M. L. ELAM, Co. B, 24th Texas Cavalry



M. L. ELAM

© Karen McCann Hett  All Rights Reserved 2003-2014

M. L. Elam was born in 1844. He enlisted in the Second Texas Lancers at Danville, Montgomery County, on 29 March1862. He was enrolled by John E. George. He gave his age as eighteen, and he lived fifty miles from the place of rendezvous, Camp Carter at Hempstead.

He was probably the person recorded as M. L. Ealan, born in Georgia, who was living with J. H. Gant in Montgomery County at the time of the 1860 census. It is likely that he was the Martin Elam living with parents, Hodijah and Mary Elam in Stewart County, Georgia, in 1850. Francis M. Elam, who was probably his brother, also migrated to Danville; he served in Terry�s Texas Rangers. Francis married Lucy Weisinger, the niece of Rifleman Samuel Weisinger.

M. L. trained with the other men at Camp Carter, then rode with them to Arkansas. He was dismounted with the regiment at El Dorado on July 28, 1862 and trained as an infantryman at Pine Bluff. His regiment was now known as 24th Texas Cavalry (Dismounted). He was sent to Arkansas Post in the fall of 1862.

The soldiers were engaged in building winter cabins during the fall, and many were ill with various diseases.

The attack by the federal forces on January 11, 1863, was not expected. The small Confederate force was overwhelmed. M. L. was captured with the rest of the Confederates, and he was sent to prison at Camp Butler, Illinois.

He appears on the Roster of Troops Captured at Ft. Hindman, and on a Roll of Prisoners of War. The roll of prisoners shows that he was captured at Arkansas Post on January 11, 1863.

There is no record of a hospital admission for M. L., but he is shown on the Camp Butler Roll of Prisoners to have died on March 19th there. The last muster roll on which he is listed, which was taken after the men were released and exchanged, has a notation showing that he died on March 26th at Camp Butler. The latter date appears to be incorrect.

He was buried in the Camp Butler Cemetery.


M. L. Elam's marker at Camp Butler National Cemetery

Thanks to Gene Schnierle of Illinois for taking the photos. See photos
Twenty-Fourth Texas Cavalry Burials at Camp Butler National Cemetery.

The above was compiled from census records and from the Compiled Service Records, which are housed in the National Archives, and which were accessed on microfilm and the Confederate Research Center at Hillsboro, Texas.
Return to History of Co. B 24th Texas Cavalry

For further information and records of all Confederate soldiers of Montgomery County, Texas, as well as histories of the regiments they served in, see Montgomery County, Texas, CSA by Frank M. Johnson. The book may be purchased by visiting Frank's website at frankmjohnson.net or by contacting Frank at [email protected].

© Karen McCann Hett  All Rights Reserved 2003-2014
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