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Since my time on this forum I have mentioned my ancestor's involvement in the Siege/Battle of Ft. Donelson many times. With this contribution I would like to share some fascinating bits of information that I have found and questions that have been answered all by sending away for my ancestor's pension record from the National Archives.
Permit me to introduce my two great great grand-uncles; William H. Cumpston and Albert R. Cumpston. They were both born in Ironton, Ohio but most of their childhood was spent in the Chariton, Iowa area where the family moved in 1852-53. Their father died when they were quite young having returned to Ohio to help settle the accounts of a deceased relative. On his return trip he contracted cholera and died at the home of one of his older sons where he had stopped at on the way home.
William and Albert were two of fourteen children and despite their difference in age they must have been quite close. William was born sometime in 1840 and Albert was born September 12, 1845. With their father gone and their mother up in years the family certainly struggled. Both boys worked on farms as extra help to most likely help support the family.
By the time the Civil War erupted in 1861 William was already married and had a couple of children. Albert was 15 years old but probably older than his years. Whether they desired to enlist or not that spring and summer is unknown. What is known is that these two lads from Chariton, Iowa would enlist in the 12th Illinois Infantry Regiment...in Paducah, Kentucky on October 22, 1861.
Ok. So you're probably asking yourself why do two Iowa boys join an Illinois regiment...in Kentucky? That baffled me for many years too. I can tell you this Chariton, Iowa is NOT on the border of Illinois and Iowa. And Paducah, Kentucky is also a long way from home for these guys.
Hoping to find an answer to this question and many others I saved up some money and sent away for Albert's pension record to the National Archives. It was one of my better expenditures of $ 75.00 ladies and gents!
Looking through the extensive files I found the answer as to why the two Iowa boys joined up with an Illinois regiment in Kentucky. According to Albert the whole family travelled to southern Illinois in the fall of 1861 to visit their oldest brother's family. He further stated that they lived just across the river where Paducah, Kentucky was located. Sometime during their visit both William and Albert must have crossed the river and decided to join the 12th Illinois Infantry than encamped and training there. They were part of a small force under the command of a recently promoted brigadier general of minimal reputation by the name of Uylsses S. Grant.
Brigadier General U.S. Grant
Also stated in his account of his service was that both he and William immediately contracted the measles after enlisting in the 12th Illinois and were allowed to convalesce at their brother's home.
The next question after doing a little math is Albert's age...1845 and 1861 would make him barely 16 years old. As many of you have guessed and probably found in your family trees as well he misled the recruiting officer and told them he was older than his 16 years. Perhaps this was part of the reason for enlisting so far from home.
Brigadier General Grant was one of many new generals recently made in the past couple of months but unlike many of his peers he was about to show the them and the nation he was a man of action. For rather than sit around waiting for spring he was already pushing his men hard training and he was about to put them into action. By February 1862 Grant had coordinated his land force with his counterpart in the navy for a combined effort against the Confederate forts of Henry and Donelson.
The small force Grant had under his command including the 12th Illinois with William and Albert Cumpston were on their way to Ft. Henry to help in the capturing of the installation when they learned of its fall. The 12th Illinois was one of the regiments detailed to gather up arms and ordinance while the rest of the force was put in pursuit of the Confederates fleeing to Ft. Donelson.
One of the reasons for the 12th Illinois Infantry probably being detailed for this task was that that they were also hoping to receive their new uniforms. The 12th Illinois was currently attired in a less than practical militia type uniform that the state of Illinois had hoped would induce recruiting. They were also unfortunately gray.
Don Trioni's rendition of the uniform of the 12th Illinois Infantry
The uniforms would have to wait for another time. The 12th Illinois was ordered to join the rest of the force than concentrating at Ft. Donelson and currently encircling the Confederate garrison. When the 12th Illinois did finally cover the march to Ft. Donelson late on February 14 and early on the 15th they were detailed to further the line on the far Union right.
The men of the 12th Illinois were probably hearing the spectacular stories of the navavl attack that had occurred earlier in the day that ended in the Union Navy having to retire. Ft. Donelso was going to be a harder nut to crack than Ft. Henry.
Expired Image Removed
Exchanging "Iron Valentines" February 14, 1862 at Ft. Donelson
As the 12th Illinois was being into the Union line they advanced skirmishers and tried to make the most of a cold night. The weather very spring like a couple of days ago had turned cold and snow had fallen. Little did they know all hell was about to break loose.
The Confederate high command had decided to try and break out the very next morning. The Rebels were massing almost every brigade they had on the Union right in an attempt to break out and beat the siege. The 12th Illinois most have only just to bed when the ball as they say opened!
Sometime during the ensuing battle when the 12th Illinois was hotly engaged in the battle William Cumpston was killed and his brother Albert Cumpston was wounded. This was all I knew from what I had found on-line. The pension record however was going to paint a picture that was a sad detailed account of what happened that fateful day for two brothers from rural Iowa.
Pvt. William H. Cumpston's final post at Ft. Donelson National Cemetery in Dover, Tennessee.
Giving some background on the matter we must advance into the future a bit. Albert Cumpston according to his pension record wanted his pension subsidy to increase starting in the 1870s. We find out that Albert was specifically struck by a "buckshot" behind the left ear. His contention was that his wounding at Ft. Donelson resulted in the loss of sight in his left eye. In fact Albert Cumpston claimed he was practically blind in his left eye before he left the service as a result of his wounding. The US Pension Bureau disputed this claim and asked for proof that Albert's military service resulted in his blindness. This unfortunate dispute was a genealogical gold mine because it meant Albert Cumpston and the US Pension Bureau were going to collect depositions from former comrades to detail what they saw on February 15th, 1862 at Ft. Donelson.
Appeared before me John Griffin.
"I served with two brothers in my company by the name of Cumpston but I can't recall their first names.
"I really can't remember if the one that was wounded was Albert or not. But I do remember that in the battle of Ft. Donelson on February 15, 1862 that one was badly wounded and the other went to his assistance and than he was shot and fell dead by the wounded one. I couldn't tell which one was killed as I don't remember their first names."
"I had no acquaintance with either of the brothers before the war and have not seen the surviving brother since I left the service."
I do recall that the wounded brother evidently went to the hospital because he returned to the regiment and i saw him many times after that."
"I do not remember the nature or exactly the type of his wounding as he was hurt and his brother was killed while trying to get him off the field."
"The brothers were well liked and quite orderly soldiers and done their duty before this. After his wounding at Ft. Donelson the one brother drops out of my memory."
Mr. Griffin further relates that Mr. Cumpston was "taken prisoner at Goldsboro, North Carolina and met us at Petersburg, Virginia on our way to Washington D.C."
Another comrade Harlan L. Baecer states;
"I will say in explanation if I remember correctly he (Albert Cumpston) was quite badly wounded and his brother in trying to help him off the field was killed. I refer you to David A. Cook of Ottawa, Illinois he was Orderly Sergeant at the time and would be more apt. to remember it correctly than I would."
Albert Cumpston was interviewed as well and was asked if he explained his disability to anyone while still in the service.
"There was a man in my company who I spoke of it with by the name of W.S. Crawford. I don't know where he lives now but he used to live in Nebraska. I think we spoke about it if I am not mistaken while on picket in front of Kenesaw Mountain. I don't recall anyone else."
Despite several attempts to get his pension increased over the years and Albert's admitted pursuit of the matter "on principal" it was never allowed. He passed away on January 1, 1921 in Oregon carrying the buckshot that injured him on that fateful day in February 1862 with him to his grave.
Albert R. Cumpston reflects his pride of having served in Company B, 12th Illinois Infantry
Permit me to introduce my two great great grand-uncles; William H. Cumpston and Albert R. Cumpston. They were both born in Ironton, Ohio but most of their childhood was spent in the Chariton, Iowa area where the family moved in 1852-53. Their father died when they were quite young having returned to Ohio to help settle the accounts of a deceased relative. On his return trip he contracted cholera and died at the home of one of his older sons where he had stopped at on the way home.
William and Albert were two of fourteen children and despite their difference in age they must have been quite close. William was born sometime in 1840 and Albert was born September 12, 1845. With their father gone and their mother up in years the family certainly struggled. Both boys worked on farms as extra help to most likely help support the family.
By the time the Civil War erupted in 1861 William was already married and had a couple of children. Albert was 15 years old but probably older than his years. Whether they desired to enlist or not that spring and summer is unknown. What is known is that these two lads from Chariton, Iowa would enlist in the 12th Illinois Infantry Regiment...in Paducah, Kentucky on October 22, 1861.
Ok. So you're probably asking yourself why do two Iowa boys join an Illinois regiment...in Kentucky? That baffled me for many years too. I can tell you this Chariton, Iowa is NOT on the border of Illinois and Iowa. And Paducah, Kentucky is also a long way from home for these guys.
Hoping to find an answer to this question and many others I saved up some money and sent away for Albert's pension record to the National Archives. It was one of my better expenditures of $ 75.00 ladies and gents!
Looking through the extensive files I found the answer as to why the two Iowa boys joined up with an Illinois regiment in Kentucky. According to Albert the whole family travelled to southern Illinois in the fall of 1861 to visit their oldest brother's family. He further stated that they lived just across the river where Paducah, Kentucky was located. Sometime during their visit both William and Albert must have crossed the river and decided to join the 12th Illinois Infantry than encamped and training there. They were part of a small force under the command of a recently promoted brigadier general of minimal reputation by the name of Uylsses S. Grant.
Brigadier General U.S. Grant
Also stated in his account of his service was that both he and William immediately contracted the measles after enlisting in the 12th Illinois and were allowed to convalesce at their brother's home.
The next question after doing a little math is Albert's age...1845 and 1861 would make him barely 16 years old. As many of you have guessed and probably found in your family trees as well he misled the recruiting officer and told them he was older than his 16 years. Perhaps this was part of the reason for enlisting so far from home.
Brigadier General Grant was one of many new generals recently made in the past couple of months but unlike many of his peers he was about to show the them and the nation he was a man of action. For rather than sit around waiting for spring he was already pushing his men hard training and he was about to put them into action. By February 1862 Grant had coordinated his land force with his counterpart in the navy for a combined effort against the Confederate forts of Henry and Donelson.
The small force Grant had under his command including the 12th Illinois with William and Albert Cumpston were on their way to Ft. Henry to help in the capturing of the installation when they learned of its fall. The 12th Illinois was one of the regiments detailed to gather up arms and ordinance while the rest of the force was put in pursuit of the Confederates fleeing to Ft. Donelson.
One of the reasons for the 12th Illinois Infantry probably being detailed for this task was that that they were also hoping to receive their new uniforms. The 12th Illinois was currently attired in a less than practical militia type uniform that the state of Illinois had hoped would induce recruiting. They were also unfortunately gray.
Don Trioni's rendition of the uniform of the 12th Illinois Infantry
The uniforms would have to wait for another time. The 12th Illinois was ordered to join the rest of the force than concentrating at Ft. Donelson and currently encircling the Confederate garrison. When the 12th Illinois did finally cover the march to Ft. Donelson late on February 14 and early on the 15th they were detailed to further the line on the far Union right.
The men of the 12th Illinois were probably hearing the spectacular stories of the navavl attack that had occurred earlier in the day that ended in the Union Navy having to retire. Ft. Donelso was going to be a harder nut to crack than Ft. Henry.
Expired Image Removed
Exchanging "Iron Valentines" February 14, 1862 at Ft. Donelson
As the 12th Illinois was being into the Union line they advanced skirmishers and tried to make the most of a cold night. The weather very spring like a couple of days ago had turned cold and snow had fallen. Little did they know all hell was about to break loose.
The Confederate high command had decided to try and break out the very next morning. The Rebels were massing almost every brigade they had on the Union right in an attempt to break out and beat the siege. The 12th Illinois most have only just to bed when the ball as they say opened!
Sometime during the ensuing battle when the 12th Illinois was hotly engaged in the battle William Cumpston was killed and his brother Albert Cumpston was wounded. This was all I knew from what I had found on-line. The pension record however was going to paint a picture that was a sad detailed account of what happened that fateful day for two brothers from rural Iowa.
Pvt. William H. Cumpston's final post at Ft. Donelson National Cemetery in Dover, Tennessee.
Giving some background on the matter we must advance into the future a bit. Albert Cumpston according to his pension record wanted his pension subsidy to increase starting in the 1870s. We find out that Albert was specifically struck by a "buckshot" behind the left ear. His contention was that his wounding at Ft. Donelson resulted in the loss of sight in his left eye. In fact Albert Cumpston claimed he was practically blind in his left eye before he left the service as a result of his wounding. The US Pension Bureau disputed this claim and asked for proof that Albert's military service resulted in his blindness. This unfortunate dispute was a genealogical gold mine because it meant Albert Cumpston and the US Pension Bureau were going to collect depositions from former comrades to detail what they saw on February 15th, 1862 at Ft. Donelson.
Appeared before me John Griffin.
"I served with two brothers in my company by the name of Cumpston but I can't recall their first names.
"I really can't remember if the one that was wounded was Albert or not. But I do remember that in the battle of Ft. Donelson on February 15, 1862 that one was badly wounded and the other went to his assistance and than he was shot and fell dead by the wounded one. I couldn't tell which one was killed as I don't remember their first names."
"I had no acquaintance with either of the brothers before the war and have not seen the surviving brother since I left the service."
I do recall that the wounded brother evidently went to the hospital because he returned to the regiment and i saw him many times after that."
"I do not remember the nature or exactly the type of his wounding as he was hurt and his brother was killed while trying to get him off the field."
"The brothers were well liked and quite orderly soldiers and done their duty before this. After his wounding at Ft. Donelson the one brother drops out of my memory."
Mr. Griffin further relates that Mr. Cumpston was "taken prisoner at Goldsboro, North Carolina and met us at Petersburg, Virginia on our way to Washington D.C."
Another comrade Harlan L. Baecer states;
"I will say in explanation if I remember correctly he (Albert Cumpston) was quite badly wounded and his brother in trying to help him off the field was killed. I refer you to David A. Cook of Ottawa, Illinois he was Orderly Sergeant at the time and would be more apt. to remember it correctly than I would."
Albert Cumpston was interviewed as well and was asked if he explained his disability to anyone while still in the service.
"There was a man in my company who I spoke of it with by the name of W.S. Crawford. I don't know where he lives now but he used to live in Nebraska. I think we spoke about it if I am not mistaken while on picket in front of Kenesaw Mountain. I don't recall anyone else."
Despite several attempts to get his pension increased over the years and Albert's admitted pursuit of the matter "on principal" it was never allowed. He passed away on January 1, 1921 in Oregon carrying the buckshot that injured him on that fateful day in February 1862 with him to his grave.
Albert R. Cumpston reflects his pride of having served in Company B, 12th Illinois Infantry
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