George Darlison's biography, Corey, Cass County, Michigan



Copyright © 1999 by Denise Frederick. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb 
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GEORGE DARLISON
Was born in London, England, Oct. 26, 1836. He was a son of Thomas and
Jane (Montgomery) Darlison, deceased. January, 1865, he was married in
this county to Mary A. Reece, dec., who was born Jan. 9, 1842, of
parents, Thomas and Alice Reece, deceased. As the fruit of this
marriage these children were born: Thomas S., Lucretia J., Alice A.,
Emma G., Charlotte, dec., Francis M., Edith L. and George.  Comrade
Darlison was a laborer of 23 years when the war broke out.  He
enlisted about the middle of April, 1861, at Constantine, Mich., as a
private in Co. G, 2d Mich. V.I., 1st Brig., 3d Div., 2d A.C., under
Capt. John C. Lawson, for three months' service, and went by order to
Detroit, where he re enlisted for three years May 12, 1861, and moved
from there Washington.  The first engagement was at Blackburn's Ford
July 18, 1861, 2d engagement was Bull Run; 3d was Siege of Yorktown,
serving in Berry's Brig., Dearny's Div.; 4th at Williamsburg May 5th;
5th at Fair Oaks May 31; at Charles City Cross Roads June 30; 6th the
seven days' fight, during which he was fighting or retreating day and
night, and had had no sleep for three days and three nights before
being on picket duty, making in all ten days and nights, and wound up
with the battle of Malvern Hill July 1st, after which they went into
camp at Harrison's Landing, where he was sick more or less all the
time, being exhausted with the long siege and having piles, diarrhea
and rheumatism. He was detailed as wagoner Aug. 15, when the regiment
took up march. The next engagement was Fredericksburg Dec. 12; (they
were then transferred to 9th A.C.); they then went to Newport News,
and from there to Bardstown, Ky. From here they went up to Lexington,
Ky., where he was detailed to headquarters of the Central Dept. of
Ky., where they were doing duty of different kinds until July 31st,
when he was struck in the hand by a grape shot and the same day taken
prisoner, it being Sunday. They were compelled to travel day and night
without food and but little rest until the next Thursday night when
they arrived at Concord, Tenn., where they were fed upon corn meal and
taken to Knoxville, Tenn., where they were put in the county jail and
fed upon corn bread and boiled liver with maggots on from one-half
inch to an inch long, served in a clothes basket all together. There
being a great many there hungry and accustomed to this way of eating
they rushed ahead and ate it all before the strangers got anything, so
they missed their rations until they got acquainted. Here they
remained for eighteen or twenty days when they were taken to Richmond,
Va., where they were put in Libby prison for three or four days and
then taken to belle Isle, a small island in the river at Richmond,
where they remained until our subject was paroled. Here they were fed
part of the time on corn bread and part of the thime on wheat bread,
with bean soup once in awhile for a treat (made from gray peas with no
grease except the insects that were among the peas). After awhile the
bread became so scarce the prisoners got hardly enough to keep body
and soul together, receiving but twenty pounds of corn bread for 110
men for a day's rations, and nothing to drink but the muddy river
water. For change of diet they were taken out and counted once or
twice a week so as to fill up the hundreds if any had died, for fear
there would be issued rations for some that were dead, on these days
they did not have time to feed the prisoners at all. Some days a sweet
potato about as big as a man's fist was issued for a day's rations
instead of bread.  The prisoners were poorly clad and had no blankets,
as their clothes and blankets were taken away from them, and all the
tents or means of protection they had were a few tents captured from a
Vermont regiment, about enough for 300 men and there was about 4,800
there when our subject got there; the prisoners took turns in camp,
being entitled to them as they were paroled; they were allowed no
fire, so they had to endure the changes of weather just as it might
come, either hot or cold. Christmas Day, 1863, they each had a raw
sweet potato for their rations, the next day they were counted again
so did not get anything and the 28th of December 500 men were paroled
and went to City Point; went aboard a flag of truce boat and went down
the river to Fortress Monroe and across the Chesapeake Bay to
Annapolis, Md., where they arrived Dec. 31st.  Once more in the land
of the living, the next day was the happiest New Years that any of the
poor fellows ever knew. They went from here to Camp Chase, Ohio, where
they remained until May, 1864, when they were exchanged and went to
their regiments. Our subject was engaged in but few more battles,
including North Anna River, Tolopotomy, Bethesda Church and several
others, and was honorably discharged July 12, 1864, at Detroit, Mich.
Comrade Darlison belongs to W.J. Mays Post, No. 65; his occupation is
that of a farmer and his address is Corey, Cass Co., Mich.


dz