Hardin County OhArchives Biographies.....Morrison, Robert 1840 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/oh/ohfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ann Anderson ann.g.anderson@gmail.com November 19, 2005, 12:37 am Author: Warner, Beers & Co. ROBERT MORRISON, farmer, P. O. Kenton, was born April 15, 1840, in Muskingum County, Ohio. His paternal grandparents emigrated from County Fermanagh, Ireland, in 1794, and settled in Pennsylvania, where, in 1799, the father of our subject was born. A few years after they removed to Western Virginia, remaining there until 1812, then came to Muskingum County, Ohio, where, in 1820, the father of our subject was married to Miss Grace Dickson, who was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1803. Her parents emigrated to America in 1810, and settled near Pittsburgh, Penn., and remained there, one year, then moved to Muskingum County, Ohio. The parents of our subject settled in this county in April, 1853, and had a family of twelve children, six boys anal six girls, of whom four boys and three girls are still living. His mother died January 7, 1880; his father is still living at the age of eighty-four years. The subject of this sketch enlisted in the Eighty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, October 26, 1861; was in seventeen regular battles, had nineteen horses shot under him, his blood never flowing but once, when a minie ball grazed his upper lip. In the latter part of 1863, he was detailed as a scout and spy to Gen. Howard's company, the Eleventh Corps. Soon after the Eleventh Corps was sent to join the Army of the Cumberland. On October 27, 1863, our subject participated in the battle of Lookout Mountain, and afterward in the battles of Wauhatchie Heights and Mission Ridge, after which Gen. Sherman started to relieve Burnside at Knoxville. But on reaching Loudon, fearing that he would not get to Burnside in time, he called for volunteers to take a message to Knoxville. No one responding, Gen. Hooker said he knew of two who would go to any place he told them, and called out Daniel Conner and our subject. The next morning a brigade of infantry was sent across the river to drive the rebels back to give the two scouts a start. Knoxville was eighty-two miles distant by rail, but, as the rebels had possession of the railroad, that route could not be used. Our subject and his companion were captured by the rebels, stripped of their arms and hurried along for six hours, when they made an escape into the woods. After many hindrances, they finally reached Knoxville just in time to save Burnside from a surrender. Their news was received with great cheering in the camp, and the General ordered his cook to prepare them a breakfast, which latter the two scouts were obliged to decline when they found it to consist of fried bran. For this work the scouts were to receive $50 extra, but this, as well as the promise of $2 extra per day for secret service, was never paid. The following spring our subject was in the Atlanta campaign, participating in the battles and skirmishes, and finally served in the campaign from "Atlanta to the Sea," when his term having expired, he started for home, which he reached January 19, 1865. He had been under fire 104 days in succession, both in battle and on duty as a scout. Since the war, he has been engaged in farming and stock-raising. He was married, May 3, 1877, to Miss Mary Holland, born in Gibson, Steuben Co., N. Y. Her father, John Holland, was born November 19, 1824, emigrated in 1847, settling in New York, where he was married to Lydia A. Lawless, a native of Ireland, who came to America when a child. They lived in Gibson County, N. Y., for three years and then moved to Clark County, Ohio, resided there eighteen years, and finally came to this county, where they are still living, having reared a family of five children, three boys and two girls. Mr. Morrison is a Republican in politics, and one of the successful farmers of Dudley Township. Additional Comments: Dudley Township Excerpt from "The History of Hardin County, Ohio" containing A HISTORY OF THE COUNTY; ITS TOWNSHIPS, TOWNS, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, ETC.; GENERAL AND LOCAL STATISTICS; MILITARY RECORD; PORTRAITS OF EARLY SETTLERS AND PROMINENT MEN; HISTORY OF NORTHWEST TERRITORY; HISTORY OF OHIO; MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS, ETC., ETC. CHICAGO: WARNER, BEERS & CO. 1883 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/oh/hardin/bios/morrison305bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ohfiles/ File size: 4.8 Kb