Company K, Twentieth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry Part 7

Born in Kendall county, Ill. Enlisted as a recruit for Company K September 26, 1864, at the age of eighteen years. Became sick at Camp Butler, near Springfield, Illinois, and died at that place November 13, 1864, before he reached the Company.

WALTER LANDON, Fox Township, Kendall County, Illinois.

Volunteered as a recruit for Company K October 3, 1864, and died in a short time afterward at Camp Butler, Illinois, before reaching the Company.

GREENBURY LEACH, Lisbon, Illinois.

Born in West Virginia. Enlisted April, 1861. Captured near Atlanta, Georgia, July 22, 1864. Confined in Confederate prisons from date of capture until the following spring. Died at Fortress Monroe, Virginia, April 30, 1865, just after being exchanged and while on his way to the north. Was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. While in the army always attended whatever religious service was conducted in camp. Was a regular attendant and partic.i.p.ant at regimental prayer-meetings.

Died Since Date of Discharge.

NELSON DAYTON, Newark, Illinois.

Enlisted April, 1861, at the age of eighteen years. Discharged for disability November 27, 1861. Died March 4, 1862, at Newark, Illinois.

ROBERT LAWTON.

May 1861-August 17, 1862. Born in Lancashire, England. Came to America in 1852. Died in Kendall county, Illinois, of the disease for which discharged from the army April 14, 1864, at the age of twenty-five years, three months and eight days. Robert was a good soldier. I remember him distinctly on the battlefield of Shiloh. During the terrible fighting of the first day he turned over his pocket-book to a member of the Company who retired on account of wounds. He did not want his money to be taken by the rebels if he were killed in the fight.

Comrade Lawton's remains were interred in the little cemetery at Plattville. The slab marble which marks his final resting place has fallen down and is broken. When the flowers of May each year come, let patriot hands decorate this grave.

GILBERT MORTON, Oswego, Illinois.

Enlisted May, 1861. Mustered out July 16, 1865. Promoted to Quartermaster Sergeant of the Regiment at the outset and, I think, held that position during the entire war. After discharge he became a railroad official and had a highly successful career for about ten years. But evil days came, and he finally died by his own hand at a hotel in Chicago. This was about the year 1876.

LONGEN MERKLI.

Born in 1829 at Damsingan, Baden, Germany. Went into German army in his youth, and was thoroughly trained as a soldier. Partic.i.p.ated in active warfare in 1848-'49. He handled sword and bayonet with great dexterity.

Few men could stand before him with these weapons. After his service in the German army he spent several years as a student. Was a good latin scholar, and had a knowledge of the French language. Pursued a course of study in surgery and medicine in a German University, and, by members of his profession, was considered an expert anatomist. Had been reared in the faith of the Catholic church, but became a doubter of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity. Came to America in 1860 and engaged in the practice of medicine at Milford and Newark. Was one of the first to enlist in April, 1861. Served in the ranks of the Company for about a year and a half. Was in the battles of Fredericktown, Fort Donelson and Shiloh. Was shot in the foot at Shiloh. Was a remarkably brave and fearless man. About July, 1862, he was detailed to serve in a hospital at Jackson, Tennessee.

When negro soldiers were enlisted he was offered a commission as a.s.sistant surgeon of a negro Regiment, but declined it. He continued on detailed duty and served as a medical man in various hospitals until the expiration of his term of enlistment. Was mustered out in July, 1864. After the war, located at Bristol, Illinois, and pursued the practice of medicine. In his best years he was unable to control his appet.i.te for strong drink and, as time advanced, his appet.i.te steadily increased and he became an abject slave. He died at Bristol, Illinois, August 20, 1879.

GEORGE WATSON, Newark, Illinois.

I doubt whether any man did as much as George Watson toward getting up Company K. He was a lawyer at Newark, was a democrat, voted for Bell and Everett in 1860, and was an enthusiastic Union man. He was a fluent off-hand speaker and was the main figure at all the war meetings in Newark. Had been in Pennsylvania militia and Mexican war and was a good drill master. Was elected First Lieutenant. About the first of June, 1861, he withdrew from the Company and joined Mulligan's Regiment in Chicago.

Was captured with that command at Lexington, Missouri, in 1861. After this he served on a gunboat and, still later, had a commission in a Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment. He was gifted with talent of a high order, but an uncontrollable appet.i.te for intoxicating liquor barred all possibility of success in life. It caused his ruin and downfall and death.

He made many spasmodic attempts at reformation, and at these times was a successful temperance talker. But all his efforts at reform ended in failure. From the United States Soldiers' Home at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I have received this: "The records show that George W. Watson served in Company K, 20th Illinois Infantry; Company E, 23d Illinois Infantry; Company F, 2d Pennsylvania Cavalry, and in U. S. Navy. He was admitted here December 15, 1877, and was killed by a railroad train in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at about 3 o'clock p. m., August 21, 1879."

FAYETTE SCOFIELD, Newark, Illinois.

Born in DuPage county, Illinois, January 25, 1847. Enlisted as a recruit for Company K February 25, 1864. Discharged July 16, 1865. Killed in a railroad wreck in Missouri February 17, 1881.

AMON HEAc.o.x, Lisbon, Illinois.

Born in Oneida county, New York, June 6, 1817. Enlisted in Company K, May, 1861, at the age of forty-four years. Mustered out July 14, 1864. Was the oldest man in the Company. I have been informed that he was slightly wounded at Britton's Lane, but I have no recollection of it. I remember him very distinctly at Fort Donelson. He was a good man and a good soldier. Was a member of M. E. church. Was one of six, many years ago, to organize a Methodist Episcopal church in Lisbon, Illinois. He died in the Soldiers' Home at Quincy, Illinois, April 23, 1889, in the seventy-third year of his age. Is interred in the cemetery at Lisbon.

HENRY HAVENHILL, Newark, Illinois.

Born in LaSalle county, Illinois, June 17, 1842. Enlisted April, 1861.

Discharged for disability April 27, 1862. Died in Chicago, Illinois, of paralysis, June, 1889.

FRANCIS CROWELL, Newark, Illinois.

Born in Tompkins county, New York. Enlisted April, 1861, at the age of eighteen years. Was wounded in the Georgia campaign July, 1864. Mustered out July 16, 1865. Died at Waterman, Illinois, of a complication of diseases, September 17, 1889. The address of his widow is Mrs. Mary A.

Crowell, Waterman, Illinois.

THOMAS GARNER.

April, 1861-July 14, 1864. Born in England. Had been a British soldier, and saw active service in the Crimean war. Deserted from the British army.

Captured and branded with letter D. Deserted again in Canada and succeeded in escaping to the United States.

Thomas Garner was one of the best marchers and fighters in the Union army.

He was always at his post. Never straggled from the ranks and never failed because of sore feet or anything else. Whenever there was fighting on hand Tom was in it. His great failing we all know, but, notwithstanding that, he was the best beloved man in Company K. Some years after the war he went back to England and, in time, returned again to the United States. Soon after his return he walked from Buffalo, New York, to Morris, Illinois, and then came to Newark and Sheridan looking for Company K folks. He found none and went away very despondent. These facts I learned from his friends in Morris. I have received a communication from the Pension Agent at Buffalo, New York, which informs me that Thomas Garner, Company K, 20th Illinois Regiment, was on the rolls of that agency as a pensioner at the rate of six dollars a month, and that he died during the year 1892. He drew pension to July 4 of that year. His address at that time was No. 58 Commercial Street, Buffalo, New York. This is the most definite information I have succeeded in obtaining.

WILLIAM MINARD, Oswego, Illinois.

Born at Walbrough, Ulster county, New York, September 26, 1840. Enlisted May, 1861. Became Commissary Sergeant of the Regiment. Mustered out July 14, 1864. Died at Chicago, Illinois, of disease of kidneys, January 10, 1894. Interred at Graceland.

GEORGE CONNELLY.

May, 1861-September 8, 1862. Born in Ireland. Had been a soldier in the regular army. Was a brave man. Was wounded at Shiloh. Was discharged on account of wound and pensioned therefor. He is now dead. Date of death not ascertained.

JAMES HAGARDORN.

Enlisted at Joliet in May, 1861, and, I think, served about a year and a half. Was discharged for disability and became a pensioner. After the war lived in State of New York. Is now dead. Date of death not ascertained.

JAMES LORD.

May, 1861-March 5, 1863. Was an actor. Came to Newark, Illinois, in the spring of 1861 with a theatrical troupe and there enlisted in Company K.

He was a very intelligent man and a good soldier. Was wounded at Fort Donelson. Was discharged for disability and became a pensioner. He is now dead. Date of death not ascertained.