John Clark, part 3

(Link to part 2 , which includes a link to part 1)

In the aftermath of this victorious campaign, Sherman split his troops, keeping some to go on the "March to the Sea" but sending others to chase down John Bell Hood’s Confederates as they marched westward into Tennessee. The 16^th Kentucky, with John Clark, was among the units assigned to head west.

On November 30, Hood ordered his troops to attack the Union Army at Franklin, resulting in defeat for the Rebels, whose losses included several generals. This was a crucial loss for the Southern army, and the 16^th Kentucky played an important part, according to (now) Brigadier-General J.W. Reilly in his report in the Official Records: “The line was rapidly rallied by their officers and with the assistance of the Sixteenth Kentucky, that at this moment led by Lieutenant-Colonel White, who…gallantly ordered and led his regiment forward to the breach before orders to that effect could reach him. That portion of the enemy who had gained inside our works were either killed or taken prisoners. The enemy made various and continued assaults upon the line, but were each time repulsed with fearful slaughter.”

The fascinating and informative Battle of Franklin blog, in its 11/24/2010 entry entitled “Franklin after-battle report, 104^th Ohio Infantry” publishes a report from Colonel Oscar W. Sterl. Among its information is the following linee describing some of the action in which the 16^th Kentucky took part:

Sixteenth and Twelfth Kentucky rushed from the second line simultaneously with them, and joined them and the One hundredth Ohio, on the first line, from which (having overcome all the rebels who had crossed the works) they kept up a constant and destructive stream of fire, cutting down by hundreds the rebels who had accumulated and massed in the ditches and immediately in front.

During this battle, John Clark became a casualty of war, suffering a flesh wound in his left thigh. He was admitted to Jefferson General Hospital in Jefferson, Indiana on December 5. He remained there until discharged on July 29, 1865, when he was ordered to rejoin his company near Louisville. It was in Louisville where he was officially mustered out of service on August 1, 1865.

Jefferson General Hospital, courtesy wikipedia.com

John's military records provide some information about his pay situation. His discharge card noted $26.64 was still owed to him. Earlier hospital records had noted when he received other payments.

On the company muster-out roll, dated July 15, 1865 in North Carolina, remarks indicate John had received $160 in bounty money, with $240 more being due. He had been paid through April 30, 1865 by this point in time, and this form mentioned “no discharge furnished” after noting his injury. At the bottom of the page, however, a note reported: “Mustered out, August 1, 1865” by the “report of Chf. M. and D.” 

During his time in the hospital, John missed out as his comrades took part in more crucial action before the close of the war as the 16^th Kentucky participated in the Union route of the Confederates at Nashville. This regiment then traveled east and some of its members were the first troops to enter Wilmington, North Carolina, the final Atlantic port open to the Confederates, after Fort Fisher had fallen to the Yankees.

This unit remained in North Carolina on garrison duty at Greensburg until July.

James Carr, part 5, funeral and burial

This entry does  not provide any new information on the case itself, but it is interesting that a local union took charge of his body, funeral and burial. This would have been an ideal opportunity for the local Grand Army of the Republic to step up and care for a fellow Union soldier, but it is possible that membership of that group had just about disappeared. I know it was active as late as 1909 (one of the first entries in this blog has some information about that) but maybe those next 6 years saw too much attrition for it to be very active. At least one local group did step up to take care of it, which is certainly a tribute to that union.




Kentucky Post 
February 12, 1915

Union takes over Body of War Veteran

The Amalgamated Association of Iron Steel and Tin Workers, of Campbell-co., have taken charge of the body of the late James P. Carr, 74, veteran of the Civil War, who was murdered at his home at the foot of Southgate-st., last Thursday night or early Friday morning.

The funeral service will be held from Radel’s Chapel Saturday morning. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery.

A mystery still hangs over the death of Carr. The case is now before the grand jury.

Kentucky Post
2-13-1915

Jas. P. Carr is buried

Funeral Services for James P. Carr, 74, veteran who was found murdered in his home t the foot of Southgate-st., Newport, Feb. 5, were held Saturday from Radel’s Cahpel, Newport. Interment in Evergreen Cemetery.

The Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers was in charge of the funeral.




Here is a link to part 4 of this series.


The 6th and final part will be published in another couple of days.

Refused a Grave in the Soldier's Lot

I know that it seems  weird to start a blog about headstone pictures and then post an entry that lacks such an image, but here I go, with explanation included.

I found two articles from the Kentucky Times-Star of August 1909 about some controversy over the burial place of Civil War veteran Dennis Boyle. The first one is from August 11 and the second from August 13.

Other microfilmed records I reviewed indicate Mr. Boyle was buried elsewhere in the same cemetery, but when I went to the area where his burial supposedly took place (section 35, lot 249)  I could not find his headstone.

What I have found about him so far is that he was born in Ireland on January 6, 1846, was Catholic and died of what appears to be a urinary disease, but the writing on the death certificate is illegible. He was single and a resident of Newport, KY, before passing away at St Elizabeth's Hospital in Covington.

I have not yet discovered the regiment with which he served - I hope I can find his headstone to get that information, but will keep looking for other sources too.Still, finding his headstone is a high priority and I will continue to look for it and will post a picture when I find it.


Below these articles, I included some information about Evergreen cemetery and a photo of the soldiers' plot.


Refused a Grave in Soldier's Lot
Veteran of Civil War Was Not Member of the G.A.R.
Rules of Nelson Post Prohibit Burial of Non-Members
Funeral of Dennis Boyle Will Be Held Thursday Morning

The refusal of Nelson post, G.A.R., to permit the burial in the soldiers' lot in Evergreen cemetery of the body of Dennis Boyle, soldier of the civil war, caused comment Wednesday morning.  Boyle's death occurred in St. Elizabeth's hospital, Covington, and the body was taken to the home of relatives at 311 West Eight street, Newport. Capt. John Link, who took the matter up with representatives of Nelson post, stated that he and others of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial association transferred the soldiers' lot in Evergreen to the Nelson post when the latter was organized. The only stipulation was, he states, that all soldiers serving during the war and having an honorable discharge should have a burial place in the lot set apart in Evergreen. The records of Nelson post show that a resolution was passed that only soldiers belonging to a post of the Grand Army can be buried on this lot, and the quartermaster in charge was powerless to do otherwise than refuse, unless a special permit is granted by the local post. The funeral will take place Thursday morning, with services in Corpus Christi church.

The second article, two days later.

Statement is Made by Commander
Speaks Regarding Burial of Soldiers in Regular Lot.


Commander C.R. Warner of William Nelson post, G.A.R., of Newport, desires to make a statement on behalf of the post regarding the burial of soldiers in the regular lot in Evergreen cemetery who are not member of the Grand Army. "About twenty years ago, when the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial association disbanded, the lot was transferred to the Grand Army, with no proviso as to who should or should not be buried in the lot. The post up to this time has maintained the lot, had a stone wall erected to protect the ground from sliding, and only recently an iron flag staff was erected at the expense of the post. Every inducement was offered old soldiers to become members of the Grand Army post. The entrance fee was reduced to a mere nominal sum and the dues are but $2 a year. There is not an old  soldier, I presume, in Campbell county who is not receiving a pension and it would aid in maintaining the post by their becoming members. There are thirty surviving members of William Nelson post and not half that number of burial places remaining in the soldiers' lot. The Grand Army will never permit an old soldier to be buried in potter's field  and it is the desire that every soldier who fought in the civil war become a member of the Grand Army that they may share in its benefits during their lifetime and be given suitable burial when death comes."


Evergreen Cemetery is in Southgate, Kentucky, and during the war a defensive position, known as Shaler Battery, was constructed on cemetery grounds.The earthwork remains there today, though it  has been reconstructed over the years.

Here is a photo of the soldier's lot discussed in these articles. The larger memorials are in a separate section; the soldier's received the normal military headstone with the shield engraved on the front. There are approximately 70 Union veterans buried in this area, with 4 cannon barrels, one in each corner of the plot, and a stone retaining wall along the bottom side of the section. This picture was taken in the fall of 2010, during a pretty severe drought,  so the grass unfortunately does not look as nice as it usually does for most of the year. (The main background picture on this blog is of this same plot)