Page 171 |
Previous | 171 of 303 | Next |
|
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
Large
Extra Large
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
|
This page
All
|
Loading content ...
THIRTY-THIRD ILLINOIS VETERAN VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
171
"I" COMPANY SKETCH.
Pike county, noted in story for its brave men, handsome women and "Bailey's fat cattle", was the home of the body of men that met in Griggsville on August 26th, 1861, and organized into what afterwards became Company I of the Thirty-third Illinois Infantry. William W. H. Lawton, a merchant of Griggsville; William T. Lyon, a soldier from the ranks of the Eighth Illinois Infantry—three months' service; E. A. F. Allen and Sampson Purcell were mainly instrumental in bringing about the enlistment of the company, and at its organization Lawton was elected Captain, Lyon 1st Lieutenant, Allen 2nd Lieutenant, and Purcell Orderly Sergeant.
At this time they had no particular regiment in view. With them it was a chance to get into the service to do something to preserve the union. They were young men from the farm and work shops, thoroughly imbued with that spirit of patriotism that placed country before home; for without country the home would be valueless. No liberal bounty tempted these men to enlist. Very few of them even knew how much, if any amount, would be paid them for their services. Just the chance to stand up for "Uncle Sam" was all they asked. How well they stood up and how long, the regimental record will bear testimony to. They did their duty and did it well. Uncomplainingly they endured hardships; unflinchingly they kept their place in line; and on Texas's far-off shore, when the regiment re-enlisted, Company I furnished its full quota of veterans. They "proposed to fight it out on that line" if it took every man to do it. The gallant Lawton, desperately wounded at Vicksburg, was compelled to leave them, but Lyon staid with them to the end. It was only a remnant of the Company that organized at Griggsville on that August day in 1861 that returned with him in December, 1865. The awkward, beardless boy of the then was the sturdy, bearded veteran on his return. He knew he had done his full duty, and trusted that his home people and country would appreciate it.
Company I was represented in the many little mounds that marked the regiment's course from Missouri to the Mexican line. In their marches and counter-marches through Missouri and Arkansas, the jour-neyings up and down the Mississippi River, through the swamps of Louisiana and the pine barrens of Alabama and Mississippi, all are dotted with these sad reminders, war's milestones. For these comrades there
was no home-coming; but their memory is kept green in the hearts of the loyal people of Pike county, and each Memorial Day sees a simple but appropriate tribute paid to the honor of the boys that went, but "did not return"—to those that gave their lives that this might be a Union in fact as well as in name. Pike county honors the living as well as the dead, and is ever proud of the fact that she gave of her best to swell the ranks of the Thirty-third, and they of the Thirty-third are always grateful for "the contingent" who were comrades indeed. On their arrival at Camp Butler, Illinois, they, through the influence of Dr. George P. Bex, afterwards Surgeon of the Thirty-third Illinois, became a part of that regiment and became known as Company I. Surgeon Bex was from Pike county and always took a great interest in his "Pike County Contingent". His kindly attention to them in their hour of need saved many a one that he might "do duty" and return to his home. The kind-hearted old gentleman is held in grateful remembrance by "the contingent", and also by the friends of those whom his aid could not save to them and country. He has gone to his rest, eternal. He was a good and true man. All honor to his name.
For the correctness of I Company roster of enlistments and discharges the company is much indebted to Solomon G. Chanie for his carefully preserved records of the company, copies of which have been freely given to the compiler, who tried faithfully to get a Company I man to write this sketch, but failed.
The following is a synopsis of I Company roster of enlistments and discharges:
Enrollment at organization, 77.
Recruits received, 48.
Transfers from 72nd, 117th and 124th Illinois Infantry, 69.
Total enrollment of company, 194.
Wounded in battle or by accident, 5.
Killed or died of wounds, 11.
Died from disease, 16.
Discharged for disability, 40.
Discharged from expiration of service, 17.
Transferred to other branches of service, 5.
Promotions from company to other regiments, 1.
Deserted, 2.
Discharged at final muster-out, 71.
Unaccounted for, 31.
Object Description
| Title | History of the Thirty-Third Regiment Illinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War, 22nd August, 1861, to 7th December, 1865 |
| Creator | Way, Virgil Gilman, 1847- |
| Contributors | Elliott, Isaac Hughes, 1837-1922 |
| Subject [LCSH] |
Illinois. 33d Regiment, 1861-1865 United States --History --Civil War, 1861-1865 --Regimental histories --Illinois Infantry --33d |
| Description | History of the Thirty-Third Regiment Illinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War, 22nd August, 1861, to 7th December, 1865 |
| Date Original | 1902 |
| Format | Book |
| Digital Format | JPEG |
| Language | eng |
| Contributing Institution | Illinois State Library |
| Rights | Materials in this collection are made available by the Illinois State Library. To request reproductions or inquire about permissions, contact: islimg@ilsos.net. Please cite the item title and collection name. |
| Identifier | 2849438 |
| Type | Text |
| Collection Name | Illinois and the Civil War - Documents |
| OCLC number | 830038418 |
Description
| Title | Page 171 |
| Transcript | THIRTY-THIRD ILLINOIS VETERAN VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 171 "I" COMPANY SKETCH. Pike county, noted in story for its brave men, handsome women and "Bailey's fat cattle", was the home of the body of men that met in Griggsville on August 26th, 1861, and organized into what afterwards became Company I of the Thirty-third Illinois Infantry. William W. H. Lawton, a merchant of Griggsville; William T. Lyon, a soldier from the ranks of the Eighth Illinois Infantry—three months' service; E. A. F. Allen and Sampson Purcell were mainly instrumental in bringing about the enlistment of the company, and at its organization Lawton was elected Captain, Lyon 1st Lieutenant, Allen 2nd Lieutenant, and Purcell Orderly Sergeant. At this time they had no particular regiment in view. With them it was a chance to get into the service to do something to preserve the union. They were young men from the farm and work shops, thoroughly imbued with that spirit of patriotism that placed country before home; for without country the home would be valueless. No liberal bounty tempted these men to enlist. Very few of them even knew how much, if any amount, would be paid them for their services. Just the chance to stand up for "Uncle Sam" was all they asked. How well they stood up and how long, the regimental record will bear testimony to. They did their duty and did it well. Uncomplainingly they endured hardships; unflinchingly they kept their place in line; and on Texas's far-off shore, when the regiment re-enlisted, Company I furnished its full quota of veterans. They "proposed to fight it out on that line" if it took every man to do it. The gallant Lawton, desperately wounded at Vicksburg, was compelled to leave them, but Lyon staid with them to the end. It was only a remnant of the Company that organized at Griggsville on that August day in 1861 that returned with him in December, 1865. The awkward, beardless boy of the then was the sturdy, bearded veteran on his return. He knew he had done his full duty, and trusted that his home people and country would appreciate it. Company I was represented in the many little mounds that marked the regiment's course from Missouri to the Mexican line. In their marches and counter-marches through Missouri and Arkansas, the jour-neyings up and down the Mississippi River, through the swamps of Louisiana and the pine barrens of Alabama and Mississippi, all are dotted with these sad reminders, war's milestones. For these comrades there was no home-coming; but their memory is kept green in the hearts of the loyal people of Pike county, and each Memorial Day sees a simple but appropriate tribute paid to the honor of the boys that went, but "did not return"—to those that gave their lives that this might be a Union in fact as well as in name. Pike county honors the living as well as the dead, and is ever proud of the fact that she gave of her best to swell the ranks of the Thirty-third, and they of the Thirty-third are always grateful for "the contingent" who were comrades indeed. On their arrival at Camp Butler, Illinois, they, through the influence of Dr. George P. Bex, afterwards Surgeon of the Thirty-third Illinois, became a part of that regiment and became known as Company I. Surgeon Bex was from Pike county and always took a great interest in his "Pike County Contingent". His kindly attention to them in their hour of need saved many a one that he might "do duty" and return to his home. The kind-hearted old gentleman is held in grateful remembrance by "the contingent", and also by the friends of those whom his aid could not save to them and country. He has gone to his rest, eternal. He was a good and true man. All honor to his name. For the correctness of I Company roster of enlistments and discharges the company is much indebted to Solomon G. Chanie for his carefully preserved records of the company, copies of which have been freely given to the compiler, who tried faithfully to get a Company I man to write this sketch, but failed. The following is a synopsis of I Company roster of enlistments and discharges: Enrollment at organization, 77. Recruits received, 48. Transfers from 72nd, 117th and 124th Illinois Infantry, 69. Total enrollment of company, 194. Wounded in battle or by accident, 5. Killed or died of wounds, 11. Died from disease, 16. Discharged for disability, 40. Discharged from expiration of service, 17. Transferred to other branches of service, 5. Promotions from company to other regiments, 1. Deserted, 2. Discharged at final muster-out, 71. Unaccounted for, 31. |
| Collection Name | Illinois and the Civil War - Documents |
