Clloyd’s Mountain – Duke City Roots

Richard Lucas (1732-1791) and Rachel Else Duval Lucas (1736-1785) were born in Maryland and were the parents of six children. Richard was a sergeant in the Revolutionary war.

Two of their sons John (1760-1836) and Samuel (1764-1833) were each the parents of ten children. Samuel was a saddlemaker and John was a soldier in the Revolutionary War like his father. Minnie Lucas Lee wrote a letter about John – here is an excerpt:

“he was a lad of sixteen when the war was declared and served six years, He was taken prisoner by the Indians and taken to Kentucky and Ohio…”

The rest of the letter can be find in John Lucas’ entry.

Of the twenty children beween the Samuel and John (10 boys and 10 girls), there was one soldier in the Civil War, on the Union side.

Of the 159 grandchildren of Samuel and John (74 for Samuel and 75 for John), there were twelve soldiers in the Civil War, eight on the Union side and four on the Confederate side.

Of the great-grandchildren of Samuel and John, there were five soldiers in the Civil War, all on the Union side.

Amazingly, that is eighteen soldiers, fourteen on the Union side and four on the Confederate side from these two brothers. (Four married Lucas daughters)

The chart below shows the relationships, starting at the top with Richard and Rachel Lucas. The blue rectangles are Union soldiers and the gray rectangles are Confederate soldiers.

Following is a brief description of these soldiers.

Israel Lucas, August 12, 1804-May 5,1862. Born in Butler County, Ohio and enlisted as a private in Company G of the 71st Ohio Volunteer Infantry in 1861 at 57 years of age. He died of disease at Fort Donelson, Tennessee and was buried there.

Richard Lucas McCray, July 7, 1828-May 17, 1863. Born in Indiana. Lieutenant in Company G, 23rd Iowa Infantry. Killed by sharpshooters at the Battle of Big Black River Bridge, where the Union troops commanded by Brig. Gen Vaughn defeated the Confederate troops and the remaining Confederate troops retreated to Vicksburg and the next day the siege of Vicksburg began.

John Lucas Mills, June 29, 1823-March 26, 1884. Born in Butler County, Ohio. He enlisted on August 13, 1862 and was a sergeant in Company C, 86th Regiment, Indiana Infantry. He mustered out on December 15, 1862.

Francis Marion Lucas, January 9, 1842-January 13, 1906. Born in Butler County, Ohio. Was a seaman in the Navy on the USS Ouachita, (a steamer captured from the Confederacy that patrolled the Mississippi River and its tributaries); as well as in the army possibly. Was discharged on December 30, 1864.

Hamilton W. Lucas, October 27, 1840-September 19, 1864. Born in Darke County, Ohio. He enlisted in Company AB, 110th Regiment, Ohio Infantry. His occupation was listed as a cooper. He was killed in action at Winchester, Virginia.

Larkin Nelson Covert, married to Martha Daulton. He enlisted in Company G, 70th Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry (O.V.I.) He participated in the many battles in which that regiment was engaged, from Shiloh till his honorable discharge at Fort McAlister, December 31, 1864.

George F. DeLong, 1831-May 21, 1864. He was born in Montpelier, Vermont and was married to Sarah Daulton. Enlisted in Company B of the 34th Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry (O.V.I.). Here is an excerpt of a letter he wrote to his wife on August 5, 1863 “My Dear, I got your letter of the 18th, yesterday, it had been sent to Fayetteville and layed there till Capt. Boyd came back. Matthew Mahoney brought it, and one from friend Thomas of the same date. These are all the letters I have received since the 27th of July. I hope, love, to hear from you soon as the Raid is now at an end. God grant that the war may end as speedily as did Morgan’s Raid, as I am very anxious to be at home with those I have so ruthlessly deserted, but thank God I am in a good cause and through the providence of God, I have thus far been spared with life and health. Oh, may his arm protect me to the end of this wicked rebellion. Give my love to my children. Tell Medora she must try to improve in writing as I could hardly read her last letter, but was, nevertheless, glad to know she had not forgotten me. It will bother you to read this letter, as in turning the paper I commenced on the wrong page. I hope, love, we may meet soon as I long to see you and embrace that loved form. Live in hope, love, and persevere till the end, which must soon come. God bless you all, my ever dear ones. He was wounded May 9, 1864 at the Battle of Cloyd’s Mountain. Here is a description of the battle -There was an open field of about half or two-thirds of a mile in width and across this the Federal force had to advance, the Confederates in the meantime pouring a most galling fire upon the approaching lines. At the foot of the slope upon which the enemy was posted was a muddy stream waist deep, through which the charging troops waded, and after taking breath ascended the ridge, wavering in spots under the heavy fire, but on the whole keeping in good order. When close to the enemy’s breastworks the whole Federal line rushed forward with a yell and the impetuosity of the attack completely routed the Confederates behind the abatis. He was taken to Dublin Depot as a prisoner and died on May 11, 1864 from a gunshot wound through the bowel. He left four children and his wife Sarah who was expecting their fifth child. Sarah applied for a widow’s pension for herself and the minor children. She was awarded eight dollars a month for herself and two dollars for each of the children, until they reached age 16.

Henry M. “Harvey” Lucas , 1828-1876. He was born in Bracken, Kentucky, and enlisted in Company B, 40th Regiment, Kentucky Mounted Infantry.

Mason Wheeler Bigelow, December 29, 1840-December 4, 1924. Born in Kentucky, married to Susan Lucas. Enlisted on August 10, 1862 in Company E, 10th Kentucky Calvary.

Edwin Ruthvin Lucas Company K 11th Alabama Volunteer Infantry, Confederate Army. He became a captain and operated in Virginia under General Lee and was in 24 general engagements but was never wounded or captured. After the war he was a farmer, and also a state legislator.

Oscar Madison Lucas, October 31, 1838 – December 10, 1920. He joined Cahaba Rifles, Cahaba, Alabama, in April 1861. Rendezvoused at Montgomery, Alabama and the company became Company G, 5th Alabama. He wrote that “a spent minnie bullet struck him high on his forehead, burrowed just beneath the skin of his skull, and stayed in this path until it emerged at the rear of his cranium, leaving two holes and a lot of scar tissue, which looked a lot worse than they were.” The old minister was fond of contending, when he had something to be sorry about or apologize for, that the hole in his head was to blame. He eventually was designated as a chaplain of the 11th Alabama regiment, and after the war became a Baptist minister.

William P. Lucas, 1841-April 14, 1862. Born in Alabama, enlisted as a private in Company F, 5th Alabama Infantry, April 5, 1861. He was wounded in the Seven Days Battles in which General Lee kept the Union forces from taking Richmond, and died from the wounds in the hospital in Richmond, Virginia April 14, 1862.

William Pendleton Cameron, 1831-November 13, 1898. He was born in West Point, Georgia, and married Sarah Lucas. He enlisted in the Fulton regiment of the Georgia Infantry.

John H. Grogan, September 21, 1842-November 18, 1864. Born in Tennessee, he was a corporal in Company G, 7th Regiment, Tennessee Calvary. John H. Grogan and brother, Granville H. Grogan, were murdered by “bushwhackers” during the American Civil War in the vicinity of New Liberty Baptist Church, 7th District, Carroll County, Tennessee. “Murdered” is verified on grave markers of both soldiers at New Liberty Baptist Church. Military records provide information that John H. Grogan made Corporal in Company G, 7th Tennessee Cavalry (US). Military records have not been found on Granville Grogan even though his photograph was made in a U.S. Cavalry uniform. The family story is that the “bushwhackers” made the family watch the execution. I didn’t include his brother, Granville Grogan, because there are seemingly no military records for him, but he appears in a picture in a Union uniform so it’s unclear if he was in the military.

Richard Larman Dawson, November 4, 1832-November 26, 1916. Born in Maysville, Kentucky, he was a blacksmith by trade. He was in Company H of the 1st Regiment of U.S. Veteran Engineers.

Robert J. Dawson May 2, 1836-July 18, 1903. Born in Maysville, Kentucky. Enlisted as a musician in Company H, 133rd Ohio Infantry. Mustered out on August 6, 1864.

William Blanchard Dawson, February 12, 1840-September 22, 1924. Born in Kentucky, he enlisted in Company C of the 16th Kentucky Infantry. After the war he was a blacksmith and then police chief and constable in Maysville. He was blind for the last 13 years of his life, and apparently watching baseball had been one of his favorite pasttimes until then, and was a Cincinnati Reds fan.

Charles L. Dawson, November 1846-September 2, 1916. Born in Kentucky, he enlisted in Company D, 10th Kentucky Cavalry.