Once a Soldier: Reenactments keep Civil War history alive

Editor's Note: HSJ Online needs your support to continue the work of providing news for the town of Hope. Although we offer the news free of charge to our readers, there are costs behind the scenes including a web hosting contract, the creation of our new mobile application, freelancer fees and to pay for the time of our content coordinator.

Since launching in 2015, we have been blessed with the generous support of grant donors such as Tim Andrews, the town of Hope, the Hawcreek Flat-Rock Endowment and Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County. We also have many local businesses who have agreed to sponsor our website. You can find their tile ads on our pages and we urge you to support them with your business.

However, we thought we should try a more direct fundraising effort. HSJ Online will be holding our first fundraising event, "Once a Soldier," on Sept. 7th. Julian Smith will perform that night as Hartsville Civil War veteran Barton W. Mitchell.

My first memory involving an interest in the U.S. Civil War, occurred on my first trip to Gettysburg about the year 1970. I was about 8 years old.

I was completely taken by the uniforms and accouterments and the solemnity of the cemetery, but even more so with the scope and carnage of the battle. I clearly remember Dad, in an attempt to put the battle casualties into a scale and context that I would be able to understand, telling me more men were wounded and died in this one battle than all the people living in Columbus. And that was nearly incomprehensible.

Growing older, I read several books, and found myself consumed by the experience while turning the pages. I've always been impressed with the men that served, their willingness to sacrifice, and their tenacity with which they persevered through perpetual hardship, regardless of the banner under which they marched.

My interest and involvement with reenacting and living history began as my son, Dietrich, joined the 11th Indiana Volunteer Zouave Regiment. His first few years in the hobby just happened to be the 150th anniversary of many significant battles, and we found ourselves traveling the southern part of the country to participate in reliving history.

We attended several 150th national commemorative events such as Shiloh, Tenn., Vicksburg, Miss., Chickamauga, Ga., Nashville, Tenn., and Gettysburg, Pa. And we visited numerous other battlefields.

Concurrently with the event at Shiloh, (still the most thrilling and moving muzzle blast ever experienced) I was doing genealogical research attempting to discover Civil War ancestors. My Dad once told me that he remembered a Civil War sword hanging in the house of his grandparents, and we knew a great-grandfather had been a soldier, but that was the extent of our knowledge.

Possibly the week following the event in Tennessee, I  learned that my grandfather Aaron Stearns Davis was a soldier in the war. He was mustered in to Co. C. 6th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, which was the first Indiana Regiment formed during the war. Indiana dedicated over 200,000 soldiers to the cause by war’s end. (Regiments 1-5 were formed during The War with Mexico.)

Because it was initially believed the war would be a very short affair, Aaron Davis first signed up for a three-month enlistment. At the end of the three months it was clear the end of the war was indefinite so he rejoined the same unit, but this time for three years.

I found that not only did he serve for three years, marched hundreds of miles, overcame sickness and disease and horrendous conditions, fought in countless battles, was decorated for valor on Missionary Ridge, but he was also on the field at Shiloh, the same field from which we had just returned.

It was this newfound knowledge that instantly made those events more significant and meaningful. It became a way to reverently remember, to offer gratitude and to pay tribute rather than simply a weekend hobby. Although viewed through no more than a shaded veil, living history and reenacting has become a way to tell a little of their story; a way to honor those who bravely and nobly served and gave so freely.

Because Dietrich and I discovered these ancestors we were soon invited to join the John B. Anderson Camp Sons of Union Veterans. Just as the effort behind participating in living history has become a mission to remember and honor many forgotten patriots, the SUVCW also pursues this same goal. To honor the memory of that giving generation, we do graveside services and dedications, a Memorial Day Service, safeguard a roll of veterans, and maintain cemeteries and headstones.

We are currently undertaking the task of getting an appropriate Civil War Memorial placed in Bartholomew as well as Jennings counties. These are two of the few counties with no such memorial, although we have over 2,000 Civil War Veterans -- more than any other war.

Since that initial discovery, I soon found two other grandparents that served in the Union Army. Alexander C. Gilliland, of Hartsville, was a gunner for three years with the 15th Indiana Light Artillery. Samuel Critser, of Hartsville, joined for three months to guard train depots with the 134th Indiana Volunteer Infantry near the end of the war. Sadly, he was shot in the hip, discharged for disability, and died in a soldiers home in Lawrence, Mo. 

Other than the three grandparents, discoveries have continued, and I've found numerous other uncles and cousins who served on both sides. They are listed and fondly remembered below.

Union Veteran Ancestors
* Grandfather: Aaron Stearns Davis, private, 6th Indiana Volunteer Infantry: Co. C.

* Grandfather: Alexander C. Gilliland, private, gunner 15th Indiana Light Artillery.

* Grandfather: Samuel Critser, private, 134th Indiana Infantry: Co. E.

* Haley D. Davis, private, 33rd Indiana Infantry: Co. G.
Killed New Hope Church near Atlanta, Ga., buried in Marietta National Civil War Cemetery

* Alan Jackson Smith, corporal, 93rd Indiana Infantry: Co. H.
Discharged for disability, died of dysentery

* William T. Stott, captain, 52 Indiana Infantry: Co. B.
Sword and uniform on display Indianapolis Soldiers and Sailors Monument

* Dr. William T. Stott, lieutenant, 18th Indiana infantry: Co. I.
Minister and former president of Franklin College

* Harrison Davis, private, 67th Indiana Infantry: Co. H.

* Shabanbah “Banner” Davis, 6th Indiana Infantry: Co. G. 

* Victor Monroe Carr, captain, 38th Indiana Infantry: Co. H. 

* Henry Critser, 120th Indiana Infantry: Co. A. 

* Samuel Davis, 10th Indiana Cavalry: Co. L. 

* Richard T. Stott, sergeant, 19th Indiana Volunteer Infantry (Iron Brigade): Co. H.

Confederate Veteran Ancestors 
*Harvey E. Hill, corporal, 50th Virginia Infantry: Co. G and 63rd Va. Infantry
Wounded at Chickamauga, Sept. 20th, 1863, never rejoined the regiment 

*John William Smithson, private, 20th Tenn. Infantry: Co. D.
Killed Battle of Perryville 

* Charles Thomas Smithson, private, 45th Tenn. Regiment: Co. A.
Captured taken POW Chattanooga, TN Sept. 12, 1863

* Paschall Giles "Pack" Smithson, captain, 20th Tenn. Infantry.

* Clement Claiborn Smithson, 17th TN Infantry: Co. F.

* George Pettus Smithson,  45th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry Co: A.

* Amos B Hill, lieutenant, Virginia 50th Infantry Regiment: Co. G and  Virginia 63rd Infantry Regiment: Co. B.

* George Washington Lee. 1st Regiment, Kentucky Infantry.

* Sylvanus Wright (Sylvester) Smithson, private, Tennessee 8th Cavalry, Co. A