Company C, 48th Illinois Infantry

submitted by David A, Stumpf, M.D., Ph.D.
1101 Alpine Lane; Woodstock, IL 60098
847-494-7589

List of all Co C. 48th Illinois Infantry Soldiers

Colonel Lucien Phillip Greathouse (photo at right)

Lucien Greathouse was born June 7, 1842 in Carlinville, Illinois, the sixth child and fourth son of John Stull Greathouse and Lucy Mills Clarke. At the time his father was a prominent attorney and was serving as States Attorney. In 1856 Lucien enrolled at McKendree College at Lebanon, Illinois. He then entered Indiana University and graduated from that school in 1858 just after his sixteenth birthday.

Lucien began teaching school and studying law under the guidance of his brother Tevis Greathouse in Vandalia, Illinois. When the Civil War started and President Lincoln called for volunteers to preserve the Union, Lucien enlisted and assisted in recruiting Company C of the 48th Infantry Regiment. He quickly rose in rank and joined the regimental staff. Upon departing from Company C he was presented with an inlaid jeweled sword presented to him by members of his unit.

The 48th Illinois was part of Gen.Grant's army at the siege of Vicksburg. They also fought in forty battles before becoming part of General Sherman's march to the sea. At what was called the Battle of Atlanta, one of the rebel strongholds was a large brick home owned by Troupe Hurtt. The 48th engaged the enemy with Colonel Greathouse leading the charge.

He was astride a large claybank horse. With rebels in pursuit, one rebel yelled "Surrender, can't you see you are beaten?" Colonel Greathouse replied, "Beat hell, we've just come into the fight." Riding forward with his saber in his hand, he was struck in the chest by an enemy round and instantly killed. The charge turned the tide of battle and the stronghold was taken. Atlanta fell and General Sherman burned that great city to the ground. Lucien was killed on July 22, 1864 at the age of 22 years, one month and fifteen days. It has been reported that his promotion to Brevet Brig. General had been mailed two days prior.

Lucien's body was returned to Vandalia and buried in the Old City Cemetery. A 16 foot monument was erected at the gravesite listing the forty battles in which he had participated. An inscription read:

"His example was worth a thousand men" Gen. J. A. Logan. "The bravest man in the army of the Tennessee" Gen. W. T. Sherman. "He led the command in forty hard pitched battles and was killed with the flag of his regiment and country in his hands standing upon the breast works of the enemy before the city of Atlanta, GA in the memorable fight of July 22, 1864. May God and his country deal justly by him."

Lucien Greathouse
Colonel U. S. Army

WE CANNOT WIN HIM BACK
"You shall not mourn, oh daughters and sons, for the noble cause of liberty comes with a price of the supreme sacrifice of the gallant, the brave, and the best that one day all men may be free".

1st Lieut. Ira E. Driver

Born: February 11, 1838, Illinois Married Elvira Vineyard, daughter of Rev. W.M. & Mary Vinyard Died: October 16, 1906, near Hicks, Hardin Co., Illinois of chronic diarrhea & gastritis of 43 years duration (i.e., acquired during thie War). Buried in Vineyard Cemetery #1, Monroe Pct., Section 9 Township 12 Range East 8, Hardin Co., Illinois. Stone reads Rev. Ira E. Driver. (Reynolds, Marion Laverder Hardin County, Illinois Deaths 1884-1919 and Notes from the Pleasant Hill Church Register Evansville Bindery, Inc. Evansville, Indiana 1995; p. 91)

Brenda Joyce Jerome notes: Ira Driver was the guardian of my grandfather and his brother after their father, James P. Joyce, died in 1881. A couple of years ago I went to see Ira Driver's tombstone - it is a nice one.

Born: Mar. 22, 1847 Covington, Gallatin Co., Kentucky (the soldier states birthplace as Boone Co., Kentucky in another affidavit)

Died: July 1, 1925 Elizabethtown, Hardin Co., Illinois M1: Anabelle Mathews 1867 (later divorced) M2: Gustin, Elsa J. (1847-1913) 1874 M3: Garland, Nancy Jane (1862-1927) Sept. 7, 1913 Cave-in-Rock, Hardin Co., Illinois He had an invalid claim #508259; certificate #355692 as a result of a wound to his left arm received in the Battle at Atlanta. His widow made a claim, #1235200. Second marriages for him and Nancy J. Garland. Nancy was married first to William C. Farmer (see Co. E) and there is considerable information on Miles in Farmer's pension file! This soldier is buried at Rosiclaire, Hardin Co., Illinois

John Jacob Page

Descendent: Sherie Johnston

Lacy S. Perry

Living at Cave in Rock, Hardin Co., Illinois in 1894.

Anderson A Vinyard

His g-g-g-grandson (Jeffrey R Scherrer) put together a nice site on the fate of the soldiers of the 48th. Anderson Vinyard's biography is also located at this site.

The following information about the Winters is provided by Hester Suits, great granddaughter of William Winters. Daniel was his brother and Samuel was his cousin. The relationship of Cyrus is uncertain.

Pvt. Cyrus Winters

Born: Boone Co., KY

Daniel Winters

Born: 1834 Boone Co., KY
Died: Feb. 11, 1891 Sparks Hill, Hardin Co., IL
Enlisted Sept. 1, 1861 Elizabethtown, Hardin Co., IL in Capt. Greathouse's Co. 48 Reg. Il Inf.
Mustered Out: Dec. 31, 1863 East Point, Georgia
Reenlisted: Jan. 19, 1864 Scottsboro, Alabama
Chief Musician(Drum Major)
Discharged: Aug. 28, 1864
Pension record #501301

Corpl. Samuel Winters

Born: May 3, 1844  East Bend, Boone Co., KY
Died: Feb. 14, 1923  Sparks Hill, Hardin Co., IL

Pvt. William Winters

Born: Oct.29,1845 Ripley Co., IN
Died: May 14, 1942 Hardin Co., IL
Enlisted: Feb. 4, 1864
Mustered out: Aug. 15,1865 Little Rock, Ark
Pension  record (243251) notes he received a gunshot wound penetrating the thoracic cavity, at the battle of Jonesboro (nr Lovejoy sta.), GA. and was hospitalized from Aug. 30 to Sept.4, 1864

Hester Suits also provides this interesting article about Hardin County's last Civil War Veteran:

Thursday  May 21, 1942
Hardin County Independent (Newspaper)

Winters, 96 is Dead
County's Last Veteran of Civil War was Buried
"Uncle Billie" Winters was in Union Army from 1861 to 1865, Wounded three times.

   Hardin County's last Civil War Veteran is dead.
   He was "Uncle Billy"Winters, aged 96yrs,6mos,5days,who died on Thursday, May 14, 1942 at his home north of Cave-In-Rock, IL. Funeral services for him were held Saturday afternoon, May 16, at Mt. Zion church with Rev.Arthur Austin officiated. He was buried in Hobbs cemetery near Lambtown. Altho he wanted a military funeral there were no military services conducted by veterans of the First World War, or members of the American Legion Post.
    Hardin county's last Civil War Veteran had been born on a farm in Ripley Co.,IN., Oct.29,1845 the son of John and Margaret Rex Winters. When he was seven years old, the family moved to Kentucky, and a year later in 1853 they moved to Sparks Hill, in Hardin Co.,IL
    The Civil War broke out when Uncle Billy was 16 years old, and he enlisted in 1861, at Elizabethtown in the Union Army, Company "C", 48th Illinois Regiment Infantry. He served the entire war under General Sherman, and was a member of the 15th. Corps. But he had just 2yrs and 7mos.actual service, as he was disabled three times by wounds.  When he first enlisted, uncle Billy's company was sent to Alabama. He was wounded at East Point, GA. when a shot struck him under his right arm, the ball going thru his right lung and lodging under his left shoulder blade. The shot was there when he died, May 14.1942.
    But that first injury kept Uncle Billy home only 3 months. under the care of Dr. Wall in Elizabethtown. Then he returned to service--and was with Sherman in his march to the Sea in 1864.
    In this March, Uncle Billy was wounded a second time, the ball striking the plate he wore on his breast, passing thru the plate and struck his breastbone.
   But Uncle Billy recovered and was with General Sherman in the Battle of Kenesaw Mt., July 9, 1864 and in the battle at Fort McAllister, GA., Dec.13, 1864. It was then he received his third injury, a shot striking his left hip.
    But Winters was back in the fight again, with General Sherman when General Johnson surrendered to Sherman at Durham in April 1865. Uncle Billy was in the parade of the victors in Washington afterwards. He was mustered out of the Union army, at Springfield, IL.in 1865.
    He returned to Sparks Hill, Hardin Co. and in a few months was married to Susan Delph Ozee. The last six months of his life he sat before his battery radio listening with interest to news of his country in the second World War.