December 9th 1861

The Ninth Texas Cavalry fought at Chusto-Talash, AKA Bird Creek, Indian Territories.

December 26th 1861

The Ninth moved to Ft. Gibson and joined other detachments and fought at Chustenahlah, Indian Territories. Several men from Texas arrived at Fort Gibson where the Ninth was stationed so that the recovered and new troops together with officers and men totaled 713 with 677 present. The list of human maladies was long and included Measles, Mumps, Dysentery, and Flu. On the positive side they had food and a dry place to sleep. (10)

February 16th 1862

The Ninth rejoined their wagon train and resumed journey to Arkansas to join Gen. McCulloch’s command in winter camp: Six Hundred troops started for Boston Mountains and Elkhorn Tavern. Col. William Sims and Lt Col. William Quayle rode with the Ninth. Maj Nathan B Townes remained behind at winter quarters with enough men guard and tend the sick.” (11) It was the middle of winter, and a bad one at that.”(12) During the next few days the Ninth learned of skirmishes and heard about casualties, and they knew a battle was brewing. (13)

March 6th 1862

The Ninth was ordered to meet Brig. Gen. Ben McCulloch near Elkhorn Tavern. McCulloch commanded 3,747 cavalrymen and 4,637 infantry. Van Dorn reported his force was about 16,000 men which would be the most superior Confederate force of the Civil War. The last regiment in McIntosh’s column was the Texas 9th and they had not eaten in two days. (14) With an overwhelming force the cavalry silenced the Union at Pea Ridge in less then ten minutes but the battle continued. McCulloch was killed and as McIntosh was informed he was now in charge he galloped off and in turn was felled and the third in line who did not know he was in charge was captured. That evening as the cavalry stood guard the Confederates were in retreat.

March 13th 1862

General Van Dorn enjoyed lodging and food not enjoyed by his men or beast for whom he showed little concern. (15) The Ninth headed east toward Winter quarters on March 17th the courier arrived with orders to join McCulloch near Elkhorn Tavern. Mismanaged, disillusioned and exhausted the Ninth realized that the Confederates had been beaten at Pea Ridge while they awaited orders. Their division commander Ben McCulloch and their brigade commander, James McIntosh, were both dead. Then men were starving and frozen and they had lost forty men. General Van Dorn refused to take responsibility which further infuriated the officers and men. If that was not enough the later found out Van Dorn’s plans for them. He ordered the Ninth and other Texas, Missouri and Arkansas cavalries to dismount and become infantry. Considered by the men as a breach of faith and contract this set up a very bad dynamic. (16) Each company assigned men to take their horses back to Texas.

April 16th 1862

The dismounted 9th Texas Cavalry boarded the steamer Star Victoria at Des Arc, Arkansas and later disembarked at Memphis. By May all the units were reorganized and dismounted as infantry N. W. Townes was elected Colonel and Dudley W. Jones was elected Lt. Col. , all part of Colonel Phiffer’s Brigade.

April 27th 1862

After a week in Memphis the Ninth was ordered Ninety-three miles east to Corinth, Mississippi. Corinth lay twenty-two miles south of Shiloh where the Confederates had retreated after the Battle of Shiloh on April 7th. They traveled by rail and disembarked on the 27th. “So here we were, without horses, to confront new conditions, under new commanders, constrained to learn the art of was in a different arm of service, and to drill, fight and march with the infantry (17) Needless to say they were not happy about it. A week later however the Ninth was remounted for reconnaissance.

April 29 & 30th 1862

The first Battle of Corinth and the Siege that followed. Union forces under the overall command of Major General Henry Hallack engaged in a month-long siege of the city, whose Confederate occupants were commanded by General P.G.T. Beauregard. The town occupied a strategic point at the intersection of two vital railroad lines, the Mobile & Ohio Railroad and the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. The confederates built extensive earthworks. The union reckoned if it captured Corinth, it would threaten the security of Chattanooga and west of East Tennessee. The siege ended when the outnumbered Confederates withdrew on May 29. On the Muster Roll for William Marsh FRANKLIN for May and June of 1862 it is noted “Lost in retreat from Corinth: new pants, shirts & 3 pair of sock.” (18)

July 16th 1862

Sadly William’s brother Josiah Collier FRANKLIN died on this day. This meant the entire land estate inherited from his mother Harriet (PARK) FRANKLIN, went to William. He may not have known about this for months as there was no mail service in the Confederacy just what was hand carried back and forth from those traveling to and from Texas.

The reorganization of the troops under Major General Earl Van Dorn now combined the 6th, 9th and and 11th Texas Cavalries as the “2nd Cavalry Brigade” under Col Thomas J. Churchill. The First Texas Legion were transferred from the Trans Mississippi to Corinth in April 1862 and remained in the Confederate West to the end of the war. In the Official Records they were known as the Texas Cavalry Brigade and later in the war as Ross’s Cavalry Brigade. Here is a recruiting Advertisement that appeared in his local paper, after William Marsh FRANKLIN had enlisted.

August 13th 1862

Just shy of ten months after William Marsh FRANKLIN enlisted, on this day, James Lewis “Louie” PADEN enlisted in Company I of the 12th Illinois Infantry at Princeton, Illinois. The 12th Illinois sustained heavy losses at Fort Donelson and at Shiloh before “Louie” enlisted. He was part of their new recruits.

In a missive published in the Chicago Tribune (19) which mentions the “splendid supper” sent by the citizens of Bureau County to their soldiers in Company I of the 12th Illinois Volunteers. This must have been in whole or part due to the Bureau County “Ladies Relief Society.” In the History of Bureau County the Ladies Relief Society is lauded: ” [they] can never be too highly commended for the efficient part it took in the humbler, perhaps yet far nobler, part of the ministering angels to the soldiers in the field and the Hospital.” (20)

September 19, 1862

The Twelfth Illinois moved to Iuka but were not engaged in the battle there. On the 19th of September they moved to Burnsville where they remained until October 2. During the approach on Corinth they were in Second Brigade, Second Division Army of Tennessee. Brigadier General Thomas A. Davies, commanding division; Brigadier General R. J. Oglesby, brigade, and Colonel Chetlain’s regiment. (21)

At this point “Louie” PADEN has not seen battle and William FRANKLIN has endured battles, sickness and starvation.

Meanwhile the Ninth Texas Cavalry had hopes of going home to Texas in October when their year was over, only to find out that Privates could not resign like their superior officers! The Conscription Act of April 16, 1862 made all white males 18-35 subject to draft.

October 3 & 4, 1862: The BATTLE of CORINTH

The Ninth Texas woke to Reveille at 4 AM. An hour later they were marching toward Corinth. The temperature was rising rapidly and the men were placed in the center of the Confederate line as they reached the outskirts of Corinth. Van Dorn ordered the whole line forward at 10 A.M with the Ninth held in reserve north of the Memphis & Charleston Railroad.

Meanwhile the Twelfth Illinois who had camped to the South of Corinth, had taken up a position adjacent Battery Robinette along with the 81st Ohio infantrymen.

From the Confederate perspective:

“By mid afternoon the Ninth was ordered into battle in the blistering heat. A bloody battle ensued. The losses were very heavy, and the fighting most desperate. On the 4th, “Powell’s Battery,” which we were supporting, was captured by the enemy in a charge, but was almost immediately retaken. In this affair the Twelfth took a very conspicuous and brilliant part. Supported by a small part of the Fiftieth and Fifty-second Illinois Infantry, they drove the enemy from the works, capturing a stand of colors, and turned the guns of the battery on the enemy. The division lost more than half of the men that were lost during the day, the regiment losing 17 killed, 80 wounded, and 15 missing. Captain Guy C. Ward, acting major, was killed, and brigade commander General Oglesby severely wounded. Remained at Corinth until January 24, 1863 when it was sent as train guard to Hamburg and returned.” (22)

From the Union perspective:

“This fortification [Battery Robbinett] was named after Captain Henry Robinett of the 1^st U.S. Infantry. Robinett and his infantrymen now manned his namesake battery as artillerymen. The first Confederates to make the assault against the position were from Brigadier General Charles W. Phifer’s brigade.[this included the 9th Texas Cavalry]. Supported by a brigade of Ohioans along with Joe Mower’s hard fighting 11^th Missouri, Robinett poured volley after volley into Phifer’s ranks. The devastating musketry and artillery fire tore through the Confederate line and the advance ground to a halt….The carnage in and around Corinth, especially near Battery Robinett was staggering. Corinth had proven to be costly battle for Van Dorn. Out of the 22,000 men who had marched into battle, Van Dorn lost 505 killed, 2,150 wounded and 2,183 missing. Of the 23,000 Federals who held the town, 355 were killed, 1,841 were wounded and 324 were missing.”

“The [second]division Gen. Davies, and the sixth division, General McArthur, fought nearly the whole rebel army. The losses were very heavy, and the fighting most desperate. On the 4th, “Powell’s Battery”, which we were supporting was captured by the enemy in a charge, but was almost immediately retaken. In this affair the Twelfth [Illinois] took a very conspicuous and brilliant part. Supported by a small part of the Fiftieth and Fifty-second Illinois Infantry, they drove the enemy from the works, capturing a stand of colors, and turned the guns of the battery on the enemy. The division lost more than half of the men that were lost during the day, the regiment losing 17 killed, 80 wounded, and 15 missing. Captain Guy C. Ward, acting major, was killed, and brigade commander General Oglesby severely wounded. [They] remained at Corinth until January 24, 1863.” (23)

From the Confederate:

“Colonel Phiffer’s Brigade on October the 3-4, 1862, the 9th fighting alongside the 6th attacked an Ohio Brigade and received heavy casualties from cannon and rifle fire. Many of the wounded were left to be captured. This was true for the 9th and 6th. In the late afternoon of October 4th, These two units had had some success, but were running low on ammunition and men. Without reinforcement they were forced to retreat. Gen Van Dorn realized he was fighting a much larger force and decided to retreat his whole Corps. On the next day the 9th marched in column behind the 6th, and were able to stop and assume shooting positions before they were shot down. Ross had a hundred men captured and many more dead and wounded. But soon the 6th, Ras Stirman’s Sharpshooters, the 9th and artillery battery commanded the bluff on the south side of the river and proceeded to blast away at the Union forces, thus allowing Gen. Van Dorn’s Army to retreat past the Union blocking force.”

Press back in Illinois:

In contrast this dispatch in the Texas paper two weeks later is far less complete. The folks back home in Illinois were far better informed than those in Texas.

But the true sorrow is evidenced in this photo.

October 8th 1862

Back home William’s brother Charles Pinkney FRANKLIN, marries Elizabeth Kathryn KIRK, the sister of William’s future bride Eliza Jane KIRK.

October 1862 – March 1863

Col. John W. Whitfield is given command of a newly formed brigade, known as the “Whitfield Brigade” composed of four dismounted Texas cavalry regiments-the Third, Sixth, Ninth, and his own Twenty-seventh. All four regiments were remounted once horses arrived from Texas during the late fall of 1862. Then, as part of Gen. Earl Van Dorn’s cavalry division, the Texas Brigade raided the federal supply base at Holly Springs, Mississippi, in December 1862, an action that halted Ulysses S. Grant’s land advance to Vicksburg.

Meanwhile the Twelfth Illinois is part of Gen. Grant’s Central Mississippi Campaign. In January 311 men and 24 officers of the Twelfth return to Camp Butler, Illinois on furlough until March. The remainder (about 90) remain with Captain J.D. Towner. In March the Twelfth reorganizes and heads toward Pulaski, Tennessee.

March 5th 1863

The Whitfield Brigade, operating in Tennessee, captured a large Union reconnaissance force at Thompson’s Station.

May-October 1863

William Marsh FRANKLIN is listed on the muster roll for March & April 1863 as absent on detached service. I suspect this involved returning back to Red River, Texas as he marries Eliza Jane KIRK there April 16, 1863. Eliza has five brothers serving in the Confederacy including two (Alexander and Wiley) in the 27th Texas Cavalry. Her brother Stephen died October 27th 1862 somewhere between North Carolina and Texas. Her older sister Elizabeth Kathryn KIRK (as previously mentioned) married William FRANKLIN’s brother Charles Pickney FRANKLIN Oct 8, 1862.

By May he is marked as present until October of 1863. Thus ending his two years of service. By 1864 he has moved to Carthage, Jasper County, Missouri where his first four children are born. He removes for a short time to McDonald County, Missouri but by 1871 has returned to Carthage. In 1876 his daughter Lucy Jane Franklin is born there, who is my great- grandmother. By 1888 the Franklin family has moved to Whitman County, Washington. William applies for a Confederate pension in 1906 and again in 1912 but he is denied. This is likely due to the fact he states he was with John Rabb’s Company, which he may have been on detachment, but his records are under J.C. Hart’s Company E of the 9th Texas Cavalry. At the time of his application he was suffering from asthma and “smothering spells.” At his death April 17, 1914 in Moscow, Latah County, Idaho his cause of death is listed as senility with contributing factor “likely tuberculosis. He fathered ten children and was a life-long farmer.

May 1863- May 3, 1865

Meanwhile as of May 9th “Louie” PADEN is with the Atlanta campaign until the fall of Atlanta. During that time in May at Resaca, Georgia he has “contracted [a] disease of the head, eyes, and nervous system generally from exposure” (25) and spends time at a hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He likely had contracted malaria. He recovers and is engaged in a series of skirmishes and battles and is part of General Sherman’s March to the Sea, a thirty-six day campaign of nearly 300 miles. Followed by the Carolina campaign of 425 miles in fifty days, eventually ending with the grand review at Washington, D.C. May 24th. Louie PADEN was mustered out at Washington D.C. on May 31st, 1865 after nearly 3 years of service.

This quote from ‘Sherman : A Soldier’s Passion for Order’ gives a good insight into Sherman and his troops. “Sherman sat quietly atop his horse that November in 1864. He was a slim six footer with piercing eyes, red hair and beard askew as always, and a face that was a corduroy of wrinkles. Before him his troops trudged forward into the Georgia countryside. Behind him curls of black smoke from abandoned and war scarred Atlanta rose toward the clouds. His Plain, unkempt uniform matches the equally unpolished nature of his men. These were the veteran’s of Shiloh and Vicksburgm Chattanooga, Meridian and the Atlanta campaign. They had seen the worst the war could offer, and they had given as well as they received. “War is cruelty and you can nor refine it,’ Sherman had told the mayor of Atlanta…” (25)

“Louie” PADEN marries Millicent “Millie” Almena COATS January 1, 1867 at Limerick, Bureau County Illinois. Millie has two brothers who served with the Union in the Civil War: Charles Noyce COATS who was a Captain with the 53rd USC Infantry and Sylvester G. COATS who died in Battle at Champion Hill, Mississippi May 16 1863. He was a private in the 11ith Indiana Volunteers, Company H. For this generation of Americans all are touched by the war. Louie and Millie go on to have 13 children and he remains a farmer just as William Marsh FRANKLIN. “Louie” applied for a pension January 15 of 1898 but it is not clear he received any benefit. He died April 2nd 1903 and his widow Millie applies for a Widow’s pension Jul 11, 1903 where she states he did not receive any benefit. It appears Millie did receive a survivor’s benefit.

AFTERWARD

On two days in October of 1862 my two great grandfathers fought on opposite sides on the same battlefield in Corinth, Mississippi, probably coming within 1,000 feet of each other. Representing the Union and the Confederacy, the infantry and the cavalry, the North and the South. They embodied the contrasts of the nation. It is sobering to think they both experienced the horrors of that day and they both escaped death.

Fifty-five years, at the close of the First World War, William FRANKLIN’s grand daughter, Carrie Ethel HENAGER and “Louie” PADEN’s grandson, Milo Dean MOSIER, would meet at Letterman General Hospital, the Presidio, San Francisco, California. She a student Nurse and he a Veteran Army Medic and they married in 1920. I doubt they ever knew how close their ancestors had been in October of 1862. However, this is not the first time their ancestors “came close.” Each had ancestors that came over from Germany on the same sailing of the ship “Britannia” to Philadelphia on September 21st 1731. Carrie HENAGER’s 2nd great grandfather, 9 year old, Conrad HENNINGER and Milo MOSIER’s 3rd great grandfather, 10 year old, Casper DEBELBISIN (later DEVILBISS). On board the ‘Britannia’ were 260 passengers but only six 9-10 year old boys. I like to think they may have met 290 years ago and went their separate ways—only to be united in my grandparents. I like to imagine great grandfather’s William FRANKLIN and “Louie” PADEN meeting under more pleasant circumstance, long after the battle of Corinth, and sharing a story or two.

NOTES

(1) Old Timer Column North Bend Eagle Thursday Sept 6, 1934

(2) https://www.military-history.org/articles/regiment-lincolns-highlanders.htm

(3) Civil War Centennial Commission of Illinois. Illinois Military Units in the Civil War . Springfield, IL 1962 pg 3

(4) Civil War Centennial Commission of Illinois. pg 5

(5) Crabb, Martha L. All Afire to Fight: The Untold Story of the Civil War’s Ninth Cavalry. Avon Books New York 2000 pg. 11

(6) Crabb. pg 9

(7) Crabb. pg 10

(8) Sparks, A. W. Recollections of the Great War: The War Between the States, — As —I saw It. Reminiscent, Historical and Personal Tyler: Lee & Burnett, Printers 1901 pg 14

(9) Crabb pg 24

(10) Crabb pg 47

(11) Crabb pg 56

(12) Crabb pg 50

(13) Crabb pg 60

(14) Crabb pg 74

(15) Crabb pg 80

(16) Crabb pg 85

(17) Griscom, George L. Fighting with Ross’ Texas Cavalry Brigade, C. S. A. , Hillsboro, TX 1976 pg 36

(18) 9th Texas Cavalry Muster Roll for May-June 1862

(19) Chicago Tribune July 9, 1861

(20) Bradsby, Henry C. History of Bureau County, Illinois 1885 Chicago pg 350

(21) Reece, General J. N. Reece Adjutant General History of the Twelfth Infantry from the Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois Vol. I, containing reports for the years 1861-66 Phillips Bros Printers Springfield, Ill 1900 pg 574-6

(22) The War of the Rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate armies.
Pub. under the direction of the … Secretary of War. Chapter XXIX pgs 283-286

(23) Davis, Daniel T The Battles of Iuka and Corinth https://www.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com/the-battles-of-iuka-and-corinth.html

(24) Declaration for Original Invalid Pension dated May 25th, 1889 at Rogers, Nebraska

(25) Marszalek, John F. Sherman : A soldier’s Passion for Order. Free Press New York 1993 pg xv

Kelly Wheaton Copyright 2021. All Rights Reserved.