Private FRANCIS M. SAMPSON, Co. I, 86th Illinois
Francis M. Sampson was born c. 1836/37 in Orion Township of Fulton County, Illinois, the son of George Sampson and Rachel (__________) Sampson. George Sampson was born c. 1791/92 in Maryland. George Sampson was married to Rachel ___________. George and Rachel may be the George Sampson and Rachel Hammond who were married on October 7, 1816 in Worcester County, Maryland.
The Sampson remained in Maryland until about 1828/30 when they moved to Ohio. It is not known where they resided in Ohio. Then about 1835/36, the Sampsons continued their migration west moving to Illinois.
The children born to George Sampson and Rachel (___________) Sampson are believed to include the following. There were undoubtedly more;
1. George E. Sampson, born c. 1828/30 in Maryland. At the time of the 1870 census, George is believed to be the George Sampson we find in Orion Township of Fulton County, Illinois;
George Sampson 40 Farmer Maryland
Nancy Sampson 26 Illinois
William Sampson 8 Illinois
Charles Sampson 5 Illinois
Edgar Sampson 4 Illinois
Clara Sampson 1 Illinois
George Sampson 2/12 March 1860 Illinois
2. William Sampson, born c. 1830 in Ohio.
3. John Sampson, born c. 1833/34 in Ohio.
4. Francis M. Sampson, born c. 1836/37 in Illinois.
5. Louisa Sampson, born c. 1839/40 in Illinois.
At the time of the 1850 census, the Sampson family is found in Orion Township, Fulton County, Illinois;
George Sampson 58 Farmer Maryland
Rachel Sampson 52 Maryland
Willliam Sampson 20 Farmer Ohio
John Sampson 16 Farmer Ohio
Francis M. Sampson 13 Illinois
Louisa Sampson 10 Illinois
George E. Sampson 22 Cooper Maryland
On August 7, 1862, Francis M. Sampson went into the village of Lancaster, Illinois and volunteered to serve in a company which was being raised in the Lancaster area for service in the Union army by well known businessman and merchant, Allen L. Fahnestock.
ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name SAMPSON, FRANCIS M
Rank PVT Company I Unit 86 IL US INF
Personal Characteristics
Residence LANCASTER, PEORIA CO, IL Age 25 Height 5' 8 3/8 Hair BLACK
Eyes HAZEL Complexion DARK Marital Status SINGLE Occupation FARMER
Nativity ORION, FULTON CO, IL
Service Record
Joined When AUG 7, 1862 Joined Where LANCASTER, IL
Joined By Whom A L FAHNESTOCK Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A
Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A
Remarks KILLED IN ACTION JUN 27, 1864 AT KENESAW MOUNTAIN GA
When Fahnestock had about 100 volunteers he led his company into Peoria, where they went into camp at Camp Lyon, near present day Glen Oak Park. Fahnestock was elected Captain of the men of the Timber Township company and on August 27, 1862, Fahnestock, and 96 of the other Timber Township volunteers, including now Private Samuel Bitner, were mustered in as Company I of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry.
The men of the 86th Illinois marched out of the gates of Camp Lyon on September 7, 1862, with much fanfare, through the streets of Peoria down to the railroad depot. There in that throng of people may very well been a 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, which was 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 Colonel Daniel McCook's Brigade chasing Confederate troops. On October 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those Confederate troops during the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the next few years.
After the Battle of Perryville, the Confederate forces withdrew from Kentucky, while the men of McCook's Brigade marched on to Nashville, Tennessee, where they went into winter camp. Of this time, Kinnear in his history of the 86th wrote, "On the 9th of December the command was marched to Nashville, taking up camp there, and put on duty about the city. About this time was led a sad and disagreeable life, even more so than at any other time. The boys were new in their profession and entirely ignorant as to what conveniences a soldier might have even under circumstances so trying, and in consequence, were compelled to render themselves most unhappy. Some twenty odd men would live in the same tent, cook from a camp kettle swung in the middle of it, make their beds on the damp ground, frequently without even straw or boards under them. Snow fell, and the cold, keen winds of winter whistled without, while the poor soldiers lay cold and damp within."
Kinnear continued, "Many were taken ill and died from this exposure; more died and were discharged during this winter than in all our previous and after term of service. The hospitals were yet without proper organization, the sick in them improperly cared for, for war was as yet a new thing poorly understood and carried on. The Icelander, in his frigid and icy home of the far north, in his primeval ignorance, could not have lived in greater exposure than did the soldiers at this time. The regiment was called upon to do a great deal of duty, such as picketing about the city---a business that is anything but pleasant where there are a number of generals and other fancy officers to be looked after. While on duty at this place the battles of Stone River were fought. There was an exciting time in Nashville during this eventful period; everything was hurry and bustle. The wounded and skulkers came back in great numbers, each bearing his own report."
Kinnear continued, "During these battles the troops in and about the city had to be in line of battle at 3 o'clock in the morning; it mattered not what was the condition of the elements, it was all the same thing; and certainly, if anything would provoke a soldier to feelings of wrath, this kind of business would. The first one is to be heard from who ever got used to it."
Back in Peoria, on March 4, 1863, Mary L. (Wolgamott) Bitner gave birth to her fourth son. It would probably be some time before Private Samuel Bitner would find out that he was the father of a 4th son. During the next two years, Private Samuel Bitner would serve faithfully in Co. I as the men of McCook's Brigade served in Tennessee and Georgia. During this time, Samuel 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; Rome, Georgia and finally the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia.
On the morning of June 27, 1864, the men of McCook's Brigade found themselves in the trenches 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. At 8:00 a.m. 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 Illinois, 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. Among the killed in Co. K was our Orderly Sergeant Buchanan, shot in the head and died without speaking. He was a brave man."
As the men of McCook's Brigade fell back from the Confedererate 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 I suffered more than their share of the 106 casualties. In less than 30 minutes, Co. I had three men killed in action and had thirteen more wounded. Of the wounded, two would die of their wounds within a month. Among the Killed In Action was Private Samuel Bitner. Samuel Bitner's earthly remains were initially buried on the 29th of July, there on the battlefield. Several years later, after the Civil War was over, the Government had the Kennesaw Mountain dead exhumed and moved to what is today the Marietta National Cemetery in Marietta, Georgia. Today, Private Samuel Bitner's earthly remains lie in Grave # 9226 in SECTION I of the Matietta National Cemetery in Marietta, Georgia.
Francis M. Sampson was Killed In Action during the assault on Cheatham Hill in the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia on June 27, 1864. His body was buried on the battlefield on June 29, 1864 and by the time his body was exhumed and re-interred in the Marietta National Cemetery, his identity had probably already been lost.
The body of Private Francis M. Sampson most likely lies buried in Section I, somewhere between Grave #9214 and Grave #9261 under a tombstone marked simply, UNKNOWN U.S. SOLDIER.
by Baxter B. Fite III
Francis M. Sampson was born c. 1836/37 in Orion Township of Fulton County, Illinois, the son of George Sampson and Rachel (__________) Sampson. George Sampson was born c. 1791/92 in Maryland. George Sampson was married to Rachel ___________. George and Rachel may be the George Sampson and Rachel Hammond who were married on October 7, 1816 in Worcester County, Maryland.
The Sampson remained in Maryland until about 1828/30 when they moved to Ohio. It is not known where they resided in Ohio. Then about 1835/36, the Sampsons continued their migration west moving to Illinois.
The children born to George Sampson and Rachel (___________) Sampson are believed to include the following. There were undoubtedly more;
1. George E. Sampson, born c. 1828/30 in Maryland. At the time of the 1870 census, George is believed to be the George Sampson we find in Orion Township of Fulton County, Illinois;
George Sampson 40 Farmer Maryland
Nancy Sampson 26 Illinois
William Sampson 8 Illinois
Charles Sampson 5 Illinois
Edgar Sampson 4 Illinois
Clara Sampson 1 Illinois
George Sampson 2/12 March 1860 Illinois
2. William Sampson, born c. 1830 in Ohio.
3. John Sampson, born c. 1833/34 in Ohio.
4. Francis M. Sampson, born c. 1836/37 in Illinois.
5. Louisa Sampson, born c. 1839/40 in Illinois.
At the time of the 1850 census, the Sampson family is found in Orion Township, Fulton County, Illinois;
George Sampson 58 Farmer Maryland
Rachel Sampson 52 Maryland
Willliam Sampson 20 Farmer Ohio
John Sampson 16 Farmer Ohio
Francis M. Sampson 13 Illinois
Louisa Sampson 10 Illinois
George E. Sampson 22 Cooper Maryland
On August 7, 1862, Francis M. Sampson went into the village of Lancaster, Illinois and volunteered to serve in a company which was being raised in the Lancaster area for service in the Union army by well known businessman and merchant, Allen L. Fahnestock.
ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name SAMPSON, FRANCIS M
Rank PVT Company I Unit 86 IL US INF
Personal Characteristics
Residence LANCASTER, PEORIA CO, IL Age 25 Height 5' 8 3/8 Hair BLACK
Eyes HAZEL Complexion DARK Marital Status SINGLE Occupation FARMER
Nativity ORION, FULTON CO, IL
Service Record
Joined When AUG 7, 1862 Joined Where LANCASTER, IL
Joined By Whom A L FAHNESTOCK Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A
Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A
Remarks KILLED IN ACTION JUN 27, 1864 AT KENESAW MOUNTAIN GA
When Fahnestock had about 100 volunteers he led his company into Peoria, where they went into camp at Camp Lyon, near present day Glen Oak Park. Fahnestock was elected Captain of the men of the Timber Township company and on August 27, 1862, Fahnestock, and 96 of the other Timber Township volunteers, including now Private Samuel Bitner, were mustered in as Company I of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry.
The men of the 86th Illinois marched out of the gates of Camp Lyon on September 7, 1862, with much fanfare, through the streets of Peoria down to the railroad depot. There in that throng of people may very well been a 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, which was 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 Colonel Daniel McCook's Brigade chasing Confederate troops. On October 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those Confederate troops during the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the next few years.
After the Battle of Perryville, the Confederate forces withdrew from Kentucky, while the men of McCook's Brigade marched on to Nashville, Tennessee, where they went into winter camp. Of this time, Kinnear in his history of the 86th wrote, "On the 9th of December the command was marched to Nashville, taking up camp there, and put on duty about the city. About this time was led a sad and disagreeable life, even more so than at any other time. The boys were new in their profession and entirely ignorant as to what conveniences a soldier might have even under circumstances so trying, and in consequence, were compelled to render themselves most unhappy. Some twenty odd men would live in the same tent, cook from a camp kettle swung in the middle of it, make their beds on the damp ground, frequently without even straw or boards under them. Snow fell, and the cold, keen winds of winter whistled without, while the poor soldiers lay cold and damp within."
Kinnear continued, "Many were taken ill and died from this exposure; more died and were discharged during this winter than in all our previous and after term of service. The hospitals were yet without proper organization, the sick in them improperly cared for, for war was as yet a new thing poorly understood and carried on. The Icelander, in his frigid and icy home of the far north, in his primeval ignorance, could not have lived in greater exposure than did the soldiers at this time. The regiment was called upon to do a great deal of duty, such as picketing about the city---a business that is anything but pleasant where there are a number of generals and other fancy officers to be looked after. While on duty at this place the battles of Stone River were fought. There was an exciting time in Nashville during this eventful period; everything was hurry and bustle. The wounded and skulkers came back in great numbers, each bearing his own report."
Kinnear continued, "During these battles the troops in and about the city had to be in line of battle at 3 o'clock in the morning; it mattered not what was the condition of the elements, it was all the same thing; and certainly, if anything would provoke a soldier to feelings of wrath, this kind of business would. The first one is to be heard from who ever got used to it."
Back in Peoria, on March 4, 1863, Mary L. (Wolgamott) Bitner gave birth to her fourth son. It would probably be some time before Private Samuel Bitner would find out that he was the father of a 4th son. During the next two years, Private Samuel Bitner would serve faithfully in Co. I as the men of McCook's Brigade served in Tennessee and Georgia. During this time, Samuel 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; Rome, Georgia and finally the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia.
On the morning of June 27, 1864, the men of McCook's Brigade found themselves in the trenches 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. At 8:00 a.m. 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 Illinois, 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. Among the killed in Co. K was our Orderly Sergeant Buchanan, shot in the head and died without speaking. He was a brave man."
As the men of McCook's Brigade fell back from the Confedererate 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 I suffered more than their share of the 106 casualties. In less than 30 minutes, Co. I had three men killed in action and had thirteen more wounded. Of the wounded, two would die of their wounds within a month. Among the Killed In Action was Private Samuel Bitner. Samuel Bitner's earthly remains were initially buried on the 29th of July, there on the battlefield. Several years later, after the Civil War was over, the Government had the Kennesaw Mountain dead exhumed and moved to what is today the Marietta National Cemetery in Marietta, Georgia. Today, Private Samuel Bitner's earthly remains lie in Grave # 9226 in SECTION I of the Matietta National Cemetery in Marietta, Georgia.
Francis M. Sampson was Killed In Action during the assault on Cheatham Hill in the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia on June 27, 1864. His body was buried on the battlefield on June 29, 1864 and by the time his body was exhumed and re-interred in the Marietta National Cemetery, his identity had probably already been lost.
The body of Private Francis M. Sampson most likely lies buried in Section I, somewhere between Grave #9214 and Grave #9261 under a tombstone marked simply, UNKNOWN U.S. SOLDIER.
by Baxter B. Fite III
Private FRANCIS M. SAMPSON, Co. I, 86th Illinois
Francis M. Sampson was born c. 1836/37 in Orion Township of Fulton County, Illinois, the son of George Sampson and Rachel (__________) Sampson. George Sampson was born c. 1791/92 in Maryland. George Sampson was married to Rachel ___________. George and Rachel may be the George Sampson and Rachel Hammond who were married on October 7, 1816 in Worcester County, Maryland.
The Sampson remained in Maryland until about 1828/30 when they moved to Ohio. It is not known where they resided in Ohio. Then about 1835/36, the Sampsons continued their migration west moving to Illinois.
The children born to George Sampson and Rachel (___________) Sampson are believed to include the following. There were undoubtedly more;
1. George E. Sampson, born c. 1828/30 in Maryland. At the time of the 1870 census, George is believed to be the George Sampson we find in Orion Township of Fulton County, Illinois;
George Sampson 40 Farmer Maryland
Nancy Sampson 26 Illinois
William Sampson 8 Illinois
Charles Sampson 5 Illinois
Edgar Sampson 4 Illinois
Clara Sampson 1 Illinois
George Sampson 2/12 March 1860 Illinois
2. William Sampson, born c. 1830 in Ohio.
3. John Sampson, born c. 1833/34 in Ohio.
4. Francis M. Sampson, born c. 1836/37 in Illinois.
5. Louisa Sampson, born c. 1839/40 in Illinois.
At the time of the 1850 census, the Sampson family is found in Orion Township, Fulton County, Illinois;
George Sampson 58 Farmer Maryland
Rachel Sampson 52 Maryland
Willliam Sampson 20 Farmer Ohio
John Sampson 16 Farmer Ohio
Francis M. Sampson 13 Illinois
Louisa Sampson 10 Illinois
George E. Sampson 22 Cooper Maryland
On August 7, 1862, Francis M. Sampson went into the village of Lancaster, Illinois and volunteered to serve in a company which was being raised in the Lancaster area for service in the Union army by well known businessman and merchant, Allen L. Fahnestock.
ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name SAMPSON, FRANCIS M
Rank PVT Company I Unit 86 IL US INF
Personal Characteristics
Residence LANCASTER, PEORIA CO, IL Age 25 Height 5' 8 3/8 Hair BLACK
Eyes HAZEL Complexion DARK Marital Status SINGLE Occupation FARMER
Nativity ORION, FULTON CO, IL
Service Record
Joined When AUG 7, 1862 Joined Where LANCASTER, IL
Joined By Whom A L FAHNESTOCK Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A
Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A
Remarks KILLED IN ACTION JUN 27, 1864 AT KENESAW MOUNTAIN GA
When Fahnestock had about 100 volunteers he led his company into Peoria, where they went into camp at Camp Lyon, near present day Glen Oak Park. Fahnestock was elected Captain of the men of the Timber Township company and on August 27, 1862, Fahnestock, and 96 of the other Timber Township volunteers, including now Private Samuel Bitner, were mustered in as Company I of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry.
The men of the 86th Illinois marched out of the gates of Camp Lyon on September 7, 1862, with much fanfare, through the streets of Peoria down to the railroad depot. There in that throng of people may very well been a 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, which was 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 Colonel Daniel McCook's Brigade chasing Confederate troops. On October 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those Confederate troops during the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the next few years.
After the Battle of Perryville, the Confederate forces withdrew from Kentucky, while the men of McCook's Brigade marched on to Nashville, Tennessee, where they went into winter camp. Of this time, Kinnear in his history of the 86th wrote, "On the 9th of December the command was marched to Nashville, taking up camp there, and put on duty about the city. About this time was led a sad and disagreeable life, even more so than at any other time. The boys were new in their profession and entirely ignorant as to what conveniences a soldier might have even under circumstances so trying, and in consequence, were compelled to render themselves most unhappy. Some twenty odd men would live in the same tent, cook from a camp kettle swung in the middle of it, make their beds on the damp ground, frequently without even straw or boards under them. Snow fell, and the cold, keen winds of winter whistled without, while the poor soldiers lay cold and damp within."
Kinnear continued, "Many were taken ill and died from this exposure; more died and were discharged during this winter than in all our previous and after term of service. The hospitals were yet without proper organization, the sick in them improperly cared for, for war was as yet a new thing poorly understood and carried on. The Icelander, in his frigid and icy home of the far north, in his primeval ignorance, could not have lived in greater exposure than did the soldiers at this time. The regiment was called upon to do a great deal of duty, such as picketing about the city---a business that is anything but pleasant where there are a number of generals and other fancy officers to be looked after. While on duty at this place the battles of Stone River were fought. There was an exciting time in Nashville during this eventful period; everything was hurry and bustle. The wounded and skulkers came back in great numbers, each bearing his own report."
Kinnear continued, "During these battles the troops in and about the city had to be in line of battle at 3 o'clock in the morning; it mattered not what was the condition of the elements, it was all the same thing; and certainly, if anything would provoke a soldier to feelings of wrath, this kind of business would. The first one is to be heard from who ever got used to it."
Back in Peoria, on March 4, 1863, Mary L. (Wolgamott) Bitner gave birth to her fourth son. It would probably be some time before Private Samuel Bitner would find out that he was the father of a 4th son. During the next two years, Private Samuel Bitner would serve faithfully in Co. I as the men of McCook's Brigade served in Tennessee and Georgia. During this time, Samuel 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; Rome, Georgia and finally the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia.
On the morning of June 27, 1864, the men of McCook's Brigade found themselves in the trenches 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. At 8:00 a.m. 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 Illinois, 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. Among the killed in Co. K was our Orderly Sergeant Buchanan, shot in the head and died without speaking. He was a brave man."
As the men of McCook's Brigade fell back from the Confedererate 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 I suffered more than their share of the 106 casualties. In less than 30 minutes, Co. I had three men killed in action and had thirteen more wounded. Of the wounded, two would die of their wounds within a month. Among the Killed In Action was Private Samuel Bitner. Samuel Bitner's earthly remains were initially buried on the 29th of July, there on the battlefield. Several years later, after the Civil War was over, the Government had the Kennesaw Mountain dead exhumed and moved to what is today the Marietta National Cemetery in Marietta, Georgia. Today, Private Samuel Bitner's earthly remains lie in Grave # 9226 in SECTION I of the Matietta National Cemetery in Marietta, Georgia.
Francis M. Sampson was Killed In Action during the assault on Cheatham Hill in the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia on June 27, 1864. His body was buried on the battlefield on June 29, 1864 and by the time his body was exhumed and re-interred in the Marietta National Cemetery, his identity had probably already been lost.
The body of Private Francis M. Sampson most likely lies buried in Section I, somewhere between Grave #9214 and Grave #9261 under a tombstone marked simply, UNKNOWN U.S. SOLDIER.
by Baxter B. Fite III
Francis M. Sampson was born c. 1836/37 in Orion Township of Fulton County, Illinois, the son of George Sampson and Rachel (__________) Sampson. George Sampson was born c. 1791/92 in Maryland. George Sampson was married to Rachel ___________. George and Rachel may be the George Sampson and Rachel Hammond who were married on October 7, 1816 in Worcester County, Maryland.
The Sampson remained in Maryland until about 1828/30 when they moved to Ohio. It is not known where they resided in Ohio. Then about 1835/36, the Sampsons continued their migration west moving to Illinois.
The children born to George Sampson and Rachel (___________) Sampson are believed to include the following. There were undoubtedly more;
1. George E. Sampson, born c. 1828/30 in Maryland. At the time of the 1870 census, George is believed to be the George Sampson we find in Orion Township of Fulton County, Illinois;
George Sampson 40 Farmer Maryland
Nancy Sampson 26 Illinois
William Sampson 8 Illinois
Charles Sampson 5 Illinois
Edgar Sampson 4 Illinois
Clara Sampson 1 Illinois
George Sampson 2/12 March 1860 Illinois
2. William Sampson, born c. 1830 in Ohio.
3. John Sampson, born c. 1833/34 in Ohio.
4. Francis M. Sampson, born c. 1836/37 in Illinois.
5. Louisa Sampson, born c. 1839/40 in Illinois.
At the time of the 1850 census, the Sampson family is found in Orion Township, Fulton County, Illinois;
George Sampson 58 Farmer Maryland
Rachel Sampson 52 Maryland
Willliam Sampson 20 Farmer Ohio
John Sampson 16 Farmer Ohio
Francis M. Sampson 13 Illinois
Louisa Sampson 10 Illinois
George E. Sampson 22 Cooper Maryland
On August 7, 1862, Francis M. Sampson went into the village of Lancaster, Illinois and volunteered to serve in a company which was being raised in the Lancaster area for service in the Union army by well known businessman and merchant, Allen L. Fahnestock.
ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name SAMPSON, FRANCIS M
Rank PVT Company I Unit 86 IL US INF
Personal Characteristics
Residence LANCASTER, PEORIA CO, IL Age 25 Height 5' 8 3/8 Hair BLACK
Eyes HAZEL Complexion DARK Marital Status SINGLE Occupation FARMER
Nativity ORION, FULTON CO, IL
Service Record
Joined When AUG 7, 1862 Joined Where LANCASTER, IL
Joined By Whom A L FAHNESTOCK Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A
Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A
Remarks KILLED IN ACTION JUN 27, 1864 AT KENESAW MOUNTAIN GA
When Fahnestock had about 100 volunteers he led his company into Peoria, where they went into camp at Camp Lyon, near present day Glen Oak Park. Fahnestock was elected Captain of the men of the Timber Township company and on August 27, 1862, Fahnestock, and 96 of the other Timber Township volunteers, including now Private Samuel Bitner, were mustered in as Company I of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry.
The men of the 86th Illinois marched out of the gates of Camp Lyon on September 7, 1862, with much fanfare, through the streets of Peoria down to the railroad depot. There in that throng of people may very well been a 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, which was 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 Colonel Daniel McCook's Brigade chasing Confederate troops. On October 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those Confederate troops during the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the next few years.
After the Battle of Perryville, the Confederate forces withdrew from Kentucky, while the men of McCook's Brigade marched on to Nashville, Tennessee, where they went into winter camp. Of this time, Kinnear in his history of the 86th wrote, "On the 9th of December the command was marched to Nashville, taking up camp there, and put on duty about the city. About this time was led a sad and disagreeable life, even more so than at any other time. The boys were new in their profession and entirely ignorant as to what conveniences a soldier might have even under circumstances so trying, and in consequence, were compelled to render themselves most unhappy. Some twenty odd men would live in the same tent, cook from a camp kettle swung in the middle of it, make their beds on the damp ground, frequently without even straw or boards under them. Snow fell, and the cold, keen winds of winter whistled without, while the poor soldiers lay cold and damp within."
Kinnear continued, "Many were taken ill and died from this exposure; more died and were discharged during this winter than in all our previous and after term of service. The hospitals were yet without proper organization, the sick in them improperly cared for, for war was as yet a new thing poorly understood and carried on. The Icelander, in his frigid and icy home of the far north, in his primeval ignorance, could not have lived in greater exposure than did the soldiers at this time. The regiment was called upon to do a great deal of duty, such as picketing about the city---a business that is anything but pleasant where there are a number of generals and other fancy officers to be looked after. While on duty at this place the battles of Stone River were fought. There was an exciting time in Nashville during this eventful period; everything was hurry and bustle. The wounded and skulkers came back in great numbers, each bearing his own report."
Kinnear continued, "During these battles the troops in and about the city had to be in line of battle at 3 o'clock in the morning; it mattered not what was the condition of the elements, it was all the same thing; and certainly, if anything would provoke a soldier to feelings of wrath, this kind of business would. The first one is to be heard from who ever got used to it."
Back in Peoria, on March 4, 1863, Mary L. (Wolgamott) Bitner gave birth to her fourth son. It would probably be some time before Private Samuel Bitner would find out that he was the father of a 4th son. During the next two years, Private Samuel Bitner would serve faithfully in Co. I as the men of McCook's Brigade served in Tennessee and Georgia. During this time, Samuel 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; Rome, Georgia and finally the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia.
On the morning of June 27, 1864, the men of McCook's Brigade found themselves in the trenches 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. At 8:00 a.m. 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 Illinois, 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. Among the killed in Co. K was our Orderly Sergeant Buchanan, shot in the head and died without speaking. He was a brave man."
As the men of McCook's Brigade fell back from the Confedererate 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 I suffered more than their share of the 106 casualties. In less than 30 minutes, Co. I had three men killed in action and had thirteen more wounded. Of the wounded, two would die of their wounds within a month. Among the Killed In Action was Private Samuel Bitner. Samuel Bitner's earthly remains were initially buried on the 29th of July, there on the battlefield. Several years later, after the Civil War was over, the Government had the Kennesaw Mountain dead exhumed and moved to what is today the Marietta National Cemetery in Marietta, Georgia. Today, Private Samuel Bitner's earthly remains lie in Grave # 9226 in SECTION I of the Matietta National Cemetery in Marietta, Georgia.
Francis M. Sampson was Killed In Action during the assault on Cheatham Hill in the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia on June 27, 1864. His body was buried on the battlefield on June 29, 1864 and by the time his body was exhumed and re-interred in the Marietta National Cemetery, his identity had probably already been lost.
The body of Private Francis M. Sampson most likely lies buried in Section I, somewhere between Grave #9214 and Grave #9261 under a tombstone marked simply, UNKNOWN U.S. SOLDIER.
by Baxter B. Fite III
Family Members
Advertisement
Advertisement
