"General" John McClanahan (1794-1863)

John McClanahan was a veteran of the War of 1812, and the Civil War. He enlisted as a Captain on August 11, 1862, and was commissioned in Company B, 83rd Illinois Infantry on August 21, 1862. He was wounded on February 3, 1863 at the Battle of Fort Donelson. He died of his wounds in the hospital at Fort Donelson on February 23, 1863.

* John McClanahan was a General in the Ohio Militia, and a Captain in the Civil War.

"General" John McClanahan Chapters & Civil War Documents
   The War of 1812
   Ripley Days
   The Civil War Comes to Monmouth
   Civil War letter written by Gen. John McClanahan to his wife Margaret, August 30, 1862
   Civil War letters written by Corporal Mitchel Andrew Thompson to his wife Eliza
   Claim for Widow's Pension
   Pension Application
   Pension Record
   Muster Roll

Extracted from:
A Scotch Irish History
Grace McClanahan
1944

THE WAR of 1812

The Surrender of Detroit Painting by John Wycliffe Lowes Forster

These were stirring times and the Scotch-Irish were a stirring people. They watched with Keen interest the progress of the affairs of their new nation; and they were not alone in crediting their mother country England with covetous designs on her former colonies. The War of 1812 did not surprise them in the least -- they were ready to a man. But the surrender of General Hull [on August 16, 1812] astounded the country. It brought too, the keenest apprehension to the Ohioans as they envisaged Indian war anew under the dreaded Shawnee chief, the famed Tecumseh, who was fighting with the British.

John McClanahan, now a strong and sturdy lad of 18, was afire with the rest. When a call came for volunteers to defend our northern boundary, he, with most of his young friends, enlisted. John was in Captain Wade's company (view Roster of Capt. Wade's Company). He was required "to provide himself with a good musket or a good rifle, a sufficient bayonet; a knapsack and two spare flints, a pouch with a box therein to contain not less than twenty-four cartridges and each cartridge to contain a proper quantity of powder and ball."

John provided his own equipment and served in his regiment from July 28 to August 28, 1813. Then the war ended for him. We do not know if this young militiaman ever shot a single one of his twenty-four cartridges in battle. But he must have been an acceptable soldier for, in addition to his pay of $8.25, he received the rank of orderly sergeant.

He seems to have had a natural aptitude for military life and a lively interest in arms, and he remained in the Ohio Militia for twenty-four years. By progressive promotion he was made Major, Brigade Inspector, finally Brigadier General. Hence by this long training, came the title he carried to the end on his life, "General McClanahan."

RIPLEY DAYS

In a few years there were children of all ages in that hospitable home. There were always cute little toddlers learning to talk and rosy babies in the cradle. Seventeen of them came in 25 years, so fast that ere Mary, the eldest, was aged twenty-five, little Robey, number seventeen, and last of the flock, was being christened Monroe Robentile. It is said to have been the favorite joke of "Old General" McClanahan when wondering people asked, "How many children do you have?" to reply, "My brother and I together have seventeen." And so they did: but all seventeen were the General's. To their great sorrow, no children came to brother Samuel and his wife Sallie.

Here in southern Ohio all seventeen of the children were born, and here the family lost Sarah at eighteen. Named for her Aunt Sallie, with her death the family lost a traditional name, and we hear no more, "We have always had a Sarah."

In 1852, General McClanahan himself served in the Ohio legislature. For the work he received four dollars a day, with an additional allowance of four dollars for each twenty-five miles traveled to and from the capitol.

His term in the legislature saw the adoption of a new Civil Code for Ohio. The General himself was to leave the state soon for a new home in Illinois, but the code he helped to embody governed his grand-children and other relatives for a full fifty years.

Every tie seemed to hold the family in Ohio. But the General was a born pioneer. He could not gaze upon the mighty Ohio bearing past his door the immense westward migration without a longing to join it. Friends of the family, members of their own church, were already settled in the "far west," near the banks of the Mississippi. Letters told of that warm and cordial land where the deep soil, rich and black, produced seventy fold.

More and more they longed to go. Isabelle, happily married and happily located at the tremendous Kinkead Spring, might remain in Ohio. Thomas Scott, inheritor of the surveyor talent of Thomas Lewis and Robert McClanahan, had more work than he could do. He might decide to stay behind.

But in the end, after much prayer and discussion, their pioneer blood prevailed. They did not go in one body, but in the end Kinkeads, Thomas McClanahan, the John Fishers, joined the migration. They embarked upon the broad Ohio and were carried hundreds of miles. Then in the Illinois territory, they transferred to wagons and traveled over the flat land northward to Monmouth.

By 1858, the congregation recorded in their minutes, "we now have 100 new members." No doubt many were as they wrote, "fruits of the great awakening," but no one seems to have noted that General McClanahan, like a patriarch of old, brought with him his own family, his married sons with their wives and his several lively grandchildren.

On September 6, 1860, a sudden tragedy in a McClanahan home shocked the little community and brought vividly to them the reality of frontier dangers. On that day, two little grandchildren of the General, sons of Thomas Scott, were outdoors in the bright Fall weather. They were James, the future doctor, and little 7-year old John, the General's namesake. Without warning to them, suddenly John was struck down by a rattlesnake.

There were no serum treatments at that date. Though everything possible was done in line with the medical knowledge of the time, the end was inevitable. Little John McClanahan, son of Thomas Scott McClanahan, one the of seventeen, was the first of the family to be laid to rest in the new land.

CIVIL WAR COMES TO MONMOUTH

When Fort Sumter was fired upon it was a trumpet call to the country. Torchlight processions were held, with patriotic meetings to follow. Enlistments mounted, Monmouth stirred. This was a call to the Scotch-Irish heart. Monmouth College heard the cry.

Among those who felt compelled to respond was the son of the McClanahans, William Steele. Three of his brothers entered into the service at the same time, and back in Ohio, John Thompson, young grandchild of the general, also enlisted. Not much more than a boy, this third John, was to lose his life in Andersonville prison, a sacrifice to neglect.

The first Monmouth group was organized. They became Company F of the 17th Illinois Infantry.

After the departure of company F, the younger boys left at home decided not to waste their time. They would form a company and learn to drill, to march and countermarch, to handle the heavy guns. They asked the old general, John McClanahan, to drill them, and he accepted. He may have been a quaint figure as he, nearly seventy years old, shouted commands to these beardless youths. But he was not so to them. They respected him; they liked him. When they, too, decided to enlist, they asked him to be their captain, and he enlisted with them.

Beside the remaining college boys, his company gathered in young farmers, his neighbors at Cedar Creek, boys from Knoxville, from Mercer County, and from Warren County. Their commanding officer was Colonel Abner C. Harding, Monmouth's leading citizen and, like the general, a trustee of the college. They were like family or a clan closely knit, of one belief and one heritage.

Among the treasured family letters is the General's account of his first trip with them.

Civil War letter written by Gen. John McClanahan
to his wife Margaret

What a man this was! Three score years and eight, but his eye was not dim nor his natural force abated.

In September 5, 1862, they were ordered to Fort Donelson in Tennessee. Here on the long Confederate line which then reached from Cumberland Gap westward to the distant Ohio were two strategic forts, Henry and Donelson, only twelve miles apart. As one fort faced the Tennessee River and the other the Cumberland, they formed the key to a vast region of waterways and hinterland, and here the 83rd Illinois was to remain for almost a year.

The winter was cold and raw and many fell from exposure. The general was to them a father and a chaplin. He ministered to their spiritual needs and their physical wants. In times of stress he prayed for them He solaced the last hours of some who succumbed and knew and loved them all.

When the first successes of the war all went to the Confederacy and the bitter memory of Bull Run rankled, there were mutterings and even desertions in the Union ranks. The long slow advance at Donelson lessened their small confidence. Who was this General Grant? Why didn't he do something?

The McClanahans at Cedar Creek scanned all their letters from the front with eager anxiety. They seemed to remember the Grants from back in Ohio. Yes, those Grants had a tannery right close to Ripley in Georgetown. This Ulysses drove the tannery wagon, and people thought he didn't amount to much. Still, he had been to West Point. He did know.

As the news from Donelson remained so non-committal, at Monmouth College, when chapel prayers were offered, special petitions grew fervent "for those in authority."

The twin forts carried on their stubborn resistance until February. Then Fort Henry fell. All over the north was rejoicing, but it lasted only a few days, for then the word came that the captured fort was scarcely more than s shell. All its best artillery had been carried to Donelson before the surrender. Fort Donelson was stronger than ever.

On February 3, 1863, an attack was made by the Confederate forces. It was a bitter day of driving rain and fierce wind. As the Confederate charge burst upon them the boys fought in a nightmare. Cold ands blinded by rain, they repelled charge after charge of the attack. They were decimated. Many on their leaders were slain. Orders came through with no one to act upon them, but bewildered and desperate, they fought on. The icy rain continued to beat down upon the carnage.

Throughout that terrible time, General McClanahan had been with his boys. Although they had urged him and entreated him to retire from the bloody front, he stayed on. In the face of that wing, he rallied them, and as they caught glimpses of that sash of bright silk or that white hair under the broad-brimmed hat, they were encouraged to rally and fire again and again.

Perhaps that figure made a target plain. Perhaps he paused too long to wipe away the rain and sweat. But surely he would have wished no better way. When the enemy bullet came, General McClanahan was ready. He had fought a good fight. Tenderly his boys gathered about him to lift him from the ground. John Struthers helped as they made him a litter. John was very young. He wiped away unashamed tears as he thought, "I'll have to send the word home." He thought, "Belle will have to tell them." Belle was his sister, Isabelle Struthers, betrothed to the general's youngest son. "Yes," he thought, "Maybe Belle can get word to Roney."

The charge had spent itself. All was over. Darkness fell. All through the night the surviving Monmouth boys searched the field. They sought al the wounded as they lay cold in the rain, and they searched for the others cold in death. They brought them into camp on hastily constructed litters and held anxious council together.

Word of all these casualties must go back to Monmouth. There was, of course, no radio. There was no Red Cross to forward messages. But there was the telegraph. All night long they took turns, working with their rude litters over the field, then wearily waiting opportunity to forward the sad messages,

That night in Monmouth College no one slept. Before dark, the newspaper headlines had told of the carnage. "Flower of Illinois Infantry Gone." "Lost at Fort Donelson--83rd Illinois."

White-faced and grief-stricken, the college girls gathered together. Soon they were all huddled in one place, holding hands for the long night,l and prayed for the boys at the front.

A brother was fatally shot, A sweetheart was crushed by a cannon ball. General McClanahan has been found on the field, severely wounded.

At long last some more hopeful news was given on the burdened wires. Some few missing had been found wandering half-dazed. Dr. Porter McClanahan was taking care of some, along with his father. They had treated all the sufferers and the doctor had wired himself, "Captain McClanahan' wound not necessarily fatal."

All who could stand the trip were to go by boat to Cairo, Illinois, and the government asked for help, doctors, nurses, bandages.

No one slept in Monmouth, but they took no more time for weeping. Everyone had work to do, collecting and packing supplies, laundering old sheets and their voluminous petticoats,l tearing them into strips for bandages.

General McClanahan, too ill to be moved himself, smiles to know his boys would be going to Cairo. Well-known and tender hands would there take them in charge.

For himself, care for by his own son, everything known at the day was done. But gangrene set in--at the date, amputation the only remedy. For him, this was impossible.

He had fought a good fight. He had finished his course. He had kept the faith. He was sixty-nine years old.

On the twenty-third of February, 1863, he received the crown.

Civil War Letters About General John McClanahan & the 83rd Illinois
Written by Corporal Mitchel Andrew Thompson to his wife Eliza
Company B, 83rd Illinois Infantry

August 28, 1862

St. Louis, Missouri

You will see by the heading of this sheet that we have at length moved our quarters. The order now is to prepare two days rations which will do us to Cairo. Our trip thus far was not a pleasant one. Still it was as pleasant as we could expect, the river being low we were compelled to crowd into light draft boats and barges, towed by small transports. We already begin to see the dogs of war lying before us one of the gunboats rigging up anew. Also we see some of the effects of the war in a steamboat lying before us undergoing repairs since it had been fired into by the rebels. There was considerable stir when we were coming down by a rebel squad making a foray on the town of Lagrange. I did not ascertain the amount of damage done but a force from Quincy went and retook the place.

The health of the Regiment is moderately good. Still there is some o the diarrhea by changing water. River water is a miserable substitute for good well water. If the weather were extremely warm there would be considerable suffering. I caught some cold that rainy night we spent in Monmouth and yesterday I had the diarrhea. Today I am enjoying very good health and can eat hearty at our coarse grub. We are all pleased with our officers. We all say that they are the right men in the right place. George W. Lansom of Rockwell is our company commissary. He is a good jovial fellow and performs his duty well. Out boys are all in fine spirits as they are about to send a special to the pot

I must close, sending my love to you and Cory. I feel that I am fulfilling my duty both to God and my country. Write to me and direct to Cairo. Yours affectionately, M. A. Thompson

May 1862 - August 1864

---

September 2, 1862

Cairo, Illinois

Brother William:

As time flies rapidly and I have not written to you as yet and have written but one to Eliza and that from St. Louis but to tell the truth we have had but little time for writing until we got our camp fixed up.

As for the health of the Regiment, it is not to say good but at the same time I can say that it is not bad although there is considerable fever from being exposed so much in a crowded flat boat coming down the river. We were huddled together too much, still that would not have been so bad if we had no dirty scamps in the crowd. We have no arms yet but we are being put through in the drill about right. As for our trip down the river, with the exception I mentioned above, we had a pleasant trip. We had no difficulty in regard to rebels.

I received the Monmouth Atlas yesterday and see by it that we were in the Barracks at St. Louis. That is a mistake but we have a good joke on some of our field officers. Major Brant and Capt. Reed and a few others were taken by the guards that were stationed in the city and taken to the barracks but were not kept in confinement long, but it was a good joke on them.

Our company and Captain Butlar's raised collections and presented their captains with a sword and sash each. You ought to have heard the responding address of Capt. McClanahan--it would have done your soul good to hear the stirring appeals to the Company. It was all done in the street of St. Louis before a crowd of spectators. We got the name of being the most evenly and largest sized men of any Regiment that they had seen at St. Louis. Here we are called the hairy regiment as every man almost has hair on his face although most of them have their air clipped pretty close to their heads--some so short that the scalps can be seen all over the heads.

The 72nd Regiment from Chicago is here. They as a body of men Cannot compete in size with us. They are a rather small set of men

Yesterday we as a company marched down to the levy to see the rebel prisoners and in speaking of the 72nd being an inferior set of men, they are nothing to be compared in inferiority to the rebels. I have frequently heard of them being a miserable looking set, but I have had anything like a correct idea of them--they are just such a set of men that could be led by the nose wherever designing men wish. Cairo is a low, muddy and ugly looking place but this time of the year it is dry, but we can see traces of the mud. It is now one complete bed of cockle burs. We had no place to drill until we cut down the weeds. There was no troops here until the 72nd came. They came a few days before we came--conveniently they got the best ground to drill on.

There are a large number of contrabands here--came from the neighborhood of Pittsburgh landing. They are of very small size apparently very much stiffened up by exposure. Some of them are of jet black, others of a copper color, others almost white. You can only discern a dusky tinge in their complexion, but not any more than a great many white men of dark complexion. One of them, a female, has three children almost white. One little girl is decidedly good looking-bright black eyes, pleasant countenance. Lt. More took our company on parade before their quarters and had a view of them. The little girl was called up to the company and they put small change into her hand to the amount of two dollars. Lt. Turnbull was anxious to get her mother to let them have the little girl to raise but he could not get her consent. She could not be prevailed upon to part with her and I don't blame her. They are kept here and fed by the government. They do anything that they can to make anything for themselves.

---

January 12, 1863
Capt. McClanahan is very anxious to hear from his boys that were in the battles. Wm. was in the 17th and Frank in the 36th which was in the fight and probably a good deal worsted.

As Capt. McClanahan is about to start for a visit to his family I embrace the opportunity of sending you some of my handiwork.

---

Ft. Donnelson, Feb. 3, 1863

Dear Eliza:

I have heard through letters received by some of the boys from Spring Grove that you had started for Indiana. Consequently at least two letters which I had directed to you to the Grove have failed to get there before you started. I will now direct this to Richland hoping it will reach you there. I directed a letter to you and sent it with Dr. Rowley who has been here the second time which had fifteen dollars in it for you. I have not heard whether you received it or not. I also sent you another letter by Brother Newton with ten dollars in it. I do not like to keep any more money here than I need for a little change as Uncle Sam supplies our wants pretty well. Newton is on his way home and very likely will get his discharge on account of physical inability as he has several complaints of which the chronic diarrhea is the most prominent. He had the yellow jaundice when left. He is not at all able to stand camp life. Isaac C. Hogue is on his way home too. He got sick and settled in his head considerable and injured his hearing so much that there was no use in him staying here. There were some fifty went from the Regiment. Cap. McClanahan went with them but the commanding officer at Cairo would not let him go home and in a few days he was back and at the head of his company. There is a report here now that there is a strong force blockading the river. If it is true there will probably be a gunboat fight soon here. I was sorry that I did not get to see Will Rankin as I was out on picket duty when he was here and just got in as the boat left.

I sent to you by the Capt. a package of my manufacturing of shells into breast pins and rings. Some of them have a splendid luster. I suppose they will lay by till you go back to Ill. I also sent Wm's girls a Package They and the letter were all put up together. They will probably mail your letter to Indiana. James Foster is sick with the measles. He is getting along with them very well. Parker is well and how has James' place at the big siege gun. The health of the Reg. is on the improving scale and I think we will soon be able to take rank with other regiments. We had a few days ago three paroled prisoners from Corinth They belonged to Steward's cavalry from Ill. They say that Seven hundred of the rebel cavalry came across 28 of them when they were out scouting and took 15 of them prisoners. They state that they were here at the time of the battle of Donnelson. They state that at one time when they were here they were nearly all sick. There were not enough well men to make a detail to dig a grave. Such are the accounts we have received from all sources in regard to the health of this place.

I am looking every mail for a good long letter from you giving the particulars of your journey and how matters and things were in Illinois when you left and how matters and things are in old Rush. I received a letter from James a short time since. I have not answered it yet. I have been too busy. I have been detailed to build a house for a Regimental bakery but today is too cold to work on the roof so I put in the time at writing. There was quite a little excitement here last week. It has been reported that Forrest was prowling around here with his cavalry and artillery We heard a report as it were cannon at a distance; presently a report came that one of the pickets was wounded with a shell, then came the long roll to arms and we rallied round the flag in double quick and the darkies, of which there are a great many here, all huddled up close behind us, almost scared to death, but it proved to be the bursting of an old shell that lay where the pickets were of which there are hundreds of them lying about. The man's name was burns. His leg was badly mashed and the surgeon amputated it below the knee. The shell was too close to the fire and ignited.

My sheet is full and I must stop, hoping I may receive a good letter from you some time soon. My love to all, M. A. Thompson

---

Ft. Donnelson, Feb. 4, 1863

Dear Eliza:

I on yesterday wrote you a letter but as the mail did not go I this morning hasten to record another hard fought battle of Ft. Donnelson which resulted in a glorious victory to our arms. We had hardly commenced eating our dinner when the long roll was beat and we were in arms in short order, but we were very incredulous about the alarm whether it was not only a ruse to get us out in skermish drill but we were marched out beyond the pickets in skermish line (that is all abreast five steps apart--our company on the east, Reed's company on the southwest. We had only to stand in line 3/4 of an hour until the rebels made their appearance then we began to believe that the reports we had heard of such a great force. We fired onto them and they retreated back until the main body came up and they formed in line of battle. Then our drum beat the rally on the flag and we were called in. We scarcely were in position before the cannon began to fire which lasted an hour and they (our artillery) were badly cut up and ran out of ammunition. The rebels thought they had us and charged on us, then was the time for us. We came out of our lair and charged them and repulsed them with great slaughter and took a good many prionsers. We repulsed them in every charge, according to the prionsers statements there were between six and seven thousand of the rebels with five pieces of artillery. They came on us on all sides with their cannon cross firing, but we had to lay low until they would make another charge. Finally the firing of the artillery ceased and the fight was entirely by the infantry. Our company came out the safest of any. Capt. McClanahan was shot through the fleshy part of the thigh. Edward Rockwell's leg was mashed with the bursting of a shell at his feet. Capt. Reed was killed. Orderly Campbell was killed of Company C. Our quartermaster was killed (Bissel) in all there were some 12 or 14 killed and some 43 wounded--some very bad and others but slightly. As for the rebels there are 65 dead rebels lying around here and all that the artillery killed were taken off. We took some 60 prisoners. They just took us at a time when we were the least prepared for them; Captain Cutler was off at Nashville, Capt. Flood of the battery was away at Paducah after more amunition Capt. Hammeric with his Company was away up the river. I don't think we had over 600 or 700 effective men, but how different the case now, the firing ceased at eight o'clock at night and at ten there were gunboats that made their appearance on the river with a large force that was coming up to reenforce Rosengrans. There are now some twelve or 15 thousand of our troops here. The gunboats, five in number, shelled the woods for several miles up and down the river causing them to skedaddle in quick time. The streets are now full of officers and soldiers from the boats looking over the battle ground and examining the position. They all express themselves surprised to think how in the world we sustained against such powerful odds and held the post so successfully. Eliza, it looks very much to a casual observer that man should receive great praise for the achievements of such actions but the hand of God is in it. I never in my life saw the hand of God so visibly as I did in this battle. It appears as though at one time that nothing could save us but at the same time they had expended their strength and nearly exhausted their artillery amunition. There was a shower of shells flying around us but they fell comparatively harmlessly to ground. At that time there was no use in us exposing ourselves to their raking fire of cannon so our officers compelled us to lay down in a deep trench that was washed out in the bottom of a deep ravine and made us stay there until the rebels made a charge after they had silenced our artillery They advanced on us in three distinct lines of battle(all cavalry) and when they got in convenient distance for our rifles we got the word "forward." Then we rose as out of the ground and completely discomfited them that they never as much as fired onto us. Their only safety appeared to be to get out of our reach and some of our prionsers say that their officers must be d----d fools to think they could charge on infantry with such guns and bayonets as we have now. I see the hand of God in this. The rebels were so chargrined to think they were so badly repulsed by so small a number that they have relied upon reinforcement of 1000 men and they were forming in a line of battle to make a night charge, the officers swearing that the would take this place or burst. Just at that time a shell from the gunboats whizzed in and the prisoners say there was the greatest commotion to get out of the way and the whole army skedaddled. The force was that of Wheeler, Forest and Wharter, the same force that cut off Rosengrans provision train and have been since trying to blockade the river and cut off the supplies to Rosengrans. There is now not less than 10,000 troops here on the river. They are waiting here for their commanding officer, Gen. Granger. This is the 6th of Feb. and the battle was on the third and we have not got the ground cleaned off yet. Men who were here at the time of the great siege say that there were more horses and mules killed this time that there were then from the fact of the enemy being all cavalry The rebels paroled all the prisoners they took of our men and they are sent to Benton barracks. I have not been able to learn yet how many of our men were taken prisoners but I don't think there were more than 12 or 15 among which is Clark Elder and Montgomery that married Mat Hemphill. I did not receive a scratch, but could feel the wind from the shells frequently and they would spatter the dirt and gravel all over us when we were in the ditch. I shall never have another word of disapprobation to say against any of our officers for they all acted with the utmost coolness and presence of mind, never became hysterical or confused and acted with the utmost coolness and every man seemed to take it with perfect ease and good humor. William Struthers when a ball creased his cap said "Bully for the cap" and it made us all laugh around him and numerous were the jests and remarks indulged in while the enemy was cannonading us. As for myself, I never felt the first particle of fear except when we were out at first skermishing when the enemy made their first appearance. At that time I felt a little trambly and I hardly know whether it was for fear or from cold for there was snow on the ground and the wind was very chilly but I could just draw up and hold a bead on a rebel as easy as I could on a prairie chicken.

Our wounded are getting along very well. Capt. McClanahan is in good spirits, his wound is sore but not painful; Rockwell's foot is amputated below the knee, Francis Clark was contacted with a mine ball on the cheek but would not have interfered with his biting had not a shell struck a chimney above him and knocked the brick in every Direction one of which hit him on top of the head which stunned him but he got over it in a short time. I did not think of writing so much when I turned the paper but it seems as though I could not quit so you must take your time to it and decipher it the best you can.

Eliza, I cannot close without saying to you that I never in my life saw so direct an answer to prayer as is shown in this instance and I am also convinced that it was not only the prayers that have ascended to God from here but at home the sweet incense of prayer arose to high heaven for our safety and success, and may God in his goodness and mercy be ever with us to shield and protect us and make us still more successful in putting down this rebellion. No more at present but still remain most affectionately your husband, M.A. Thompson.

---

Ft. Donnelson, Feb. 5, 1863

Dear Eliza:

Our boys feel in good spirits now and full of sport. They have some good times. They don't take drilling as a drudge as they did last summer but have got used to it and they can go through the performances with much more ease and precision. Indeed I think we have attained to a good degree of perfection in drill. It really looks nice to see the Regiment on dress parade. We have the very best arms in the service-the Springfield rifle--as bright and glistening in the sun as they can be made and we are required to keep them so--dare not let a speck of rust get on them.

There have been a good many of our wounded die since the battle and about twenty of our wounded secession prisoners died. I will send you a copy of a few lines that a wounded secession prisoner wrote a few days before his death:

"A man that enlisteth in the Confederate service is but of few days and short rations. He goeth forth to fight the Yankees, he is driven by his commanders to charge, when a bullet strikes him he is left to die alone in misery and without a friend to take care of him, and without a heart to ask for help. He lays, he groans, he bleeds, he dies, all because he is a rebel to his government and a traitor to his God, he dies miserable, he has no friends to bury him. He has to be put away as a beast and looked upon as a dog, where he goes I do not want to say but he dies miserable. He carries his corn dodger with him, he wears his one uniform, rides his one horse, carries his one gun, works for the d---l and boards himself." Such is a soldier's life under secession rule. I trust we will not have such a doleful picture to make especially for the latter part. No more at present, but remain yours as ever,

M.A. Thompson

---

Ft. Donnelson, Feb. 28, 1863

Death of Capt. McClanahan, Feb. 23, 1863

Dear Wife:

I have been long looking for a letter from you, but have failed for the last four mails and I have delayed writing longer than I would have done hoping every mail to receive one from you but thinking my last letter did not reach you. I have concluded to write the second letter since I received one from you but it seems hard for me to write any as we have been very busy since our engagement with the rebels. We have made an entire change in our locality. We have built a new fort and moved into it. The camp we did occupy was not a fort. There was but a part of the Regiment that had any breastworks to protect us from attack of the enemy in fact a person could hardly perceive a better place than it was for the rebels to shell us than our old camp--a high ridge encircled the town in a very convenient distance for cannon to operate successfully and we were shelled out of our quarters quick and compelled to take shelter in ravines on the north side of the town next to the river where we were comparatively safe from the enemy's cannon which was a necessity from the fact that the battle then was almost entirely by artillery and the infantry could not reach the enemy but when the artillery ran out of amunition then the enemy thought they had us allright and came in on us in force. Then was the time for us to come out of the ravines and charge them and scatter them in every direction and in every attempt to charge us they were repulsed. We received word from Rosengrans that Price and Bandorn were marching their forces in this direction and we would do well to fortify ourselves as strongly as we could to resist them. Immediately all hands were put in motion--all the Negroes, all the teams, and every pick and shovel that could be found in the country was pressed into the service and we went into fortifying in earnest. The site was chosen on what is called Searborrow Heights about midway between the little town of Dover and the old rebel fort which is a good position containing two hollows, short and deep, running down to the river than an enemy cannot get a shell into which in case of a severe cannonading we can be comparatively secure and when the rebels make a charge on the fort of course their cannon will cease firing then it will be but a minute's time till we are all at our breastworks to repel any attacks. We have two 32 pounders siege guns commanding the two wings of the fort and one Colt Howitzer commanding the center between the two seiege guns all taken from the rebels works. Such are our defences at present and we feel comparatively safe so far as fortifications are concerned and we have our cabin moved to our new quarters and we are fixed up right comfortable. You might ask why did you not move in to occupy the old rebel fort. My answer would be simply this, that the rebel fort is a defense against river and gunboat attack but is but slight protection from an attack by land. The rebels depended on their outer breastworks to defend them against land attacks but we could do nothing towards defending that for it would take 20 or 30 thousand men to man these breastworks properly.

Footstone General John McClanahan (1794-1863)

Well, Eliza, I have occupied a good part of my paper to give you an idea of our position but there is another matter of more importance that I must write. I have to write to you of the death of our beloved Captain which took place at 4 o'clock of the morning of the 23rd. We were not altogether prepared for it but could see that he was sinking gradual and finally the diarrhea set in and reduced him rapidly. He sank away just as though he were going to sleep and even in death I never have seen a corpse more natural and look so calm. A person could hardly distinguish only through the palid cheek but what he reposed in sleep. Such is the death of the righteous. I think it was truly said by a man in an ajoining company that if ever a man went to heaven Capt McClanahan was one. He was put into a metallic coffin and his son took him home. The other man of our company who was wounded was Edward Rockwell. He has since died and his brother took him home. There is a large number of wounded on both sides dying and such is the effect of war.

The author of these letters, Corporal Mitchel Andrew Thompson, Company B, 83rd Illinois Infantry, was killed at Pine Bluff, Tennessee on August 20, 1864.

---

Tombstone of Kate McClanahan Cedar Creek Cemetery

John and Margaret B. McClanahan are buried in Cedar Creek Cemetery, about 3/4 of a mile north of Little York, then 1 mile east. That is in Sumner Township of Warren County. The cemetery was established in conjuction with the Cedar Creek Presbyterian Church (1835), which later merged (1861) with the Little York Presbyterian Church, becoming the Little Cedar Presbyterian Church, still located in Little York. The cemetery is well maintained, and appears to have had a few burials in recent years, despite its small size.

John McClanahan enlisted as Captain of Company B, 83rd Illinois Infantry, largely composed of Presbyterians from Warren County. John died 23 February 1863 from wounds suffered at Fort Donelson. It appears that he was buried with some of his fellow soldiers who also died in that battle. I have their names, but haven't checked all of the particulars yet. I have come across group burials before in Warren County, of comrades who fell in the same battle. At the time of his death, John was a member of the Board of Trustees for Monmouth College. Others well connected with Monmouth College are also buried here - perhaps that explains the fine condition that the cemetery is maintained in, while other similar cemeteries in the area are left overgrown. John has both a private marker, which is badly deteriorating, as well as a government issue Civil War marker in fair condition, and a GAR medallion of recent mint.

Buried to John's left is wife Margaret B., who died 17 September 1873 in her 74th year. To Margaret's left, I would assume is their daughter "Kate McClanahan, Wife of Rev. J. H. Brown, Died May 29, 1868, Aged 26 Ys., 11m., 12Ds.".

D1 Mary Ann McClanahan, born July 25, 1819 in Adams County, Ohio on Eagle Creek, died after 1902; married October 14, 1839 Robert M. Thompson, born 1812 in Pennsylvania, died 1872 in Brown County, Ohio; both buried in Decatur Cemetery, Decatur, Ohio.

D2 Robert E. McClanahan, born October 5, 1820 in Adams County, Ohio on Eagle Creek; married May 15, 1856 Bertha Vandalie DeVore in Brown County, Ohio.

D3 Rev. Alexander Wright McClanahan, born November 28, 1821, died September 19, 1864 at the Battle of Opequon in Virginia; married May 1847 Mary Blair, born ca. 1831 in Kentucky, died before 1860 in Ohio; Alexander Wright McClanahan was a veteran of the Civil War; he served in the 34th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company B.

E1 Julia Margaret McClanahan, born ca. 1848, died 1914 in Illinois; married Jily 6, 1871 James Thompson Ralston, born April 5, 1845 in Canonsburg, North Strabane Townshipo, Washington County, Pennsyvania, died July 22, 1929 in Lyons, Kansas.

D4 Samuel McClanahan, born April 29, 1823, died October 27, 1893, in Monmouth, Illinois; married September 3, 1861 Mary Brown.

D5 Joseph Patton McClanahan, born December 18, 1824, died 1901; married Hester Stout.

D6 Isabella McClanahan, born April 24, 1826, died August 22, 1895; married September 24, 1846 Alexander Kinkead.

D7 Thomas Scott McClanahan, born August 14, 1827 in Adams County, Ohio, died July 23, 1909 in Creston, Union County, Iowa; married September 26, 1848 Mary Jane Martin in Georgetown, Ohio; Mary Jane Martin was born March 18, 1831.

D8 Sarah McClanahan, born December 15, 1828 in Adams County, Ohio, died August 10, 1846 in Adams County, Ohio; did not marry; Sarah is buried in the Old Ripley Cemetery, Ripley Ohio (NOTE: headstone not found in search by Eric Davis, May 6, 2010).

D9 Margaret Jane McClanahan, born April 16, 1830, died January 2, 1915; married September 28, 1853 Ebenezer Fisher.

D10 John Porter McClanahan, born November 5, 1831 in Adams County, Ohio, died 1902; married November 14, 1855 Margaret Jones.

D11 Elizabeth McClanahan, born April 5, 1833, died November 20, 1897; married October 16, 1855 Thomas Wickens, who was born in County Sussex, England on November 1, 1828 and died June 15, 1905 in Tarkio, Missouri; no children, but reared Valance Brown and Kate Pederson.

D12 Nancy McClanahan, born September 16, 1834; married James Wallace.

D13 Rev. William Steel McClanahan, born January 26, 1836 in Adams County, Ohio, died June 15, 1888; married April 4, 1868 Jennie Potter.

D14 Susanna McClanahan, born December 18, 1837, died after 1902; married John Thompson.

D15 Francis Marion McClanahan, born July 13, 1839, died December 16, 1908; married Elizabeth S. Foster.

D16 Catherine McClanahan, born June 17, 1841, died May 29, 1868; married Rev. John Hervey Brown, born 1834, died 1915.

D17 Monroe Robentile McClanahan, born March 7, 1844 in Ripley, Brown County, Ohio; died December 3, 1923 and is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Mt. Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa; married September 19, 1865 Isabelle Struthers in Warren County, Illinois; Isabelle was born on September 26/27, 1843 in Monmouth, Illinois, died September 20, 1893; Isabelle is also buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Mt. Ayr, Iowa.