Union soldier names in Sheldon Cave, Alabama

UNION SOLDIER NAMES IN SHELDON CAVE, ALABAMA
Marion O. Smith

On March 15, 1959, Jim Pritchard, Tom Engle, and other members of the Atlanta Georgia Grotto
visited what they called Scottsboro Waterfall Cave where “evidence of occupation by the Union Army’s
Battery I, 1* Illinois Lt. Artillery, 1864, was found on the walls”. This scenic entranced grotto, near the foot
of the mountain above the west end of town, is now on the Alabama Cave Survey as No. 166, Sheldon Cave.
It is listed as 1,863 feet long, but the length is in fact more because during the early 1990s an upper entrance
was dug out which led through a miserable crawl and down a forty foot pit. Immediately in front of the
twenty-five foot wide main or resurgence entrance there is a stair step pit affording a rappel of forty to
seventy-six pit depending on which side is rigged. ;

Intrigued by the 1959 Atlanta Georgia Grotto members’ notice of Civil War soldier names, on
March 27, 1976, Suzanne and Jeff Simmons and I visited the cave. Skirting the edge of the pit, we went
about 150-200 feet inside, through a hands and knee crawl, and in an high alcove on the left we found the
war names. We recorded what I thought were J Dinton 10 Ind, CIPEIRCE, Battery I, 1” Lt. Arty, Feb _
1864, William Beach 90 Ill Vos Chicago Jan 2 1864, and Pat Ahern Co C 90° Ill Vol Jan 2 1864.

In 1998, hearing that the Civil War names of Sheldon cave were not faring very well, on August 15
and 30, first solo and then with Debby Johnson and David Cole. I made return visits to check on their status
and to see if any additional names could be deciphered. The reports of vandalism were all too true. Copious
amounts of red spray paint were near and sometimes directly over the names. ;
| During these later trips, with the exception of “J Dinton” which I did not relocate, | recorded the
following Federal soldier or suspected soldier names: “CJPEIRCE Battery I 1“ Til LT Arty Feb 6? 1864,”
“Pat Ahern Co C 90 Ill Vol Jany _ 1864,” “William Beach Co C 90 II] Chicago Jan 2? 1864,” “D A B? 1863
Ind,” “U C PJA 1864 King 46 _,” “A Carter 12" Ind,” “W H Parelly? Co D 12 Ind,” “S J Thomas,” “P H
Sloan,” “T B Fultz,” and “W P Milholland.” I also noted a J.H. or John H. Shultz but failed to actually write
it down. * | ,

~ During late 1863 and early 1864 the Union Fifteenth army corps, consisting of four divisions, were
stationed along the Memphis and Charleston Railroad from Huntsville to Stevenson, Alabama. After the
battle of Missionary Ridge, the first brigade (26" and 90" Illinois, 12" and 100" Indiana infantry regiments),
fourth division (under General Hugh Ewing and after February 8, 1864, General William Harrow), fifteenth
army corps, were among the troops sent to the relief of General Ambrose E. Burnside’s army at Knoxville,
besieged by the Confederates under General James Longstreet. When Maryville was reached on December
6, it was learned that Longstreet had retreated north and the brigade and other troops began to re-trace their
way back to Chattanooga. By December 26, 1863, the brigade reached Scottsboro, Alabama, where division
headquarters were established. About January 13, 1864, the 100" Indiana was ordered to Bellefonte and the
90" [llinois was ordered to Fackler’s Station. At those places these regiments went into winter quarters and
spent their time drilling, guarding bridges on the railroad, and scouting for guerrillas. The 26" Illinois and
12" Indiana remained in Scottsboro and had similar duties. Two more brigades of infantry, including the
46" Ohio, were stationed at Scottsboro plus three batteries of light artillery, including Battery I, 1* Illinois.
Except for military movements of some of the regiments in February and various veteran furloughs the
fourth division remained at Scottsboro until May 1, 1864, when it was ordered to northern Georgia in
_preparation for General William T. Sherman’s advance toward Atlanta. Battery I, 1* Illinois Light Artillery
did not go to Georgia. On April 17, 1864, it was ordered to Nashville to become part of the reserve artillery
of the Department of the Tennessee. °

The camp of the 12" Indiana at Scottsboro “was located on the south side of a rocky ledge which
constituted a sharp spur of the mountain and terminated a short distance toward the west.” The men
constructed “comfortable cabins” from timber cut on the mountainside. The timber was also used for fuel to
warm the cabins. It can be assumed that other regiments stationed at Scottsboro built similar quarters from
materials on the mountain. °

The following soldiers from Sheldon Cave have been identified:

William H. Parcells (b.c1823), originally from Piqua County, Ohio, was a tanner
and courier at Monticello, White County, Indiana, when he enlisted as a private in Company D, ioe
Indiana Infantry August 8, 1862. He was married and had at least three childern. Like most in his
regiment he was captured at Richmond, Kentucky, August 30, 1862, and paroled a few days later. On
December 28, 1862, he was promoted corporal; but on May 20, 1863, he was reduced to the ranks by
his own request and detailed as the regimental harness and shoemaker. He apparently continued this
duty until he was wounded in both arms at Resaca, Georgia, May 13, 1864. He spent much of his
recuperating time at General Hospital No. 8, New Albany, Indiana, and was mustered out June 9,
1865, at Louisville, Kentucky. 1860 Census, Ind., White, Union Twp., Norway P.O., 73; Compiled
Service Records, Record Group 94, National Archives.

Charles J. Pierce (b.c1844), although not shown in the 1860 census, supposedly
was a resident of Decatur, Van Buren County, Michigan, when he became a private in Battery I, 1"
Illinois Light Artillery February 10, 1862. On September 25, 1863, he was temporarily detailed in an
unnamed hospital. He became a “veteran” at Scottsboro, Alabama, February 16, 1864, and was
appointed corporal June 3, 1865. He was discharged at Chicago the following July 26. Compiled
Service Records, Record Group 94, National Archives.

John H. Shultz (b.c1843), a native of Carroll County, Indiana, was a school teacher
and resident of Monticello, White County, Indiana, when he enlisted as a corporal in Company D, aap
Indiana Infantry, July 4, 1862. He too was captured at Richmond, Kentucky, August 30, 1862, and
soon paroled. Promoted to sergeant April 30, 1864, the following May 13 at Resaca, Georgia, he
received a wound which permanently crippled his right hand, necessitating his muster out at
Indianapolis, December 12", 1864. Compiled Service Records, Record Group 94, National Archives.

Patrick H. Sloan (c1834-August 2, 1906), an Irish native, bricklayer, and Lockport,
Will County, Illinois, resident, married Jennie Swenie in Dubuque County, Iowa, February 25, 1856,
and ultimately fathered nine children. On August 9, 1862, he enlisted in Company C, 90" Illinois
Infantry. He served variously as the company wagoner, chief bugler, principle musician, and
February, 1864, was promoted to corporal. He was sick at Marietta, Georgia, October, 1864, as was
discharged near Washington, D.C., June 5, 1865. By the 1880s, according to the testimony of his
wife, he became intemperate and improvident, spending much of his money on liquor. He later lived
in soldiers homes at Quincy, Illinois, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Marion, Indiana, and Danville, Illinois.
In January, 1906, he was transferred to the Government Hospital for the Insane at Washington, D.C..,
where he died. Woodruff, Fifteen Years Ago, 37; Compiled Service Records, Record Group 94,
National Archives. Pension Records, Record Group 15, National Archives, Jennie Sloan.

SOURCES

Georgia Spelunker, 3 (March-April, 1959), 27; Alabama Cave Survey, Huntsville, Alabama.

Diary of Marion O. Smith.

Ibid.

Ibid.

The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies (70
Vols. in 128 books, Washington, D.C., 1880-1901), Ser.1, Vol. 31, Pt. 3:566; Vol. 32, Pt. 1:128-29; Pt. 2:297,
299: Pt. 3: 468; Janet B. Hewett, ed., Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies
(77 vols. in 89 serials, Wilmington, N.C., 1994-98), Vol. 8, Pt.2, ser. 20:362; Vol. 10, Pt. 2, Ser. 22:85, 100-
55, Vol. 13, Pt. 2, Ser. 25:408, 432-33, 448; Vol. 18, Pt. 2, Ser. 30:485-86; Vol. 16, Pt. 2, Ser. 28:157-69;
George H. Woodruff, Fifteen Years Ago: or the Patriotism of Will County (Joliet, Ill., 1876), 392; Frederick
H. Dyer, Compendium of the War of the Rebellion (Des Moines, lowa, 1908), 1038.

Moses D. Gage, From Vicksburg to Raleigh; or a Complete History of the Twelfth Regiment Indiana
Volunteer Infantry (Chicago, 1865), 154, 165-66, 170-80.

William H. Parcells (b.c1823), originally from Piqua County, Ohio, was a tanner
and courier at Monticello, White County, Indiana, when he enlisted as a private in Company D, 12°
Indiana Infantry August 8, 1862. He was married and had at least three childern. Like most in his
regiment he was captured at Richmond, Kentucky, August 30, 1862, and paroled a few days later. On
December 28, 1862, he was promoted corporal; but on May 20, 1863, he was reduced to the ranks by
his own request and detailed as the regimental harness and shoemaker. He apparently continued this
duty until he was wounded in both arms at Resaca, Georgia, May 13, 1864. He spent much of his
recuperating time at General Hospital No. 8, New Albany, Indiana, and was mustered out June 9,
1865, at Louisville, Kentucky. 1860 Census, Ind., White, Union Twp., Norway P.O., 73; Compiled
Service Records, Record Group 94, National Archives.

Charles J. Pierce (b.c1844), although not shown in the 1860 census, supposedly
was a resident of Decatur, Van Buren County, Michigan, when he became a private in Battery I, |
Illinois Light Artillery February 10, 1862. On September 25, 1863, he was temporarily detailed in an
unnamed hospital. He became a “veteran” at Scottsboro, Alabama, February 16, 1864, and was
appointed corporal June 3, 1865. He was discharged at Chicago the following July 26. Compiled
Service Records, Record Group 94, National Archives.

John H. Shultz (b.c1843), a native of Carroll County, Indiana, was a school teacher
and resident of Monticello, White County, Indiana, when he enlisted as a corporal in Company D, io
Indiana Infantry, July 4, 1862. He too was captured at Richmond, Kentucky, August 30, 1862, and
soon paroled. Promoted to sergeant April 30, 1864, the following May 13 at Resaca, Georgia, he
received a wound which permanently crippled his right hand, necessitating his muster out at
Indianapolis, December 12", 1864. Compiled Service Records, Record Group 94, National Archives.

Patrick H. Sloan (c1834-August 2, 1906), an Irish native, bricklayer, and Lockport,
Will County, Illinois, resident, married Jennie Swenie in Dubuque County, lowa, February 25, 1856,
and ultimately fathered nine children. On August 9, 1862, he enlisted in Company C, 90" Tilinois

Infantry. He served variously as the company wagoner, chief bugler, principle musician, and
February, 1864, was promoted to corporal. He was sick at Marietta, Georgia, October, 1864, as was
discharged near Washington, D.C., June 5, 1865. By the 1880s, according to the testimony of his
wife, he became intemperate and improvident, spending much of his money on liquor. He later lived
in soldiers homes at Quincy, Illinois, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Marion, Indiana, and Danville, Ilinois.
In January, 1906, he was transferred to the Government Hospital for the Insane at Washington, D.C.,
where he died. Woodruff, Fifieen Years Ago, 37; Compiled Service Records, Record Group 94,
National Archives. Pension Records, Record Group 15, National Archives, Jennie Sloan.

SOURCES

Georgia Spelunker, 3 (March-April, 1959), 27; Alabama Cave Survey, Huntsville, Alabama.

Diary of Marion O. Smith.

Ibid.

Ibid.

The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies (70
Vols. in 128 books, Washington, D.C., 1880-1901), Ser.1, Vol. 31, Pt. 3:566; Vol. 32, Pt. 1:128-29; Pt. 2:297,
299; Pt. 3: 468; Janet B. Hewett, ed., Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies
(77 vols. in 89 serials, Wilmington, N.C., 1994-98), Vol. 8, Pt.2, ser. 20:362; Vol. 10, Pt. 2, Ser. 22:85, 100-
55, Vol. 13, Pt. 2, Ser. 25:408, 432-33, 448; Vol. 18, Pt. 2, Ser. 30:485-86; Vol. 16, Pt. 2, Ser. 28:157-69;
George H. Woodruff, Fifteen Years Ago: or the Patriotism of Will County (Joliet, Ill., 1876), 392; Frederick
H. Dyer, Compendium of the War of the Rebellion (Des Moines, Iowa, 1908), 1038.

Moses D. Gage, From Vicksburg to Raleigh; or a Complete History of the Twelfth Regiment Indiana
Volunteer Infantry (Chicago, 1865), 154, 165-66, 170-80.