(1794-1863)
|
|
|
Captain John McClanahan (1794-1863) |
Claim for Widow's Pension Pension Application Pension Record Muster Roll
Civil War Letters About Captain John McClanahan & the 83rd IllinoisAugust 28, 1862 St. Louis, Missouri You will see by the heading of this sheet that we have at length moved our quarters. The order now is to prepare two days rations which will do us to Cairo. Our trip thus far was not a pleasant one. Still it was as pleasant as we could expect, the river being low we were compelled to crowd into light draft boats and barges, towed by small transports. We already begin to see the dogs of war lying before us one of the gunboats rigging up anew. Also we see some of the effects of the war in a steamboat lying before us undergoing repairs since it had been fired into by the rebels. There was considerable stir when we were coming down by a rebel squad making a foray on the town of Lagrange. I did not ascertain the amount of damage done but a force from Quincy went and retook the place. The health of the Regiment is moderately good. Still there is some o the diarrhea by changing water. River water is a miserable substitute for good well water. If the weather were extremely warm there would be considerable suffering. I caught some cold that rainy night we spent in Monmouth and yesterday I had the diarrhea. Today I am enjoying very good health and can eat hearty at our coarse grub. We are all pleased with our officers. We all say that they are the right men in the right place. George W. Lansom of Rockwell is our company commissary. He is a good jovial fellow and performs his duty well. Out boys are all in fine spirits as they are about to send a special to the pot I must close, sending my love to you and Cory. I feel that I am fulfilling my duty both to God and my country. Write to me and direct to Cairo. Yours affectionately, M. A. Thompson May 1862 - August 1864
Written by Corporal Mitchel Andrew Thompson to his wife Eliza
Company B, 83rd Illinois Infantry
September 2, 1862 Cairo, Illinois Brother William: As time flies rapidly and I have not written to you as yet and have written but one to Eliza and that from St. Louis but to tell the truth we have had but little time for writing until we got our camp fixed up. As for the health of the Regiment, it is not to say good but at the same time I can say that it is not bad although there is considerable fever from being exposed so much in a crowded flat boat coming down the river. We were huddled together too much, still that would not have been so bad if we had no dirty scamps in the crowd. We have no arms yet but we are being put through in the drill about right. As for our trip down the river, with the exception I mentioned above, we had a pleasant trip. We had no difficulty in regard to rebels. I received the Monmouth Atlas yesterday and see by it that we were in the Barracks at St. Louis. That is a mistake but we have a good joke on some of our field officers. Major Brant and Capt. Reed and a few others were taken by the guards that were stationed in the city and taken to the barracks but were not kept in confinement long, but it was a good joke on them. Our company and Captain Butlar's raised collections and presented their captains with a sword and sash each. You ought to have heard the responding address of Capt. McClanahan--it would have done your soul good to hear the stirring appeals to the Company. It was all done in the street of St. Louis before a crowd of spectators. We got the name of being the most evenly and largest sized men of any Regiment that they had seen at St. Louis. Here we are called the hairy regiment as every man almost has hair on his face although most of them have their air clipped pretty close to their heads--some so short that the scalps can be seen all over the heads. The 72nd Regiment from Chicago is here. They as a body of men Cannot compete in size with us. They are a rather small set of men Yesterday we as a company marched down to the levy to see the rebel prisoners and in speaking of the 72nd being an inferior set of men, they are nothing to be compared in inferiority to the rebels. I have frequently heard of them being a miserable looking set, but I have had anything like a correct idea of them--they are just such a set of men that could be led by the nose wherever designing men wish. Cairo is a low, muddy and ugly looking place but this time of the year it is dry, but we can see traces of the mud. It is now one complete bed of cockle burs. We had no place to drill until we cut down the weeds. There was no troops here until the 72nd came. They came a few days before we came--conveniently they got the best ground to drill on. There are a large number of contrabands here--came from the neighborhood of Pittsburgh landing. They are of very small size apparently very much stiffened up by exposure. Some of them are of jet black, others of a copper color, others almost white. You can only discern a dusky tinge in their complexion, but not any more than a great many white men of dark complexion. One of them, a female, has three children almost white. One little girl is decidedly good looking-bright black eyes, pleasant countenance. Lt. More took our company on parade before their quarters and had a view of them. The little girl was called up to the company and they put small change into her hand to the amount of two dollars. Lt. Turnbull was anxious to get her mother to let them have the little girl to raise but he could not get her consent. She could not be prevailed upon to part with her and I don't blame her. They are kept here and fed by the government. They do anything that they can to make anything for themselves.
January 12, 1863
Capt. McClanahan is very anxious to hear from his boys that were in the battles. Wm. was in the 17th and Frank in the 36th which was in the fight and probably a good deal worsted. As Capt. McClanahan is about to start for a visit to his family I embrace the opportunity of sending you some of my handiwork.
Ft. Donnelson, Feb. 3, 1863 Dear Eliza: I have heard through letters received by some of the boys from Spring Grove that you had started for Indiana. Consequently at least two letters which I had directed to you to the Grove have failed to get there before you started. I will now direct this to Richland hoping it will reach you there. I directed a letter to you and sent it with Dr. Rowley who has been here the second time which had fifteen dollars in it for you. I have not heard whether you received it or not. I also sent you another letter by Brother Newton with ten dollars in it. I do not like to keep any more money here than I need for a little change as Uncle Sam supplies our wants pretty well. Newton is on his way home and very likely will get his discharge on account of physical inability as he has several complaints of which the chronic diarrhea is the most prominent. He had the yellow jaundice when left. He is not at all able to stand camp life. Isaac C. Hogue is on his way home too. He got sick and settled in his head considerable and injured his hearing so much that there was no use in him staying here. There were some fifty went from the Regiment. Cap. McClanahan went with them but the commanding officer at Cairo would not let him go home and in a few days he was back and at the head of his company. There is a report here now that there is a strong force blockading the river. If it is true there will probably be a gunboat fight soon here. I was sorry that I did not get to see Will Rankin as I was out on picket duty when he was here and just got in as the boat left. I sent to you by the Capt. a package of my manufacturing of shells into breast pins and rings. Some of them have a splendid luster. I suppose they will lay by till you go back to Ill. I also sent Wm's girls a Package They and the letter were all put up together. They will probably mail your letter to Indiana. James Foster is sick with the measles. He is getting along with them very well. Parker is well and how has James' place at the big siege gun. The health of the Reg. is on the improving scale and I think we will soon be able to take rank with other regiments. We had a few days ago three paroled prisoners from Corinth They belonged to Steward's cavalry from Ill. They say that Seven hundred of the rebel cavalry came across 28 of them when they were out scouting and took 15 of them prisoners. They state that they were here at the time of the battle of Donnelson. They state that at one time when they were here they were nearly all sick. There were not enough well men to make a detail to dig a grave. Such are the accounts we have received from all sources in regard to the health of this place. I am looking every mail for a good long letter from you giving the particulars of your journey and how matters and things were in Illinois when you left and how matters and things are in old Rush. I received a letter from James a short time since. I have not answered it yet. I have been too busy. I have been detailed to build a house for a Regimental bakery but today is too cold to work on the roof so I put in the time at writing. There was quite a little excitement here last week. It has been reported that Forrest was prowling around here with his cavalry and artillery We heard a report as it were cannon at a distance; presently a report came that one of the pickets was wounded with a shell, then came the long roll to arms and we rallied round the flag in double quick and the darkies, of which there are a great many here, all huddled up close behind us, almost scared to death, but it proved to be the bursting of an old shell that lay where the pickets were of which there are hundreds of them lying about. The man's name was burns. His leg was badly mashed and the surgeon amputated it below the knee. The shell was too close to the fire and ignited. My sheet is full and I must stop, hoping I may receive a good letter from you some time soon. My love to all, M. A. Thompson
Ft. Donnelson, Feb. 4, 1863 Dear Eliza: I on yesterday wrote you a letter but as the mail did not go I this morning hasten to record another hard fought battle of Ft. Donnelson which resulted in a glorious victory to our arms. We had hardly commenced eating our dinner when the long roll was beat and we were in arms in short order, but we were very incredulous about the alarm whether it was not only a ruse to get us out in skermish drill but we were marched out beyond the pickets in skermish line (that is all abreast five steps apart--our company on the east, Reed's company on the southwest. We had only to stand in line 3/4 of an hour until the rebels made their appearance then we began to believe that the reports we had heard of such a great force. We fired onto them and they retreated back until the main body came up and they formed in line of battle. Then our drum beat the rally on the flag and we were called in. We scarcely were in position before the cannon began to fire which lasted an hour and they (our artillery) were badly cut up and ran out of amunition. The rebels thought they had us and charged on us, then was the time for us. We came out of our lair and charged them and repulsed them with great slaughter and took a good many prionsers. We repulsed them in every charge, according to the prionsers statements there were between six and seven thousand of the rebels with five pieces of artillery. They came on us on all sides with their cannon cross firing, but we had to lay low until they would make another charge. Finally the firing of the artillery ceased and the fight was entirely by the infantry. Our company came out the safest of any. Capt. McClanahan was shot through the fleshy part of the thigh. Edward Rockwell's leg was mashed with the bursting of a shell at his feet. Capt. Reed was killed. Orderly Campbell was killed of Company C. Our quartermaster was killed (Bissel) in all there were some 12 or 14 killed and some 43 wounded--some very bad and others but slightly. As for the rebels there are 65 dead rebels lying around here and all that the artillery killed were taken off. We took some 60 prisoners. They just took us at a time when we were the least prepared for them; Captain Cutler was off at Nashville, Capt. Flood of the battery was away at Paducah after more amunition Capt. Hammeric with his Company was away up the river. I don't think we had over 600 or 700 effective men, but how different the case now, the firing ceased at eight o'clock at night and at ten there were gunboats that made their appearance on the river with a large force that was coming up to reenforce Rosengrans. There are now some twelve or 15 thousand of our troops here. The gunboats, five in number, shelled the woods for several miles up and down the river causing them to skedaddle in quick time. The streets are now full of officers and soldiers from the boats looking over the battle ground and examining the position. They all express themselves surprised to think how in the world we sustained against such powerful odds and held the post so successfully. Eliza, it looks very much to a casual observer that man should receive great praise for the achievements of such actions but the hand of God is in it. I never in my life saw the hand of God so visibly as I did in this battle. It appears as though at one time that nothing could save us but at the same time they had expended their strength and nearly exhausted their artillery amunition. There was a shower of shells flying around us but they fell comparatively harmlessly to ground. At that time there was no use in us exposing ourselves to their raking fire of cannon so our officers compelled us to lay down in a deep trench that was washed out in the bottom of a deep ravine and made us stay there until the rebels made a charge after they had silenced our artillery They advanced on us in three distinct lines of battle(all cavalry) and when they got in convenient distance for our rifles we got the word "forward." Then we rose as out of the ground and completely discomfited them that they never as much as fired onto us. Their only safety appeared to be to get out of our reach and some of our prionsers say that their officers must be d----d fools to think they could charge on infantry with such guns and bayonets as we have now. I see the hand of God in this. The rebels were so chargrined to think they were so badly repulsed by so small a number that they have relied upon reinforcement of 1000 men and they were forming in a line of battle to make a night charge, the officers swearing that the would take this place or burst. Just at that time a shell from the gunboats whizzed in and the prisoners say there was the greatest commotion to get out of the way and the whole army skedaddled. The force was that of Wheeler, Forest and Wharter, the same force that cut off Rosengrans provision train and have been since trying to blockade the river and cut off the supplies to Rosengrans. There is now not less than 10,000 troops here on the river. They are waiting here for their commanding officer, Gen. Granger. This is the 6th of Feb. and the battle was on the third and we have not got the ground cleaned off yet. Men who were here at the time of the great siege say that there were more horses and mules killed this time that there were then from the fact of the enemy being all cavalry The rebels paroled all the prisoners they took of our men and they are sent to Benton barracks. I have not been able to learn yet how many of our men were taken prisoners but I don't think there were more than 12 or 15 among which is Clark Elder and Montgomery that married Mat Hemphill. I did not receive a scratch, but could feel the wind from the shells frequently and they would spatter the dirt and gravel all over us when we were in the ditch. I shall never have another word of disapprobation to say against any of our officers for they all acted with the utmost coolness and presence of mind, never became hysterical or confused and acted with the utmost coolness and every man seemed to take it with perfect ease and good humor. William Struthers when a ball creased his cap said "Bully for the cap" and it made us all laugh around him and numerous were the jests and remarks indulged in while the enemy was cannonading us. As for myself, I never felt the first particle of fear except when we were out at first skermishing when the enemy made their first appearance. At that time I felt a little trambly and I hardly know whether it was for fear or from cold for there was snow on the ground and the wind was very chilly but I could just draw up and hold a bead on a rebel as easy as I could on a prairie chicken. Our wounded are getting along very well. Capt. McClanahan is in good spirits, his wound is sore but not painful; Rockwell's foot is amputated below the knee, Francis Clark was contacted with a mine ball on the cheek but would not have interfered with his biting had not a shell struck a chimney above him and knocked the brick in every Direction one of which hit him on top of the head which stunned him but he got over it in a short time. I did not think of writing so much when I turned the paper but it seems as though I could not quit so you must take your time to it and decipher it the best you can. Eliza, I cannot close without saying to you that I never in my life saw so direct an answer to prayer as is shown in this instance and I am also convinced that it was not only the prayers that have ascended to God from here but at home the sweet incense of prayer arose to high heaven for our safety and success, and may God in his goodness and mercy be ever with us to shield and protect us and make us still more successful in putting down this rebellion. No more at present but still remain most affectionately your husband, M.A. Thompson.
Ft. Donnelson, Feb. 5, 1863 Dear Eliza: Our boys feel in good spirits now and full of sport. They have some good times. They don't take drilling as a drudge as they did last summer but have got used to it and they can go through the performances with much more ease and precision. Indeed I think we have attained to a good degree of perfection in drill. It really looks nice to see the Regiment on dress parade. We have the very best arms in the service-the Springfield rifle--as bright and glistening in the sun as they can be made and we are required to keep them so--dare not let a speck of rust get on them. There have been a good many of our wounded die since the battle and about twenty of our wounded secession prisoners died. I will send you a copy of a few lines that a wounded secession prisoner wrote a few days before his death: "A man that enlisteth in the Confederate service is but of few days and short rations. He goeth forth to fight the Yankees, he is driven by his commanders to charge, when a bullet strikes him he is left to die alone in misery and without a friend to take care of him, and without a heart to ask for help. He lays, he groans, he bleeds, he dies, all because he is a rebel to his government and a traitor to his God, he dies miserable, he has no friends to bury him. He has to be put away as a beast and looked upon as a dog, where he goes I do not want to say but he dies miserable. He carries his corn dodger with him, he wears his one uniform, rides his one horse, carries his one gun, works for the d---l and boards himself." Such is a soldier's life under secession rule. I trust we will not have such a doleful picture to make especially for the latter part. No more at present, but remain yours as ever, M.A. Thompson
Ft. Donnelson, Feb. 28, 1863 Death of Capt. McClanahan, Feb. 23, 1863 Dear Wife: I have been long looking for a letter from you, but have failed for the last four mails and I have delayed writing longer than I would have done hoping every mail to receive one from you but thinking my last letter did not reach you. I have concluded to write the second letter since I received one from you but it seems hard for me to write any as we have been very busy since our engagement with the rebels. We have made an entire change in our locality. We have built a new fort and moved into it. The camp we did occupy was not a fort. There was but a part of the Regiment that had any breastworks to protect us from attack of the enemy in fact a person could hardly perceive a better place than it was for the rebels to shell us than our old camp--a high ridge encircled the town in a very convenient distance for cannon to operate successfully and we were shelled out of our quarters quick and compelled to take shelter in ravines on the north side of the town next to the river where we were comparatively safe from the enemy's cannon which was a necessity from the fact that the battle then was almost entirely by artillery and the infantry could not reach the enemy but when the artillery ran out of amunition then the enemy thought they had us allright and came in on us in force. Then was the time for us to come out of the ravines and charge them and scatter them in every direction and in every attempt to charge us they were repulsed. We received word from Rosengrans that Price and Bandorn were marching their forces in this direction and we would do well to fortify ourselves as strongly as we could to resist them. Immediately all hands were put in motion--all the Negroes, all the teams, and every pick and shovel that could be found in the country was pressed into the service and we went into fortifying in earnest. The site was chosen on what is called Searborrow Heights about midway between the little town of Dover and the old rebel fort which is a good position containing two hollows, short and deep, running down to the river than an enemy cannot get a shell into which in case of a severe cannonading we can be comparatively secure and when the rebels make a charge on the fort of course their cannon will cease firing then it will be but a minute's time till we are all at our breastworks to repel any attacks. We have two 32 pounders siege guns commanding the two wings of the fort and one Colt Howitzer commanding the center between the two seiege guns all taken from the rebels works. Such are our defences at present and we feel comparatively safe so far as fortifications are concerned and we have our cabin moved to our new quarters and we are fixed up right comfortable. You might ask why did you not move in to occupy the old rebel fort. My answer would be simply this, that the rebel fort is a defense against river and gunboat attack but is but slight protection from an attack by land. The rebels depended on their outer breastworks to defend them against land attacks but we could do nothing towards defending that for it would take 20 or 30 thousand men to man these breastworks properly.Well, Eliza, I have occupied a good part of my paper to give you an idea of our position but there is another matter of more importance that I must write. I have to write to you of the death of our beloved Captain which took place at 4 o'clock of the morning of the 23rd. We were not altogether prepared for it but could see that he was sinking gradual and finally the diarrhea set in and reduced him rapidly. He sank away just as though he were going to sleep and even in death I never have seen a corpse more natural and look so calm. A person could hardly distinguish only through the palid cheek but what he reposed in sleep. Such is the death of the righteous. I think it was truly said by a man in an ajoining company that if ever a man went to heaven Capt McClanahan was one. He was put into a metallic coffin and his son took him home. The other man of our company who was wounded was Edward Rockwell. He has since died and his brother took him home. There is a large number of wounded on both sides dying and such is the effect of war.
The author of these letters, Corporal Mitchel Andrew Thompson, Company B, 83rd Illinois Infantry, was killed at Pine Bluff, Tennessee on August 20, 1864.
BURIAL RECORDSJohn and Margaret B. McClanahan are buried in Cedar Creek Cemetery, about 3/4 of a mile north of Little York, then 1 mile east. That is in Sumner Township of Warren County. The cemetery was established in conjuction with the Cedar Creek Presbyterian Church (1835), which later merged (1861) with the Little York Presbyterian Church, becoming the Little Cedar Presbyterian Church, still located in Little York. The cemetery is well maintained, and appears to have had a few burials in recent years, despite its small size. John McClanahan enlisted as Captain of Company B, 83rd Illinois Infantry, largely composed of Presbyterians from Warren County. John died 23 February 1863 from wounds suffered at Fort Donelson. It appears that he was buried with some of his fellow soldiers who also died in that battle. I have their names, but haven't checked all of the particulars yet. I have come across group burials before in Warren County, of comrades who fell in the same battle. At the time of his death, John was a member of the Board of Trustees for Monmouth College. Others well connected with Monmouth College are also buried here - perhaps that explains the fine condition that the cemetery is maintained in, while other similar cemeteries in the area are left overgrown. John has both a private marker, which is badly deteriorating, as well as a government issue Civil War marker in fair condition, and a GAR medallion of recent mint. Buried to John's left is wife Margaret B., who died 17 September 1873 in her 74th year. To Margaret's left, I would assume is their daughter "Kate McClanahan, Wife of Rev. J. H. Brown, Died May 29, 1868, Aged 26 Ys., 11m., 12Ds.".
-- Debbie Walus