Friday, April 20, 2012

John C. Hardy, Michigan.


John C. Hardy, Second Michigan Infantry, Company D.

"The Hero of Petersburh Virginia, at Fort Steadman, March 25, 1865."

He enlisted April 20, 1861, at the age of nineteen.  Promoted to Color Guards March 18, 1862, the color corproal, where he did valiant service, defending the colors.  Was promoted sergeant and returned to his company and advanced step by step to the rank of captain.

Colonel March says: "The company can never pay to him, and to such as he, the debt it justly owes.  In times of danger that made the fearless quail, Captain Hardy seemed never to thank of himself, but of a soldier's duty.  I promoted him, because of his intrepid volor.  To his clear perception and quick comprechension, a half defeat was turned into stimulating victory on the 25th, of March, 1865.  His intelligence, courge, quick action on that desperate night attack of the enemy under General Gorden, stamped him a worthy successor, of the patriots of Lexington, Bunker Hill, Vally Forge and Yorktow.



Colonel Benjamin J. Sweet.

Benjamin J. Sweet.

Birth: Apr. 24, 1832.
Death: Jan. 1, 1874.

Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. Served in the Civil War first as Lieutenant Colonel of the 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry (which was part of the famed Iron Brigade), then as Colonel and commander of the 21st Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, which he helped raise. At the October 8, 1862 Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, he rose from an ambulance, sick from malaria, and led his unit until he was severely wounded. Upon his recovery he was made Colonel and commander of the 8th Veterans Reserve Corps, and was appointed as commander of the Camp Douglas Military Prison in Chicago, Illinois. While commander, he oversaw the internment of over 10,000 Confederate prisoners. His tenure in command was marked by a zealous enaction of punative measures endorsed by higher Union authorities. His measures resulted in the deaths of over 5,000 rebel prisoners. He was brevetted Brigadier General, US Volunteers on December 20, 1864. After the war he served as Deputy United States Commissioner of Internal Revenue from 1872 to until his death in Washington DC in 1874.

Burial: Rosehill Cemetery and Mausoleum, Chicago, Cook County
Illinois.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Five Faces Of First Illinois Light Artillery Battery.

 These men are of Taylor's Battery.

If your looking for a ancestor or name of interest I have most of the pictures of this battery. You can have a copy on request.

Top Left.

Name BOYD, THOMAS
Rank PVT
Company B
Unit 1 IL US L ART
Residence CHICAGO, COOK CO, IL
Age 25
Height 5' 6 1/2
Hair BROWN
Eyes GRAY
Complexion LIGHT
Occupation BOOK KEEPER
Nativity ENGLAND
Joined When JUL 16, 1861
Joined Where BIRDS POINT, MO
Joined By Whom CPT TAYLOR
Period 3 YRS
Muster In JUL 16, 1861
Muster In Where CAIRO, IL
Muster Out JUL 23, 1864
Muster Out Where SPRINGFIELD, IL
Muster Out By Whom LT HARDING

Top Right.

Name DUTCH, JAMES B
Rank PVT
Company B
Unit 1 IL US L ART
Residence CHICAGO, COOK CO, IL
Age 23
Height 5' 8
Hair BLACK
Eyes HAZEL
Complexion DARK
Marital Status
Occupation MARINER
Nativity NY
Joined When AUG 5, 1862
Joined Where
Joined By Whom
Period 3 YRS
Remarks ASSIGNED TO NEW BATTERY A

New Company A.

Remarks SERGEANT PROMOTED 2LT
New Company A.
Name DUTCH, JAMES B
Rank JR 2LT
Company A
Unit 1 IL US L ART (NEW)
Age 23
Joined When SEP 21, 1864
Joined Where EAST POINT, GA
Joined By Whom GOV YATES
Period 3 YRS
Muster In SEP 21, 1864
Muster In Where EAST POINT, GA
Muster In By Whom
Muster Out JUL 10, 1865
Muster Out Where CHICAGO, IL
Muster Out By Whom CPT HILL

Center.

Name EASSOM or Easson, JAMES B
Rank CPL
Company B
Unit 1 IL US L ART
Residence CHICAGO, COOK CO, IL
Age 22
Height 5' 8
Hair DARK
Eyes BLUE
Complexion DARK
Marital Status
Occupation CLERK
Nativity SCOTLAND
Joined When JUL 16, 1861
Joined Where BIRDS POINT, MO
Joined By Whom CPT TAYLOR
Period 3 YRS
Muster In JUL 16, 1861
Muster In Where CAIRO, IL
Muster Out JUL 23, 1864
Muster Out Where SPRINGFIELD, IL
Muster Out By Whom LT HARDING
Remarks MUSTERED OUT AS SERGEANT

Bottom Left.

Name POWELL, JOHN W
Rank PVT
Company B
Unit 1 IL US L ARt
Residence CHICAGO, COOK CO, IL
Age 23
Height 5' 9 3/4
Hair BLACK
Eyes DARK
Complexion DARK
Marital Status
Occupation CLERK
Nativity MA
Joined When AUG 22, 1861
Period 3 YRS
Remarks ASSIGNED TO NEW BATTERY A
New Company A.
DISCHARGED AUG 21, 1864.

Bottom Right.

Name ADAIR, HENRY L
Rank PVT
Company B
Unit 1 IL US L ART
Residence QUINCY, ADAMS CO, IL
Age 22
Height 5' 11
Hair DARK
Eyes BROWN
Complexion DARK
Marital Status
Occupation CARPENTER
Nativity MO
Service Record
Joined When SEP 6, 1861
Period 3 YRS
Remarks DISCHARGED MAR 1, 1863 FOR DISABILITY

Sunday, April 15, 2012

George A. "Bud" Frazer.

George A. "Bud" Frazer, was a Texas sheriff, Bud Frazer, had more trouble with his deputy, Jim Miller, then with criminals.  Born in 1864, the son of a judge, Frazer became a Texas Ranger in 1880.  In 1890, he was elected Reeves county sheriff.  He fired Deputy Miller for stealing a pair of mules from a Mexxican prisoner whom Miller had shot to death, allegedly for resisting arrest.  Miller was charged, and though subsequently released, he fostered ill will which would surround the two men for the following six years.  Miller opposed Frazer for the office of sheriff in 1892 and was defeated but managed to be appointed city marshall of Pecos.

On April 12, 1894, Frazer shot Miller in the right arm in front of a Pecos hotel.  Miller returned fire, but succeeded only in wounding an innocent bystander.  Frazer then shot Miller repeatedly in the chest and left him for dead.  Miller, however, survived.  In November 1894, Frazer lost his bid for reelection and left Texas to operate a stable in New Mexico.  Returning to Pecos on December 26, 1894 to complete his move, Frazerencountered Miller for the second time, and shot him in the arm and leg.  This time Frazer was arrested for attempted murder and jailed.  He was acquitted in May 1896.  He completed the move to New Mexico, but on September 14, 1896, returned to Toyah, Texas, to visit his mother and sister, where he once again encountered Miller.  This time, Miller shot first, killing Frazer with a shotgun blast to the face.

Charles Knower, Missouri.

Charles Knower.

Birth: 1838.
Death: Oct. 8, 1878.

Wife: Mary Leslie.
Note.  Her tomb stone reads Mary Leslie, however there are other records that state her name could have been; Mary Scott Leslie Knower or Mary Scott Scott Knower.

Burial: Bellefontaine Cemetery, Saint Louis, St. Louis City, Missouri.

Charles Knowner, Asst. Surgeon Engineers, Enlisted October 1, 1861, at St. Louis Missouri.  He was a graduate of Maryland University School of Medicince, Discharged October 31, 1864; settled in St. Louis Missouri.  In the surical instrument business, died about 1878.

The following was taken from the regimental history.

Several wounded men were taken to Dr. Knower, and cared for.   There was one whose head appeared so much mashed, and who seemed so very dead that the Doctor thought he would eat his supper before attending him; but when the Doctor came back, the man was groaning feebly, showing that there was at least a little life left in him.  Some water was heated and the Doctor carefully washed off brains and blood, washing from the neck upwards very carefully, and no wound, untill at the top of the man's head was reached and found to be perfectlly sound; it was the brains and blood of the man's horse that had been dashed into his face by a cannon shot, and the only hurt was a bruise on his shoulder caused by the fall with the horse.