MACON COUNTY
IN THE
MEXICAN WAR
The History of Macon Co, 1880
War was declared with Mexico in May, 1846, and Illinois, under the call for volunteers, was entitled to
three regiments. The sheriff of Macon county, under the proclamation of Gov. Ford, called for the enlistment
of volunteers. Under this call company C of what was afterwards the 4th regiment was raised, consisting of
78 men. When the company reached Springfield thirty companies had already reported, and the three
regiments were full.. E.D. Baker, then a prominent man of Illinois, through the influence of Hon. O. B. Flickin,
our member in Congress, prevailed on President Polk to allow him to raise a 4th regiment from Illinois, and by
this means the Macon county men entered the service. Mr. Baker was elected Colonel, Lieut. Gov. Moore was
elected Lieutenant Colonel, and Thomas Harris was elected Major of the regiment. The late Gen. I.C. Pugh
was elected Captain of company C, and Senator R.J. Oglesby, 1st Lieutenant; Anderson Fromon, 2d
Lieutenant; John P. Post, 3d Lieutenant; Stephen Osborn, 1st Sergeant; G.W. Galbreath, 2d Sergeant;
B.F. Oglesby, 3d Sergeant; B.L. Martin, 1st Corporal; and G.W. Nelson, 4th Corporal.
The following is a list of the volunteers: Madison Bradshaw, P.T. Bebee, Laban Chambers,
J.M. Dicky, W.P. Davidson, James Greenfield, J. Horner, Wm Hawks, Levi Hite, T. Johnson, H.Lord,
J.C. Malson, I. Martin, Chris. Mayers, G.M. Braden, A.Botkin, George Carver, G.W. Dillow, Dial Davis,
David Huffman, D. Howell, M.M. Henry, John Henry, J.A. Lowrie, Thomas Lord, G.J. Malson, H. Martin,
Chas. Nelson, W.W. Chapman, G.W. Church, J.B. Case, W. Dean, A. Greenfield, Sterne Helm, S.K. Harrell,
W.D.B. Henry, I. Inman, J.C. Leadbetter, A.B. Lee, Ben. Martin, Wm. McDaniel, Wm. Nesbett, James S. Post,
James Rea, J. Sheppard, D.G. Stevens, J.A. Shepley, James Turner, J.D. Travis, W.R. Wheller, W.E.
Warnick, Robert Warnick, Richard Barnwell, J. P{erryman, Wm. Robinson, Jason Sprague, W.E. Lee,
T. Souther, F.E. Travis, T.D. Turney, Lewis Ward, J.W. White, James Freeman, Miles Bosworth, David
Bailer, S. Rice, E. Rice, R.H. Stewart, Dan. Spangler, J. Saunders, J.B. Travis, William Wheeler, B.E. Wells,
B. White, J. M. Arwood, Jesse Butler.
Company C marched from Decatur to Springfield about the middle of June, 1846, where the regiment was formed. After remaining at Springfield a short time, the regiment marched to Alton where arms were in store, which the regiment procured by a little maneuvering on the part of Col. Baker and Capt. J.S. Post. Col. J.J. Hardin, believing that he was entitled to these arms, stoutly protested against their appropriation by Col. Baker, and a wordy warfare ensued which came near resulting in a duel. From Alton the regiment was transferred to Jefferson Barracks, and there placed under charge of Col. Churchill, commandant, under whom it received thorough discipline and drill. About the 20th of July the regiment was mustered into service by Col. Crogan, of Fort Meigs notoriety. In a few days the regiment received orders and embarked for New Orleans, and thence to Brazos, Surtiago Bay, four miles north of the mouth of the Rio Grande, where it disembarked. After remaining at this point for about a week orders were received to march up the Rio Grande eight miles where occurred the first death in Co. C, viz: Second Sergeant George Galbreath. As Col. Baker and a squad of twelve men, all from Macon county, detailed to bury Mr. G., were about to return to camp, they heard a disturbance on board of a steamboat near by, and on arriving at the scene, they learned that an Irish company, in a drunken melee, had driven from the boat the Kennesaw rangers. Baker ordered his handful of men on the boat to quell the disturbance; but no sooner had he done so, than a hand-to-hand encounter ensued, in which the colonel and his squad were soon overpowered and compelled to retire: but not without loss. Col. Baker received a rapier thrust, penetrating his mouth and extending through the back of his neck; Capt . J.S. Post was wounded in the breast, having a rib broken; Charles Dillow, killed (his last words weres; "If I have to go, the road to heaven is just as near from here as from Macon county."); R.H. Stewart, bayoneted in the thigh; and seven others of the spuad more or less injured. At this point orders were received to move still further up the river to Matamoras, on the Mexican side, where they remained a few days, and then moved on to Camargo, where a great deal of sickness ensued. Returning to Matamoras, they then marched to Victoria--marching on Christmas day forty-five miles. About the first of January, 1847, orders were received to march to Tampico, two hundred miles distant, at which place preparations were made for an attack on Vera Cruz. Taking ship at Tampico about the first of February, Vera Cruz was reached in sixteen days, and Company C assisted in the construction of the batteries and the bombardment of the city, which surrendered March 29. After the taking of the city of Vera Cruz, Scott's army marched for the City of Mexico, and en route met Santa Anna, at the mountain pass of Cerro Gordo, on the eighteenth of April, where a battle was fought. Company C had but forty-eight men in this engagement, two of whom were killed and ten wounded. The killed were J.C. Malson and George Nelson.
At the battle Santa Anna came near being taken prisoner, and in his effort to escape left in his carriage
$25,000 in silver and his cork leg, which were captured by Company C, it being at the head of the brigade.
The next morning ensuing the battle, Gen Scott followed on to Jalapa where Company C remained about
a month, when the time of enlistment expired, and the company returned via New Orleans and Saint Louis,
arriving at home about the first of June, 1847, bringing with them the banner received from the citizens on
their departure. They were very enthusiastically received. A grand barbecue was prepared for the returning
volunteers, and a day of general rejoicing was had, still remembered with satisfaction by the participants.
The Adjutant General's Reprot
FOURTH REGIMENT - COMPANY C
NAME & RANK - ENROLLED - REMARKS
===================================================================
Captains
I.C. Pugh - June 13, 1846
First Lieutenant
R.J. Oglesby - June 13, 1846
Second Lieutenants
A. Foreman - June 13, 1846
John P. Post - June 13, 1846
Sergeants
Stephen Osborn - June 13, 1846
Samuel K. Herrell - June 13, 1846
Benjamin K. Oglesby - June 13, 1846
James Rea - June 13, 1846
Corporals
John B. Travis - June 13, 1846 - Hospital attendant in Jalapa, Mexico
William I. Ursey - June 13, 1846
John B. Case - June 13, 1846
Privates
Atwood, John - June 13, 1846 - Wounded in battle at Cerro Gordo, Apr 18, 1847,
in hospital in Jalapa, Mex.
Ause, Charles - July 20, 1846
Barnwell, R.G. - June 13, 1846
Butler, Jesse - June 13, 1846
Bailor, David - June 13, 1846
Bradshaw, Madison - June 13, 1846
Braden, George M. - June 13, 1846
Church, George W. - June 13, 1846
Chapman, Wm. W. - June 13, 1846
Chambers, Laban - June 13, 1846 - Wounded in right arm Apr 18, 1847, battle
of C. Gordo; arm amput'd, hosp. in Jalapa, Mex.
Carver, George - June 13, 1846 - Wounded severely, battle of C. Gordo,
Apr. 18, 1847; in hospital at Jalapa, Mex.
Dean, William - June 13, 1846
Dial, Davis - June 13, 1846
Freeman, James - Aug 27, 1846
Greenfield, Ambrose - June 13, 1846
Huffman, David - June 13, 1846
Horner, Israel - June 13, 1846
Henry, Moses M. - June 13, 1846
Lourie, James A. - June 13, 1846
Lord, Henry - -----
Lord, Thomas - June 13, 1846
Lee, Alsa B. - June 13, 1846
Martin, Josiah - July 3, 1846
McDaniel, William - June 13, 1846
Mair, Christian - June 13, 1846
Rice, Etherage - June 13, 1846
Shepperd, Abram - June 13, 1846
Sprague, Jason - June 13, 1846
See, William E. - June 13, 1846
Spangler, Daniel - June 13, 1846
Turner, James R. - June 13, 1846
Turner, James - June 13, 1846
Travis, Finis E. - June 13, 1846
Ward, Lewis E. - June 13, 1846
Warnick, Robert - June 13, 1846
White, John W. - June 13, 1846
Transferred:
Post, Joel Seth - June 13, 1846 - Commiss'd June 26, 1846, and transf'd to Field and
Staff; appoint'd by President A.C. of S.
Discharged - Sergeants
George W. Galbreath - Jun 13 '46 - Disch. Surg's certif. of disabil. Aug 27 '46
John B. Brown - June 13 '46 - Disch. Surg's certif. of disabil. Aug 27 '46
Lawrence S. Helm - Jun 13 '46 - Disch. Surg's certif. of disabil. Oct 6 '46
Discharged - Privates
Bosworth, Miles - Jun 13 '46 - Disch. Surg's certif. of disabil. Oct 6 '46
Botkin, Amos - Jun 13 '46 - Disch. Surg's certif. of disabil. Oct 6 '46
Greenfield, James - Jun 13 '46 - Disch. Surg's certif. of disabil. Oct 18 '46
Hollingsworth, J.H. - Jun 13 '46 - Disch. Surg's certif. of disabil. Aug 27 '46
Hawks, William - Jun 13 '46 - ------------------
Ledbetter, James - Jun 13 '46 - Disch. Surg's certif. of disabil. Oct 6 '46
Malson, George I. - Jun 13 '46 - Disch. Surg's certif. of disabil. Oct 18 '46
Martin, Harvey - Jun 13 '46 - Disch. Surg's certif. of disabil. Oct 6 '46
Nesbett, William - Jun 13 '46 - Disch. Surg's certif. of disabil. Oct 6 '46
Stevens, Donis - Jun 13 '46 - Disch. Surg's certif. of disabil. Oct 6 '46
Stewart, Robert - Jun 13 '46 - Disch. Surg's certif. of disabil. Oct 6 '46
Travis, John D. - Jun 13 '46 - Disch. Surg's certif. of disabil. Oct 6 '46
Wheeler, William R. - Jun 13 '46 - Disch. Surg's certif. of disabil. Oct 6 '46
Wells, Bazel E. - Jun 13 '46 - Disch. Surg's certif. of disabil. Oct 6 '46
Died - Corporals
Bennett, L. Martin - Jun 13 '46 - Died at Camp Patterson, Aug 31 '46
Nelson, George W. - Jun 13 '46 - Died in hosp. Jalapa Apr 29 '47 wounds rec'd in battle
of Cerro Gordo Apr 18 '47.
Died - Privates
Bebee, Pomeroy T. - June 13 '46 - Died in hospital at Matamoras, Oct 20 '46
Dillon, Charles W. - June 13 '46 - Died Camp Patterson, Mex, Sep 1 '46
Dickey, John M. - June 13 '46 - Died Camp Patterson, Mex, Sep 18 '46
Davidson, William P. - June 13 '46 - died in hosp, Matamoras, Oct 10 '46
Howell, David - June 13 '46 - Died in hosp, Matamoras, Oct 1 '46
Malson, James C. - June 13 '46 - Died Cerro Gordo, Apr 22, wound rec'd Apr 18 '47
Reece, Samuel - June 13 '46 - Died in hosp. at Matamoras Oct 3 '46
Robinson, William P. - June 13 '46 - Died in hosp. at Matamoras Oct 12 '46
Shepperd, James A. - June 13 '46 - Died in hosp. at Matamoras Sep 27 '46
Saunders, John - June 13 '46 - Died in hosp. at Matamoras Sep 22 '46
Souther, Temple - June 13 '46 - Died Camp Patterson, Mex. Sep 19 '46
Wheeler, William - June 13 '46 - Died in hosp. at Matamoras, Oct 1 '46
White, Bazel B. - June 13 '46 - Died in hosp. at Matamoras Sep 26 '46
This company was discharged at New Orleans May 25, 1847.
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