January 1864 opened with extreme cold across both North and South with temperatures dropping to below zero as far south as Memphis. Isaac, a 25 year old man, felt all of the extreme cold, "temperatures up to 20 below zero" on 8th December 1863, in Porter County, Valparaiso, Indiana, where he enrolled in the Union Army.
There had been no major military action since November 1863 but the cold caused much suffering among the soldiers.
The 12th Indiana Cavalry had rendezvoused at Kendallville, recruiting new men, taking time to be outfitted and engaged in drills.
Meanwhile at the fronts throughout January skirmishing was on the increase but there was no large scale fighting as in the previous year.
In February, Sherman left Vicksburg with over 26,000 men on an expedition to destroy Confederate held railroads in the state. Sherman skirmished all the way through Jackson, to Meridian, Mississippi.
Fighting increased all over by the end of March but there still had not been a major confrontation between North and South since the autumn of 1863.
May, 1864 began with the Red River campaign coming to a close and the Federal troops commencing their move across the Rapidan in Virginia. The first great battle of 1864, the Wilderness, began on May 5, and about this time the 12th Ind. Cavalry left Camp Mitchell at Kendallville and proceeded to Camp Shanks in Indianapolis.
On May 6 the regiment left Indianapolis for the field, under orders to go to Nashville. At about this time, May 7, 1864 General Sherman was beginning his move toward Atlanta.
The regiment remained at Nashville in camp of instruction for about three weeks, when it was ordered to Huntsville, Alabama.
The skirmish of June 27, 1864 at Big Cove Valley Alabama, is covered in the report of Captain Richart to Colonel Anderson and involved a detachment of the 12th Indiana Cavalry. Captain Richart received information on the 26th of June that Johnson's band of guerillas was in the Big Cove Valley, six miles northeast of Huntsville. At 5 p.m. he left the post with 41 men and crossed the mountain by what is known as Franklin's Path. He moved cautiously up the cove till 10 o'clock, and then went into camp. At daybreak they were again on the move and, after marching about three-quarters of a mile, halted at the creek to water the horses. As they started out they suddenly came upon fifteen of the enemy under the command of Parson Johnson, feeding their horses. In Richart's own words: "I immediately attacked them, and, although they occupied a very strong position on ground that was very unfavorable for cavalry to operate upon, yet at the expiration of fifteen minutes' sharp fighting we drove them in confusion, capturing 5 horses and equipments and wounding 3 or 4 of the band. We chased them into the hills near Blevingston Gap, a distance of two miles from the scene of the fight. After eating the breakfast prepared for the (rebel) band and feeding the horses, I moved down the valley with the captured property, safely arriving at camp at 3:30 p.m. of the 27th instant. My loss in the skirmish was, I am sorry to say, 1 man was mortally wounded at the third volley fired by the enemy; also 1 horse killed and 10 wounded, several seriously. The men behaved well, with one or two exceptions; much better, indeed, than could be expected of raw troops the first time under fire."
Isaac had married Susan G. Hale on 21 September 1858, in Valparaiso, Indiana and 7 July 1859, little Emma was born. Sadly to the Beam household, Susan, who was born 23 July 1838, died 19 January 1863 leaving their little Emma alone, having no parents at all; her father have died just 6 months later. Richard L. Bingor became Emma's guardian, but only for a short time as she died a few days after her father, 30 July 1864.
It should be emphasized that while collecting data for "Union Solders Who Died in Huntsville Alabama during the Civil War" study, it has become obvious that much critical information on how many Soldiers were wounded/killed or died of disease and who/where they are buried or were they were taken afterwards is lacking.
Much of this information still resides in the memories and family records and other
personal documents of the survivors and participants and their descendants. For this reason, I reached out, both locally and nationally, for more information on possible Union soldiers that passed during the occupation of Huntsville, Alabama whose deaths were never recorded.
There had been no major military action since November 1863 but the cold caused much suffering among the soldiers.
The 12th Indiana Cavalry had rendezvoused at Kendallville, recruiting new men, taking time to be outfitted and engaged in drills.
Meanwhile at the fronts throughout January skirmishing was on the increase but there was no large scale fighting as in the previous year.
In February, Sherman left Vicksburg with over 26,000 men on an expedition to destroy Confederate held railroads in the state. Sherman skirmished all the way through Jackson, to Meridian, Mississippi.
Fighting increased all over by the end of March but there still had not been a major confrontation between North and South since the autumn of 1863.
May, 1864 began with the Red River campaign coming to a close and the Federal troops commencing their move across the Rapidan in Virginia. The first great battle of 1864, the Wilderness, began on May 5, and about this time the 12th Ind. Cavalry left Camp Mitchell at Kendallville and proceeded to Camp Shanks in Indianapolis.
On May 6 the regiment left Indianapolis for the field, under orders to go to Nashville. At about this time, May 7, 1864 General Sherman was beginning his move toward Atlanta.
The regiment remained at Nashville in camp of instruction for about three weeks, when it was ordered to Huntsville, Alabama.
The skirmish of June 27, 1864 at Big Cove Valley Alabama, is covered in the report of Captain Richart to Colonel Anderson and involved a detachment of the 12th Indiana Cavalry. Captain Richart received information on the 26th of June that Johnson's band of guerillas was in the Big Cove Valley, six miles northeast of Huntsville. At 5 p.m. he left the post with 41 men and crossed the mountain by what is known as Franklin's Path. He moved cautiously up the cove till 10 o'clock, and then went into camp. At daybreak they were again on the move and, after marching about three-quarters of a mile, halted at the creek to water the horses. As they started out they suddenly came upon fifteen of the enemy under the command of Parson Johnson, feeding their horses. In Richart's own words: "I immediately attacked them, and, although they occupied a very strong position on ground that was very unfavorable for cavalry to operate upon, yet at the expiration of fifteen minutes' sharp fighting we drove them in confusion, capturing 5 horses and equipments and wounding 3 or 4 of the band. We chased them into the hills near Blevingston Gap, a distance of two miles from the scene of the fight. After eating the breakfast prepared for the (rebel) band and feeding the horses, I moved down the valley with the captured property, safely arriving at camp at 3:30 p.m. of the 27th instant. My loss in the skirmish was, I am sorry to say, 1 man was mortally wounded at the third volley fired by the enemy; also 1 horse killed and 10 wounded, several seriously. The men behaved well, with one or two exceptions; much better, indeed, than could be expected of raw troops the first time under fire."
Isaac had married Susan G. Hale on 21 September 1858, in Valparaiso, Indiana and 7 July 1859, little Emma was born. Sadly to the Beam household, Susan, who was born 23 July 1838, died 19 January 1863 leaving their little Emma alone, having no parents at all; her father have died just 6 months later. Richard L. Bingor became Emma's guardian, but only for a short time as she died a few days after her father, 30 July 1864.
It should be emphasized that while collecting data for "Union Solders Who Died in Huntsville Alabama during the Civil War" study, it has become obvious that much critical information on how many Soldiers were wounded/killed or died of disease and who/where they are buried or were they were taken afterwards is lacking.
Much of this information still resides in the memories and family records and other
personal documents of the survivors and participants and their descendants. For this reason, I reached out, both locally and nationally, for more information on possible Union soldiers that passed during the occupation of Huntsville, Alabama whose deaths were never recorded.
January 1864 opened with extreme cold across both North and South with temperatures dropping to below zero as far south as Memphis. Isaac, a 25 year old man, felt all of the extreme cold, "temperatures up to 20 below zero" on 8th December 1863, in Porter County, Valparaiso, Indiana, where he enrolled in the Union Army.
There had been no major military action since November 1863 but the cold caused much suffering among the soldiers.
The 12th Indiana Cavalry had rendezvoused at Kendallville, recruiting new men, taking time to be outfitted and engaged in drills.
Meanwhile at the fronts throughout January skirmishing was on the increase but there was no large scale fighting as in the previous year.
In February, Sherman left Vicksburg with over 26,000 men on an expedition to destroy Confederate held railroads in the state. Sherman skirmished all the way through Jackson, to Meridian, Mississippi.
Fighting increased all over by the end of March but there still had not been a major confrontation between North and South since the autumn of 1863.
May, 1864 began with the Red River campaign coming to a close and the Federal troops commencing their move across the Rapidan in Virginia. The first great battle of 1864, the Wilderness, began on May 5, and about this time the 12th Ind. Cavalry left Camp Mitchell at Kendallville and proceeded to Camp Shanks in Indianapolis.
On May 6 the regiment left Indianapolis for the field, under orders to go to Nashville. At about this time, May 7, 1864 General Sherman was beginning his move toward Atlanta.
The regiment remained at Nashville in camp of instruction for about three weeks, when it was ordered to Huntsville, Alabama.
The skirmish of June 27, 1864 at Big Cove Valley Alabama, is covered in the report of Captain Richart to Colonel Anderson and involved a detachment of the 12th Indiana Cavalry. Captain Richart received information on the 26th of June that Johnson's band of guerillas was in the Big Cove Valley, six miles northeast of Huntsville. At 5 p.m. he left the post with 41 men and crossed the mountain by what is known as Franklin's Path. He moved cautiously up the cove till 10 o'clock, and then went into camp. At daybreak they were again on the move and, after marching about three-quarters of a mile, halted at the creek to water the horses. As they started out they suddenly came upon fifteen of the enemy under the command of Parson Johnson, feeding their horses. In Richart's own words: "I immediately attacked them, and, although they occupied a very strong position on ground that was very unfavorable for cavalry to operate upon, yet at the expiration of fifteen minutes' sharp fighting we drove them in confusion, capturing 5 horses and equipments and wounding 3 or 4 of the band. We chased them into the hills near Blevingston Gap, a distance of two miles from the scene of the fight. After eating the breakfast prepared for the (rebel) band and feeding the horses, I moved down the valley with the captured property, safely arriving at camp at 3:30 p.m. of the 27th instant. My loss in the skirmish was, I am sorry to say, 1 man was mortally wounded at the third volley fired by the enemy; also 1 horse killed and 10 wounded, several seriously. The men behaved well, with one or two exceptions; much better, indeed, than could be expected of raw troops the first time under fire."
Isaac had married Susan G. Hale on 21 September 1858, in Valparaiso, Indiana and 7 July 1859, little Emma was born. Sadly to the Beam household, Susan, who was born 23 July 1838, died 19 January 1863 leaving their little Emma alone, having no parents at all; her father have died just 6 months later. Richard L. Bingor became Emma's guardian, but only for a short time as she died a few days after her father, 30 July 1864.
It should be emphasized that while collecting data for "Union Solders Who Died in Huntsville Alabama during the Civil War" study, it has become obvious that much critical information on how many Soldiers were wounded/killed or died of disease and who/where they are buried or were they were taken afterwards is lacking.
Much of this information still resides in the memories and family records and other
personal documents of the survivors and participants and their descendants. For this reason, I reached out, both locally and nationally, for more information on possible Union soldiers that passed during the occupation of Huntsville, Alabama whose deaths were never recorded.
There had been no major military action since November 1863 but the cold caused much suffering among the soldiers.
The 12th Indiana Cavalry had rendezvoused at Kendallville, recruiting new men, taking time to be outfitted and engaged in drills.
Meanwhile at the fronts throughout January skirmishing was on the increase but there was no large scale fighting as in the previous year.
In February, Sherman left Vicksburg with over 26,000 men on an expedition to destroy Confederate held railroads in the state. Sherman skirmished all the way through Jackson, to Meridian, Mississippi.
Fighting increased all over by the end of March but there still had not been a major confrontation between North and South since the autumn of 1863.
May, 1864 began with the Red River campaign coming to a close and the Federal troops commencing their move across the Rapidan in Virginia. The first great battle of 1864, the Wilderness, began on May 5, and about this time the 12th Ind. Cavalry left Camp Mitchell at Kendallville and proceeded to Camp Shanks in Indianapolis.
On May 6 the regiment left Indianapolis for the field, under orders to go to Nashville. At about this time, May 7, 1864 General Sherman was beginning his move toward Atlanta.
The regiment remained at Nashville in camp of instruction for about three weeks, when it was ordered to Huntsville, Alabama.
The skirmish of June 27, 1864 at Big Cove Valley Alabama, is covered in the report of Captain Richart to Colonel Anderson and involved a detachment of the 12th Indiana Cavalry. Captain Richart received information on the 26th of June that Johnson's band of guerillas was in the Big Cove Valley, six miles northeast of Huntsville. At 5 p.m. he left the post with 41 men and crossed the mountain by what is known as Franklin's Path. He moved cautiously up the cove till 10 o'clock, and then went into camp. At daybreak they were again on the move and, after marching about three-quarters of a mile, halted at the creek to water the horses. As they started out they suddenly came upon fifteen of the enemy under the command of Parson Johnson, feeding their horses. In Richart's own words: "I immediately attacked them, and, although they occupied a very strong position on ground that was very unfavorable for cavalry to operate upon, yet at the expiration of fifteen minutes' sharp fighting we drove them in confusion, capturing 5 horses and equipments and wounding 3 or 4 of the band. We chased them into the hills near Blevingston Gap, a distance of two miles from the scene of the fight. After eating the breakfast prepared for the (rebel) band and feeding the horses, I moved down the valley with the captured property, safely arriving at camp at 3:30 p.m. of the 27th instant. My loss in the skirmish was, I am sorry to say, 1 man was mortally wounded at the third volley fired by the enemy; also 1 horse killed and 10 wounded, several seriously. The men behaved well, with one or two exceptions; much better, indeed, than could be expected of raw troops the first time under fire."
Isaac had married Susan G. Hale on 21 September 1858, in Valparaiso, Indiana and 7 July 1859, little Emma was born. Sadly to the Beam household, Susan, who was born 23 July 1838, died 19 January 1863 leaving their little Emma alone, having no parents at all; her father have died just 6 months later. Richard L. Bingor became Emma's guardian, but only for a short time as she died a few days after her father, 30 July 1864.
It should be emphasized that while collecting data for "Union Solders Who Died in Huntsville Alabama during the Civil War" study, it has become obvious that much critical information on how many Soldiers were wounded/killed or died of disease and who/where they are buried or were they were taken afterwards is lacking.
Much of this information still resides in the memories and family records and other
personal documents of the survivors and participants and their descendants. For this reason, I reached out, both locally and nationally, for more information on possible Union soldiers that passed during the occupation of Huntsville, Alabama whose deaths were never recorded.
Family Members
Parents
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