Civil War veterans in Red Willow County

I have very few annual flowers around my house, most of which are from the planters I take to the cemetery on Memorial Day. You have to water the darn things everyday for them to even pretend like they are pretty not to mention having to keep them out of the wind…in Nebraska no less!

Yesterday I was working in my perennial flowers, cutting the iris back to get ready to thin them. My perennials are lucky to get watered once a week and yet they bloom profusely and laugh at the wind. Their roots are deep as are my roots in SW Nebraska. I think that to live here, we all put down deep roots and while we may falter along the way, we stay the course and work together to help everyone bloom where they are planted.

In 1890 a census of Red Willow County military veterans and widows was taken. These would be veterans from the Civil War, men who came west to put down roots aided by the Homestead Act. I think that it is safe to assume that many of these men are buried in one of the cemeteries of our county and as vets, should have a Civil War flag holder at their graves. Many do not from what I have seen. I understand that some were stollen and some may have never been placed back in the day. Should you know of a veteran that has no flag holder at their grave please let either myself, or Mike Simmonds with the Red Willow County Veteran Administration know, and we will work to correct that problem. All veterans, all wars, should be recognized in our county cemeteries.

The census, a copy off which will be at the SWNGS library, lists the soldiers in alphabetical order, their rank, company and unit if known, and precinct they lived in. Most were in the infantry and were private rank, but some did have a more diverse experience such as Andrew Nelson, a carpenter with the 8th New York Artillery. Andrew had passed by 1890, but his widow, Catherine, was still living in Grant precinct. Another unusual ranking was William H. Brisbin, who was a musician with Company M of the 2nd Iowa Cavalry. William lived in the Willow Grove precinct as did William Irving, also a musician in the beginning of the war serving with Co. A, 197th Ohio infantry. James B. Cumming, Lebanon precinct, was a bugler with Co. S of the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry and Joseph B. Feas, Box Elder precinct, started as a bugler with Co. H of the 1st Iowa Cavalry but his final rank was as a private.

Franklin Henber and William Gray were both seaman, Henber with the U.S. ship “Brilliant” and Gray with the U.S. ship “Little”. Henber was from the Willow Grove precinct and Gray from the Red Willow precinct.

William Hamilton had passed but his wife, Elizabeth, was still living in the Willow Grove precinct. Hamilton was a 1st LT Adjutant with Co. G, 1st Missouri Cavalry. An adjutant is essentially the assistant to the commander of a unit who also handles official correspondence.

There was an interesting note on one soldier, William C. Lothrop, living in McCook, as the sidebar notes he actually enlisted as John Cunningham. He served in Co. G, 55th Illinois infantry. Now there might have been a couple of different reasons for this. Perhaps he was too young or as history states, some young men were paid by wealthy families to serve instead of their son. We may never resolve that question unless the official papers that straightened out his name exist somewhere.

One last man, Archibald J. Thomas, who was living in McCook, made special note of the fact that he served as a Sergeant with Captain Weaver’s Pennsylvania Volunteer’s. He moved up to Corporal with Co. B, 1st Battalion Pennsylvania infantry.

I mention the precinct of these men because they may well be laid to rest in an outlying cemetery and yet their graves should be honored with a flag holder also.

SWNGS library is open on Thursdays, 1-4 PM, 322 Norris Ave., Rooms 2-7. There is an elevator for your use.