American Civil War

Summary

On this page I will try to show what my ancestors and relatives were doing during the American Civil War, 1861-1865. My relatives on the Union side came from AR, IL, IN, MI, NY, and those on the Confederate side all came from GA.

Practically every family in America suffered during the Civil War. The South, especially, was crushed. "A civilization, gone with the wind," as Margaret Mitchell wrote. Many of my ancestors lived a few miles north of Atlanta, where SHERMAN began his infamous March to the Sea. Many were killed, many lost limbs. Homes and farms were destroyed. Regardless of what you think about slavery, or the Southern Cause, the plain fact is that many extended families were devastated, including my ADAMS, MARTIN and SPRUILLs. They should be remembered.

For brevity, I'll abbreviate names of my grandparents: WEM for William Ezra MARTIN and IAH for Isel Aldura (HUNTLEY) MARTIN and DME for Dora M. (EATON) GAPINSKI.

Soldiers

ADAMS, James F. (1843-1882) 1st cousin 2x rem to WEM, mustered 4 Mar 1862, 36th Georgia Infantry, Company F, Confederate, taken prisoner at Vicksburg.

ADAMS, Jesse H. (1816-1896) gg uncle of WEM, mustered 4 Mar 1862, 36th Georgia Infantry, Company F, Confederate.

ADAMS, Salathiel Jr (1838-1863) gg uncle of WEM, mustered 4 Mar 1862, 36th Georgia Infantry, Company F, Confederate, wounded 1 Jun 1863, died at Vicksburg, 15 Jun 1863.

ADAMS, Thomas C. (1827-1912) gg uncle of WEM, mustered 4 Mar 1862, 36th Georgia Infantry, Company F, Confederate.

ADAMS, Walton D. (1825-1898) gg uncle of WEM, enlisted 1 May 1863, Private in 36th Georgia Regiment, Company F, taken prisoner at Vicksburg. Confederate.

ALCOTT, William H. (1840-1891) m. Philena BARTLETT, g-aunt of IAH, enlisted 7 Aug 1862, Company K, Michigan 4th Cavalry Regiment, promoted to Full Blacksmith. Mustered out on 27 Jun 1865 at Louisville, KY. Union.

ALLEN, William (1822-1891) g-grandfather of WEM, enlisted 10 Aug 1862 as Private, in Company B, Arkansas 2nd Cavalry Regiment. Enlisted in Company C, Arkansas 2nd Infantry Regiment on 01 Oct 1863. Union.

BALL, John W. (1840-1920) married 28 Dec 1865 Margaret S. ADAMS (1845-1909) gg aunt of WEM, enlisted 26 Sep 1861, Private, in Company A, Georgia 38th Infantry Regiment, Confederate. Appointed 1st Corporal 1 Aug 1863. Surrendered at Appomattox, VA on 9 Apr 1865.

BARNES, John R. (1838-1865) half g-uncle of WEM, enlisted as Private in Company H, Arkansas 1st Infantry Regiment on 10 Mar 1863, in Johnson County, AR. Union. He died shortly after the war.

BARNES, Redden (1841-1862) half g-uncle of WEM, service uncertain, he was killed and dumped in the Arkansas River.

BARTLETT, Albert (1820-1893) g-uncle of IAH, enlisted as a Private in Company G, Michigan 7th Infantry Regiment on 5 Sep 1864, in Pontiac, MI, mustered out 24 Jun 1865 at Philadelphia, PA. Union.

BOWERS, WIlliam M. (1846-1929) grandfather of WEM, 1st Arkansas Infantry, Company H. He enlisted as a Private on 1 Mar 1864 in Fort Smith AR, mustered out on 10 Aug 1865. Union.

BURDETT, Samuel Isaac "Ike" (1838-1922) g-aunt of WEM, m. Sarah Jane MARTIN, Private in the 9th Battalion, Georgia Artillery. Confederate.

DONALDSON, William James (1826-1900) m. 1868 Martha A. "Millie" ADAMS (1840-1931) 1st cousin 2x rem to WEM, enlisted 10 Apr 1862 as 2nd Sgt, Company F, Georgia 36th Infantry Regiment, Confederate, captured at Vicksburg.

EATON, Edmund W. (1828-1865) g-uncle of DME, enlisted Sep 1864, Private, 185th New York Infantry, Union. Killed 1 Apr 1865 at Clover Hill, VA.

FISHER, David Alexander (1837-1862) grandfather of IAH, Private in Company F, 134th Indiana Infantry for 100 days in 1864 as a Private and later in Company J, 147th Indiana Infantry as a Private and as a Corporal. Union. Killed 3 Oct 1862 or 18 Dec 1862, in Danville, KY.

HUNTLEY, Aelbert Calvin (1847-1923) father of IAH, enlisted on 23 Dec 1863, at age 16, Private in Company D, 1st Regiment, Engineers and Mechanics, Michigan, promoted to the rank of Artificer (although some sources say that Artificer is a job title, not a rank), and discharged on 25 Sep 1865. Union.

MARTIN, Benjamin Stephen (1843-1899) grandfather of WEM, enlisted 26 Sep 1861 in Company A, Georgia 38th Infantry Regiment, Private. Jan 1862 transferred to Company K, still in 38th Georgia, Confederate. Wounded at Spotsylvania, 12 May 1864, lost an arm.

ROBINSON, Moses Young (1845-1942) m. 1872 Margaret C. ADAMS (1855-1899) 1st cousin 2x rem to WEM, enlisted Dec 1862 in Lewis' Alabama Battalion, Company I, Confederate

SPRUILL, Thomas Franklin (1846-1920) g-uncle of WEM, enlisted 23 Jan 1864 in 63rd Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company C, as Private. Confederate.

SPRUILL, William Marion (1844-1922) g-uncle of WEM, enlisted 10 Apr 1862 in 36th Georgia Infantry, Company F, as Private, taken prisoner at Vicksburg, wounded at Missionary Ridge. Confederate.

STOCKING, Miller J. (1845-1932) m. Aldura HUNTLEY, aunt of IAH, enlisted 4 Jan 1864, Private in Company D, 1st Regiment, Engineers and Mechanics, Michigan, mustered out 22 Sep 1865 at Nashville, TN. Union.

STURGES, Emanuel (1825-1902) grandfather of DME, enlisted 11 Aug 1862 in Batavia, IL, 124th Illinois Infantry, Company B, discharged for disability in Memphis, on 22 Feb 1863. Union.

WARNOCK, William R. (1840-1909) m. 1867 Martha A. ADAMS (1842-1921), gg aunt of WEM, enlisted 26 Sep 1861 in Company A, Georgia 38th Infantry Regiment, Private, wounded at Gettysburg, Confederate.

ADAMS in GA

Most of the sons and sons-in-law, and several grandsons and grandsons-in-law, of Salathiel ADAMS Sr and Sarah (HARRIS) ADAMS, served in the Civil War.

The sons were:

Jesse H. ADAMS (1816-1896) m. Anna Catherine MITCHELL (1815-1902) had 2 teenage sons, 2 younger sons, and 1 born after the war. The teenage sons:

James F. ADAMS (1843-1882) married in 1866
Thomas W. ADAMS (1845-1929) married in 1873
and son-in-law:
William James DONALDSON (1826-1900) m. 1868 Martha A. "Millie" ADAMS (1840-1931)

Walton D. ADAMS (1825-1898) married after the war

Thomas C. ADAMS (1827-1912) m. Mahaley Jane BALL (1834-1907) had 3 children before and 1 more born during the war. The eldest child was Margaret.

Moses Young ROBINSON (1845-1942) m. 1872 Margaret C. ADAMS (1855-1899)

Salathiel L. ADAMS Jr (1838-1863) m. Anna Catherine BALL (1939-1915) had a girl 1 year old and a boy on the way.

The sons-in-law were:

James T. SPRUILL (1819-1899) m. 1842 Milly ADAMS (1821-1896) had teenagers Thomas, William and Sarah, and several smaller children.

Thomas Franklin SPRUILL (1846-1920) married in 1866
William Marion SPRUILL (1844-1922) m. 1867 Elizabeth BALL (1838-1933)
Benjamin Stephen MARTIN (1843-1899) m. 1863 Sarah Washington SPRUILL (1843-1911) first child 1866

Jason H. WILSON (1830-?) m. 1854 Elizabeth ADAMS (1832-?) had 2 daughters, 1855 and 1859

John W. BALL (1840-1920) m. 28 Dec 1865 Margaret S. ADAMS (1845-1909)

William R. WARNOCK (1840-1909) m. 1867 Martha A. ADAMS (1842-1921)

ADAMS Timeline

1861 Jan 18 - Georgia seceded from the Union.

1861 Apr 12 - Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumpter, near Charleston, South Carolina, and the American Civil War began.

1861 Apr 13 - Georgia ADAMS was born, daughter of Jesse H. ADAMS and Anna C. MITCHELL.

1861 Sep 26 - John W. BALL, William R. WARNOCK and Benjamin Stephen MARTIN enlisted in Company A, Georgia 38th Infantry Regiment, all with the rank of Private.

1861 Nov 28 - W. J. DONALDSON of Cross Keys, Georgia, acknowledged his commission.

1862 Jan - Benjamin Stephen MARTIN was transferred to Company K, still in 38th Georgia.

1862 Mar 4 - The muster roll for DeKalb County, GA has five ADAMSes, listed consecutively, who mustered on the same day, 4 Mar 1862, and served in the Civil War, on the Confederate side. They were:

Thomas C. ADAMS
Walton D. ADAMS
Jesse H. ADAMS
James F. ADAMS
Salathiel L. ADAMS

Thomas, Walton, Jesse and Salathiel were brothers, and James F. ADAMS was the 19-year-old son of Jesse H. ADAMS. James' brother Thomas W. ADAMS, 2 years younger, may have enlisted later, but I have not found any record of it.

1862 Apr 1 - John W. BALL promoted to Full 4th Corporal.

1862 Apr 10 - Salathiel L. ADAMS enlisted with Capt. E. L. MORTON, Company F, 36th Regiment, Georgia Infantry. (mustered before enlisted?)

James F. ADAMS enlisted in the 36th Georgia Infantry, Company F
William J. DONALDSON enlisted in the 36th Georgia Infantry, Company F, with the rank of 2nd Sergeant
William M. SPRUILL enlisted in the 36th Georgia Infantry, Company F, as Private

1862 Apr 10 to Jun 1 - Pvt. Salathiel L. ADAMS Jr on Bounty Payroll from Capt. E. L. MORTON, Company F, 36th Regiment, Georgia Infantry.

1862 Apr 24 - 36th Regiment, Georgia Infantry was organized.

Georgia Governor Joseph E. BROWN insisted that Georgia troops should only be used to defend Georgia. However, none of the early fighting took place in Georgia. Confederate President Jefferson DAVIS ordered that they be deployed as part of a larger plan. DAVIS must have won the argument, because the 36th Regiment saw its first combat in Kentucky, and later went into Mississippi. They came back to fight in Georgia, in the summer of 1863, and stayed there until December 1864.

The 36th Georgia Regiment was under the command of Colonel Charles BROYLES and Colonel Jesse A. GLENN. It is also known as Broyles' Regiment, or Glenn's Regiment. Company F was comprised of men from DeKalb County.

1862 Jul 9 - Salathiel ADAMS Sr died at his farm in Cross Keys, DeKalb, Georgia.

1862 Sep 12 - 36th Regiment first battle at Florence, Kentucky

1862 Oct 12 - 36th Regiment fought at Versailles, KY.

1862 Dec - Moses Young ROBINSON enlisted in Lewis' Alabama Battalion, Company I

1863 Apr 1 - William R. WARNOCK promoted to Full 3rd Sergeant, in Company A, Georgia 38th Infantry Regiment.

1863 May 18 to Jul 4 - Siege of Vicksburg

1863 Jun 1 - Salathiel L. ADAMS Jr wounded at Vicksburg.

1863 Jun 15 - Salathiel L. ADAMS Jr died of his wounds, at Vicksburg, MS. Second birthday of his daughter, Carrie S. ADAMS. Some records say that his body was never identified, so this is probably the date he was pronounced dead.

1863 Jul 1 - Battle of Gettysburg, PA, William R. WARNOCK injured.

1863 Jul 4 - Walton D. ADAMS, James F. ADAMS taken prisoner at Vicksburg.

1863 Jul 9 - Walton D. ADAMS, James F. ADAMS and William M. SPRUILL released at Vicksburg, after signing an oath swearing that they would not resume fighting.

1863 Aug 1 - John W. BALL appointed 1st Corporal

1863 Aug 23 - William Salathiel ADAMS born, son of Salathiel L. ADAMS Jr, who died 2 months earlier, and Anna Catherine BALL.

1863 Sep 18-20 - Battle of Chickamauga, in the northwestern corner of Georgia, the first major battle of the war in Georgia.

1863 Sep 25 - Sarah Washington SPRUILL, daughter of Jame T. SPRUILL, married Benjamin Stephen MARTIN.

1863 Nov 25 - Battle of Missionary Ridge, TN. William M. SPRUILL wounded in action.

1864 Jan 23 - Thomas Franklin SPRUILL, son of James T. SPRUILL and Milly ADAMS, enlisted in 63rd Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company C, as Private.

1864 Feb 7 - Walton D. ADAMS delivered at Camp of Instruction, Decatur, GA. Deserter. Walton had signed an oath saying he would not resume fighting. That conflicted with his duty as a Confederate soldier. He had to break one promise or the other. I don't know how long Walton was held at the Camp of Instruction, but he definitely would have had an interest in the developments involved with the Atlanta Campaign, 7 May to 2 Sep 1864.

1864 May 12 - Spotsylvania, PA, Benjamin Stephen MARTIN wounded in arm, below elbow, necessitating amputation. Applied for an artificial arm in 1879.

1864 Jul 20 - Battle of Peach Tree Creek, Georgia

One of the major battles of the Atlanta Campaign took place at Peach Tree Creek, or Peachtree Creek. The ADAMS farm was on Nancy Creek, just a few miles to the northeast. The battle involved more than 20,000 troops on each side. The fatalities were heavy: 1,900 Union troops and 2,500 Confederate troops were killed. This Union victory set the stage for Sherman's March.

Georgia had not seen much fighting until the Battle of Chickamauga in Sep 1863. However, in 1864 General Sherman more than made up for it. The ADAMS boys had been off fighting in Kentucky, and then Mississippi, and some had been captured and released at Vicksburg. Since they were sworn not to resume fighting, they probably made their way back home. I don't know what they were doing in the summer of 1864. If they came back to the 36th Regiment, then they were fighting in Georgia.

The Confederate forces in the Battle of Peach Tree Creek were from the Confederate Army of Tennessee. I don't know if any of the ADAMS boys were near enough to defend their homes. I have not heard if the ADAMS farm suffered damage. The battle involved more than 20,000 troops on each side. The fatalities were heavy: 1,900 Union troops and 2,500 Confederate troops were killed. This Union victory set the stage for SHERMAN's March.

Carnage

"Few battlefields of the war have been strewn so thickly with dead and wounded as they lay that evening around Collier's Mill." -- Union Major Gen. J.D. COX

1864 Aug - Elizabeth (HARRIS) ADAMS died, 1st wife of Walton D. ADAMS

1864 Sep 2 - The city of Atlanta was taken by Union forces.

1864 Nov 15 - The Savannah Campaign began.

General SHERMAN's infamous March to the Sea, also known as the Savannah Campaign, took place between 15 Nov and 21 Dec 1864. The march started in the vicinity of Atlanta, and culminated in the capture of the port city of Savannah, Georgia. The March was preceded by a series of battles, including the Battle of Peach Tree Creek (or Peachtree Creek), on 20 Jul 1864. This map of the Savannah Campaign shows the scenes of several conflicts, including the Battle of Peach Tree Creek in the upper right corner.

1864 Nov 25 - William R. WARNOCK mustered out, having been injured at Gettysburg.

1865 Feb 15 - Jesse Salathiel ADAMS born, son of Jesse H. ADAMS and Anna C. MITCHELL.

1865 Apr 9 - John W. BALL surrendered at Appomattox, VA.

1865 Apr - John W. BALL mustered out at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia.

1865 Apr 26 - Thomas F. SPRUILL mustered out.

1865 May 5 - Corporal Moses ROBINSON paroled at Greensboro, NC.

1865 May 9 - Confederate Armies surrender, and the war is over.

1865 Dec 28 - John W. BALL married Margaret ADAMS in DeKalb County, Georgia.

ALLEN in AR

There must be hundreds of William ALLENs born around 1823, in or near Alabama, and more than one of them married women named Matilda. This pension application was made by Matilda C. ALLEN, widow of William ALLEN. So it is likely to be the right one, agreeing with the middle initial C in the 1900 Census (below). It shows that William ALLEN served in the Civil War, Company C, 2nd Arkansas Infantry, Union Army, and died before 25 Sep 1891. However, he enlisted in Company B.

BARTLETT in MI

Horace and Sally BARTLETT had 8 children, born between 1820 and 1840 in Whitby, Ontario, Canada, except possibly the youngest, and they moved to Lapeer County, Michigan in 1840.

The eldest was Albert BARTLETT, born about 1820, who was a carpenter in the 1860 US Census. Albert enlisted as a Private in Company G, Michigan 7th Infantry Regiment on 05 Sep 1864, in Pontiac, MI, and mustered out on 24 Jun 1865 at Philadelphia, PA. So he entered the war very late, at age 44, and served over 10 months. This roster says he "Lived in Pontiac at enlistment. Enlisted in company G, Seventh Infantry, Sept. 5, 1864, at Pontiac, for 1 year, age 44. Mustered Sept. 5, 1864. Discharged at White Hall Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, June 24, 1865." I have no idea how Albert ended up at a hospital in Philadelphia.

The 7th Michigan Infantry took part in several major battles in the war, including Antietam and Gettysburg, but Albert joined too late for those. He would have been with the 7th during the Appomattox Campaign, from 28 Mar to 9 Apr 1865, culminating in the surrender of Lee and his army at Appomattox Courthouse.

Cynthia "Sinthie" BARTLETT was born in 1822. I don't know if she and Albert were twins. Sinthie married Erwin HUNTLEY, and their son and son-in-law served in the Civil War. See the HUNTLEY section, below.

Horace BARTLETT Jr was born in on 12 Apr 1827. He was drafted toward the end of the Civil War, but paid someone to serve for him. That was legal, and not uncommon in those days. His substitute, John MURRAY, enlisted in Company I, 16th Infantry, on March 18, 1865, at Dryden, for 3 years, age 39. Mustered March 18, 1865. Mustered out at Jeffersonville, IN, July 8, 1865.

Philena BARTLETT, the youngest of 8, was born 1839-40, in NY or Canada. She married William H. ALCOTT, on 29 Sep 1865 in Macomb County, MI. They were both 25 years old, so William was also born in 1839-40. William enlisted on 7 Aug 1862, and joined Company K, Michigan 4th Cavalry Regiment on 29 Aug 1862. Promoted to Full Blacksmith. Mustered out on 27 Jun 1865 at Louisville, KY. So they married 3 months after William's discharge.

BOWERS and BARNES in AR

William M. BOWERS Jr was born 4 Nov 1846 in Johnson County, Arkansas. William fought for the Union, in the 1st Arkansas Infantry, Company H. He enlisted as a Private on 1 Mar 1864 in Fort Smith AR, for a 3-year term, but he mustered out on 10 Aug 1865. (The Adjutant General's Report says he enlisted on 1 Mar 1863, and mustered out 6 Jun 1864, but these dates conflict with several other records.) Only about 20% of the soldiers from Arkansas who fought in the Civil War were on the Union side. At the time William enlisted, he was still 8 months shy of his 18th birthday.

The BOWERS home, on Haigwood Prairie, the current site of the town of Paris, was burned during the Civil War, by Confederate Bushwackers. I don't know if this was before or after William enlisted. It may have contributed to his siding with the Union, or maybe his home was attacked because he was known to be a Union supporter. William carried the family Bible with him during his service. His parents, William BOWERS Sr and Sabra CHRISTIE, died in 1860 and 1862, but I don't know whether the deaths were related to the war.

William's half-brothers, John R. BARNES and Redden Lafayette "Fate" BARNES, were both killed in the war.

John R. BARNES was born about 1838, in Arkansas. He enlisted in the Union Army, as a Private in Company H, Arkansas 1st Infantry Regiment on 10 Mar 1863, in Johnson County, AR. This was the same company that William BOWERS joined a year later. Somehow, John survived the war, but died in 1865. There was also a John R. BARNES on the Confederate side. He enlisted in 1862, as a Private in the 35th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry, Company K.

Redden BARNES was born about 1841, in Arkansas. From the SPRINGER Family Record: "Redden BARNES was captured at the Battle of Prairie Grove, Washington County Arkansas, and with other prisoners placed on a steamboat at Van Buren, Arkansas headed for Little Rock. AUNT NAN WOMACK met the boat at Roseville and begged for them to release him. They supposed he was killed and thrown into the Arkansas River." The Battle of Prairie Grove took place on 7 Dec 1862. The family record doesn't mention whether he was Union or Confederate.

There is a record for Redden BARNES in the Confederate Army. He enlisted in 1862, as a Private in the 35th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry, Company K, just like John R. BARNES. So it looks like the BARNES brothers first enlisted as Confederates, then when Redden was captured and killed, and their mother Sabra had died, John R. BARNES decided to join the Union side, where his younger half-brother William BOWERS followed a year later.

EATON in NY

Edmund W. EATON was born about 1828, in Broome County, New York, the son of James EATON and Sara LEE. He was killed in the Civil War, on 1 Apr 1865, leaving behind a wife and 7 children.

The record Deaths of Officers and Enlisted Men tells us that he was 37, married, with 7 children. He volunteered for the 185th New York Infantry in Sep 1864, at the rank of Private. Edmund was killed in battle on 1 Apr 1865, at Cloves Hill. I believe this is intended to be Clover Hill, near Culpeper, Virginia. This was not the scene of a major battle, but was the headquarters of Brigadier General George Armstrong CUSTER.

Another record indicates that he died on 29 Mar 1865, at Gravelly Run, a.k.a. the Battle of White Oak Road, in Dinwiddie County, VA. I suppose he was mortally wounded at Gravelly Run, and transported about 100 miles north to Clover Hill, where he died 3 days later.

Susan E. EATON, widow of Edmund W. EATON, applied for his pension on 7 Nov 1865. I'm not sure how to read this, but it looks like another application was made on 4 Mar 1871, on behalf of a minor, with guardian James C. GLADDING.

FISHER in IN

David A FISHER

From “John Boyd of Berkeley County, West Virginia,” by Gordon W. Paul, 1991, page 317

DAVID A. FISHER, born in Martin County, IN, in 1837, was the fourth child of Jacob and Juliana (Boyd) Fisher, and was married to Sarah A. Keller on 29 Jan 1857 in Martin County, IN. He served in Company F, 134^th Indiana Infantry for 100 days in 1864 as a private and later in Company J, 147^th Indiana Infantry as a private and as a corporal. Benza Fisher (letter to author, 18 Jan 1989) wrote that David was riding horseback to have some corn ground for feed, and was found dead over the next hill. There seems to be no record of children from this marriage.

David FISHER's biography, above, says that he "served in Company F, 134^th Indiana Infantry for 100 days in 1864 as a private and later in Company J, 147^th Indiana Infantry as a private and as a corporal."

Many David FISHERs were involved in the American Civil War. If David FISHER was killed in the war, that would explain why I can't find any record of him afterwards.

The record above show that the pension for David FISHER, 85th Indiana Infantry, Engineering Corps, was applied for by his widow, Sarah A FISHER. It looks like a good match. If I am interpreting this correctly, David filed as an invalid on 21 Sep 1888, and his widow filed on 7 Feb 1917.

Of course there have been many David FISHERs. You might think that, when you find a Civil War soldier named David FISHER, with a wife named Sarah A. FISHER, you must have the right one. However, there was another with the same description in the 7th Illinois Infantry, Company K, and yet another in the 50th Ohio Infantry, Company E. Their widows, all Sarah A. FISHERs, filed for their pensions, in Illinois and Ohio.

There was a David FISHER, from Newberry, Cass, Greene, IN, which is very close to Martin County, in Company K, 80th Indiana Regiment. He mustered on 13 Aug 1862 and died of "ulceration of bowels" in Nov 1862, in Danville, KY, and is buried at the Danville National Cemetery. This is clearly not the David FISHER who was transferred in 1864.

I believe that the David FISHER who died in 1862 is the right one. That explains why there seems to be no record of him after the war. Also, his wife remarried on 9 Mar 1864.

Elijah FISHER was born 13 Oct 1832 in IN, son of Jacob FISHER and Julia BOYD.

HUNTLEY in MI

Both Adelbert C. HUNTLEY and his future brother-in-law Miller J. STOCKING enlisted as Privates in Company D, 1st Regiment, Engineers and Mechanics, Michigan.

Adelbert HUNTLEY was b. 15 Mar 1847, and enlisted on 23 Dec 1863, at age 16. He was promoted to the rank of Artificer (although some sources say that Artificer is a job title, not a rank), and was discharged on 25 Sep 1865, having served 1 year, 9 months and 3 days. At age 19, he was already a veteran and a skilled craftsman.

Miller J. STOCKING was b. 16 Oct 1845 in MI. He enlisted on 2 Dec 1863 in Grand Rapids, MI, and joined the 1st Regiment, Company D on 4 Jan 1864. He mustered out on 22 Sep 1865 at Nashville, TN.

Adelbert's sister, Aldura HUNTLEY married Miller J. STOCKING 10 Jul 1866, in Kent County, MI.

The 1st Michigan Regiment was involved in building bridges and other infrastructure. They were with General Sherman on his infamous March to the Sea in Nov-Dec 1864, and at the Battle of Bentonville, NC in Mar 1865. I can't help but wonder if they helped destroy the properties of the ADAMS, CROWLEY, SPRUILL and MARTIN families.

The 1st Regiment roster has 3 more HUNTLEYs and 1 more STOCKING:

MARTIN in GA

Benjamin Stephen MARTIN, son of Stephen MARTIN and Sarah CROWLEY, was born 25 Apr 1843 in De Kalb County, GA, just north of what is now Atlanta. He enlisted on 26 Sep 1861, in the 38th Georgia Infantry, "Logan Regiment", Company A, and transferred to Company K in Jan 1862. He was wounded in one arm, at Spotsylvania, VA, and the arm was amputated below the elbow, on 12 May 1864. The record also says "Absent, wounded August 31, 1864, to close war." It's interesting that he was wounded at Spotsylvania, just a few miles from the site of the Germanna Colony, where his gg-grandfather Johan Jost MARTIN had settled.

He married Sarah Washington SPRUILL on 25 SEP 1863 in De Kalb County, according to state records. This was 2 years after he enlisted, but before he lost his arm. He must have been home on leave.

About 1880, Benjamin and Sarah moved their family to Logan County, AR.

There was a James MARTIN who served in the 38th Georgia Infantry, Company A, alongside Benjamin S. MARTIN. Of course there were many James MARTINs, but this might explain why I have not found any record of him after the war.

Martin, James—Private Sept. 26, 1861. Captured at Gettysburg, Pa. July 1 or 3, 1863. Died of scrofula at Fort Delaware, Del. May 7, 1864.

Roster of the Confederate soldiers of Georgia, ... v.4. Georgia. State Division of Confederate Pensions and Records. (from the section on the 38th Georgia Infantry, Company A)

Sarah Jane MARTIN, son of Stephen MARTIN and Sarah CROWLEY, was born 3 Jan 1840, in DeKalb County, GA. She married Samuel Isaac "Ike" BURDETT on 10 Mar 1859, in DeKalb County, GA. Samuel was a Private in the 9th Battalion, Georgia Artillery.

SPRUILL in GA

Sarah Washington SPRUILL, daughter of James T. SPRUILL and Milly ADAMS, was born 14 Jan 1843 in De Kalb County. She married Benjamin Stephen MARTIN, brother of Naomi Ann MARTIN, on 18 Oct 1863 in De Kalb County. See the MARTIN section, above.

William Marion SPRUILL, son of James T. SPRUILL and Milly ADAMS, was born 24 Apr 1844 in Cross Keys, De Kalb, GA. He enlisted in the 36th Georgia Infantry, Company F, as Private, on 10 Apr 1862, along with Private James F. ADAMS, his cousin, and Sergeant William J. DONALDSON, the future husband of his cousin Martha ADAMS, brother of James. William was taken prisoner at Vicksburg, and released on 9 Jul 1863, along with cousins James F. ADAMS and Walton D. ADAMS, after signing an oath swearing that they would not resume fighting. His cousin Salathiel ADAMS was killed in the battle. William apparently did resume fighting, as he was wounded on 25 Nov 1863 at the Battle of Missionary Ridge, TN. He married Elizabeth BALL in 1868 in De Kalb County.

Thomas Franklin SPRUILL, son of James T. SPRUILL and Milly ADAMS, was born 2 May 1846 in Dunwoody, De Kalb, GA. He enlisted in the 63rd Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company C, as Private, on 23 Jan 1864, and mustered out on 26 Apr 1865. He married Naomi Ann MARTIN, daughter of Stephen MARTIN and Sarah CROWLEY, on 15 Jul 1866 in Dunwoody.

STURGES in IL

Emanuel STURGES was born in the County of Lincolnshire, England, in the mid 1820s. A single man of 25, Emanuel STURGES immigrated to America, arriving in New York on 3 Mar 1851. Emanuel settled first in DeKalb County, IL, and later in Kane County. In about 1856 he married Margaret SHARKEY. Their first child, John STURGES, was born in 1859.

Emanuel STURGES served in the US Civil War, in the 124th Illinois Infantry, Company B. He enlisted for a period or 3 years, but was discharged after less than 7 months, due to some kind of disability.

The 124th Illinois Infantry mustered into service in Aug 1862, so Emanuel STURGES was there at the beginning. They became active on 10 Sep 1862, entering the war in the Western Theatre, and taking part in the Siege of Vicksburg, which began in Dec 1862, and culminated in the battle on 4 Jul 1863. However the 124th did not arrive at Vicksburg until mid May 1863. Emanuel was discharged for disability in Memphis, on 22 Feb 1863.

Sources

[AG] Report of the adjutant general of Arkansas, for the period of the Late Rebellion, and to November 1, 1866

[GA] Georgia USGenWeb Archives Project

[JR] Historical Sketch and Roster Of The Georgia 36th Infantry Regiment (Glenn's), by John C. Rigdon, 2015

[MR] Muster Roll or Company F, 36th Regiment / Georgia Volunteer Infantry / Army of Tennessee

[SS] Sandy Springs/Images of America (2010) by Kimberly M. Brigance and Morris V. Moore

[AC] Pen and ink sketch map drawn on tracing cloth, showing roads, streams, bridges, ferries, fords, houses, names of residents, and towns between Atlanta and the Chattahoochee River, 1864

Last updated 8 Jan 2023 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com.