In Memory of Oliver Kile
Husband, Father, Farmer, and Civil War Soldier

Oliver Kile was 5 years old when his father died in 1835. He moved with his mother Nancy from Ohio to Quincy, Illinois where he grew up. He married Susan Amesly Overman in Sullivan County, Missouri March 2, 1856. They were living at Linnels, Missouri when the Civil War started.

Oliver traveled to Pitsfield, Illinois and enlisted in the US Army August 17, 1861 to serve 3 years assigned tot he 28th Illinois Infantry Co B. His unit was the first to arrive at Pittsburg Landing on the Tennessee River near Shiloh. Early Sunday morning, April 6, 1862, his unit was called out and assigned a position on the left of the front line in the peach orchard and immediately came under attack. He was taken prisoner in the April 6 battle, moved to Corinth, Miss, then Tuscaloosa, Alabama and confined at Montgomery. He contracted sickness while a prisoner and was released on parole May 23, 1862. His parole expired Aug 31, 1862 but he never regained his health. He rejoined his unit and was present during the siege of Vicksburg.

Following the surrender of Vicksburg, July 4, 1863, his unit moved to Natchez, Miss. Oliver Kile died Sept 13, 1863 in the general hospital at Natchez of the disease contracted earlier. Military records leave little doubt Oliver is one of many buried as an unknown soldier in the Natchez National Military Park Cemetery.

Susan came to Texas in 1872 with her children, changed the spelling of the family name to KYLE and lived out her days in this area. Inside the Illinois memorial at Vicksburg Oliver Kile is listed on the bronze tablet as a member of the 28th Illinois volunteers. He must also be remembered here at Forest Grove where his family rests.