Civil War Pension/Military Records: Alpheus MERRITT; Olmsted Co., MN Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Fran M. Roen ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization 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. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Alpheus Merritt enlisted, for the Union, in the F 9th MN Infantry Regiment in the Civil War on Aug 21, 1862, at the age of 41. He was taken prisoner on June 10, 1864 at The Battle of Brice's Cross Roads in Mississippi. He died on Jan 17, 1865 in Salisbury Prison, NC, as a POW. His wife Mary Jane Merritt (Gilbert) died Jan. 3, 1865. The minor children, Esquire Ensign Merritt b. 6-14-1852, Eliza Alvera Merritt b. 3-23-1857, and Dora Maria b. 11-26-1857 were put under the care of their grandparents, Obediah & Jane (Chilson) Gilbert. These are who collect Alpheus’ pension. The other children, Mary Jane Merritt b. abt 1842 , Thomas C. Merritt b.1845 d. 1846 Lorenzo Merritt b.Feb. 9, 1844 Seth M. Merritt b. 1847 Thomas L. Merritt b. Jan 1850 d. Feb. 1850 Thomas S. Merritt b. Dec. 1850 Jane Merritt b. 3-23-1857 Mariah Merritt b. 1859, had set up households of their own Reports of the battle and Prison conditions. In the spring of 1864 General William Tecumseh Sherman led more the 100,000 Union soldiers into northern Georgia. His mission was to capture the city of Atlanta, a vital center of transportation and industry. The city's fall would be a staggering blow to the already faltering southern Confederacy. To protect his army's vulnerable supply lines, Sherman ordered Union forces at Memphis, Tennessee to march into North Mississippi. Their job was to find and, if possible, destroy Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest and his Confederate cavalry. On the morning of Jun 10, 1864 Union and Confederate troops clashed near Baldwyn, Mississippi along the sleepy wooded lanes around Brice's crossroads. Forrest led elements of his cavalry corps in a bloody day-long battle against a much larger Union army commanded by Brigadier General Samuel D. Strugis. Fighting inthe sweltering hear, Forrest used his superior knowledge of the enemy, aggressive tactics and favorable terrain to win one of the most decisive victories of the American Civil War, completely routing Sturgis' expeditionary force, and capturing most of their weapons and supplies. Forrest had wond a stunning victory, but it was not complete. Despite the high cost, Sherman had in fact successfully diverted Forrest away from his supply lines. The Atlanta campaign could continue. It was at the Union's (Federal's) second battle line that General Sturgis was able to use his infantry for the first time in the battle. General Forrest had beaten the Union cavalry before the infantry reached the battlefield. Infantry and cavalry formed this line The infantry units who engaged in this second battle line where: 95th Ohio, 113th Illinois, 120th Missouri, 35 Illinois, 81st. Illinois, 114th Illinois, 93rd Indiana and 9th Minnesota this was Alpheus Merritt' Unit. It was at this battle that Alpheus was taken captive. Below is a statement about the conditions he was forced to live under as a POW. The only Confederate Prison that was located in North Carolina was in the town of Salisbury. The prison was established on Nov,. 2, 1861. Following the first battle of Bull Run at Manassas, Union prisoners of war streamed into Salisbury. Joining the POWs were Southern political prisoners and conscientious objectors, as well as Confederate and Federal deserters. The site was a purchased of sixteen acres within the town of Salisbury, whereupon stood a 3 story cotton factory building . The structure was about ninety by fifty feet constructed of red brick, along with six brick tenements contaiing four rooms each and a larger frame house, with smith shop and a couple of smaller buildings. The site was the general muster ground where local boys joined the Southern Army. The very first POW of the war was held in Salisbury Prison and when first established, life was rough, but prisoners had a large yard in which they could move about and even played baseball games until the prison became so crowed they could not. Supplies and rations for the prisoners were meager but enough to live on. due to the exchange and parole of so may prisoners, overcrowding was not an issue until late in the war. When exchanges and paroles became few, the prison became extremely over crowed and rations and supplies were almost nonexistent. Local townspeople had little to sustain themselves so there wasn't much they could do to help those who were in the prison. Soon, conditions became deplorable and many of the prisoners became sick and died. Prisoners were buried outside the walls of the prison which later became know as Salisbury National Cemetery. Prison conditions as told by George N. Folk, as witness in a trail--- In different parts of the enclosure I saw some tents. I should suppose from thirty to fifty, some of them were Sibley and some "A" tents, that constituted the shelter I saw inside the enclosure. At first from looking in the prison I saw very few men a much less number than I had understood was in there, upon looking more closely, I saw the prisoners coming out from inside the ground. They looked to me very much like ants coming out and retreating to their holes. Smoke was curling out of the ground. Then for the first time. I ascertained that the body of the prisoners were living under the ground. The prisoners were badly clad and looked emaciated and haggard. and had the appearance to me of men who had undergone great suffering. The 1860 Minnesota US Census of Olmsted Co., Viola Township, State of Minnesota, June 21, 1860 listing for Alpheus and Mary Merritt is given below: Dwelling houses listed in the order of visitation = 493 Families numbered in order of visitation = 446 Alpheus Merritt age 38 years, Male, Occupation Farmer, Place of Birth Ohio. In this household lived: Mary (Mary Ann Gilbert) Merritt age 37 years, Female, Place of Birth Ohio. Lorenzo Merritt, age 14 years, Male, Place of Birth Penn. Seth Merritt, age 15 years, Male, Place of Birth Penn. Thomas (L) Merritt, age 10 years, Male, Place of Birth Ohio. Square (Ensign) (Esquire) Merritt, age 8 years, Male, Place of Birth Minn. Jane Merritt age 3 years, Female, Place of Birth Minn. Mariah (Eliza) (A.M.) Merritt age 1 years, Female, Place of Birth Minn. NOTE: Information in parenthesis ( ) are my notations. According to the 1860 US Census Alpheus Merritt age 38 would have been born about 1822, his birthplace is listed as Ohio. Further Alpheus Merritt and his wife Mary (Mary Ann Gilbert) Merritt were married in PA and three of their oldest children were born in PA.