Obituary of William Winters, Hardin County, Illinois Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives Copyright 2000 Wanda Reed Hardin County's last Civil War Veteran is dead. He was "Uncle Billy" Winters aged 96, who died on Thrusday May 14, 1942 at his home north of Cave In Rock, Illinois. Funeral services for him were held Saturday afternoon, May 16, at Mt. Zion church with Rev. Millard Oxford and Rev. Arthur Austin officiating. He was buried in Hobbs Cemetery near Lambtown. Altho he wanted a military funeral, there were no military services conducted by veterans of the first world war, members of the American Legion Paul C. Rowan Post. "Uncle Billy" had been excellent health before reaching his 96th birthday last October, but he was ill much of the time this past winter and early last week suffered a stroke. His death followed. Hardin County's last Civil War Veteran was born on a farm in Ripley Co. Ind. October 29, 1845, the son of John and Margaret Winters. When he was seven his family moved to Kentucky and a year later in 1853 they moved to Sparks Hill, Hardin County, Illinois. The Civil War broke out when Uncle Billy was 16 years old, and he enlisted in 1861, at Elizabethtown , in the Union Army, Company "C" 48th. Illinois Regiment Infantry. He served during the entire war under General Sherman, and was a member of the 15th corps. But he had just two years and seven months actual service, as he was disabled three times by wounds. When he first enlisted, Uncle Billy's company was sent to Alabama. He was wounded at East_____ when a shot struck him under his right arm, the ball going thru his right lung and lodging under his left shoulder blade. The shot was there when he died May 14, 1942. But that first injury kept Uncle Billy home only three months, uncer the care of Dr. Wall in Elizabethtown. Then he returned to service and with Sherman in his March to the Sea in 1864. In the March, Uncle Billy was wounded a second time, the ball striking the plate he wore on his breast, passed thru the plate and struck the breast bone. But Uncle Billy recovered and was with General Sherman in the battle of Keneshaw Mt. July 9, 1864, and in the battle at Fort McAllister, GA. December 13, 1864. It was then he received his third injury, a shot striking his left hip. But Winters was back in the fight again with General Sherman when General Johnson surrendered to Sherman at Durham in April 1865. Uncle Billy was in the parade of the victors in Washington afterwards. He was mustered out of the Union Army at Springfield, Illinois in 1865. He returned to Sparks Hill, Hardin Copunty and in a few months was married to Susan Dolph Ozee of Harris Creek. They lived at Lambtown for a few months and then moved to a house-boat on the Ohio rover. Uncle Billy made their living fishing for two years. Then they moved to a farm six miles east of Junction, in Gallatin County. Six years later they returned to Cave-in-Rock. The log home in which he died was more than 100 years old, known as the old Baugher place. In the last six months of his life he sat before his batter radio set, listening with interest to news of his country in the Second World War. Uncle Billy had started to school at Philidelphia, one of the county's rural schools. When he farmed he raised and cradled wheat. Wheat hasn't been produced in this county for several years. In addition to wheat, he raised corn and pea hay. He remembered hunting wild deer and wild turkeys with his muzzle loader. Taken from the Hardin County Independent May 21, 1943 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb Archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Wanda Reed