|
 John
L. LEWIS
March
4, 1829 - October 8, 1897
You are here: Photo
Albums • LEWIS • John L.
John is a man
that I know quite a bit about because he was a soldier in the Civil
War and I have been able to obtain his military and pension records.
He enlisted voluntarily in Vassar, Tuscola Co, Michigan on August 11,
1864, at age 34. He was assigned to the 29th Regiment Michigan
Infantry. The 29th was mustered into service on August 17, 1864. John
was promoted to Sergeant on February 27, 1865. (See below in the
right-hand column for more information of the 29th Michigan.)
John made a pension claim in 1890 because he was unable to perform
any manual labor due to disability caused by his time in the service.
John died on October 8, 1897 in Vassar, Michigan.
Photo
Gallery
John
and his wife Gertrude
- prior to 1897
John's
Volunteer Enlistment Form
Bliss
Park - Saginaw, Michigan
On this spot,
the 29th Michigan Infantry was mustered into Federal service.
Close-up
of the plaque commemorating the muster-in of the 29th Michigan.
|
|
|
|
|
Riverside
Cemetery - Vassar, Michigan
Grand Army of
the Republic monument commemorating the service of
"the
Defenders Of The Union." John Lewis was present at the
dedication and
his name is inscribed on the monument. |
|
Riverside
Cemetery
Vassar, Michigan |
|
John's
great-great-great grandson, Paul
EASTMAN, at
his grave in 1980 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Birth: |
|
4 Mar 1829,
Auburn, Cayuga Co, New York |
|
|
|
Military
Service: |
|
Civil War - 29th
Michigan Infantry |
|
|
|
Death: |
|
8 Oct 1897,
Vassar, Michigan |
|
|
|
Burial: |
|
Vassar, Michigan -
Riverside Cemetery |
|
|
|
Father: |
|
Mathias LEWIS |
|
|
|
Mother: |
|
unknown first name
VAN GORDER |
|
|
|
Siblings: |
|
unknown |
|
|
|
Marriage: |
|
Gertrude
Anne TERWILLEGER - 3 Nov 1854, Wolcott, Wayne Co, New York |
|
|
|
Children: |
|
Helen Elizabeth LEWIS
John F. LEWIS
Julia Louise LEWIS |
|
|
|
|
|
29th Regiment Michigan
Infantry 1864-5
In the orders
authorizing the forming of the regiments raised during the year 1864,
this Regiment was originally designated the Thirty First. The
recruits which had enlisted for the Thirtieth, having been absorbed
into the Third and Fourth Regiments, re-organized, the Twenty Ninth,
as originally known, consolidated with the Twenty Eighth, the Thirty
First was given the designation as the Twenty Ninth. It was raised
entirely in the Sixth Congressional District, being organized at
Saginaw, Michigan, by the Honorable John Driggs, the muster of the
Regiment was completed on the October 3, 1864.
The 29th broke
camp on the October 6th, for Nashville,Tennessee, under the command
of Colonel Saylor, who had been commissioned from the 3rd Cavalry,
having on its rolls, 856 officers and men. The Regiment was diverted
to Decatur,Alabama on the 26th, the Confederate army, under General
Hood attacking that city the same day, with the 29th aiding in the
defence until the 30th, when the Southern forces retired.
On the November
24th, they marched to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, arriving there on the
27th, then moved out to Overall Creek, where they were engaged on the
December 7th. On the 13th, they were sent out again, as an escort of
a Railroad train to procure fuel for the locomotive, when they were
attacked by a superior force near Winstead Church, where a severe
engagement occurred. The Confederates were repulsed, but only after
they had torn up the track. The Regiment relaid the track, and
succeeded in saving the train, by pulling it into Murfreesboro by
hand. On the 15th and 16th, they were again attacked while guarding
another train near Alexandria on the Shelbyville Pike.
They were then
assigned to guard the Nashville and Chattanooga rail line until July
of 1865, then moved to Murfreesboro until September 6th. when they
were mustered out of the service, returning to Michigan, arriving in
Detroit on the 8th, where they were paid off and disbanded on the 12th.
During their term
of federal service, they were engaged at Decatur, Alabama, Overall
Creek, Tennessee, Winstead Church, Tennessee, Shelbyville Pike,
Tennessee, and Nolansville, Tennessee.
Total Enrollment - 1470
Killed in Action - 2
Died of Wounds - 4
Died of Disease - 65
Total Casualty
Rate - 4.8% |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
"Rally,
Boys, Rally for the flag!
And Avoid the Draft." |
|
|
|
So said the August
1864 poster recruiting volunteers for a new infantry regiment--the
Twenty-ninth Regiment of Michigan Infantry. "Come boys, let us
strike once more for the old Flag--Let it be ours. Let us raise ONE
MORE COMPANY." The new regiment left Saginaw for the field in
October. Its hard-won battle honors were proudly placed on this flag. |
|
|
|
|
|
Special thanks to Mr.
Kim LEESE for all of his help researching the Civil War
records included on this page. |
|
|
|
