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| Entered Union army as Colonel of the 15th Iowa, a Keokuk regiment. Fought and was badly wounded at Shiloh; his regiment fought at Corinth but he was too ill to command. Promoted to brigadier general on April 9, 1863, to rank from March 13, commanded a brigade of Negro and white troops of the XVII Corps in the Vicksburg campaign around Lake Providence, Louisiana. Ordered to command the post at Cairo, Illinois in October 1863. Resigned in April 1864 and returned to Des Moines and the railroad. Died of Bright's disease on August 21, 1864345 Reported paralyzed by ball in the back of the head at Shiloh (Chicago Tribune 12 Apr 1862). Mustered in 22 Feb 1862. Appointed Col. on 1 Nov 1861, Promoted to Brig. Gen. 13 Mar 1863. He was born 18 Oct 1811 in Union City, Union County, Indiana and his father was a native of South Carolina. Hugh came to Keokuk Iowa in 1843 to practice law. Died 28 Aug 1874 in Keokuk.346 WA Reid has death date as 8/21/1874.61 Transcription of a letter written by Mrs. Mary T. Barr, 15 March 1863 widow of James Barr, to Miss Susan Miller telling of kinsman Union General Hugh Reid being in Oxford, MS Original transcriber unknown; letter given to me, Sandra Lake (Newton) Lassen, by Harriet Venable Miller in the 1970's in Leesburg, Florida. Harriet, called "Hattie," was an avid amateur genealogist, my mentor, and the aunt of my first husband Charles Groff Miller. The letter had been handed down in the Miller family since the Civil War. -------- Oxford, Miss. March the 15th 1863 Dear Cousin SUSAN: It has been a long, long time since I received a letter from you. Why have you not written? Since the blessed (cussed) Yanks deserted us, it seems that all our friends and the rest of manking followed their example. We have been living a very isolated life of late -- cut off from everybody and everything, get nothing to eat and nothing to wear, see no one but ourselves -- and precious seldom get the mail. We will realize a change either for the better or worse, soon I think. Two thousand cavelry Yankess passed LAMAR yesterday coming in this direction. They will either open the way I suppose for the better or for worse. I don't care much which, so we whip finally. The vile wretches cannot serve me much worse than they have. Five of my negroes went off with them -- SUSAN, GEORGE, ANNA, EDY, SUSA, and BEN. WASH died a short time before the Yankees came, so you see I am broken up almost entirely. We managed to get along very peacibly with the "Blue retches" -- CORNELIA LOBDELE stayed with us and WILLIE was at home. We slept in our dresses three weeks, not knowing at what time my house would be broken open or burned. FLORENCE took down their vile Flag which was hoisted on ALEC BARR'S gate, and they made threats about what they were going to do. They did not like to see WILLIE either, in his gray suit, with brass buttons -- one went so far as to tell him he had a great mind to take it off him. WILLIE told him he had better come and try it. Your cousin, HUGH REID, from Iowa was talking to WILLIE at the time. He rode up to my gate and asked for ALEC B. and told WILLIE to tell his grandma that his father was still living, and to tell em if he could be of any service at all, he would render it with a deal of pleasure. But the next day they retreated -- he was only in town one day. WILLIE said he was the image of Cousin Hugh. He is a Brigadier-General. How would you like to see him? ALEC says he is an out and out abolitionist and he did not want to see him. ALEC has gone to Panole -- is in Chalmer's staff, I believe. EMILY is coming home in April with WILLIAM, if he goes to S.C. Their lot and house was very much damaged by the Yankess -- It seemed that the whole of Grant's Army camped in this end of Town -- My yard and kitchen were filled with them all the tme. I tell you it was a perfect reign of Terror!! We are expecting them again, but have made up our minds to stand like Southern woman should do, firmly at our post, and let them see what we are willing to suffer and endure, and what our sentiments are towards them. But I know you are tired of this, but I have very little else to write you. WILLIE will not return to Va. till August. He is a grown man and very good looking. FLORENCE is taking music lessons, with a view to teach, when the war is over. LIZZIE BELCHER married a gentleman from Memphis -- MISS STOCKARD has come to Memphis with MRS. TAGGART to try and get some of her surplus negroes. They haven't one. The TAGGARTS are doing nothing here, barely living! Their father sends them money occasionally. He is in COUSIN HUGH'S Regiment. DR. ISOM is in Jackson -- in the hospital. He lost 3 negroes by the Yankess, and had 4 young negro girls to die when they were here -- It is thought they were poisoned. A good many negroes died on two farms thought to be poisoned. We have not heard anything from MARGARET CATER lately. She was doing her own work when I heard from her last. Are you ever coming to see us again -- We would like to go to Pontotoc while WILLIE is here, but that is entirely out of the question, it is with difficulty we can get a horse to plough or go to Milen. Give my love to CLEMENTINE, to COUSIN BOB and his wife. Write by JENY(?), send your letter to MRS. JOHN H. MILLER in town. Affectionately yours, M.T. BARR Information from Annette Carroll, Placentia, CA: Notes for HUGH THOMPSON REID: Bible Record (Photocopy in Annette (Strange) Carroll's possession) Cover page of Bible says, "Presented to James Reid by his son, H.T. Reid, July, A.D. 1843". Another inscription states, "Hugh T. Reid's Book, January 25, 1851 (or 1831-unclear) Cemetary Records-National Cemetary, Keokuk, Iowa Civil War Pension Records (In Annette Carroll's possession) Obituary (In Annette Carroll's possession) Rogues and Heroes From Iowa's Amazing Past-Mills (Located at Calif. State Univ., Fullerton,California Library) The War Of The Rebellion: A Compilation Of The Official Records Of The Union And Confederate Armies (Civil War records and correspondence. Volumes located at the LDS Family History Library, Los Angeles, California and copies of pages regarding H.T. Reid in the possession of Annette (Strange) Carroll) PROFESSION - ATTORNEY AND RAILROAD OWNER AND OPERATOR Hugh Thompson Reid was a prominent attorney and railroad owner and operator in Keokuk, Iowa and much has been written about him, some of which is in the possession of Annette (Strange) Carroll. He was a Colonel in the Civil War of the 15th Iowa Regiment out of Keokuk and fought at the Battle of Shiloh. There he received a wound that caused him problems throughout all of his life. Annette Carroll also has copies of his Civil War papers which are very interesting. There is also a monument to his honor at the Vicksburg, Mississippi battleground. Hugh T. Reid was Brig. General of the First Brigade,17th Corp., 6th Division, Union Army, that fought in the Battle of Vicksburg. Fighting under him were the 1st Kansas (Col. William Y. Roberts) and the 16th Wisconsin (Col. Benjamin Allen). From Rogues and Heroes From Iowa's Amazing Past: Hugh T. Reid of Keokuk bought 119,000 acres of Lee County land for less than a nickel an acre. Reid, an early Keokuk attorney, paid $5,773 at a sheriff's sale in the 1840s for the entire area which was known as the "half-breed tract." The area included all of Lee County south of a line from Fort Madison west to Farmington. Reid thus is known as having been the most extensive landowner in Iowa history. His ownership did not last long, however, as the United States Supreme Court ruled the deal illegal in 1850 and Reid lost possession. The "half-breed tract" was a region set aside in 1824 for persons whose fathers were white and mothers Indian. The "half-breed" arrangement caused endless legal problems. It was difficult to know who owned certain lands and had the right to sell. Also, white settlers had moved in and had established farms without even first asking questions as to ownership. Hugh Reid was another Keokuk resident who achieved distinction in the Civil War. Colonel Reid was wounded in the neck and knocked off his horse at the Battle of Shiloh. His regiment lost nearly 200 men in that one battle, an appalling toll. The full strength of a Civil War regiment was 1,000 men. Reid was promoted to brigadier general. Reid was one of the notables who rode from Keokuk on the first railroad train to reach Des Moines August 29, 1866. The arrival touched off a wild celebration in Des Moines. Reid had been an early president of the railroad which was the old Des Moines Valley line. Others from Keokuk on that train included U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Freeman Miller, Civil War General William Belknap and Samuel Younker, a Keokuk merchant and one of the original Younker Brothers of the widely known merchandising chain. Keokuk was the "Chicago" of the Des Moines River valley area in the pre railroad days. Large Keokuk warehouses stored goods which were sent up country by boat on the Des Moines River and by wagon in dry and cold seasons. Keokuk also was a key point in Mississippi River navigation, with as eleven steamboats crowding the wharfs at one time. Hugh Thompson Reid married (1) Charlotte Ann Johnson, 11 Nov 1841, Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa and married (2) Mary Alexine LeRoy, 5 Oct 1846, Burlington, Iowa. Annette (Strange) Carroll has in her possession photocopied pages containing Civil War Correspondence regarding Hugh T. Reid including his official report on the Battle of Pittsburg Landing (Shiloh). She also has photocopies of his pictures. 1850 Lee Co. Iowa Keokuk Twp p. 434 Hugh t. Reid 37 M W Lawyer 40,000 Indiana Mary A. Reid 22 f Indiana Leroy Reid 1 M W Iowa Elizabeth LeRoy 46 F Iowa Cora Leroy 13 f Indiana 1860 Census Lee Co. Keokuk 1st Ward p. 8 Hugh T. Reid 48 M Lawyer 100,000 10,000 Indian Mary A. Reid 10,000 1,000 do James H. Reid 9 M Iowa Elizabeth LeRoy 56 F 3,000 2,000 Indiana 1870 Census, Iowa, Lee Co., Keokuk 1st WArd p. 24 (microfilm p. 202b) (7 Jun 1880) Reid, H. T. 53 M W Lessee of RR 50,000 100,000 Ind Reid, M. A. 40 F W keeps house Ind Reid, Harry 17 M W military school Iowa Reid, Allen 9 M W Home Iowa Reid, Hugh 6 M W Home Iowa Laroy, Elizabeth 66 F W Boards Ind. 1880 Census, Iowa, Lee Co. Keokuk microfilm p. 270b M. A. Reid W F Widowd 52 Ind. Allan Reid W M son 20 Iowa at college Hugh Reid W M son 16 Iowa at college | ||||||||||||||
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| Last Modified 15 Jun 2003 | Created 10 Apr 2004 by Reunion for Macintosh |