Descendants of the London Branch of American Civil War veterans celebrates the addition of their 51st member who is related to Henry West. In May 1863, far from London and many years before he found fellowship with ageing London-based civil war comrades, Henry was 'hugging the ground from the fiends of hell'.
Henry was born in Farley Buckinghamshire in about 1839 and was the 58th member of the London Branch. He died on January 2nd, 1916 , Wentworth Road West Croydon.
Henry served with Company E 8 Illinois Infantry between July 28th 1861, and July 28th 1864. The regiment was with 3-year enlistees at Cairo, Illinois, on July 25th, 1861. Henry Was clearly with them right from the beginning. With his 8th Illinois comrades, he saw action at the Battle of Fort Henry, the Battle of Fort Donelson, and the famous Battle of Shiloh.
In the Spring of 1863 the regiment went to Milliken’s Bend, the rendezvous of most of the troops which were to make the memorable movement down the Mississippi river, cross it and attack Vicksburg from the rear.
On April 25th the regiment marched to Perkin’s Landing, and then to DeShroon’s Landing, and crossed the river to Bruinsburg, and took part in the stubborn battle of Port Gibson and the fight at Thompson Hill, in which Captain Elihu Jones, G Co., was severely wounded. With its brigade, the regiment forded Bayou Pierre, waist deep in water, and pushed on through Willow Springs and Rocky Springs to Utica.
At the Battle of Raymond, the enemy made a determined stand. They were strongly posted on a hill to the left of the road and in the deep ravine in front. About 11 o’clock A.M. on May 12th, Logan’s Division attacked them, and a furious battle ensued. The 8th was moved up the road, the wagon train being turned aside, and was soon in line of battle. Henry and his comrades won great distinction by charging the enemy and relieving the centre, which was hard pressed. In this engagement, it lost one of its bravest officers, Captain Frank Leeper, A Co., killed.
A comrade in the same company, Goldsmith Molyneux, recorded events of the day. The entry among many others provides a vivid image of their experiences –
Goldsmith Molyneux
“ Tuesday 12 May, fine morning. The corps move out today again toward Raymond. We are in the rear of division. We move slowly, quite a train along - some 5 miles out, and we hear heavy cannonading ahead. I guess the ball is open now. Sure enough, it proves to be so and we were hurried right ahead and our Regt got together and were marched to the extreme right of where seemed to be the heaviest fire but we were not sufficiently useful here and were moved again to the right center where the 23rd Ind. & 20th Ill Regts were under heavy fire, and we made a charge as grand as had been made during this war. We commenced about 20 yards.
Before we got to the line formed by the above Regts who were hugging the ground close and set up a yell as if all the fiends of Hell had broke loose and rushed right over those Regts and over the creek or run which was some 10 to 15 ft deep, some 2 ft. of water. Here, many of us fell killed and wounded so that the stream was crimson with blood. Our Co. had but one Corpl killed. Wounded in the thigh. We were lucky. We followed them right up a bluff, some throwing away their arms and all.
We pushed them by the point of the bayonet and captured many prisoners. Broke their centre and turned the whole fortunes of the battle for it put the entire force in route and after we had but an artillery drill and Gen J. Gregg sent over a flag of truce to ask permission to bury their dead, which could not be granted. In a short time our whole force was advanced in line of battle for 2 miles over a newly ploughed corn field and to the Town of Raymond, county seat of Hinds Co and the Stars & stripes raised over the court house for the first time for 2 years.
We enjoyed our victory amazingly and marched through and beyond the town, singing the "Union Forever," etc. This is quite nice little place, good location for a town. We stacked arms and camped on the commons and slept without knapsacks which we had piled up 3 miles back. Think it was never as hot. The dust in road nearly knee deep . The Rebs are said to be 5 miles from here toward Jackson where we will fight them again probably today or tomorrow. We marched to where we fought a distance of 9 miles from where we picketed last night”.
Goldsmith Molyneux’s diary can be accessed here 👇https://battleofraymond.org/molineaux.htm
Further reading. 👇
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