Wilder's Brigade at Hoover's Gap

The poem below (my contribution to Bill West's Third Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge) was included in an undated newspaper article found in the files of my Grandmother. Just 17 ½ years old, her Grandfather (my Great-Great Grandfather) William Brubaker enlisted in Company E, 17th Indiana Regiment on April 21, 1861. He was discharged on June 20, 1864 and eight months later was "veteranized" and enlisted as a sergeant in Company I, 152nd Regiment. He was again honorably discharged on August 30, 1865.

In October 1862, the 17th Indiana was part of a brigade headed by General John Thomas Wilder (a Colonel at the time). The regiments spent much of their time pursuing Confederate raiders and cavalry. As a result, the General decided that his troops would be more effective as mounted infantry. The brigade became known as the "Hatchet Brigade" and then as the "Lightning Brigade" since it could move much faster than the regular walking infantry units. Adding to their effectiveness, the mounted brigade was armed with Spencer repeating rifles on May 18th, 1863.

A little over a month later, on June 24, 1863, the Lightning Brigade used the Spencer rifles for the first time in battle - at Hoover's Gap, Tennessee. They successfully repelled five Confederate assaults and inflicted huge casualties. The 17th Indiana lost 48 soldiers killed and wounded in the severe fighting and the Illinois regiments lost over 100 in the fighting that day.

The poem was recited by Miss Maud Pressler during the 4th annual reunion of Company E held at the residence of Mrs. Isaac Shinneman in Columbia City, Indiana. There was no indication in the article as to the author of the poem.

"Wilder's Brigade at Hoover's Gap"

We rode in advance the whole night long, Faster as near the daylight come,
With never a shout, or laugh, or song, Like hunters pursuing game.
And never a clank of a saber smote An ear in the whole brigade,
And never a bugle breathed a note As the swift night ride we made.

Night's silence was only broken by The sound of our horses' feet:
The stars shown bright in the Southern sky, And the air was warm and sweet.
A sudden halt in the gray of dawn, A single, low, keen bugle call,
We formed in line and galloped on - A few low whispers, and that was all.

For well we knew the day would bring The fierce, wild charge and fight,
And that many a rifle ball would sing Its death-song ore the night.
Our blood rose high when right before, Our eyes the first thin lines of gray,
The skirmishers of an army corps, stretched out across our way.

And on beyond, in Hoover's Gap, Before us spread were a thousand tents;
And in them taking a morning nap Slept Bragg and his regiments.
Loud and clear our bugles sang, And "Charge for the Gap!" was the cry.
And a shout went up from our line that rang And echoed against the sky.

And every steed by spur was stung, As we bent in our saddles low,
And quickly our "Spencers" were unslung, As we rushed on the fearless foe.
On, in the face of the storm of lead That full on our column broke
Over the wounded and over the dead, And through the sulphurous smoke.

We rode the skirmishers to the ground, For Hoover's Gap was our goal;
But above the tumult came the sound Of and army's battle-roll!
"Dismount - Lie down!" Strong line of gray At the double-quick with guns atrail,
Bore down on us in fierce array Expecting that we would quail.

But never a man in the whole brigage Turned back on a coward's heel,
But we lay and gazed all undismayed, Along our barrels of steel.
On - on they came, with savage yell, 'Till fifty paces lay between
And then a flame, as if from hell, Burst full upon the scene.

The black and writhing clouds of smoke Leaped up, then settled over all,
Meanwhile ten thousand rifles spoke Their speech of flame and ball.
For one full hour, like waves that beat Upon the shores that will not yield,
They charged - then sounded the retreat, And left us on the field.

Comrades of many a bloody fray, Of victory or dire mishap,
Who would not rather on that day Have died than lost the Gap?

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun :: It's GeneaThanksgiving

I can't believe it's been a week since my last post. It's been a busy week at The Family History Library! Anyway, I thought I'd play along with Randy tonight with his Saturday Night Genealogy Fun!

This week it is the Thanksgiving Edition in which he asks:

• Which ancestor are you most thankful for, and why?
• Which author (book, periodical, website, etc.) are you most thankful for, and why?
• Which historical record set (paper or website) are you most thankful for, and why?

You don't have to travel too far back in time to find the ancestor that I'm most thankful for – my grandmother, Hazlette (Brubaker) Phend Dunn Ferguson (1902-1984). Even though grandma didn't document her findings she was an enthusiastic genealogist providing me with a five-generation pedigree chart filled with the names and dates of her ancestors (and mine!). Grandma also left behind many old family photographs in addition to her own handwritten biography.

The author that I'm most thankful for is a very recent find... Ann-Jannette Emerson published an impressive body of work called “James and Mary Veatch Ellis : Their Sons & Other Descendants” in 1985. I heard about the book several years ago but finally had the opportunity to spend some time with it while here in Salt Lake City. It is a huge 700-page book jam-packed with documents, transcriptions and abstracts – all with sources. And, it takes me back two more generations on my Ellis line and makes a probable link to the Veatch family – both early 1700s settlers of Prince George's and Frederick counties in Maryland.

It will probably come as no surprise to my few faithful readers that the “record set” that I am most thankful for is Land Records! As tedious and frustrating as they can sometimes be to use they have provided me with “proof” connecting one generation to another in several lines being researched. Case in point, Brinker last June and Huntsicker last month! Obviously, deeds also allow you to locate the land where your ancestors lived and help in finding that land when you visit the area. It is an amazing feeling to walk on the land where they lived!

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun :: Eli Yarian

Randy Seaver's challenge for this Saturday night is to pick an ancestor or relative with a military record and a gravestone then write about them.

I've chosen Eli Yarian, my 2nd great-grandfather, primarily because I haven't written about him previously!

Eli and his brother Benjamin enlisted in Battery D, 1st Regiment Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery on January 28, 1862 and were mustered out on July 15, 1865. Their brother David enlisted with Battery A, 1st Regiment Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery on August 11, 1862 and was discharged with the regiment in 1865.

Another brother, Jonathan, served with Company A of the 35th Regiment Indiana Infantry in which he enlisted in September 1864 while living in Noble County, Indiana. He and his wife, Jane Hook, had moved there in the summer of 1860. Jonathan joined General Thomas' command in Tennessee, and was with his regiment during the concluding campaign in the western part of the Mississippi Valley. He fought at Spring Hill, Franklin and Nashville. On December 16, 1864, during the second days battle at Nashville, Jonathan was severely wounded and taken to Cumberland Hospital, where his left leg was amputated. He was honorably discharged on May 26, 1865 and returned home to Noble County, eventually moving to Nappanee, Elkhart County, Indiana.

Some of the battles that Eli and Benjamin participated in were:

Munfordville, Kentucky... September 14-16, 1862
Lavergne, Tennessee... December 26, 1862
Siege of Knoxville... November 17 to December 4, 1863
Kingston, Georgia... May 24, 1864
Siege of Atlanta... July 28 to September 2, 1864
Franklin, Tennessee... November 20, 1864
Nashville, Tennessee... December 15-16, 1864

Eli was wounded at the Battle of Nashville, but not seriously. He was transferred to the Eastern Army at Fort Fisher and then to Cleveland where he was discharged in July 1865. In the spring of 1866, Eli and Benjamin moved to Elkhart County, Indiana and made their homes in Locke Township. In the fall of 1866 they both got married. Eli on the 22nd of September to Lovina Berlin and Ben married Eliza Coppes on the 25th of December. Lovina's family had lived in Portage County, Ohio and moved to Elkhart County in 1864 so it is likely that Eli and Lovina knew each other prior to coming to Elkhart County. Purely conjecture on my part, but it's possible that the reason Eli came to Elkhart County after the war was because Lovina was there! Maybe, maybe not.

I'm very fortunate to have a photograph of Eli, which was sent to me in May 2006 by Kathy Foster who is distantly related to William Walker, the husband of Eli's sister Susanna. I wrote about that “Happy Dance” moment in February 2009.

Eli's life came to a tragic end at about noon on Monday January 28, 1895 as he was assisting a neighbor in cutting down a tree. It fell in the opposite direction than was expected, striking him in the head. Death was instantaneous.

Eli is buried alongside his wife Lovina and two young daughters in South Union Cemetery, Locke Township, Elkhart County, Indiana. Note that his inscription has the year 1894. His obituary was published in the Nappanee News on January 30, 1895 and his estate entered probate on March 1, 1895. This photo was taken on July 12, 2004. I've visited the site several times since then, the last time being in the spring of 2009.

The inscription on the gravemarker reads:

Yarian

Lovina

1845 – 1932

Eli

1839 – 1894

The inscription on the footstone reads:

ELI YARIAN

CO. D.

1ST OHIO L.A.

Eli and Lovina were the parents of seven children:

1. Estella E. Yarian (29 Oct 1867 – 07 Feb 1935) married Theodore B. Irvine and had two children: Harry and Frederick.
2. Willis Oscar Yarian (18 May 1870 – 07 Dec 1948) married Grace Melvin and had two children, Harold and Grace Maxine.
3. Susie Lula Yarian (05 Jan 1872 – 29 Apr 1956) married Henry Phend and had 10 children. See Phend Family Index to Posts. Susie and Henry are my great-grandparents.
4. Edith M. Yarian (19 Feb 1875 - 01 Mar 1875)
5. Lydia Blanche Yarian (17 Sep 1878 – 03 Jul 1889)
6. Mary Winifred Yarian (26 Dec 1881 – 22 Mar 1945) married Earl Glen Rosbrugh, had three children: Pauline, Mildred and Glenwood.
7. James Arthur Yarian (31 May 1884 – 12 Feb 1930)

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun :: The Ancestors' GeneaMeme

Randy Seaver has picked up The Ancestors' GeneaMeme from Geniaus as his Saturday Night Genealogy Fun and I thought I'd play along...

According to the instructions, the list should be annotated in the following manner:

• Things you have already done or found: bold face type
• Things you would like to do or find: italicize (colour optional)
• Things you haven’t done or found and don’t care to: plain type
• You are encouraged to add extra comments in brackets after each item

My comments are in square [ ] brackets...

1. Can name my 16 great-great-grandparents
2. Can name over 50 direct ancestors [with help from my genealogy database]
3. Have photographs or portraits of my 8 great-grandparents
4. Have an ancestor who was married more than three times [None that I know of though William Alexander was married three times.]
5. Have an ancestor who was a bigamist [Not that I know of.]
6. Met all four of my grandparents [No. Knew my Mom's parents buy my Dad's mother died when he was 2 years old. His father died 5 years before I was born.]
7. Met one or more of my great-grandparents [Five of them were still living when I was born and they all lived in the area.]
8. Named a child after an ancestor [I don't have any children...]
9. Bear an ancestor's given name/s [My middle name is Rose, which is the same as my Mother's. She was given the name in honor of her mother's aunt, Rose (Wise) Zinsmeister.]
10. Have an ancestor from Great Britain or Ireland [Joslin, Goodrich and others.]
11. Have an ancestor from Asia
12. Have an ancestor from Continental Europe
13. Have an ancestor from Africa
14. Have an ancestor who was an agricultural laborer [The vast majority of my ancestors were farmers.]
15. Have an ancestor who had large land holdings [William Foster, Andrew Brinker and others.]
16. Have an ancestor who was a holy man - minister, priest, rabbi [Johann Casper Stoever and William Foster. Jacob Phend wasn't a preacher but he helped start several Evangelical churches.
17. Have an ancestor who was a midwife
18. Have an ancestor who was an author [Sort of. My grandmother wrote her autobiography.]
19. Have an ancestor with the surname Smith, Murphy or Jones [William B. Jones]
20. Have an ancestor with the surname Wong, Kim, Suzuki or Ng
21. Have an ancestor with a surname beginning with X
22. Have an ancestor with a forename beginnining with Z
23. Have an ancestor born on 25th December
24. Have an ancestor born on New Year's Day
25. Have blue blood in your family lines
26. Have a parent who was born in a country different from my country of birth
27. Have a grandparent who was born in a country different from my country of birth [All 4 grandparents and the 8 great-grands were born in the United States. Only three great-great grandparents were "foreign born" - two in Switzerland (Phend, Wiseman) and one in "Germany" (Fisher).]
28. Can trace a direct family line back to the eighteenth century [Several]
29. Can trace a direct family line back to the seventeenth century or earlier [Several]
30. Have seen copies of the signatures of some of my great-grandparents
31. Have ancestors who signed their marriage certificate with an X [Probably, quite a few of them couldn't read or write...]
32. Have a grandparent or earlier ancestor who went to university [Charles Romain Brubaker briefly attended Valparaiso College.]
33. Have an ancestor who was convicted of a criminal offence [Not aware of any but it's possible.]
34. Have an ancestor who was a victim of crime
35. Have shared an ancestor's story online or in a magazine (Tell us where) [here at kinexxions]
36. Have published a family history online or in print (Details please) [Phend Family History privately published in 1991.]
37. Have visited an ancestor's home from the 19th or earlier centuries [The closest is the home of John Brubaker in Huntington, Indiana.]
38. Still have an ancestor's home from the 19th or earlier centuries in the family
39. Have a family bible from the 19th Century [Charles Wiseman Family Bible]
40. Have a pre-19th century family bible

The Tech Savvy Genealogists' Meme

Jill Ball at Geniaus has created The Tech Savvy Genealogists' Meme and explains why she did so at So you think you're a Tech Savvy Genealogist...

I think it's always a good idea and rather fun, sometimes, to evaluate yourself and see how you “measure up” to certain criteria...

If you wish to participate in the meme, simply copy the text below and paste it into your blog (or into a note on facebook or Google+ if you don't have a blog) and  link back to Jill's post for a little "link love". Annotate the list in the following manner:

Things you have already done or found: bold face type
Things you would like to do or find: italicize (colour optional)
Things you haven’t done or found and don’t care to: plain type

Feel free to add extra comments in brackets after each item.

1. Own an Android or Windows tablet or an iPad [Probably will get one when the netbook dies]
2. Use a tablet or iPad for genealogy related purposes
3. Have used Skype to for genealogy purposes
4. Have used a camera to capture images in a library/archives/ancestor's home
5. Use a genealogy software program on your computer to manage your family tree [Legacy]
6. Have a Twitter account [Yes, I do have an account but I don't have the time or internet access to actively use it.]
7. Tweet daily
8. Have a genealogy blog
9. Have more then one genealogy blog [Whitley County Kinexxions, but haven't posted on it with any frequency since January 2009!!]
10. Have lectured/presented to a genealogy group on a technology topic [Blogging, way back in February 2008]
11. Currently an active member of Genealogy Wise [Have an account, but don't have time for it.]
12. Have a Facebook Account
13. Have connected with genealogists via Facebook
14. Maintain a genealogy related Facebook Page
15. Maintain a blog or website for a genealogy society [Been there, done that, probably not again.]
16. Have submitted text corrections online to Ancestry, Trove or a similar site
17. Have registered a domain name
18. Post regularly to Google+ [Have an account and check in when I have time and internet access.]
19. Have a blog listed on Geneabloggers
20. Have transcribed/indexed records for FamilySearch or a similar project
21. Own a Flip-Pal or hand-held scanner [Yes, along with two other scanners]
22. Can code a webpage in .html [Am a little rusty, but can code basic stuff]
23. Own a smartphone [I can foresee this becoming a “necessity” in the future.]
24. Have a personal subscription to one or more paid genealogy databases
25. Use a digital voice recorder to record genealogy lectures [Is that legal?]
26. Have contributed to a genealogy blog carnival [Past contributions to the COG, hope to resume contributing in the near future.]
27. Use Chrome as a Browser [Almost always, unless a site “requires” another]
28. Have participated in a genealogy webinar
29. Have taken a DNA test for genealogy purposes
30. Have a personal genealogy website [Had one but it is now defunct. A blog is better!]
31. Have found mention of an ancestor in an online newspaper archive
32. Have tweeted during a genealogy lecture
33. Have scanned your hardcopy genealogy files [documents and papers as well as family photos]
34. Use an RSS Reader to follow genealogy news and blogs
35. Have uploaded a gedcom file to a site like Geni, MyHeritage or Ancestry [Have one file on WorldConnect not sure I'll ever do another – a blog is better!]
36. Own a netbook [Using it as this is being written. Don't know what I'd do without it!]
37. Use a computer/tablet/smartphone to take genealogy lecture notes [too cumbersome]
38. Have a profile on LinkedIn that mentions your genealogy habit
39. Have developed a genealogy software program, app or widget
40. Have listened to a genealogy podcast online
41. Have downloaded genealogy podcasts for later listening
42. Backup your files to a portable hard drive
43. Have a copy of your genealogy files stored offsite
44. Know about Rootstech [Hoping to attend in 2012]
45. Have listened to a Blogtalk radio session about genealogy [Difficult to do while traveling]
46. Use Dropbox, SugarSync or other service to save documents in the cloud
47. Schedule regular email backups
48. Have contriibuted to the Familysearch Wiki
49. Have scanned and tagged your genealogy photographs [Have them scanned but not tagged]
50. Have published a genealogy book in an online/digital format [Have one written but not published, it needs some work done on it yet. Someday. Published the “Phend Family History” in 1991, the old-fashioned way.]

I'm not quite a genea-techno-geek, but I'm on my way...

The 99 Genealogy Things Meme :: Revisited

What goes around, comes around... Back in January 2009, with the help of the genealogy blogging community, I created The 99+ Genealogy Things Meme, which lists some things that you, as a genealogist, might have done or might like to do in/for/with your research.

A recent comment by Judy Webster of Genealogy Leftovers alerted me to the fact that Jill at Geniaus had taken the meme and dinkumised it (created an Aussie Version) in 99 Things Genealogy Meme - Aussie Style.

Then, Valerie at Family Cherished has modified the Aussie version creating a 3rd generation variation on the original listing.

The author of the Blog of the Brant County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society has modified the list further and created the 99 Genealogy Meme - Canadian Style.

I'll repeat the original list below, with an update on the things I've done. Feel free to modify the list to suit your needs... If you wish to participate in the meme, simply copy the text below and paste it into your blog (or into a note on facebook or Google+ if you don't have a blog) and annotate the list accordingly. We're on the 'honor system' here, no one is going to check up on you! Participation is up to you, no tagging of other bloggers required. And, if you've done it before, you can do it again.

The list should be annotated in the following manner:
Things you have already done or found: bold face type
Things you would like to do or find: italicize (color optional)
Things you haven’t done or found and don’t care to: plain type

1. Belong to a genealogical society.
2. Researched records onsite at a court house.
3. Transcribed records.
4. Uploaded tombstone pictures to Find-A-Grave.
5. Documented ancestors for four generations (self, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents).
6. Joined Facebook.
7. Helped to clean up a run-down cemetery.
8. Joined the Genea-Bloggers Group on Facebook.
9. Attended a genealogy conference.
10. Lectured at a genealogy conference.
11. Spoke on a genealogy topic at a local genealogy society.
12. Been the editor of a genealogy society newsletter.
13. Contributed to a genealogy society publication.
14. Served on the board or as an officer of a genealogy society.
15. Got lost on the way to a cemetery.
16. Talked to dead ancestors.
17. Researched outside the state in which I live.
18. Knocked on the door of an ancestral home and visited with the current occupants.
19. Cold called a distant relative.
20. Posted messages on a surname message board.
21. Uploaded a gedcom file to the internet.
22. Googled my name.
23. Performed a random act of genealogical kindness.
24. Researched a non-related family, just for the fun of it.
25. Have been paid to do genealogical research.
26. Earn a living (majority of income) from genealogical research.
27. Wrote a letter (or email) to a previously unknown relative.
28. Contributed to one of the genealogy carnivals.
29. Responded to messages on a message board or forum.
30. Was injured while on a genealogy excursion.
31. Participated in a genealogy meme.
32. Created family history gift items (calendars, cookbooks, etc.).
33. Performed a record lookup for someone else.
34. Went on a genealogy seminar cruise.
35. Am convinced that a relative must have arrived here from outer space.
36. Found a disturbing family secret.
37. Told others about a disturbing family secret.
38. Combined genealogy with crafts (family picture quilt, scrapbooking).
39. Think genealogy is a passion not a hobby.
40. Assisted finding next of kin for a deceased person (Unclaimed Persons).
41. Taught someone else how to find their roots.
42. Lost valuable genealogy data due to a computer crash or hard drive failure.
43. Been overwhelmed by available genealogy technology.
44. Know a cousin of the 4th degree or higher.
45. Disproved a family myth through research.
46. Got a family member to let you copy photos.
47. Used a digital camera to “copy” photos or records.
48. Translated a record from a foreign language.
49. Found an immigrant ancestor’s passenger arrival record.
50. Looked at census records on microfilm, not on the computer.
51. Used microfiche.
52. Visited the Family History Library in Salt Lake City (May/June 2011).
53. Visited more than one LDS Family History Center.
54. Visited a church or place of worship of one of your ancestors.
55. Taught a class in genealogy.
56. Traced ancestors back to the 18th Century.
57. Traced ancestors back to the 17th Century.
58. Traced ancestors back to the 16th Century.
59. Can name all of your great-great-grandparents.
60. Found an ancestor’s Social Security application.
61. Know how to determine a soundex code without the help of a computer.
62. Used Steve Morse’s One-Step searches.
63. Own a copy of Evidence Explained by Elizabeth Shown Mills.
64. Helped someone find an ancestor using records you had never used for your own research.
65. Visited the main National Archives building in Washington, DC.
66. Visited the Library of Congress.
67. Have an ancestor who came over on the Mayflower.
68. Have an ancestor who fought in the Civil War.
69. Taken a photograph of an ancestor’s tombstone.
70. Became a member of the Association of Graveyard Rabbits.
71. Can read a church record in Latin.
72. Have an ancestor who changed their name.
73. Joined a Rootsweb mailing list.
74. Created a family website.
75. Have more than one "genealogy" blog.
76. Was overwhelmed by the amount of family information received from someone.
77. Have broken through at least one brick wall (June 2011 at FHL in SLC!!)
78. Visited the DAR Library in Washington D.C.
79. Borrowed a microfilm from the Family History Library through a local Family History Center.
80. Have done indexing for Family Search Indexing or another genealogy project.
81. Visited the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
82. Had an amazing serendipitous find of the "Psychic Roots" variety.
83. Have an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War.
84. Have an ancestor who was a Loyalist in the American Revolutionary War.
85. Have both Patriot & Loyalist ancestors.
86. Have used Border Crossing records to locate an ancestor.
87. Use maps in my genealogy research.
88. Have a convict ancestor who was transported from the UK.
89. Found a bigamist amongst the ancestors.
90. Visited the National Archives in Kew.
91. Visited St. Catherine's House in London to find family records.
92. Found a cousin in Australia (or other foreign country).
93. Consistently cite my sources.
94. Visited a foreign country (i.e. one I don't live in) in search of ancestors.
95. Can locate any document in my research files within a few minutes.
96. Have an ancestor who was married four times (or more).
97. Made a rubbing of an ancestors gravestone.
98. Organized a family reunion.
99. Published a family history book (on one of my families).
100. Learned of the death of a fairly close relative through research.
101. Have done the genealogy happy dance.
102. Sustained an injury doing the genealogy happy dance.
103. Offended a family member with my research.
104. Reunited someone with precious family photos or artifacts.