3 – GIDEON KELLAMS: SAVIOR OF THE WIGGINS FAMILY?

His career as soldier is one his children may ever reverence and refer to with pride.

Obituary of Gideon R. Kellams, commander of the 42nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment

In her SCC statement, Sarah makes specific mention on the officer she encountered at her farm. In the petition section of the claim, Sarah states that the “[items] were used by the United States Army by Captain G. Kellums, and other officers and soldiers belonging to Genl Howard’s Corps, Genl W.T. Sherman’s army.” It seems unlikely that this officer is anyone other than Captain Gideon R. Kellams, commander of the 42nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Even though Kellams was recently promoted to Major (and eventually promoted to Colonel), he continued to be referred to as “Captain” in many of the diaries of his soldiers and even in official reports during the Savannah campaign.

Kellams was born in 1828 and was reading to become a lawyer in 1861 when he joined the 42nd as a Lieutenant. He seems to have been well respected by subordinates and superiors as an officer and leader of soldiers through many engagements and battles of the Civil War. Kellams picked up where he left off in the practice of law in Spencer County, Indiana after the war specializing in pension claims demonstrating his continued concern for the well-being of soldiers from the war. He and his wife, Maria Egnew Kellams, were, by all accounts, upstanding citizens in SpencerCounty. Kellams and his wife died within days of one another and a joint obituary testified to their status in the community:

He was one of that class of soldiers who saw his duty to life always in the line of service and consequently his hospital record is a very meager one. He spent more than one hundred days on the firing line. Where ever a 42nd man may be found, there is one who unreservedly gives willing evidence of the loyalty, bravery and unselfish friendship of Colonel Kellams. His career as soldier is one his children may ever reverence and refer to with pride.

The mother [Maria Kellams] left to look after the wants of the large family at home, did bravely her share of service for her country. No less honor, no less glory is due the mother who did battle at home, than the father who battled in the field. Mrs. Kellams was known best in her home. That, she loved and honored. She would make any sacrifice for her children. She loved her home and the things about it. Every chicken and every flower was her pet, and in these she was ever vary near to the soul of nature around us.[i]

The Kellams family certainly seems to be the type of honorable people who might have facilitated the northern movement and temporary resettlement of the Wiggins family. The Kellams home was located in Spencer County in southern Indiana, just one county over to the southwest of Gibson County (Princeton).

Also, Kellams had left behind eight children at home in Indiana including a son the same age as George Wiggins and a baby girl born in September of 1864. Many of his children were the same age as the Wiggins children which may have given the Union officer an extra measure of empathy for the plight of the family. Sarah’s story of her Union loyalty would have provided additional motivation for Kellams to protect them.

As an officer of the 42^nd Infantry Regiment, Captain Kellams had proven himself to be a dependable leader who displayed great calmness and control in the midst of the fight. After the Atlanta campaign, his regimental commander, Lieutenant Colonel W. T. B. McIntire, complemented Kellams’ performance in battle during his absence. “I take great pleasure in saying that the latter-named officer has upon several different occasions distinguished himself by him coolness and bravery in times of danger” writes McIntire in his official report of the battle.[ii]

The post-war view of Gideon Kellams’ performance as a leader and eventual regimental commander was unquestionably positive. This was made plain by the description of his character during the service to his country written in his obituary. Kellams was known to be loyal, brave and unselfish as a commander of troops, qualities that certainly endeared him to the soldiers under his command and would have given him a bent toward non-combatants harmed by the war through no fault of their own. In addition to these comments, Kellams biographical sketch published in 1892 as a part of S.F. Horrall’s History of the Forty-Second Indiana Volunteer Infantry, states that Kellams “had [his men’s] entire confidence, and he likewise enjoyed, to the fullest, the confidence of his superior officers at all times.”[iii]

Gideon R. Kellams

Was he the savior of the Wiggins family?

Source: Horrall, S. F., History of the Forty-Second Indiana Volunteer Infantry

Sarah Wiggins’ SCC statement taken with official accounts and diaries of soldiers provides a solid connection of the Wiggins family with Captain Kellams and the 42^nd Indiana. Research into every name similar in spelling to the “Kellums” of her statement leaves Gideon Kellams as the most closely related name of a Union Captain that could have been in the vicinity of the Wiggins farm on those particular days.

Key to the connection with the 42^nd Indiana is the location and route of march for the regiment during movement from Atlanta to Savannah. The regiment was assigned to a unique detail during the march. Part of Sherman’s plan for contingency resupply of his army during the march was to have “on hand a good supply of beef-cattle to be driven along on the hoof.”[iv] To move this herd of cattle, estimated to be around 1900 head, it would require a large number of soldiers. Although normally part of the units assigned to the Left Wing of Sherman’s Army, at the beginning of the march while still in Atlanta, the 42^nd was place on a special detail duty of herding the massive quantity of cattle accompanying the army. Based primarily on diary entries and post-war writings of members of the 42^nd, it would appear that the regiment was moving on a general route of march that closely mirror the Right Wing of Sherman’s Army during the March to the Sea.

Moving the cattle following the 15^th Corps, the 42nd had the opportunity to pass through the vicinity of the Wiggins’ farm during the period of November 30 to December 1, 1864. The Right Wing commander, Major General O.O. Howard confirms that the cattle herd was following his wing of the army and that they were ordered to march on a route that would bring them in close proximity to the Wiggins farm. In his Special Field Orders Number 179, dated November 27, 1864, Howard issues the following instructions to his subordinate commanders:

Headquarters will be at Johnson to-morrow night, the train moving with the leading division of right column. The herds of cattle (other than those belonging to divisions) will follow the right column to Johnson, a regiment from the read division of which will remain at this point till everything is passed, and will then follow on to Johnson, carefully guarding all roads leading south.[v]

This was also confirmed in the campaign account of Brigadier General John M. Corse commanding the 4^th Division of the 15^th Corps when he reported that his division was “incumbered by the pontoon train, about 300 wagons belonging to the cavalry division, and a drove of 3,000 head of cattle, struggled through the mud and swamps.”[vi]

Later, in his report of the campaign, Howard confirms the assigned route of march was followed.

The next day (29th) the two lower columns nearly formed a junction, the advance, under General Woods, encamping near Summerville, and the rest along the lower Savannah road and near Sunderland’s Mills, some seven miles to the rear of General Woods; the Seventeenth Corps on the upper Savannah road, abreast of Station Numbers 10 of the Georgia Central Railroad.

November 30, Generals Woods and Corse’s divisions pushed on through Summerville northward, until they reached the upper Savannah road, and encamped near Deep Creek.[vii]

Several diary entries of soldiers assigned to the 42^nd also attest to the veracity of the Wiggins family’s claimed encounter. The fact that the regiment was detailed to move over 1900 head of cattle for Sherman’s army is established in the autobiography of Sergeant Francis M. Carlisle of Company D, 42^nd Indiana:

Then we made our famous march to the sea through Georgia. Our Regiment was put on extra service, and we drove 1900 head of beef cattle through in rear of our army. Those cattle had been shipped from the north early in the summer before, and had been herded along in our rear, and was so poor that we could hear the bones crack every step; they would travel until they give out and would lie down to die. We got through with about 1500 head. They were too poor for us to eat them as we lived off the country as we went through. Our cattle traveled so slow that we were in great danger of being captured by the rebel cavalry that followed us for that purpose.[viii]

As Carlisle notes, the cattle herd was a slow moving train. So slow that the soldiers of the 42^nd felt a real danger of being overtaken by the Confederate cavalry units thought to be trailing Sherman’s army. This make the overnight location of the 42^nd some distance behind the last units of the XV Corps who pushed through Summertown during the day on the 30^th.

The assignment of the 42^nd to the livestock herding detail is confirmed in the journal of another soldier from the regiment, William H. McCleary. McCleary notes the date of November 5, 1864 as the day the newly crowned “cowboys” of the 42^nd Indiana received their orders to report for the duty. The Captain that McCleary is ordered to report to for duty is likely a commissary officer for Sherman’s army charged with the safe passage of these 1900 cattle.

Regt got orders to report to Capt. Todd to guard cattle. Got there at 10 AM a distance of 2-1/2 miles.[ix]

Later in his diary, McCleary notes that the regiment is still guarding and caring for the large herd of cattle. On Tuesday, November 22^nd, he reports that “didn’t go but short distance till we stoped and fed cattle.”[x]

Guarding and herding the cattle was likely a dirty, thankless job that was a source of many complaints by the troops of the 42^nd. However, there were benefits to being a part of this duty especially when the local supply of food began to run short. Later in his diary, McCleary mentions that during periods of lean pickings on the part of the foragers, the soldiers would appropriate some of the rations intended for the cattle to feed themselves. On November 13^th, McCleary states that his regiment had “plenty of rations now as we steal some from the cattle.”[xi]

Sergeant George Baum of Company K made several references to performing cattle guard duty in his diary book as transcribed on the 42nd Indiana’s website (www.42ndindiana.com):

Nov 16^th, “…several of our cattel (cattle) have plaid (played) out to day…”

Nov 20^th, “…we have had an offell(awful) time with our cattel(cattle) and wigons(wagons)…”

Nov 21^st, “…I am on cattel(cattle) guard to night.”

Nov 24^th, “…came severl(several) milds(miles) this evening and left the cattel(cattle) strung out on the road for severl milds.”

 

Most convincingly, the statement of Emily Wiggins to the SCC confirms the presence of the cattle herds at the Wiggins farm on the 30^th of November 1864.

The herders and cattle drivers of Genl Sherman’s army were encamped around the premises of the claimant and the cattle [belonging to Sarah Wiggins] were never seen by witness after the army passed.[xii]

Guarding the cattle following the Right Wing of the army would have placed the 42^nd near the Wiggins farm, but there is also other collaborating evidence pointing toward Captain Kellums and the 42^nd Indiana as the soldiers encountered by Sarah and her children. Interestingly, the diary entries of McCleary seem to support Sarah’s claim of an encounter with the soldiers of the 42nd:

Tuesday, November 29, 1864: Morning clear and pleasant. Marched at daylight east direction. Passed through fine growth of yellow pine half hour by sun. Got word the Rebels is in our rear. Made good time went in camp at dusk distance 17 miles. Got plenty of forage.

Wednesday 30: Morning clear and pleasant. Marched at daylight south very nice country.

Marching very hard. Some desolate families down here. Citizens say Rebs passed here yesterday 2 Regts strong. Went in camp at sunset distance 20 miles. Got no forage. I tried for a hog. Didn’t find.

Thursday, December 1: Morning clear and pleasant. Marched at daylight four miles to Somerville (not on map). Halted there 2 or 3 hours. Very pore looking place almost burned down. Marched on. I got a lot of sweet potatoes. Went in camp at dark. I went and heard some ladys sing.

Friday, December 2, 1864: Morning cloudy some appearance of rain. Marched at daylight. Some women came along with us this morning. We had a pretty bad road today. Made about 10 miles. Went in campabit before night. Got plenty of forage. Women at head quarters some 5 or 6.[xiii]

William H. McCleary of the 42^nd Indiana

Do his diary entries refer to Sarah Wiggins and her children?

Source: Civil War Diary of William H. McCleary, 7 Oct 1861 – 31 Dec 1864, www.42ndindiana.com

These diary entries seem to confirm that this regiment would have been in the general area of the Wiggins farm, ie., “four miles from Somerville [Summertown]” and that some ladies had accompanied his regiment. I believe it’s highly likely that McCleary is referring to the Wiggins family with these entries. First, he refers to “desolate families” encountered on November 30th. If Sarah had sent George into Prong Creek swamp with the bulk of the family farm produce and livestock, it would have appeared that Sarah and the girls (plus little William) were in a rather destitute situation possibly created by foraging Union troops who visited the farm on November 29th. With no men there to help with the farming duties or provide protection, the Wiggins family must have presented a very bleak picture to McCleary and his fellow soldiers of the 42nd.

Also, these families, ie., “citizens,” that McCleary refers to appear to have cooperated with the Union soldiers by providing information concerning the movement of Confederate forces. If Sarah’s statement is to be believed, she was sympathetic to the Union cause and, naturally, would have offered up any intelligence about Confederate forces that she might have.  Even if Sarah was executing a cleverly devised plan to deceive the Union soldiers, providing information, real or contrived, on the movement of Confederate forces would have given strong support to her claims of Union loyalty. Of course, Sarah would not have been of aware of the possibility of a future claim against the government since the law creating the Southern Claims Commission was not enacted until 1871.

Additionally, it is possible that the first soldiers to appear at the Wiggins farm may have been assigned to other units in the Right Wing commanded by General Howard. If so, these may have been the troops that “foraged” from the Wiggins farm on the 29^th of November leaving the property to appear rather barren by the time the 42^nd arrived the next day. The first division commanded by Brigadier General Charles R. Woods and the fourth division commanded by Brigadier General John M. Corse were instructed by their corps commander to follow “a very dim road (called the Democrat road) to its intersection with the Swainsborough and old Savannah Road” for the march of the 29^th of November.[xiv] This would have placed the brigades and regiments very near the Wiggins farm on the 29^th.

Generals Charles R. Woods (l) and John M. Corse (r)

Commanders of 1^st Division and 4^th Division of XV Corps

Their regiments were likely the first soldiers to encounter the Wiggins family.

During the time before the arrival of Kellams’ soldiers, Sarah may have been able to formulate her plan to go north with her family. This is speculation, but the initial shock of meeting the foragers of Woods and Corse may have forced Sarah to develop a plan of action to preserve her family and farm. It is also possible that she had fully cooperated with the Union troops she met on November 29^th and, just as she recounted in her SCC statement, was afraid for the safety and well-being of her family if they remained in EmanuelCounty. So, upon meeting Captain Kellams and the members of the 42^nd Indiana on the 30^th of November, Sarah knew she had to act quickly and decisively.

The Southern Claims Commission testimony of both Emily and Martha Wiggins support the fact that the family departed from home joining the march with the federal army on the evening of the 30^th. Emily puts it this way in her statement:

I remember the date because on the 30^th Nov 1864 in the evening the claimant, myself and the balance of the family went north with the federal army by way of Savannah, Geo.[xv]

The 42nd Indiana appears to have spent the night of November 30th in the general vicinity of the Wiggins farm because at daylight they moved four miles to Somerville (Summertown) which was, in fact, about 3 to 4 miles from Blun and the Wiggins farm. This means that the Wiggins family could have joined them in camp on the evening of the 30^th as Emily and Martha claim in their respective statements.

Viewed as a holistic body of evidence, the diary of McCleary, the autobiography of Carlisle, the reports of the Right Wing units, and, most importantly, the SCC statement of Emily Wiggins lend strong credence to placing the camp of the 42^nd Indiana somewhere near the Wiggins farm on the night of the November 30, 1864.

There are other possible connections between the Wiggins family and the 42nd Indiana. One possible connection is with two soldiers from the 42nd Indiana with family names related to Sarah Wiggins. First, there is a Private Roger Barber from Company C of the 42nd. Barber was Sarah Wiggins’ maiden name. There is some question from the official records as to whether Private Barber would have been present for duty during the period his unit passed through the Wiggins family. In Company A of the 42nd there was a soldier named Corporal Benjamin Street. Street was the name of Sarah Wiggins’ uncle who left land and/or property to Sarah in his 1846 will. Corporal Street appears to have been present for duty during the last week of November 1864. The only possible connection to these two soldiers is the name relationship. However, it does seem to be an intriguing possibility that these were distant relatives or that some connection was formed due to the names.

There are other possible units that may have encountered the Wiggins clan although the evidence is speculative. Lieutenant Platter (81st Ohio) also has a fascinating entry into his diary for the November 30th that may or may not refer to the Wiggins family:

Left camp at 6 o clock – a very foggy morning – but the mist soon cleared away and we had a most beautiful day. The first 10 mile of our way lay through the pine barrens”. And during that whole distance only one log hut greeted our vision and that was inhabited by a “love lone widder” with six tow headed children” Passed through Summerville a country town which presented rather a pleasing appearance.[xvi]

The 81^st Ohio was assigned to the 2^nd Brigade, 4^th Division, 15^th Corps. As mentioned earlier, this unit would have passed very near the Wiggins farm. Even though this diary entry is for the 30^th of November, it is possible that some of the 4^th Division units may not have made it as far as Sommerville (Summertown) on the 29^th.

In the end analysis, I believe Sarah Wiggins sent George into the North Prong Creek swamp with some of the family’s livestock and other items prior to the arrival of the first Union army units on November 29, 1864. Sarah likely found out about the approaching army several days in advance from neighbors as the word spread. She may have had additional warning from Confederate troopers passing through the area. Units from the 2^nd and/or 4^th Divisions of the 15^th Corps arrived at the Wiggins plantation during the afternoon of the 29^th. They are likely to have plundered at least some items from the farm. About 24 hours later, Gideon Kellams and his regiment appeared with 1900 head of cattle at the Wiggins farm. The fields offered a good place to round up the cattle for the night, so the 42^nd Indiana camped on the Wiggins farm on the night of the 30^th.

Additionally, I believe that Captain Kellams (and possibly his staff) may have been a guest of the family that evening at which time Sarah asked for his assistance in escaping the possible retribution sure to come against her after the Union army departed. It’s likely that Kellams explained the slowness of the cattle and the danger from Confederate forces making an extremely early departure necessary. He probably insisted that Sarah and her children join the encampment for the evening so that they could depart with the regiment at an early hour. The family was not likely seen by most soldiers in the regiment until the following day. This explains why William H. McCleary’s diary annotation about “ladys” first appears on the 1^st of December.

ENDNOTES:

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[i] Horrall, S. F., History of the Forty-Second Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Published 1892. p 231, accessed from http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~indiana42nd/GIDEON_R_KELLAMS_BIO.htm

[ii]Report of Lieutenant Colonel William T. B. McIntire, Forty-second Indiana Infantry, The Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, Series I, Vol. XXXVIII, Part I, Reports and Correspondence , The Atlanta Campaign, dated September 5, 1864.

[iii] Horrall, page 231.

[iv]Sherman Memoirs.

[v]SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS, HDQRS. DEPT. AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, Numbers 179. Irwin’s Cross-Roads, November 27, 1864.

[vi]Report of Brigadier General John M. Corse, U. S. Army, commanding Fourth Division. HDQRS. FOURTH DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Savannah, Ga., January 15, 1865.

[vii]Report of Major General Oliver O. Howard, U. S. Army, commanding Army of the Tennessee. HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, Savannah, Ga., December 28, 1864.

[viii]Autobiography of Sergeant Francis M. Carlisle, 42^nd Indiana Infantry Regiment, access from www.42ndindiana.com.

[ix] Civil War Diary of William H. McCleary, Entry for November 5, 1864, 7 Oct 1861 – 31 Dec 1864, http://www.42ndindiana.com

[x] McCleary diary entry for 22 November 1864.

[xi] McCleary diary entry for 13 November 1864.

[xii] Statement of Emily Wiggins in the Claim of Sarah E. Barber Wiggins to the Southern Claims Commission, 1878.

[xiii] McCleary diary entries for 29 November – 2 December 1864.

[xiv]Osterhaus.

[xv] Emily Wiggins Statement to SCC, 1878.

[xvi] Platter Diary