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Levi Greathouse, Co H, 42nd Illinois Infantry mustered in on October 18, 1864. hardly six weeks later he saw his first action at Franklin, then at Nashville two weeks later. He was apparently severely wounded during this action as he died of his wounds February 12, 1865 in Huntsville.
From Major Atwater’s official report after Franklin:
After dark the Forty-second Illinois was placed on picket and I was detailed as officer
of the day, and before daylight of the 30th, the army all having passed, I
withdrew the pickets an rejoined my brigade, and arrived at Franklin at
noon, where we were soon placed in position on the left of the Columbia
pike, with orders to throw up works and to hold them. Not having many told
we could not built very good works, and consequently could not hold them
long after the enemy came upon us, although we did not leave them until the
right and left both gave away, and we were obliged to fall back over a level
ground a distance of at least 600 yards and the enemy in very strong force
closely following us and continually firing upon us; upon arriving at a main
and strong line of works in our rear I halted and formed the regiment and
fought as well as possible until long after dark, with a loss of 55 killed,
wounded, and missing. During the fight of the 30th one of my recruits shot
down a rebel color-bearer and took his flag from him, but was soon ordered
by a colonel in the Twenty-third Corps to turn it over to him, which he
did and during the night two more of my regiment went out in front of the
works and found three rebel flags, which they brought in with one of
the rebel soldiers, who was on picket, as a prisoner, but as soon as they
came into our lines an officer of the Twenty-third Corps ordered them to
give him the colors, and like good soldiers they obeyed the order.
So far as the conduct of the officers and, men of the regiment is concerned
I have only to speak of it in the highest terms.
About midnight of the 30th we quietly retired from Franklin to Nashville,
where we arrived at 10 a. m., very nearly tired out.
I have the honor to be, sir, your very obedient servant,
F. A. ATWATER,
Maj. Forty-second Illinois, Cmdg. Regt.
James Tolerton was from Columbia City when he enlisted in 1863 as Assistant Surgeon with the 129th Indiana Infantry. The 129th participated in Hood’s Middle Tennessee campaigns in Columbia, Franklin and Nashville. The 129th was in Moore’s Brigade, Ruger’s Division.
Image source: Indiana in the Civil War, Arcadia Publishing
Flavius Josephus VanVorhis was born in Marion County, Indiana in 1841. He survived the war and lived until 1913. Using his war-time experience, in which he served as an assistant surgeon, he took a very active role in health legislation in Indiana after the war. He was a member of the 86th Indiana Infantry which was in Wood’s Division.
Image source: Ruth Lilly Medical Library
1. Full names of soldier.
John M. McGinnis
2. Rank, unit served with, etc
4th TN Infantry Regiment Co. K ( Strahls)
Jackson’s 7th Calvary
15th TN (Stewart’s) Calvary Co. C
19th TN (Biffle’s) Calvary Co. K (Gen. Forrest Division)
3. Any personal info about the soldier that you’re aware of.
Yes, see http://www.vizualstorm.com/jc/web-content/index.html
4. Was he wounded at Franklin? Captured? Missing? Killed?
NO
5. Survive Franklin? Survive the war?
Yes
6. Your exact relation?
Great Grand Son
7. Burial place?
Dyersburg, TN
8. Any pictures of the soldier: in uniform? Before or after the war?
Not in uniform, post-war yes
9. Surviving letters, diaries, or documents you’re willing to share?
None
10. The email address for you to be contacted?
jamescareyll@live.com
More info
My Great-great grandfather was named John M. McGinnis and he was born and raised in Dyer Co. of North West Tennessee. He lived in both Newbern TN and Dyersburg TN prior to entering into the civil war.
He fought at Franklin under General Forrest and even met his future wife there while engaged in the battles in and around Franklin.
I have written a detailed biography of my great-great grandfather of his life and his family since their arrival in Dyer county Tennessee in 1841. The web page can be found at:
http://www.vizualstorm.com/jc/web-content/index.html
The following are a couple of excerpts from that biography:
John was placed into the 9th (later 19th) Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, Company K., as a 5th Sergeant under Captain R.M. Sharp. This was a pretty high rank for an enlisted man and he now drew $17.00 a month.
The 9th Tennessee Cavalry regiment was placed under Colonel J.B. Biffle who was attached directly to General Forrest’s staff. How proud John must have been, he was riding for one of the most famous and respected Generals of the Confederate service.
This unit was involved in a lot of action, although most were not as significant as the major battles that shaped the outcome of the Civil war.
It is also interesting to note here that during the many battles/skirmishes John’s unit was involved in and around Franklin, TN (in 1863 and 1864), that John’s future wife (Carrie Doughty) was born and being raised there in the Franklin, TN area. She would have been about 14 or 15 years old at that time. It is highly likely that they may have met during this period.
COMMENT: They would wed six years later, after the war, in 1870.
In April 1901, John went to the cemetery at Ashwood, TN near Columbia, TN to retrieve General Strahl’s body (as you may remember this was John’s commander when he enlisted in May 1861 in the 4th TN infantry, as a Dyer Guard). General Strahl was killed in the battle of Franklin on 30 Nov. 1864 and his body had been buried at Ashwood, TN. John was there at that Battle.
There was some discussion by the people of Columbia, TN to move his body to the Confederate burial cemetery in Columbia. John and a comrade (Mr. David Shaw – also from Dyersburg) had gone to Ashwood to escort and take home General Strahl’s body for reburial. When John returned the General’s body to Dyersburg TN, there was a surprisingly large attendance of veterans at the public service held in Dyersburg for this General. The General was and is currently buried in the same cemetery where John is buried
In 1905, John (and I suspect his wife) visited the Franklin, TN battlefield and removed some timber from the siding of an old Gin house (I suspect it may very well be the one pictured at the top of this Franklin Face Book web page) where he had fought during the battle of Franklin. From this wood, he made some ceremony gavels (quantity unknown) and sent one to the Egbert F. Jones camp (#367, UCV, Huntsville, AL,) for their use. Other gravel locations are unknown.
On 21 February 1907, John died in his hometown of Dyersburg and is buried in the old Dyersburg cemetery near the downtown area.
Please click on the following link to this web page and I sincerely hope you enjoy reading it. It took me five years of extensive research to develop this man’s story. I would greatly appreciate any feedback on it. My email address is: jamescareyLL@live.com
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