Matthew McAllister was a 31 years old bachelor and resided in Rock Island, Rock Island County, Illinois when he enlisted 16 July 1861 at Cairo for a term of three years. He stood 5’ 6 1/8” tall, had dark hair, hazel eyes and a dark complexion. Upon arriving at Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky, on 6 September 1861, Company F marched 6 miles out of Paducah and burned a railroad bridge. During the return march, McAllister stopped in a wooded area and, “…was caught by the rebels and beat nearly to death,” according to Captain Webb. The Illinois AGO reports that he lingered on for about nine more days and died, 15 September 1861, as the result of, “a brutal assault.”
It was very disturbing and one of his acquaintances, Thomas Barnett, wrote home about it, “we had one of our men beat to death the day we arrived here he was out with us to burn the Bridge and as we was coming Back to town he wandered away in the wood by himself for some purpose and as it was dark we did not miss him until roll call and next day a scouting Party went in search for him and found him on the Bank of Railroad with his skull all smashed in that you could see his Brains and his face and body beat up to a jelly he lived 6 days after we found him but not senceble (sic) to tell how it happened (sic) but we suppose it was some of the seseshers (sic) that live near the Bridge and we have arrested one man on suspicion but we cant prove nothing against him for want of evidence the man that was killed his name was MacAllister he workd for Jas Mitchell at the Coal Branch about six or eight years ago and then he kept a little Grocery Store at the Branch”.
The statements about him from Barnett may indicate that he was from Madison County instead of Rock Island County. He was Company F’s first casualty as a result of enemy action and they buried him on the 15th at Paducah.
Mathew McAllister, Private, age 31, Single, died of wounds 15 September 1861 at Paducah, Kentucky by reason of a brutal assault; last paid by Major Johnson, 1 September 1861, $108.25, owes govt $5.22, residence Rock Island, Rock Island, Illinois.
Illinois Gazetteer 64/65 – Rock Island, ‘flourishing city’ and capital of Rock Island County; on Mississippi River two miles above Rock River; on the Rock Island Central RR, 181 miles from Chicago, two daily newspapers – ‘Rock Island Union’ & ‘Evening Argus’; public schools and a High School; population 5130.
Matthew McAllister was a 31 years old bachelor and resided in Rock Island, Rock Island County, Illinois when he enlisted 16 July 1861 at Cairo for a term of three years. He stood 5’ 6 1/8” tall, had dark hair, hazel eyes and a dark complexion. Upon arriving at Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky, on 6 September 1861, Company F marched 6 miles out of Paducah and burned a railroad bridge. During the return march, McAllister stopped in a wooded area and, “…was caught by the rebels and beat nearly to death,” according to Captain Webb. The Illinois AGO reports that he lingered on for about nine more days and died, 15 September 1861, as the result of, “a brutal assault.”
ReplyDeleteIt was very disturbing and one of his acquaintances, Thomas Barnett, wrote home about it, “we had one of our men beat to death the day we arrived here he was out with us to burn the Bridge and as we was coming Back to town he wandered away in the wood by himself for some purpose and as it was dark we did not miss him until roll call and next day a scouting Party went in search for him and found him on the Bank of Railroad with his skull all smashed in that you could see his Brains and his face and body beat up to a jelly he lived 6 days after we found him but not senceble (sic) to tell how it happened (sic) but we suppose it was some of the seseshers (sic) that live near the Bridge and we have arrested one man on suspicion but we cant prove nothing against him for want of evidence the man that was killed his name was MacAllister he workd for Jas Mitchell at the Coal Branch about six or eight years ago and then he kept a little Grocery Store at the Branch”.
The statements about him from Barnett may indicate that he was from Madison County instead of Rock Island County. He was Company F’s first casualty as a result of enemy action and they buried him on the 15th at Paducah.
Mathew McAllister, Private, age 31, Single, died of wounds 15 September 1861 at Paducah, Kentucky by reason of a brutal assault; last paid by Major Johnson, 1 September 1861, $108.25, owes govt $5.22, residence Rock Island, Rock Island, Illinois.
Illinois Gazetteer 64/65 – Rock Island, ‘flourishing city’ and capital of Rock Island County; on Mississippi River two miles above Rock River; on the Rock Island Central RR, 181 miles from Chicago, two daily newspapers – ‘Rock Island Union’ & ‘Evening Argus’; public schools and a High School; population 5130.