Sergeant MILTON HOMER CLOUD, Co. G, 86th Illinois

Milton Homer Cloud was born on July 24, 1842 in Hamilton County, Ohio, the son of Vivian Cloud and Sarah Dunn (Gibson) Cloud. Vivian was born on October 16, 1812 in Dearborn County, Indiana, the son of Baylis Cloud and Elizabeth (Tebbs) Cloud. Bayliss, according to a site on familysearch, was born in January of 1777 in Front Royal, Shenandoah County, Virginia, died on November 30, 1860 in Logan Twp, Dearborn Co, Indiana and his mortal remains were laid in the Bulletsburg Church Cemetery in Dearborn County, Indiana.
Sarah D. (Gibson) Cloud was born on November 9, 1812 at __________, __________. Vivian and Sarah were married on February 7, 1833 in Providence Church in Miller Township, Dearborn County, Indiana. One of Sarah's brothers, was George D. Gibson, who had a son named John T. Gibson, who also was a member of Co. G of the 86th Illinois.
Vivian and Sarah are believed to have had 17 children, including;
1. George Willoughby Cloud 1834-1862
George W. Cloud volunteered to serve in what was to become Co. K of the 8th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry on August 4, 1861. He was a resident of Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois at the time he volunteered. He was a farmer, was married and claimed to have been born in Indiana. George W. Cloud was mustered into service as a Private in Co. K of the 8th. On Feberuary 15, 1862, George was elected to serve as a Sergeant in Co. K to fill a vacancy in the Sergeant positions. Sergeant George W. Cloud was killed in action less than two months later on April 6, 1862 during the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee. Today his mortal remains almost certainly lie in the Shiloh National Cemetery under a tombstone marked simply "Unknown U. S. Soldier."

2. Baylis Cloud 1835-1908

3. John G. Cloud 1837-1908

4. Robert A Cloud 1838-1839

5. Sarah A Cloud 1840-1843

6. Milton Homer Cloud 1842-1920

7. Frances E. Cloud 1844-1847

8. Charles M. Cloud 1846-1847

9. Adam Cloud 1847-1847

10. Japhit Cloud 1848-

11. Dennis Cloud 1848-1848

12. Thomas H. Cloud 1850-1853

13. Mary Cloud 1851-

14. Martha J. Cloud 1853-

15. John Quincy Adams Cloud 1854-1857

16. Charlotte Elizabeth Cloud 1856-1908

17. Sarah Cloud 1860-

Vivian and Sarah brought their family west to Illinois in late 1840's or 1850's and eventually settled in Tazewell County, Illinois. I have yet to locate the family in the 1850 census. They could be anywhere.
At the time of the 1860 census, the Clouds are found in Deer Creek Township, Tazewell County, Illinois;
Vivian Cloud M 47 Ind
Sarah Cloud F 47 Pa
Baylis Cloud M 24 Ind
Helen Cloud F 18 Ind
Milton Cloud M 17 O
Robt S Cloud M 16 O
Charlott Cloud F 2 Ill
Sarah Cloud F Ill

In the 1860's the family moved to Woodford County, Illinois. At the time of the 1870 census, the Clouds are found in El Paso, Woodford County, Illinois;
Vivian Cloud M 57 Indiana
Sarah Cloud F 57 Pennsylvania
Charlotte Cloud F 12 Illinois
Bayliss Cloud M 15 Missouri
Mattie Cloud F 19 Arkansas

(Note: Bayliss Hayden Cloud was born on June 4, 1855 in either Missouri or Iowa. It is not known who his parents were. He may have been a son of George W. Cloud, who was KIA on April 6, 1862 during the Battle of Shiloh during the Civil War. Bayliss was married to Ella E. ____________. Bayliss was a Motorman on Street Cars in the Chicago area for many years. Bayliss Hayden Cloud died on January 1, 1945 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois and his mortal remains were laid in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois.)

At the time of the 1880 census, the Clouds are found in El Paso, Woodford County, Illinois, where Vivian farms;
Vivian Cloud Self M 67 Indiana
Sarah D Cloud Wife F 67 Pennsylvania
Arvester B Cloud Granddaughter F 14 Illinois

Vivian Cloud died on 1 Oct 1909 in Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois. On the 16th of October of that year, he would have been 97 years of age, His mortal remains were laid in the Glendale Cemetery in Washington, Tazewell County, Illinois. See his Find A Grave Memorial #40689199.

Now to continue with the biography of Milton H. Cloud;
On August 9, 1862, Milton H. Cloud and his cousin, John T.Gibson, volunteered at Deer Creek, Illinois to serve in a company which was being raised in the Washington/Deer Creek/Morton area of Tazewell County by a Washington Photographer by the name of William B. Bogardus for service in the Union Army. At the time they enlisted, both Milton and John gave their place of residence as Deer Creek, Tazewell County, Illinois.

ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES
Illinois Civil War Detail Report

Name CLOUD, MILTON H Rank SGT
Company G Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics
Residence DEER CREEK, TAZEWELL CO, IL
Age 20 Height 5' 5 1/2
Hair SANDY Eyes BLUE
Complexion FAIR
Marital Status SINGLE
Occupation FARMER
Nativity HAMILTON CO, OH

Service Record
Joined When AUG 9, 1862
Joined Where DEER CREEK, IL
Joined By Whom W B BOGARDUS
Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862
Muster In Where CAMP PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom
Muster Out JUN 6, 1865
Muster Out Where WASHINGTON, DC
Muster Out By Whom LT SCROGGS
Remarks WOUNDED AT KENESAW MOUNTAIN GA JUN 27, 1864

When William B. Bogardus had about 90 volunteers he led the Washington/Deer Creek/Morton volunteers into Peoria where they went into camp at Camp Lyon, near present day Glen Oak Park. On August 27, 1862, Bogardus and 87 of his volunteers were mustered into service as Co. G of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Bogardus was elected Captain of Co. G by the men of the Washington/Deer Creek/Morton company. Milton was elected by the men of Co. G to fill one of the Sergeant positions, while John T. Gibson was elected to fill one of the Corporal positions.
On September 7, 1862, the men of the 86th Illinois marched out the gates of Camp Lyon, through the streets of Peoria, with much fanfare, down to the railroad depot. There they were joined by the men of the 85th Illinois, who had been mustered into service at Camp Peoria. Together at the depot the men of the 85th & 86th Illinois boarded trains bound for Camp Joe Holt in Jeffersonville, Indiana, located across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. Three weeks later, the men of the 85th & 86th were in the field in Kentucky as part of Col. Daniel McCook's Brigade, in pursuit of Confederate troops in Kentucky. On Oct. 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those troops in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, the 85th & 86th Illinois suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the years to come.
During the next two years, Sergeant Milton H. Cloud served faithfully in Co. G as the men of the 86th served in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. During this time, Milton was witness to and a participant in numerous battles and skirmishes, some of the bloodiest fighting in the Western Theatre of the war, including the Battles of Chickamauga, Georgia; Resaca, Georgia; and Rome, Georgia.
By the middle of June of 1864, the men of McCook's Brigade were closing in on their prize, Atlanta, Georgia. On the morning of June 27, 1864, the men of McCook's Brigade found themselves across from Cheatham Hill on Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia. The five Union Regiments of McCook's Brigade were formed in line of battle, one regiment stacked behind the other, the 86th Illinois third in line. It was hoped that this formation would allow the Union Brigade to punch a hole in the Confederate line, each regiment giving some protection to the regiment in back of it. When the signal gun fired, the men of the brigade stepped off and moved down a hill, crossed a small stream and then moved through a wheat field before beginning the climb up Cheatham Hill and the Confederate breastworks toward an angle in the Confederate line that was soon to be called "The Dead Angle." The following assault, which proved to be only partially successful, lasted less than 30 minutes. On the evening of June 27, 1864, Sgt. Levi A. Ross, a member of Co. K of the 86th, wrote the following of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. "Our forces rushed upon the rebels five lines deep and in fifteen minutes were hurled back, by them, leaving 2500 brave Union Soldiers dead within twenty feet of the Enemy's works. The loss in the 86th was 106 -- in our Brig. over 400."
As the men of McCook's Brigade fell back from the Confederate fortifications, they were forced to leave most of their dead and wounded behind. These bodies laid between the lines until the 29th when a truce was called so the Union could bury it's dead because the smell from the decomposing bodies became so horrible, that neither side could stand it any longer. Company G of the 86th had two men killed and eight men wounded during this 30 minute assault. Privates James Small & Amos Shreve were the two Co. G men killed. Their bodies were initially buried there on the field of battle.
On June 30, 1864, as the men of the 86th lay in the trenches not far from the Confederate lines, George W. Ferner, a Private in Co. G of the 86th, wrote the following in a letter home. "Our front lines of breast works is not more than 25 steps from the rebels, they are continually firing at each other, if one stands exposed or shows his head above the works he is sure to be shot at. Well, I must give you the number or loss in the fight that is reported at present. There were 480 killed, wounded and missing in our Bri. 98 in our Reg. and some 15 or twenty that are still able for duty. I got a slight wound in the little finger of the left hand. I will remain with the Co. We had two killed and four wounded in our Co. James Small, Amos Shreive killed. Both from Deer Creek. Geo. Holmes one thumb shot off and severely wounded in the hip. Milton Cloud shot in both legs, Will Criswell thumb shot off and slightly in the side. James Roberts in the head. L. S. North slightly in the face and ear. James Trowbridge slightly in the eye. Madison Corbin slightly in the thumb......"
The Adjutant Generals report, seen above, makes it appear that Sergeant Milton H. Cloud at some point during the last year of the war rejoined the 86th and was discharged with the 86th on June 6, 1865 in Washington, D. C. However, his obituary, seen below, states that Milton "was in the army until wounded at the charge of Kennesaw Mountain in June 1864, when he was honorably discharged and returned home. It is now believed that after being wounded, Sergeant Milton H. Cloud was sent first to field hospital in the rear, where his wounds were initially taken care of. Then he was very likely sent north to an army hospital, perhaps in Chattanooga or Nashville, Tennessee. After recovering sufficiently from his wounds, it is now believed that he was discharged from the service and sent home. Whichever is actually the case, Sergeant Milton H. Cloud survived his wounds and rejoined his family in Central Illinois.
At the time of the 1870 census, Milton H.Cloud is found living with the Black family in Paxton, Ford County, Illinois;
Isabel Black F 50 OHIO
Sarah H Black F 29 OHIO
John R Black M 17 OHIO
Wallace C Black M 19 OHIO
Willie C Black M 14 OHIO
Milton H Cloud M 24 OHIO

Milton H. Cloud was married on October 17, 1871 to Alice A. Polemus at __________, __________. Annis Alice Polemus/Polhemus was born on March 26, 1852 in Butler County, Ohio, the daughter of Michael T. Polemus/Polhemus and Margaret (__________) Polemus/Polhemus. At the time of the 1860 census, the Polhemus family is found in Olio Township, Woodford County, Illinois;
Michael T Polhemus M 36 Ohio
Margaret J Polhemus F 36 Ohio
James O Polhemus M 11 Ohio
Annis A Polhemus F 8 Ohio

Milton H. Cloud and Annis Alice (Polhemus) Cloud were the parents of just two daughters, neither of whom had any children. They are;
1. Jessie F. Cloud, born January 28, 1873 at Paxton, Illinois. Jessie was married to Dr. Frederick F. Newlin on June 30, 1897. At the time of the 1930 census, the Newlins are found in Patton Township, Ford County, Illinois;
Fred F Newlin Head M 59 Illinois
Jessie F Newlin Wife F 57 Illinois
Mabel E Cloud Sister-in-law F 52 Illinois

Jessie died on October 11, 1951 and her earthly remains were buried in the Glen Cemetery, Paxton, Ford County, Illinois.

2. Mabel Evelyn Cloud, born October 26, 1877 at Paxton, Ford County, Illinois. Mabel never married. Mabel died on November 7, 1941 in Paxton, Illinois and her mortal remains were laid in the Glen Cemetery, Paxton, Ford County, Illinois on November 8, 1941.

At the time of the 1900 census, the Clouds are found in Patton Township Paxton city Ward 1-3, Ford County, Illinois;
Milton H Cloud Head M Jul 1842 58 Ohio
Alice A Cloud Wife F Nov 1852 48 Ohio
Mabel E Cloud Daughter F Oct 1877 23 Illinois

Alice A. (__________) Cloud died on October 18, 1916 at __________, __________.

At the time of the 1920 census, Milton is found residing in Patton Township, Ford County, Illinois with his daughter;
Milton H Cloud Head M 77 Ohio
Mable E Cloud Daughter F 42 Illinois

Milton H. Cloud died on November 1, 1920 at Paxton, Illinois.

The following obituary appeared in the local newspaper, the Paxton Recorder;
"Judge Milton H. Cloud, one of Paxton's most prominent citizens, was called in death on Monday night at his home on West Lawn, where he has been a patient sufferer from heart trouble for the past several months. For the past two weeks the Judge's condition has been very grave and the members of his family have been constantly at his bedside.
The passing of Judge Cloud has brought genuine sorrow into every home in Paxton where he was known and the Record and friends join in extending deepest sympathy to those who are left.
Judge Cloud was born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, July 24, 1842, and was the son of Vivian and Sarah D. Cloud. In 1850 he moved with his parents to Illinois and settled in Tazewell Co., where they resided until 1868 when they located at El Paso. The subject of our sketch was educated in the academy at Washington, IL, and afterwards at Eureka College. He commenced the study of law in Chicago Law School and in the winter of 1866-67 read law in the office of R.T. and J.J. Cassell at Metamora, IL, and was admitted to the bar at Ottawa in April 1867. He began the practice of his profession at El Paso, where he remained for two years, after which he moved to Paxton in 1870. He was elected city attorney for one term, and by appointment of the county court was county attorney in 1872, until the election of a state's attorney. Later he served as master-in-chancery and county judge. In October 1871, he was united in marriage with Alice Polhemus, of El Paso, who preceded him in death Oct. 18, 1916. The result of this marriage has been two daughters, Mrs. Fred (Jessie) Newlin and Miss Mabel Cloud, both residing in Paxton.
In 1862, Judge Cloud enlisted in the eighty-sixth Illinois Infantry and was in the army until wounded at the charge of Kennesaw Mountain in June 1864, when he was honorably discharged and returned home. Upon his return he resumed the practice of law. In later years he formed a partnership with the late W.S. Moffett and after Mr. Moffett's death he became associated with Atty. Franc M. Thompson. This partnership was formed in 1904 and has been considered one of the leading law firms of Central, Illinois.
Burial in Glen Cemetery."

by Baxter B. Fite III, who can be contacted at [email protected] and Russell Kasper, Find A Grave Contributor #47146727.

(Baxter would enjoy hearing from anyone, especially descendants of the Cloud family, who might be able to add to the biographical material that we have on Milton Homer Cloud and the Cloud family. Baxter would also like to see copies of ANY photographs of Milton H. Cloud, that may have survived the years, added to his Find A Grave site for all to see, especially ALL showing him in uniform from his days in the service for the benefit of the Washington, Illinois Historical Society, who would like to have copies of pictures of all of their soldiers. Thanks!)