John Lindley-24th Regiment Texas Cavalry

JOHN LINDLEY


© Karen McCann Hett  All Rights Reserved 2003-2014



John Lindley was born on 8 June 1829 in Springfield, Sangamon Co., Illinois. He moved to Mexican Texas with his parents, Samuel Washington Lindley and Elizabeth Whitley, in the early 1830s.

He was a brother of James Lindley and Elijah Lindley, as well as of Rachel Lindley Kelton O’Banion, wife of Hamilton O'Banion.

He was married on 4 September 1851, to Eliza Ann Martin. They were married in Walker County by J. P. Jos. W. Hackett; she was the daughter of William B. Martin and was born in Alabama on 3 June 1833. John Lindley is enumerated in the 1860 census of Walker County, Texas, with his wife, Eliza, and three children.

On February 14, 1862, John joined Captain Samuel D. Wooldridge's company of militia, the Danville Mounted Riflemen, which was formed at Danville the previous September.

When most of the men of the militia were urged to join the Confederate States army, John enlisted in the Second Regiment Texas Lancers on March 29, 1862, at Danville under Capt. S. D. Wooldridge, and was sworn in on the 28th of April, at Camp Carter near Hempstead. The Second Lancers later became the 24th Regiment, Texas Cavalry. His home was fifty miles from the place of rendezvous, and he gave his age as thirty-three.

Also joining Captain Wooldridge's company, in addition to his two brothers and a brother-in-law, were his two first cousins once removed, William B. Lawrence and Charles Lawrence.

John rode with the other men to Arkansas, leaving home in May of 1862.

He was dismounted with the others upon arriving in Arkansas, and his horse was sent home. By August, the men were in infantry training at Camp Holmes.

From Camp Holmes, he went to Arkansas Post with his regiment. There was much sickness there because of the swampy terrain.

He fought in the Battle of Arkansas Post on January 11, 1863, where he was captured by Union troops and sent to Gratiot Street Prison in St. Louis. He was apparently either injured or sick, as only the most ill men were sent to Gratiot Street and placed in a hospital in St. Louis.


Gratiot Street Prison, St. Louis, Missouri

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He was received there on January 21 but was discharged on February 4 to Burnett House Hospital. He was sent back to the prison and his name appears on the prison report of February 28, 1863. On the discharge report was the notation “Washington.” It is not clear whether he was exchanged in Virginia when the other members of his regiment were exchanged.

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However, John was present for muster in June, August, October, and December of 1863, and February and April of 1864. During those months, the men of the 24th were fighting with the Army of Tennessee.

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Whether for a wound or illness, John was admitted to St. Mary's Hospital in La Grange, Georgia, in the summer of 1864. A notation on the 17th of August shows that he was returned to duty. Another, undated hospital report states that he was “able to bear transportation.”

This is the last record in John's file, and it is not known whether he recovered sufficiently to fight in the Battle of Franklin in November, or whether he spent the rest of the war convalescing at a private home or hospital. There is no record of his being paroled at the end of the war.

After the war, John and Eliza settled in Madison County, Texas. John and Eliza’s daughter, Martha Elizabeth (Lizzie) married Percy Viser, the son of W. W. Viser.

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John applied for a Texas pension in 1906, based on his service in the Confederate forces. One of his witnesses was James M. McCan. Another was Barbee Tarpley. Both of these men served with him in Company B, and subsequently made their home in Madison County. His application was approved, and he drew a pension until his death.

Eliza died on 17 January 1898, and John died 20 February 1911. (Another death date found in some records is 23 December 1911.) They are buried in Madisonville City Cemetery, Section I.



Sources for information on John Lindley include county and family records, census records, and Compiled Service Records accessed on microfilm at the Confederate Research Center, Hillsboro, Texas, and now accessible on Fold3.com.

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].

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© Karen McCann Hett  All Rights Reserved 2003-2014

Content Used with Permission on © Barrett Branches



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