The Civil War Service of

James Clayton Cox

by Great-Great-Granddaughter Robin Yonash 2012

Based on: The Historical Record, including James C. Cox Official Military Records

The Cox-Nicholson Saga by LuDelle Cox Powell, 1967 A Narrative of the Origin and Wanderings of the Cox Family by Clark Cox, 1930

The Civil War Journal of Mary Ann Nicholson Cox

Table of Contents Enlistment, Training, and Muster In ...........................................................................................3 Initial Travels..............................................................................................................................3 Wounded at the Battle of Jackson, Tennessee .........................................................................4 Superintendent of the Cairo Barracks........................................................................................4 Battle of Nashville ......................................................................................................................7 Wounded Again .........................................................................................................................7 The War Ends............................................................................................................................9 122nd Illinois Infantry Overview...............................................................................................10 Map of the Western Theater of the Civil War...........................................................................12 End Notes ................................................................................................................................13

The Civil War Service of James Clayton Cox

Enlistment, Training, and Muster In Jim enlisted in the Union Army as a Corporal in Company G of the Illinois 122nd Infantry on August 13, 1862 at Camp Palmer in Carlinville, Illinois. He was one of 70 men from Virden, Illinois out of a total population of about 475. His enlistment record described him as being 6’ tall with blue eyes, brown hair, and a light complexion. His occupation was farmer.1

At the time of his enlistment, Jim and Mary Ann Nicholson Cox had been married for 10 years and had three children: Frank, age 7½; Allie, age 6; and Clark, age 1½. Jim was 32 and Mary Ann was 26. The family had been living in Virden, Macoupin Co., Illinois for about a year, having moved from Wellington, Lafayette Co., Missouri when the war broke out because Missouri was a slave state and Jim was strongly anti-slavery.

On 4 September 1862 Jim was mustered in to Company G, Illinois Volunteer Regulars, 122nd Infantry Regiment,2 stationed at Carlinville, Illinois under Captain Balfour Cowan and Colonel John I. Rinacker.3

Carlinville is about 19 miles south-southwest of where his family was living in Virden. Since it was so close, Jim’s wife Mary Ann and their family were able to visit him several times, traveling by train, and Jim was able to come home on furlough.4 When visiting him, their camp probably looked similar to the one in the photo. Family in a Civil War Camp

Jim liked good coffee and found it hard to the watery brown fluid served as such in the mass hall. Almost at once he began supervising the coffee making and was soon being called "Coffee Cox", a name endured throughout the war period.4

“They cook meat and dry beans and sweet potatoes, and had crackers so hard and dry they could hardly be broken. The soldiers said that they soak them and then fry them in gravy. They said they’re quite splendid.”4

Initial Travels According to Mary Ann Cox’s Journal, in early October 1862 Jim’s Regiment traveled to several places in Illinois, including Cairo, Alexander Co., the southernmost city in the state, about 200 miles due south of Virden. It is located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, just across the river from Kentucky to the east and Missouri to the west. Fort Defiance, a Union fort, was located here. From Fort Defiance, Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Union troops launched raids into Confederate territory in Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee.

It was during this time that Jim first saw Alton, Madison Co., Illinois while his Regiment was guarding the prison at Alton.4,5 Jim so loved Alton that he eventually moved his family there.6,7 It is located on the Mississippi River, about 100 miles south-southwest of Virden.

In November 1862, a doctor burned Jim’s eyes with caustic. They took several weeks to heal.4

The Regiment then traveled to Perryville, Boyle County, Kentucky,4 but apparently did not participate in the Battle of Perryville, also known as the Battle of Chaplin Hills or the Battle for Kentucky, which was fought on October 8, 1862, in the Chaplin Hills west of Perryville. Perryville is in Boyle Co., just 10 miles east of Danville, where Jim and Mary Ann had been married only 10 years earlier. Jim’s brother William and Mary’s parents were still living in the area.

Wounded at the Battle of Jackson, Tennessee On December 19, 1862 during the Battle of Jackson in Tennessee,8 Jim was captured by the Confederates.9 In accordance with the Dix–Hill Cartel10 he was paroled on December 20, 1862 and sent to the Benton Barracks11 near St. Louis, Missouri, arriving two months later on February 26, 1863.9

Benton Barracks

According to family stories, during the war Jim was shot through the chin, leaving a hole so large he was forced to wear a beard ever after6 and he was paroled home during convalescence.7 It’s probable that this injury occurred during the Battle of Jackson. Since his military record for March 30 through July 1863 shows him AWOL and declared “Deserted” on July 12, 1863 it’s likely that the parole for convalescence was not sanctioned by the Union Army!9

On July 8, 1863, Jim registered for the draft, which had been authorized by the Conscription Act that passed Congress on March 3, 1863.12 See next page for a copy of his registration record.

In September 1863 Jim again appeared Present on the Muster Roll for his Regiment.

Superintendent of the Cairo Barracks As shown in the letter below, on March 17, 1864, Jim was detailed on special duty as Superintendent of the Barracks in Cairo, Illinois. From June 16, 1864 until September 1864 he was on sick leave.9 According to family lore, Mary Ann and the children joined Jim for these six months.6,7

Although Jim was assigned special duty as the Superintendent of the Cairo Barracks, he was reporting to the Superintendent of the Prison. The prison for the Cairo Barracks seems to have been located in Alton rather Cairo,5 so it’s not clear whether he was in Cairo or Alton during this time. (Alton is about 180 miles from Cairo, a direct route on the Mississippi River.)

Cairo, Illinois during the Civil War

Family lore says that while he was confined to prison, he suffering illnesses from which he never fully recovered.6 It’s possible that this was during the time he was at Benton Barracks. The winter of 1862-1863 was especially tough for all soldiers at the Benton Barracks. Besides being very cold, a small pox epidemic broke out.11 Jim was there during part of this time, and was

James Clayton Cox Civil War Draft Registration Record, July 1863 (he had already been serving before this)

already wounded, in addition to traveling several hundred miles cross country during the winter, so would have been susceptible to illness.

However, since the family memory specifically mentions a prison, it’s more likely that it is referring to his extended illness while on special duty as the Superintendent of the Cairo Barracks/Alton Prison. Cairo’s climate was humid, disease-carrying mosquitoes and rats were everywhere, and the low flat land was extremely muddy because the town was prone to flooding.13

Battle of Nashville Between September 1864 and February 1865, the 122nd Illinois Infantry engaged in a major fight known as the Battle of Nashville. This was a two-day battle in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign that represented the end of large-scale fighting in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15–16, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood and Federal forces under Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas. In one of the largest victories achieved by the Union Army during the war, Thomas attacked and routed Hood's army, largely destroying it as an effective fighting force.

Battle of Nashville

Wounded Again In February 1865, the 122nd Illinois Infantry headed to New Orleans and from there went by steamer to Mobile Bay, Alabama where they assumed responsibility of the eastern defense of Mobile, Alabama, AKA the Siege of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely, from March 26 to April 8. Then they fought in the Battle of Fort Blakely on April 9.9 (See battle map on next page.)

The Battle of Spanish Fort took place from March 27 to April 8, 1865 in Baldwin County, Alabama, as part of the Mobile Campaign of the Western Theater of the American Civil War. After the Union victory in the Battle of Mobile Bay (August 5, 1864), Mobile nevertheless remained in Confederate hands. Spanish Fort was heavily fortified as an eastern defense to the city of Mobile.14

The Battle of Fort Blakely took place from April 2-April 9, 1865 in Baldwin County, Alabama, as part of the Mobile Campaign of the American Civil War. The siege and capture of Fort Blakely was basically the last combined-force battle of the war.15

Jim’s war record shows that he was on sick leave at a hospital in Montgomery, Alabama from May 30, 1865 until the Regiment was mustered out in July.9 Family lore says that while on a burning transport ship between New Orleans and Mobile Bay, he was compelled to slide down a rope in order to save his life. This so severely burned the inner parts of his hands that he was never able to open them more than part way.6,7

Family lore also says Jim was a great lover of sea food and never tired of telling of the feasts at Spanish Fort at New Orleans and always did contend that the oysters of Navy Cove on Mobile bay were the finest in the world, and Spanish Mackerel the finest fish.7

Map of the Battle of Fort Blakely

Jim’s Regiment

On May 14, 1879, when Jim was 49, he applied for invalid benefits as shown in the document below: His wife, Mary Ann, applied for widow’s benefits after his death.

The War Ends Company G, 122nd Infantry Regiment Illinois was mustered out on July 15, 1865 at Mobile, Alabama and on August 5, 1865 they were paid and discharged at Springfield, Illinois.1 Jim returned to life in Virden.

122nd Illinois Infantry Overview

122nd Illinois Infantry National Flag 122nd Illinois Infantry Regimental Flag

Organized at Carlinville, Ill., and mustered in September 4, 1862

Moved to Columbus, Ky., thence to Trenton, Tenn., October 8-12, 1862, and duty there till December 18

Attached to District of Jackson, Tenn., 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee, to December, 1862

4th Brigade, District of Jackson,16th Army Corps, to February, 1863

2nd Brigade, District of Corinth, 16th Army Corps, to March, 1863

2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 16th Army Corps, to December, 1863

District of Columbus, Ky., 6th Division, 16th Army Corps, to June, 1864

2nd Brigade 3rd Division, 16th Army Corps, to November, 1864

1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 16th Army Corps, to December, 1864

1st Brigade, 2nd Division, Detachment Army of the Tennessee, Dept. of the Cumberland, to February, 1865

1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 16th Army Corps (New), Military Division West Mississippi, to July, 1865

Mustered out at Mobile, Alabama on July 15, 1865

Regiment lost during service:

2 officers and 38 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded 121 enlisted men by disease Total 161

Event From To 1862

Right Wing of Regiment moved from Trenton, Tenn., to Humboldt, Tenn., to hold Mobile & Ohio R. R. from Trenton to Jackson

November 12

Regiment moved to Jackson, Tenn. December 18 Battle of Jackson, Tennessee December 18 December 21 Action at Salem Cemetery, near Jackson December 19 Battle of Stones River (Murfeesborough) December 31 January 2 Battle of Parker's Cross Roads (or Red Mound) December 31

1863 At Trenton, Tenn. January 3 February 17 Moved to Corinth, Miss. February 17 June 25 Dodge's Expedition to Northern Alabama April 15 May 8 Rock Creek, near Tuscumbia April 22 Tuscumbia April 23 Town Creek April 28 Guard Memphis & Charleston R. R. from Middletown to Grand June 25 October 31

Junction, with Headquarters at Salisbury, Tenn. Moved to Luka, Miss. October 31 November 1 Eastport, Miss. November 5 December 8 Moved to Paducah. Ky. December 8 January 18

1864 Moved to Cairo, Ill January 18 June Operations against Forest in West Tennessee and Kentucky March 16 April 14 Battle of Paducah, Ky. (Cos. "C," "H," "K") March 25 Moved to LaGrange, Tenn. June 26-July 3 Smith's Expedition to Tupelo, Miss., and return to Memphis, Tenn. July 5 July 21 Battle of Harrisburg (or Tupelo) near Tupelo July 14 July 15 Old Town Creek July 15 Smith's Expedition to Oxford, Miss. August 1 August 30 Moved to St. Louis. Mo. September 8 Pursuit of Price through Missouri September November Moved to Nashville, Tenn. November 25 December 1 Battle of Nashville December 15 December 16 Pursuit of Hood to the Tennessee River December 17 December 28 Moved to Eastport, Miss., and duty there till December 29 February

1865 Movement to New Orleans. La. February 9 February 21 Dauphin Island, Ala. March 6 Campaign against Mobile and its defenses March 22 April 12 Siege of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely March 26 April 8 Assault and capture of Fort Blakely April 9 March to Montgomery April 13 April 26 On duty at Montgomery April 27 June 5 Moved to Mobile June 5 On duty at Mobile June 6 July 15 Mustered out at Mobile July 15 Discharged at Springfield, Ill. August 4

Map of the Western Theater of the Civil War

End Notes 1 Illinois Civil War Detail Report, Illinois State Archives www.ilsos.gov/isaveterans/civilMusterSearch.do?key=54888

2 For this document, only the activities and battles involving James C. Cox are included. For a detailed history of the 122nd Illinois

Infantry Regiment, see https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases/reghist.pdf and http://macoupinctygenealogy.org/war/cw_hist.html#122 3 See www.jstor.org/stable/40194446?origin=JSTOR-pdf for a bio of John Rinaker.

4 The Civil War Journal of Mary Ann Nicholson Cox

5For more details on Alton Prison, see www.factasy.com/civil_war/content/alton-prison-%28union%29 and

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~prsjr/wars/cwar/pow/0index.htm. 6 The Cox-Nicholson Saga by LuDelle Cox Powell, 1967

7 A Narrative of the Origin and Wanderings of the Cox Family by Clark Cox, 1930

8 See Battle of Jackson, Tennessee at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Jackson,_Tennessee for more details

9 James C. Cox official military records

10 The Dix–Hill Cartel was an agreement concluded on July 22, 1862 between the Confederate and Union governments to handle

the general exchange of prisoners of war. Authorities were to parole any prisoners not formally exchanged within ten days following their capture. The terms of the cartel prohibited paroled prisoners from returning to the military in any capacity including "the performance of field, garrison, police, or guard, or constabulary duty." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dix-Hill_Cartel 11

For more on Benton Barracks, see http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mo/county/stlouis/benton.htm 12

See www.etymonline.com/cw/draft.htm for more details about the draft 13

www.legendsofamerica.com/il-cairo2.html 14

For more on the Battle of Spanish Fort, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Spanish_Fort 15

For more on the Battle of Fort Blakely, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Blakely