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Here, gathered in our beloved South Dakota, are a few members of our Williamson / Mattson Clan. Charles and Luella are to be blamed (be kind, they didn't know what they were doing). We're generally a happy bunch and somewhat intelligent (notwithstanding our tenuous grasp on reality). I'm also proud to say that most of us still have our teeth.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Two Great Uncles, Civil War Vetrans for the North.

Monument to the Ohio 82nd Regiment, Civil War.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Two of our 4th Great Uncles from our Cantwell family line served in the Civil War.
Col. James Cantwell and his younger brother Jacob were the brothers of our 4th Great Grandmother, Martha Cantwell. The Genealogy line is below:

James and Jacob Cantwell, Brothers of Martha Cantwell (Our 4th Great Grandmother)
to
Frances George
to
Eldora Elizabeth Fiddler
to
Walter Edwin Pierce
to
Violet May Pierce (Grandma Mattson)
to
Luella, John, Linda and Marvin
to
Us, Grandma Mattson's Grandchildren

Col. James Cantwell

Two days after the Civil War began, James Cantwell left his Ohio farms, his business, his six children and his wife Sarah to join the Union Army.

The Ohio Civil War Battle Flag

In 1861 the Governor of Ohio gave Colonel James Cantwell, our 4th Great Uncle and Lieutenant Colonel Bradford Durfee, and Major James Robison authorization to form and recruit a regiment of volunteers to fight the Confederate South. Their 82nd Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry mustered into service on December 31, 1861 with 968 men ad Camp Simon Kenton under the command of our Great Uncle. On May 8, 1862 the regiment received its baptismal of fire when it engaged the rebels in combat for the first time at the Battle of McDowell. Three were killed and 17 wounded. They retreated. The regiment then took part in following after Confederate General Jackson through the Shenandoah. They engaged General Stonewall Jackson at Cedar Mountain. They prevented the rebels from taking Waterloo Bridge.

Col. Cantwell's Battle Sword

The volunteers first heavy engagement came on August 29 at the Second Battle of Bull Run. It lasted two days and our Great Uncle was killed in battle while he was attempting to rally his men against Gen. Jackson’s line.

General Milroy said upon his death,
"...his men loved, obeyed and respected him as a father. Truly the loss of such an officer in these trying times is a great calamity."
Col. Robinson assumed command of the regiment.

Dr. Jacob Cantwell

Our 4th Great Uncle Jacob was a surgeon of the 82nd Ohio. He was treating the wounded at the Stone House when his brother was killed. During the war Dr. Cantwell was under fire during twenty battles and suffered a severe wound at the Battle of Cross Keys, Virginia.
Commissioned Surgeon General of U.S. Volunteers, he was a Lieutenant Colonel when mustered out of service. After the war Dr. Cantwell worked as a physician in Mansfield, Ohio and as a planter in Decatur, Alabama. He died February 12, 1883.

Simply,
Victor